July 30, 2021

The world was opening up again, we went through a phase where it felt weird to wear a mask into a store, as if people would think that we weren't vaccinated. However, anytime we are with the kiddo masks are on, since she can't get the vaccine and must wear a mask, we will do it out of solidarity. There are still plenty of people in the US who have free and easy access to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but won't. To be honest it makes no sense to me. Yes, it's scary, and who can really trust the scientists who managed to come up with these injections after only a year of research, but then again...this pandemic stuff is real. People are dying, we know people who have died. I get that it's hard to trust the "government" when messages keep changing, but this is a new thing, and the longer this virus is studied, the more we will learn. 

 What I predict is that this summer is a bit of a repeat of last summer, people are outside, they feel free, but this pandemic is not over. The Delta variant is bad news, and per the news today, it looks as though vaccinated people can still be carriers/spreaders of it even without being sick. By the fall, I expect that we'll be back to masks 100% of the time, and while school may happen in person, it will still be masks and distancing, and maybe even the half day crap from last year. 

What I don't understand is how the people who are exercising their personal freedom to not get the vaccine still feel it's ok to want to meet up and mingle with the rest of the world. Sure, technically, as a vaccinated person I am less likley to get seriously ill from a C-19 infection, but our unvaccinated child could get seriously ill and that's a frightening scenario. It's awful to say no to meeting with people who we really care about over this, but Lucy's health is more important. 

In shoulder news, I have been given the clearance to lift and do whatever as long as it doesn't hurt. I'm still building strength and range of motion, but am about half-way back to normal. I've been better about doing the home exercises this time and it shows in my progress. Reaching behind my back still hurts like heck and it's my least favorite thing to work on. Naturally it's the least progress I've made. That says a lot about my personality. It hurts, it's hard, I don't do it and there's little progress. DERP.

Summer 2021

It's been weeks and weeks since the "incident" at the mall. I'm still in physical therapy and am progressing well. My range of motion is good, and we're working on muscle and strength. The kiddo is doing well. She talked to a therapist for about 2 months and worked through some things related to the shooting and other things that a modern 10-year-old going through a pandemic would need to deal with. It's a new thing for us, but we never met Ms. Johanna in person, but did all the meetings online. I hope that when the pandemic is really over that conveniences like this never really go away. Not having to pick up a kid from school, drive to the office, park, check in, check out, drive home...is great. If this option moves to the dentist, or the gynecologists' then I will revolt, but initial dr. exams, mental health - it's a strong option. 

Now that we're in July, it's finally time to take the work sabbatical that was scheduled for August 2020. We are currently enjoying a 10 day timeout in a smallish rental house in Seabrook. The weather is not "amazing beach weather" but to be honest, today was brilliant and extremely amazing. It was 67, and not windy. We went to the beach, dipped out toes in the ocean, and probably got too much sun on our little blanket. Our little rental house has a hot tub, which has been fun. Our home is wired and ready for a hot tub, but it's probably better to rent one once a year or so, than clean one on a weekly basis. 

Today, I had an appointment at the local spa for a foot soak and a scalp treatment. I didn't think I could be on the massage table,, but with a bit of effort, I was able to manage the massage table, and get the bliss experience that you can only get when someone spends a crazy amount of time massaging your toes and scalp. The spa lady asked the normal questions of the ladies who spa while at the beach, but it turns out she was from Bay Center, a tiny town near the tiny town from my childhood. Because of the Bay Center connection we figured out that she was the niece of the family that lived next door to us at the beach. Because of the connection and the conversation the massage part of my treatment went on for an extra 30 minutes. It took me a while to come back to earth once it was over. I haven't had a massage since 2019, or earlier and I think this one might have ruined me for the future. This is a good problem to have.

So, that happened...

Our little family had a pair of shoes to return to the local Nordstrom, and opted to go to Southcenter because there was another store in the area we wanted to visit.  

We seldom go to that location because there have been incidents in the past of "problem solving by gunshots" and we're just not into that.  

After the shoes were returned, we opted to make a loop thru the mall to see if there were any interesting stores.  It's still the pandemic and we haven't been anywhere in a while.  We picked up a cute custom shirt for the peanut and she bought an art piece from a vendor.  We decided to stop in one last store for summer clothes and Jason said he would meet us back at Nordstrom.  He went in search of a nice loo.

