What's top of mind: Covid has hit much closer to home and my fears are heightened. I learned last night a classmate of my youngest, and athlete, singer, dancer, 20 year old college student not only tested positive last week of Covid, but end up hospitalized two days later with all the symptoms, as they worked to help it not develop into pneumonia. She shared via Facebook how sick she was, and how this virus can easily impact anyone. She had no underlying or pre-existing conditions. Let me repeat-20 years old, dancer, five days in the hospital.
Also top of mind is the dad of DD2's show choir director, the former director/department head who was in a terrible car accident last week and broke his back in several places. We are friendly acquaintances with him and his wife who attend our church and their other son is the same age as ours. Keep both these and others that need recovery in your positive thoughts please.
Where I've been: I realized I did not share hiking pictures-soon they'll fit a post. This week I've only been for walks outside in my neighborhood and one with my daughter by the river. I guess stopping for a few bits at Kwik Trip counts as an outing.
Where I'm going: We're going to go to the Farmers market, and if not too cold, perhaps outside for coffee.
What I'm watching: My daughter clued me in that a new season of the British Baking Show is on! I love it. The people are all genuinely nice, not back stabbing like on the American cooking competitions. I guess when the grand prize is a cake plate and a bouquet of flowers, you need to be cheery. This season, the contestants are all living together in isolation. Can you imagine doing that to be on a the Baking Show? Yes, please! Sign me up.
What I'm reading: Nothing but e-mails, reports, and other catch=up ites. And of course, my blog friends posts.
What I'm listening to: I'm back to listening to BBC World Service-but only in bits as I have been so chock full of meetings.
What I'm eating: Well, we did pretty well using the food we brought, and this week included the last of it, plus some things from the freezer. Tomorrow we need to eat a salad kit with todays date. DH splurged on Arby's Gyro's for us for lunch at 3 for $6.00.
Who I'm paying attention to: Really? No one right now. I'm concentrating on work, my family, and trying to not get sucked into the lying and smear campaigns.My son pretty much shut down completely the option of coming home at all for the holidays-both leery of exposing himself if he drove cross country or flew, and leery of being a carrier himself since the case counts are so high in LA County. I'm paying attention to my older daughter, who is going to see a new consultant for her mental health needs. I'm paying attention to my youngest as she tries to figure out new timeline possibilities for internships and study abroad.
Sorry to hear about your son not coming home for the holidays. It makes sense, but is still hard to adjust to, if that's your standard family tradition.
ReplyDeleteSending good thoughts to the people who are recovering in your life.
What am I up to? Trying to close out a very busy week. I'm hopeful today will be a very productive work week, so I can relax & enjoy the weekend. Our kids are slowly able to add in activities (we've entered a new, lower tier here) & small groups with proper precautions are allowed. Fingers crossed the numbers stay low with the precautions.
One thing I'm grateful for - because of the new tier, kids who are homeless, in foster care, non English speakers, or special needs will now be able to come back to school in person in small groups. I'm so very happy for them & their families, as I know they are falling so far behind. While it's not ideal for either of my kids, I also know they are not falling behind at a huge rate, and priority should be given to kids who are struggling the most. I'm so happy some kids will get a chance at more in person support.
I am pleased to read that aobut the students that already have more challenges than others. Tha tis good news. I will be sad not to see my son, but it won't be the only Christmas we didn't have our adult kids home, in 2013 he was n Florida and our older daughter in London, and the following year, they both were in CA. We even missed his last Christmas in the midwest, as he came home the weekend before for a few days, but he had to work Christmas. He lived and worked in Milwaukee then.
DeleteSam,
ReplyDeleteI am watching Would-Be-College-Boy struggle, and it's killing me. He feels that just when he started to figure it all out, the rug was pulled out from under him. You see, our state is very proactive in keeping COVID at bay, so there is no way he is going back on campus even in spring. Earlier in the month, schools opened up for grades 1 - 3, which resulted in an increase in cases, so the state as discouraged further returns to campus. Would-Be-College-Boy will NOT take remote classes, and I can't say I blame him. All I can do is keep telling him "This too shall pass." I can't imagine how I would have felt if, after my freshman year of college, I was told I had to go home and wait indefinitely before I could get back to school. I'd feel like I was in interminable boredom. (I wasn't always the homebody I am now.)
