What a difference.........

 What a difference a day makes.... the sun is trying valiantly to pop through the clouds and with it seems to come a bit of peace and a literal breath of fresh air.  Starting next week, we'll add a minute of daylight at the end of the day and starting on the 21st (the proverbial shortest day of the year) and I will argue that as of late...I've had some REALLY long days, the mornings will be brighter earlier too.  I guess it really is the little things that we hang on to as we age.

A few blessings still abound.  B is still in school a couple days a week and her grades are remarkable.  She's either a great student or she has extraordinary educators....or maybe both. Jett is spending weekends with us and he is definitely a ray of sunshine the second he walks through the door.  Football is still going strong and most places are still open for business here and in neighboring towns. Tonight I'm looking forward to my first Christmas outing with some gals... Next week a couple more all culminating with the breakfast crew's holiday breakfast..... Last but not least will be our Christmas here with just our immediate family on Christmas day.  Christmas breakfast and Prime rib dinner are on tap for us... We pretty much eat all day and enjoy our blessings.  We're playing with the hand we've been dealt in so many areas but we're making the best of the game.  As long as we're all together, we're winners!

Well, the sun made it out...time to feed the birds and gather supplies to decorate gingerbread houses tomorrow all topped off with a visit from Santa tomorrow night... Who's excited?🖐

 Finally, a moment to sit and reflect.  It's a cold, upstate, New York morning only 2 weeks from the "real" start of winter.  Presents are wrapped and under the trees, decorations are hanging, Christmas cards are in the mail and out-of-town packages have been shipped. Basically, I'm ready......but something's amiss:-(........  the joy!  I've always had the joy and none of the preparations ever seemed like work.  I have a few friend's lunches over the holidays which I anticipate eagerly.  One group has felt the need to postpone due to Covid (understandably) and another trio for dinner is down to a duet.  Another dinner will be close by and our Breakfast Crew is still a go..... These are some of my favorite gatherings and I will fight tooth and nail to make sure they happen. I hate masks but if that's what it takes, I'm in and they're on!  I still have questions about why my germs don't exist at the table but may be death sentences when I stand up and walk to my car. Someday, I may understand but for now, I'll do my part and continue to bitch about our Governor and hope that the lingering effects don't show up in the health, education and well being of....well nearly everyone I know.....young and old.

Life in my house is so far from anything I ever thought my 60's, the holidays or the golden years would be.   I always envisioned my feet up in my recliner, a book in my hand or a football game on the telly. A bloody mary or a diet Pepsi would be near by and something very......chocolate.  It would take me one morning to do a week's laundry, supper would be anything from pot roast to cereal to nothing and I'd look forward to visits from my kids and grandkids.....♥    Now, don't get me wrong, I am living this new live to the best of my limited capacities.  I can make sure homework is completed, meds are taken, teeth are brushed and hands are washed more often. I can play cards, lose to everyone at Monopoly, prod conversation at the dinner table and wish that screen time was a thing of the past (as I hide my phone on my lap and watch the stock market, my fantasy football and who had what for supper!!)

I can and will do this!!! Everyone's need for me will make sure that I do.  I will find my joy again in keeping those who I love healthy, happy, educated and sane.  I am fortunate to have many caring friends (who may be family or even closer) that I can call on to give me a much needed "atta girl" and a few extra prayers to boot.  You know who you are!

I will try and share here as often as I can.. I'm hoping winter brings me a few more hours of "me time!" and a few more opportunities to enjoy my limited vices...

I have had the need to make this blog private so my readers are few but a few friends are way better than a gaggle of gossipers!!! Till next time...Take care and don't lose YOUR joy!!!!

A Great Anniversary

 What a difference a year makes. Bailee returned to us one year ago today. After a horrible 3 week stay in the south, an eye-opening relocation, a reality check of monumental proportions and a 13 hour car ride to sanity, she was literally dropped in our driveway to regain a life of love and stability... Who knew?

  Who new that today she would be sitting in her comfy bedroom, synchronously (my most new, unfavorite word) pursuing her education.  Two days in person classes and two days online ALL DAY!!!! She was so excited to get back to her classes in the building but that novelty wore off as the halls became nearly silent. They're literally masked in unfamiliarity! No smiles, little chatter, no hallways lined with posters announcing school elections, upcoming social events or amazing artwork created by the talented students.  Stale air, fogged glasses, overloaded backpacks (lockers can only be used for coats and then left open...) and now your teacher who was happy to have face to face contact with at least half of his/her students is juggling 1/2 in their seats and 1/2 on their screens.