After finishing up at the short/cheapo summer shirt store Lucy and I were walking towards Nordstrom when we heard the gun shot.  We stopped, then heard a second and saw people running.   My childhood training of "walk don't run" failed to come back to me because my instinct was to grab that kid and RUN.

We made it to the door of the Nordstrom, but I'm not a runner and when my feet hit the marble of the store doorway, down I went.  I dislocated my shoulder in the process, and broke the humorous.   This took x-rays at the ER to confirm, but I was acutely aware that I was hurt. During the fall my purse went flying but my phone was in my line of sight and I was able to scoop it up and drop it in one of the shopping bags.

The really terrible thing was that Lucy and I got separated and she ended up outside the store with strangers, but without her mom or her dad.  These folks had no idea why the store was evacuated and a kind woman let Lucy borrow her phone so she could call her dad.

I was ushered thru the store via the back hallways to the same door that Lucy exited and was there pretty quickly.   Then, as I fished my phone from the shopping bag, I see the text from Jason.  "They are evacuating Nordstrom, see you at the car."   Clearly, the folks inside the Nordies did NOT know what had happened, which I guess is good.  The fewer people running and panicking the better.

Jason thankfully had a set of car keys and kept his cool while he drove a very upset Lucy and a hurt TPgal to the ER.  We opted to go to the one near our house vs. the one near the mall.   I knew I wasn't in a life threatening situation, so I didn't want to be the least hurt person at the nearest ER.  I had no idea how many people might have been hurt.  It was a long drive with me doing lots of breathing to meditate the pain away.

It's been 13 days and I'm still in a sling.  The bruise from the dislocation is rather epic (below) and the doc says that it's expected.  Sleeping is getting easier but it hurts. 

I see the orthopedist again on the 25th and start physical therapy that week.  He says it's almost a mirror image of the break from 2019.  He finds that funny, but the only comfort I take is that that break healed without surgery and other than minor stiffness when I try to hold my arm straight up it feels 100%.   This break is on my non-dominant arm, which makes life easer this go-round, but he said that rehab will be harder because of that, and because of the dislocation complication. 

As for Lucy, we are seeing a therapist to talk about the scary thing that happened to us and she's open to those conversations.  She needs to be able to go back to a mall without it being frightening.  

So, that's where we are.  I'm purple & gold, Lucy hates shopping even more than she did before and Jason is doing all the cooking and cleaning. The Nordies people found my purse and Jason was able to pick it up the next day. I'm still updating the automated credit card payments for the card that was cancelled.

8 days out

13 days

Farts

 My new post is blowing the heck out of all the others!

Testing a new device.

Still as immature as ever!

One year of dinner ideas

 

 Today officially marks one year since the Center for Disease Control identified Covid-19 a pandemic.

We've been home, distanced, careful and cautious, and we will continue to do so.

We haven't had a cold, didn't get the flu, haven't been sick.  Our mental health seems good, no urges to take out frustration on others or ourselves.

We've watched a LOT of tv, I've put together at least 2 puzzles per month, lego sets have been built.  

We've had this dreaded conversation every day:

"What should we make for dinner?"  

Sometimes the question comes before I can finish making lunch...When I don't have an answer it just looms out there like a future failure.  I'm not sure which is worse, having no idea, or having an idea and the other people in this house go "nah..."   

• Tacos? nah
• Lasagna?  nah
• Burgers? nah
• Salad? nah
• Chicken!? nah
• Pork!? nah
• Grilled Cheese? 

WINNER!!!  GC is always a winner with the kid.  I think it's a better lunch than dinner.

I found a recipe for enchiladas, so tonight's meal is managed.  There was a minor tussle over who got to go to the grocery store today, but since I got to leave the house yesterday, to sit in the car while the kid had tap lessons, he gets to go to the grocery store today.  Yes, that is really how it goes.

We don't have a timeline for when we might get vaccinated, but we are hopeful for spring.  We agree that we will probably still wear masks when out in public as  it has been nice not being sick from the regular communicable ailments.  I imagine that they will be required at medical appointments and in large gatherings.   

We have tickets to see John Legend at the Chateau St. Michelle winery (outdoors).  This show has been postponed for a year and is still on the calendar for September.   I'm hopeful that they figure a way to let it happen.  If he were willing to do two shows, they could offer half the people a seat at the second show and let the audience be 50% full.   Or, maybe just not resell the tickets that they refunded.  