I'm sorry for him, and so grateful my daughter has been able to stay in school, and if cases spike like the did in mid-September, they seemed to have figure t he way to institute tighter mitigation efforts. She now is at the five week mark before they break for Thanksgiving, then all classes and finals move to on-line so students wouldn't have to come back and not bring COVID potentially back with them after being home. Here' maybe a time when your son can hone a hobbie, help with a home project-or lead a home project, which would be a great future interview story on how he persevered during the pandemic.
DeleteI'm sorry your son won't be coming home for the holidays but he sounds a sensible young man. If by the British Baking Show you mean the Great British Bake Off (I don't watch it) you might want to check out Nadiya Hussain, a British Bangladeshi who won a few years ago. She's adorable and as a muslim has received her share of crap, but she's lovely, irreverent and great fun. Somebody once asked her why her (gorgeous) husband doesn't cover his hair as she does and she turned around and said "he doesn't look good in pink"! She's my kind of gal!
ReplyDeleteYes that's what I meant Great British Bake Off. I have seen Nadiya's cooking-may have seen the season she won. Sad that she has had to face racism and discrimination, but I remember her talent, and her effervescence.
DeleteFarmers market sounds fun. I think our little Saturday market is done for the year
ReplyDeleteOther years there were still stalls, but now I am questioning myself. We last went about four weeks ago, so I might be wrong. We are going out to the apple orchard again for more honeycrisp apples. Likely won't be picking them, but they should still have bags for sale.
DeleteThis covid is messing with all tings possible. But you have great kids. Sorry you can't have all for the holidays.
ReplyDeleteWe will by at least Facetime or some other way to connect. It isn't the first or the last I am sure. I guess we just need to be thankful for any time we get with our families.
DeleteI'm sorry to hear of so many struggling and am sending positive vibes to all who need them.
ReplyDeleteI've been exercising a lot, zhuzzhing up the house with things I already have, and continuing to clear the attic room. It's all helping me to cope with the white hot fury I feel at the UK government.
Glad you're enjoying Bake Off!
Yes to the zhussing-on my list for this weekend, and yes, need to keep m mind busy or I will go off on people! Thank you for the good wishes and positive vibes. I had a message conversation with the college girls mom, and she shared how scared she was during those five days.
DeleteWatched the kids across the street try to slide down the hill, in the little bit of snow we got this morning. I started to worry when it started to stick but it didn't last long. I'm grateful the sun came out and it melted but I can almost feel the disappointment of the kids across the street.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear your son will be staying in California over the holidays but he sounds level headed and is also looking out for his family. I will keep your friends in my prayers and hope for a quick recovery for both of them.
We gave in to using the furnace as it just got a little too cold at night here. We're about 50 miles north of the cities so a majority of the leaves have fallen although there is still some color to enjoy and there is a chill in the air even during the day. The winds have been relentless the last few days but much calmer today.
Hope you have a nice weekend. The sun is shining and the sky is blue - hard to believe it was snowing like crazy a few hours ago.
Well, you'll see tomorrow, we gave in as well. When it dropped to 57 in the house and DH was sneezing and shivering, I thought I should succumb to his pleading. We got that wicked wind, sleet,e snow junk for about 10 minutes, then it got very sunny and I had a gorgeously refreshing walk with a friend.
DeleteI think the holidays are going to look different for everybody this year. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteThey will, but it will make future get togethers, holidays or not, more specials. I just feel for how hard it is for him in all walks of his life right now. Some mom pampering would have been nice to bestow.