  I try to be supportive of the bizarre steps that are being taken but the inconsistency has become a huge distraction. Families worked hard to put their back to school houses in order and make their personal logistics work.  Six weeks later, it all changed.  Fortunately, our household can be flexible...many cannot. I take huge exception to being told how to arrange my home.... acceptable backgrounds, no snacking, appropriate school attire (at home), limiting household noise during classes...which by the way is 9:02 - 3:20 on synchronous days (Tuesday and Friday!)  

  My last bitch for this post is the Honors and Advanced programs. Bailee take Honors Global History, Honors ELA English), advanced math (Geometry) and advanced Science (Earth Science!)  First let me say..WAY TO GO Bailee!!!  I am so proud of your intelligence and commitment! Now to my disagreement.  Because these course are harder, faster and loaded with more content, they're adding TEN points to each average...WTH..... Bailee is pulling mid to high 90s in all but one of these courses...there are no grades above 100.....I think the addition of these extra points is a disservice to those kids who are already achieving 90s. We should be teaching these kids that you get what you earn! I understand it's an incentive to take tougher courses but ten points is a bit excessive...unless of course you're slacking with the idea that "Hey, I get a 10 point push at the end of the marking period so why not!"  Would I want to be an educator or administrator these days?... Absolutely not but these extremes push past even the abnormal new normal that we're swimming in.

  I'm really just whining as we're doing what we must and surviving and others have it tougher. Maybe I'm just posting for posterity when years down the road someone will read this and realize we couldn't make this stuff up...  Maybe it's just this new generation walking 5 miles to school, uphill in the snow with bread bags in their boots!  We'll see!

  

Another month.....fretting!

 I cannot believe that I'm only rambling every month or so...at least on "paper!"  I really don't have more to do it just seems to take me longer to do it!  I am on target for my Christmas chores.  I do have Jim Bob ready for fall and Halloween and I still manage to keep the dishes washed, the laundry done and occasionally dust (when the sun makes it absolutely necessary.) I do seem to spend an inordinate amount of time fretting.  I never used to do that and I'm hoping it's just an old age thing but I also have a bit more responsibility than some folks my age.....not complaining.....well just a little!

On the other hand, I find joy in so many little things!  The other day I found the heavy duty gift boxes I have been searching for....remember the old Chappells' store yellow boxes? The ones we ended up packing away Christmas things in while throwing away the flimsy ones that flattened when you breathed on them! I was at my local Dollar store and there they were.....only $3.50 and the shelves were loaded. The ones I had found online were nearly $11..for ONE!!!  My father would roll over if he knew I even bought boxes! Joy remained with me that morning as I turned into the next aisle and VOILA..there was Lysol. I have not been able to find it since March and we literally inhale it here.. (not always purposely!)  I am now able to rid the door handles, faucets, cupboard knobs, appliance handles, remotes and keyboards of any little germ who thought he had a chance in here. It's not like drinking Clorox, Donald but pretty damn close. ( I knew you were being facetious.) More joy radiates as I just look out the window at the landscape and its beauty! My grandkids now "oo and ah" with me as we drive down the roadways... one in true appreciation, the other in vociferous sarcasm...(guess which one is the teenager!) Another obvious joy for me is football.  I love everything about it (except kneeling of course!)  My Buffalo Bills are bringing me immense joy, Tom Brady not being able to keep track of downs brings a kind of euphoria I haven't felt in years (story for another day) and Sundays watching from my recliner for 12 hours uninterrupted is a comfort I only enjoy during the season! As I said, it's the little things!

The days are getting shorter, I get sleepy earlier, a bit of irregular routine is in place (if the school would stick to one plan) and Hallmark movies are right around the corner. Fretting has its place and I know that it most likely will solve nothing. Old age does bring some wisdom! As the saying goes, I must accept the things I cannot change, change the things I can and find the wisdom to know the difference. I can do it!!!

The Letter of the Week....

 The letter of the week.....to end out the month of August is definitely "D!"  Everything about this month has been Duh!!!!  Dysfunction, disheartening, depressing, delayed, demanding and disastrous!  Sounds fun, right? NOT!