When things are 'back to normal" I think I will miss the space between people that we have now.  Sometimes the extra space is downright awesome.  

So, it's been a year, somethings are different in a bad way, some are different in a good way.  All in all, we're ok.

So, this kid has ten circles around the sun under her belt.   She is funny, clever, good at math and had a big heart.   She is teaching herself to write in Japanese and has been enjoying Japanese anime.

She has quite a few friends but during Covid has connected with one gal in particular.  They had a rare in-person play session this weekend and it was really wonderful to hear them running and giggling as they did whatever 10 year old girls do - create TickTocks of them dancing to songs I wouldn't think they knew.

She's learning the value of money, she has a savings account, but today when she and her friends learned that they could dress like their favorite book character this Friday at (remote) school, she was very happy to pay for a costume that is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.  (Thank you Amazon.)

Lucy doesn't like to go shopping and especially hates an outing to Costco, but today is eager to go with her dad.  I think the draw of being able to select her own birthday cake is too much to resist.

I'm extremely proud of how she's handled this covid-lockdown and going to school remotely.  I know she'd rather do it in person, but she's been focused and engaged.  

I'm happy to be her mom.  💓💓

 

the vacation not taken

 Planning and organizing vacations is as much fun as taking the vacation.  Or so I thought until the planned vacations never materialized.  

We cancelled our New York trip and New England / Canada cruise that was scheduled for August 2020.  We turned that trip into a snazzy patio couch and seats plus a twenty-two foot awning which makes being on the deck manageable.   I really love our western facing backyard, but when it's warm outside the deck was unbearable.   The awning has basically created an entire new living space for us during the warm weather months.   The vacation would have been great, but the redirection of those funds will have a longer lasting impact.  

We also had a Disney Cruise on the books for March of 2020.  This was a seven night Mexican Riviera cruise.   Sounds fancy right?  Well, the ports were Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo.  I was feeling a bit "meh" about this one.  I was excited about going with friends and how much fun Lucy would have on a cruise with a buddy; she was so great on the old person Panama Canal trip.   As COVID-19 started to amp up in the news, and cruise ships started to be the focus we began to re-think our plans.

February 5, 2020

Diamond Princess became the epicenter of the virus impact on the cruise industry in February 2020  (Photo via Princess)

2/5/2020

• Diamond Princess is quarantined off the coast of Japan after multiple reports of respiratory illnesses onboard. By February 13, there would be 218 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus onboard. By February 18, the number of confirmed cases would soar to 542.

We called and called and called Costco travel to rebook into a different cruise a year later, and that took a long time to complete.  The Costco Travel people worked incredibly hard during that time to help, basically every person in their programs.   We finally landed on a future cruise out of Miami in April of 2021.  I mean, the virus had to be under control by then right?

This change was a shorter cruise, but with a more appealing itinerary (to me anyway) and we were still meeting our travel friends on the ship.   We also took note that multiple ships had to deny passengers from leaving, and passengers were sequestered into their cabins for the majority of that time.  The idea of being in an inside cabin during a moment like that was not at all a risk I would be willing to take.  If we ended up having to spend extra days on the ship at least we would have fresh air.  Therefore while our trip shortened by two nights, we did select a room with a verandah.     My expectations are not that we would be able to soak in the sun on our luxurious balcony,  but we would have a window to open and an extra 80 square feet or so.   This did increase our trip budget by $2,000 it was worth it.

We tried for a brief moment to book a March 2020 trip to San Diego to enjoy that planned vacation time in a sunny place, but even that was cancelled after the national quarantine was announced.     Our original March 2020 cruise was eventually cancelled by Disney, and they offered every guest a premium for rebooking.   We had already done so, but for some crazy customer focused logic they extended the credit to us as well.   Thank you Mr. Disney.

Summer rolled around like it always does and we spent a week in Seabrook which was really fun, and then at the end of August, the in-laws came for a week.   The back yard inflatable pool isn't as awesome as the Caribbean ocean, but it will do. 

In December, during a fit of boredom I took a look online at future Disney cruise itineraries.   I found our current itinerary but in April of 2022 and saw that for about $200 (LESS) we could book into our same cabin but in the concierge class.  The perks aren't as fancy as a private butler and special restaurants like on the cancelled NY/Canada cruise, but it was less money!  After a frantic conference with the travel companions we are now booked on a ship in April of 2022.