DeleteI am sorry for your family but I understand your son's decision. Son1 and his family are staying put. I get it and appreciate that they are doing what is best for their family. I hate it because we have not seen Pip in person since November of last year. Damn Covid!
ReplyDeleteAt least I am not missing little ones-so sorry that you will miss seeing her this year. The cases are not slowing down and when I learn how bad even young and healthy people are fairing, I get angry at how people are recklessly putting people with health issues and the elderly at risk without a care. I am proud of my son for thinking of us an dhis grandmother.
DeleteI am sorry that your son will not be visiting anytime soon. However, as a responsible adult, he is thinking more about your safety for sure. I used to watch the British Baking show with my BFF in the US while I was there. She enjoys it very much and tries her hand at some recipes.
ReplyDeleteI am proud he is being responsible and cares about us all. I love the Technical challenges on the show-even if I don't know wha tthe items are they are trying to make. It seems like good fun to just follow a recipe sight unseen of finished product.
DeleteWe are not going to celebrate with family for the holidays either. I'm sorry your son isn't coming home for the holidays and wish things were different. Hopefully next year.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your daughter's friend and your friend who broke his back. I will be keeping both of them in positive thoughts.
All th epositive energy is appreciated. I think we will be even more grateful when we get to see him again. Last year we got him twice-both in June when he came home for his sisters grad uation, and then Christmas. I just hope he has friends and his roommates to enjoy a little spirit with.
DeleteI’m recovering ( fantastically) from a knee replacement a month ago....out and driving and have such a good leg now....just need to plan surgery I left in the next few months. Met and keeping in touch with summer friends from the pool....going out at least 1-2 times a week for breakfast or lunch. Nice to still be able to eat out and follow all protocols. New Jersey, my area, Cape May has had low numbers even though state has had some specific outbreak areas. Happy to be out in case we get rise later and have to hunker down. After last shut down, things have been really nice so I have nothing to complain or be unhappy about. Just trying to appreciate all I have and everything positive. I’ll be alone for the holidays but I try to tell myself that they are just a day and I can get through anything. They are a time for families and I have a small one and distant so alone it will be ......as usual. Will go out for walk and make dinner for me but will be happy when they are over and happy to have 2020 over with.....and hope that 2021 has a glimmer of hope that it will be different and improve in many aspects. I’m stocking up the pantry.....not so much afraid of shortages from Covid, but concerned of uprisings depending on how election goes....I feel the potential for a lot of unrest and bad times ahead for a few months.
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear about your positive knee surgery recovery. As I face surgery at some point, it's reassuring. You have a nice outlook on your life, holidays and looking forward to better times. Thank you for commenting.
DeleteIt is very hard when your family can not come home. Our oldest was home for Thanksgiving, but I have a feeling that as virus cases rise he might not be able to come home for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Lovely you got to see him for your Thanksgiving. We'll talk to him, send some treats, maybe video game with him and the girls and with hope we'll see him within the year. Blessings to you as well.
DeleteCOVID cases continue to rise here, 148 yesterday in my county, 109 today. Our school shut down briefly and has reopened but even on a “good” week my daughter is only there twice. We have a freeze advisory tonight so I covered my zinnias that are still going strong and winterized the rest of the yard. Our furnace is set for 65 and has clicked on quite a few mornings. I typically like to wait but my willpower isn’t what it used to be. JoAnn
ReplyDeleteIt did get cold and DH does get chills easy. I gave in for his sake. We're hybrid school in our community too.
DeleteI know it will be hard not to have all your family for the holidays. Sorry about that. Today, Tommy and I opened a great bag of Halloween decorations and we are putting them up. I have a post coming about that. This year, the holidays will be much more for both of us, although still alone and still not able to go places. I am trying to do more for him, as he seems to miss not being able to go to church...lol...so I am jazzing up Halloween...lol. Besides, he has never done anything for Halloween.
ReplyDeleteThat's terrific that you're helping each other enjoy the spirit of the holidays and having fun with decorating. Your post will be fun to read. Pictures?
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