  Other than our little mini-getaway, the rest of the past four weeks mostly sucks.  The first Friday of the month, Jeff dumped his bike....not unusual words for his prior 25 years of fun but this was his bicycle and he's 41....Separated shoulder, broken tendon, a new shoulder hole and much pain. I had assumed (and you know what that does) that we had passed the adventurous, "let's try anything" stage but I was obviously quite mistaken.  What this meant, on top of the physical pain was ......out of work, required time for unemployment not met, teetering on the edge of insurance and newly acquired medical issues impeding surgery and care....One giant CLUSTER....can you spell that with a "D?"

  Next we have bugs....I hate bugs...I'm such a dissenter of the bug world I have even come to hate ladybugs...Who doesn't like ladybugs? anyway, I digress....Poor Jett was besieged by some kind of  creepy, crawly tiny menaces. He was peppered with bites, ran a fever, doctored, covid tested (of course anything warrants that these days) and itched uncontrollably.....poor guy :-(  Of course, this was somehow his Dad's fault or mine or the devil's but surely not anyone else's!  Our basement level was deep cleaned...twice and no critters or critter remains were found but it was , nonetheless, reason enough to not allow him here. 

  The power was out a couple of days ago. Not a big deal. It was actually quite nice to be untethered to technology for a couple of hours.  When power was restored, everything returned to as normal as it ever is here with the exception of Bailee's TV and her computer not connecting to WiFi. This is just a hair short of Armageddon.  Last night, my TV refused to connect.. I remained composed and watched my nightly fix of Yellowstone on my Kindle.  I spoke for a while with a Verizon rep who told me that devices NOT connecting while most things did connect was not their problem...I can see something happening during the outage for one device but not intermittently with three.  I'm convinced... more daily, that I am too old for this world...

  The edict from the powers that be at school are now "mandating" masks at all times.  I understand the hopes for this but I'm unsure how that works with 1200 children and their families who are also unsure of the whys!  Thankfully, it's only two days for Bailee but it does change my perception of what those two days might hold.  We'll try and do what's best, we'll refill the inhalers that have been unnecessary for the past 11 months and we'll cross our fingers that when November 4th rolls around, normalcy, of some kind, might return. Yes, I'm a Republican, yes I support most of Trump's policies and yes, I feel there is a lot of game-playing involved in politics, healthcare, finances and nearly every aspect of our 2020 life.

  Basically, this month is as riddled with dysfunction as were all those preceding since March.  Each day is a little more alien to the last, a little more lathered in unexpected expectations and little more f'd up!  Tomorrow is when my world usually returns to a normal routine. School calendars arrive, kids return to school, the nights cool off, the leaves begin to drop, the pumpkins appear and order is in the house....I'm afraid another D will drop and disorder will continue.  Can I be please be DONE?

Road Trip

 It's been a LONG 5 months and it's time to "get outa Dodge!"  B and I are loading up this morning and heading north...alllllmost to Canada but not quite.  We love the river, watching the ships, having others clean our room, cook our food and wash our towels.  We will be away from the same ole, same ole for a few days.  We need to refresh ourselves and get ready for the new normal for 20-21. We're not quite sure what that is but we're ready. We're ready to put the function in dysfunction!!!  

School shopping is complete! I mean how much do you really need for 2 days of school a week. We have no idea what's necessary on the supply front but the chrome book is charged and air pods are ready.  With classes starting an hour later, the only negative is my breakfast club time...I'll adjust!

I'll check in again next week and try to be a bit more regular with my musings! I'm hoping we can put this behind us around November 4-5th.  That's a blog for another day!!!! Adios!!!

Pre-Quarantine..last post:-)

I cannot believe my last post was pre-quarantine...March 6, 2020!

It would take me hours and pages to fill in the past 5 months of nothing and EVERYTHING.  A week after that post, the world began to slow down and nearly close.... THE WORLD.... not the USA, not New York or Moravia...the WORLD. Such an apocalyptic thought never seriously ever crossed my mind.  We all started mumbling that the schools may have to close for a bit to get this new virus under control...then it did.......and never again reopened...to date. The end of the school year seemed to be manageable for most as the teachers already knew their students and how they learned and vice versa.  For us, it was OK... B is a good student and managed with a final overall average of 98....I was thrilled!!!!! (and so was she.)

I even struggled through not seeing my breakfast crew each morning for many months. They are the group that keeps me sane and laughing.. The very best therapy takes place there and we are all better grandpeople because of that.  A few months in, we masked and gathered at a neutral spot, 6 feet apart and commiserated...a lot.

Fast forward to now!  We are back at therapy in our comfortable spot. We follow the rules to keep others safe, our spot open and our sanity in tact.   I think it's working but then we're all living in the same asylum (neighborhood) so who would really know.