We are still moving air fare credits around and I am hopeful that we will get to use them some day. 

The proactive move to change the Disney cruise proved to be a good one, as the April 2021 cruise has just been cancelled by Disney. 

Looking at the cost of the trip we're now booked on the amount of rooms available are considerably less and the cost of the concierge class has jumped by $2000.  Lucky us.

We have a replacement spring break trip planned to a resort in Palm Springs.  We're hopeful that even with COVID still being an issue that we can go, hang by a pool and get warm.

Fingers crossed.

Happy Birthday!

 HB to my guy.  We have lots of special surprises for today.  💋💋  We are the luckiest to have you.

Now, onto current events.   The inauguration went off without a hitch.  That was a big relief.   There are still lots of warnings about internal terrorists who have plans to disrupt "things", and the nations capitol and the state capitol has lots of extra security.  

What is interesting is that the same people who were going on and on about the election being rigged and stolen were pretty silent on the 6th, and are now bitching about all the extra military at the capitols.   I think they genuinely do NOT see a connection to their (support of) actions and the results.

It has been blissful with the former president not being able to tweet his hate for others, and his 'silence' is like a breath of fresh air.   It doesn't mean that the crazies aren't still crazy, but the news at the end of the day is about progress, rescinding hateful executive actions, and confirmations of  (GASP) qualified people to cabinet positions.   

I knew that with a new president that not everything would calm down, and it hasn't.   There are people who genuinely believe that the main stream media is filled with lies and that the election was faked.   I posted on facebook a story about a rule change that was adopted in late December early January that amongst other things allowed social service agencies to turn people away because of their sexual orientation.     A cousin of J's hopped right into it and attacked my post because my source was CNBC.  After I found and posted the actual rule change from the agency, this person went on with anger and vitriol.   

NBC says it so it must be true..... You are the Brainwashed and the Fascist bullies that want to force people to believe as you do! The media does no research and regurgitates what the AP says. #NotMyPresidentEver #resist

Then later, someone else, who I actually know popped in with this:

Yet you voted for a twice candidate who sold out his country to enrich his son and brother, who authored the crime bill which jailed more blacks than slavery, who eulogized a KKK member, and is beholden to China and is so secure in his "victory" he has 35k troops protecting the inauguration. You support everything you say you hate about Trump. Good luck with Joe.

 When I first read the first post I was taken aback by the missing of the point, but now that I read it again, he pretty clearly states that he doesn't agree that the rule change is wrong.   That's sad.  He has gay family members - maybe not his own kids but pretty close.  I'd bet my soul that Jesus wouldn't say "Feed the poor, except the homos, they are on their own."

As for the other guy, this is a great example of missing connections.   Why would troups be needed if people hadn't stormed the capitol, or weren't planning to do it again?   

I don't excuse past behavior, but I'd rather have a president who acknowledges that decisions made years ago aren't right anymore than one who does those things today and without apology.   

I'm sure someone will read this and rip me a new one or be pissed that I'm airing my opinions in public but I stand by my original point - discrimination based on anything including sexual orientation, gender, race is bad, and a government who is supposed to represent all the citizens should not allow it to happen.

Today the Confederate flag flew in the United States Capitol.

 Written by: Heather Cox Richardson

January 6, 2021 (Wednesday)

Today the Confederate flag flew in the United States Capitol.

This morning, results from the Georgia senatorial runoff elections showed that Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff had beaten their Republican opponents—both incumbents—by more than the threshold that would require a recount. The Senate is now split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats, so the position of majority leader goes to a Democrat. Mitch McConnell, who has bent the government to his will since he took over the position of majority leader in 2007, will be replaced.

With the Democrats in control of both Congress and the Executive Branch, it is reasonable to expect we will see voting rights legislation, which will doom the current-day Republican Party, depending as it has on voter suppression to stay in power.

Trump Republicans and McConnell Republicans had just begun to blame each other for the debacle when Congress began to count the certified electoral votes from the states to establish that Democrat Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. The election was not close—Biden won the popular vote by more than 7 million votes and the Electoral College by 306 to 232—but Trump contends that he won the election in a landslide and “fraud” made Biden the winner.

Trump has never had a case. His campaign filed and either lost or had dismissed 62 out of 63 lawsuits because it could produce no evidence for any of its wild accusations. Nonetheless, radical lawmakers courted Trump’s base by echoing Trump’s charges, then tried to argue that the fact voters no longer trusted the vote was reason to contest the certified votes.

