Saturday Normalizing-Whatever That Means

      I just saw a commercial for By the Yard furniture. It was a lovely pool side setting around one of those gas fireplaces. Lovely! I know it was a commercial, but seeing "lovely" was great. Also watching the local news program while I have laundry going is a refreshing change from bingeing on CNN alternated with Fox to hear both sides of the nations mouthpiece. There was also a feature on snow showing, and taking care of house plants in the winter, and kids on the newly froze and ready to use skating rinks. All the wonderful stuff of Minnesota winters, stuff I'd rather put my thoughts and attention to. Nothing has changed since yesterday politically, maybe even more fuel is being poured over the divide and there is still the poor pandemic response and slow roll out, but for today, I'm aiming for normal, whatever that means on this January 9th.

     My youngest will go back to school tomorrow. She had two days of remote classes and an informational interview for a volunteer opportunity. It sounded like that will be a good fit for a few hours a month-not quite an internship as she has a full course load, but an opportunity to build her resume. She also will be her  colleges International Business Club Vice President, another experience builder. Don't be too impressed-the club president put out a call for volunteers, and she was the only one, of the small club that said, yes. Two of her friends are other officers. She doesn't even know much about the club, having only been to two meetings in the fall, though found them interesting and a good fit with one of her majors. Online classes go through Thursday and then they'll transition to in-person Thursday, and the Case counts will be tracked daily, She'll be tested again five days back on campus. 

     My older daughter has been following the housing market, picking up a bit in  one of the communities she is interested in. Ideally, she would like to purchase  before summer,  even though her lease goes through September. Her apartment is so cute and rent is so reasonable, she doesn't think her landlord will object to her leaving early as he easily  can find a new tenant. He'll be sorry to lose her though I am sure. Her original upstairs and downstairs neighbors were older young, professional adults like her, but both have moved in the last year and she has  immature neighbors now that don't understand the concept of some shared space, and  light sound barrier in a 150 year old  house. While not horrible, she is ready for her own space. 

     We'll try a Facebook call with our son tonight before the college kid goes back. We're set for group connections through the video app as well, so I hope they all want to connect with their old mom on occasion. Todays plans are to make sure daughter has all she needs going back. She needs to get her car cleaned out and the inside windows cleaned. She'll have a travel emergency kit, sleeping bag, water, granola bars,  etc. and fortunately it's supposed to be a nice sunny day tomorrow.  I want to get caught up with other bloggers, plus I really do need to grocery shop. We're going to venture  out to Trader Joe stop, plus pick up the Nothingbutbundt cake for her birthday treat, even though I could have baked. Basically, trying to aim for a normal weekend day after a week that was anything but.