Last week, the , yet unapproved, plan for "Back to School" was announced for our district and many surrounding.  Let me explain that absolutely NOBODY will be 100% happy until our old normal is back in place.  There are those of us who understand that you cannot believe everything you see, hear or read. (how scary is that?)  Personally, I believe that much of the entire fiasco is political.  I know folks are dying, I know folks are sick and I know folks are scared.  I also know that there have been viruses for decades and even centuries that have taken their path and reckoned themselves.  Hell, I never got a basic flu shot until my, then DIL, said I needed to if I wanted to hold my newborn grandson....I did...and I did!!!! Please don't misinterpret my views....I know there is a health concern....but I also know there is an election and everybody hates somebody.  My dislike for someone has no power!  Unfortunately, the dislike (and that's a benign term) that politicians have for others is devastating and divisive.  We are suffering from far more than a health pandemic.  Until we fight back, we will be closed until further notice. 

On a personal note, Bailee will hopefully begin her high school years next month. My prayers (and they are many) are that she will get to meet those who will educate her, she will be taught history as it happened and not how some perceive it, she will have days of safe socialization, English will be reinforced to all so they will not sound like morons as they post their feelings, their perceptions and their hopes and that four years down the road, the idea of furthering her education will even be an option!

I will now head to lunch with a pal of 60 years and don my mask before removing it to down a bloody mary... I still believe alcohol kills germ!

Pre-High School....WOW

Yesterday was the beginning of High School.....sort of.  Aptitude tests, career and interest surveys,  course perusing and then....boom...time to schedule the Freshman year. No more little school or middle school...HIGH SCHOOL.  Such an exciting time!  The excitement is tempered with a bit of trepidation. Who really knows at 13 where you'd like to attend college or what you'd really like to do when you grow up. Most don't have plans for next week and have no idea what they'd like for dinner tonight.  Their interests may change but thankfully their skills are blossoming!  You begin to realize you won't be a lead singer in a band but you could be combining graphic skills with computer skills. You probably won't be an Olympic gymnast but you could be a pretty successful marine biologist with an added interest of finance.  Your skills are evident in the science and math fields but you're not really a people person so ruling out a lot of interaction might be a marker!

It's an interesting year when your student realizes that it might be smart to do just a little bit more than is warranted or expected. We are really fortunate to have a school district with a young, talented compassionate guidance department. They take their guiding seriously for all their students and introduce them early to the colleges and opportunities that are literally surrounding them.

I think the next four years will be full of knowledge, excitement and growing with a few eye rolls, under the breath mutterings and some pep talks thrown in for good measure. The best part is the daily understanding that you have all learned from other's mistakes and will make a few of your own.....but you can and will be a success in whatever you aspire to be and do.... and I'm right behind you 100%♥

Our New Normal

I actually have a few extra minutes this morning and I thought I'd better see when I last visited my blog... Holy cow, it's been TWO months.  Life is a bit fuller (and busier) now that we have a full house again. We cook more meals, wash more dishes, do more laundry, drive more miles, play more games, buy more groceries but we also love more fully. Hugs and I love yous before bed,  conversations about your day at dinner and kudos for all the wonderful accomplishments each day. Who knew this would be our life at nearly 70?  Not that I am complaining one single bit. ♥

Bonds are stronger than ever; cousin to cousin, uncle to niece, granddaughter to Papa and Grandma and grandparents to grandson.  The mother/son one has been there for 4 decades. Don't get me wrong, we ALL still need our "me time" and we ALL pretty much know when it becomes necessary. We've got it and it's working!

We made it through the fall birthdays and holidays. I'm continually trying to understand that less is more....Now that it's all here, I get it! Chores are shared and it's working.

Don't get me wrong....it's different. A year ago I could eat a Hershey bar for dinner and be good to go...Not so much now! Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy aren't just on at 7, they're tournaments right down to our final Jeopardy wagers and bragging rights that go a long way. So, many hours of Word Party get traded for equal numbers of minutes of Property Brothers.  Yep, we have many TVs but everyone's learning to tolerate each other's likes and dislikes. I have learned to very much DISLIKE "The Office!" Bailee's favorite all-time show. Just hearing the theme song makes me cringe!

A quick week-end get-away is in store for B and me. Off to Turning Stone to watch Dancing with the Stars ...Kate Flannery will dance and of course, she was on The Office!!!  The men will have their me-time too......without us.  Hoping Mother Nature is good to us and Father Time stays away from everybody!