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!

We have a teenager!

Birthday weekend...complete! We began with a movie on Friday night followed by a Roadhouse dinner. Saturday began with shopping and ended with a little local culture enjoying Fiddler On The Roof Jr. at the Jr.-Sr. High School. Bailee's friend, Chris stole the show and was rich in talent.  Bedtime began with being 12 and waking up Sunday morning 13.  The Buffalo Bills won for Grandma but the Dolphins flopped for B. Oh well!! Sunday dinner was a giant 3-foot sub, soup, fruit and cake, and ice cream.  A pretty fun weekend♥

Next week brings another, slightly older, birthday followed by Thanksgiving, turkey and ornaments.  It will be fun to sit with the grands and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. A bit of a tradition for Bailee and me that we'll share with Jett this year!

We're taking one day at a time around here. Some days are tougher than others but we have each other and we'll survive.

Peaches

I never really liked peaches.  Never liked old peaches, canned peaches, fresh peaches, peach cobbler, peach jello or peach melba (although I did have an Aunt Melba that I quite liked.) And I am absolutely 100% certain that I don't like imPeachment. First, let me say that I don't adore everything about our president.  He's a little mouthy and outspoken although I can relate to that and he spends way too much time on social media....(having a houseful of addicted screen people, I dislike it more every day.)  With that being said, I quite like many things about our president and the past few years.  The Dow seems to grow exponentially under his leadership. I begrudgingly agree with a lot of his immigration thoughts. I love that he takes no salary!  I think the First Lady is loyal, intelligent, beautiful and classy. I do not believe that our foreign policies are any different than they have been for decades..we just hear and see more about them. I firmly believe that we support other nations far too much and ours far too little...although I understand give and take and peace and war.

The one thing I do not understand is Democrats. I have never seen such a hypocritical group of self-serving asses.  I'm pretty sure the entire group couldn't list ten major or even minor accomplishments that they have achieved in the past 3 years....forget prior to that for now. So much energy into getting rid of someone who just plain pisses them off.....and whom they just can't seem to control.  So much money spent on productions that even the jerks in Hollywood couldn't pull off. 

Nixon quit! Andrew Johnson and Slick Willie were impeached but never removed from office.  Even if the House garners a simple majority, the final stage must be the Senate.  Hello, the Republicans won't allow that 2/3 majority.  This entire fiasco is moot!  Regardless if you like Trump or you don't...he's the president and the decision to keep him or heave him belongs with the American voting public.

Needless to say, I watched very few minutes of yesterday's hearing.  All I can say is "hearsay!"  Whatever happened to having directly heard something to be deemed "evidence!" Once again...it's hogwash.  I'm not blindly against all democrats....just the ones who like peaches!