More than 100 members of the House announced they would object to counting the votes of certain states. About 13 senators, led by Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), agreed to join them. The move would slow down the count as each chamber would have to debate and take a separate vote on whether to accept the state votes, but the objectors never had anywhere near the votes they needed to make their objections stick.

So Trump turned to pressuring Vice President Mike Pence, who would preside over the counting, to throw out the Biden votes. On Monday, Trump tweeted that “the Vice President has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors.” This would throw the blame for the loss onto Pence, but the vice president has no constitutional power to do any such thing, and this morning he made that clear in a statement. Trump then tweeted that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.”

It seemed clear that the voting would be heated, but it was also clear that most of the lawmakers opposing the count were posturing to court Trump’s base for future elections. Congress would count Biden’s win.

But Trump had urged his supporters for weeks to descend on Washington, D.C., to stop what he insisted was the stealing of the election. They did so and, this morning, began to congregate near the Capitol, where the counting would take place. As he passed them on the east side of the Capitol, Hawley raised a power fist.

In the middle of the day, Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani spoke to the crowd, telling them: “Let’s have trial by combat.” Trump followed, lying that he had won the election and saying “we are going to have to fight much harder.” He warned that Pence had better “come through for us, and if he doesn’t, that will be a sad day for our country.” He warned that Chinese-driven socialists are taking over the country. And he told them to march on Congress to “save our democracy.”

As rioters took Trump at his word, Congress was counting the votes alphabetically by state. When they got to Arizona, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) stood up to echo the rhetoric radicals had been using to discredit the certified votes, saying that public distrust in the election—created out of thin air by Republicans—justified an investigation.

Within an hour, a violent mob stormed the Capitol and Cruz, along with the rest of the lawmakers, was rushed to safety (four quick-thinking staffers brought along the electoral ballots, in their ceremonial boxes). As the rioters broke in, police shot and killed one of them: Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran from San Diego, QAnon believer, and staunch Trump supporter. The insurrectionists broke into the Senate chamber, where one was photographed on the dais of the Senate, shirtless and wearing a bull costume that revealed a white supremacist tattoo on his abdomen. They roamed the Capitol looking for Pence and other lawmakers they considered enemies. Not finding them, they ransacked offices. One rioter photographed himself sitting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk with his feet on it.

They carried with them the Confederate flag.

Capitol police provided little obstruction, apparently eager to avoid confrontations that could be used as propaganda on social media. The intruders seemed a little surprised at their success, taking selfies and wandering around like tourists. One stole a lectern.

As the White House, the FBI, the Justice Department, and the Department of Homeland Security all remained silent, President-Elect Joe Biden spoke to cameras urging calm and calling on Trump to tell his supporters to go home. But CNN White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins later reported that she spoke to White House officials who were “genuinely freaked… out” that Trump was “borderline enthusiastic” about the storming of the Capitol because “it meant the certification was being derailed.”

At 4:17, Trump issued his own video, reiterating his false claims that he had been cheated of victory. Only then did he conclude with: “Go home, we love you, you’re very special.” Twitter immediately took the video down. By nighttime Trump’s Twitter feed seemed to blame his enemies for the violence the president had incited (although the rhythm of the words did not sound to me like Trump’s own usual cadence): “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!”

Twitter took down the tweet and banned the president for at least twelve hours for inciting violence; Facebook and Instagram followed suit.

As the afternoon wore on, police found two pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C., as well as a truck full of weapons and ammunition, and mobs gathered at statehouses across the country, including in Kansas, Ohio, Minnesota, California, and Georgia.

By 5:00, acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller issued a statement saying he had conferred with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, Vice President Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and had fully activated the D.C. National Guard.

He did not mention the president.

By late evening, Washington, D.C., police chief Robert J. Contee III announced that at least 52 people had been arrested and 14 law enforcement officers injured. A total of four people died, including one who died of a heart attack and one who tased themself.

White House Counsel Pat Cipollone urged people to stay away from Trump to limit their chances of being prosecuted for treason under the Sedition Act. By midnight, four staffers had resigned, as well as Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger, with other, higher level officials also talking about leaving. Even Trump adviser Stephen Miller admitted it was a bad day. Quickly, pro-Trump media began to insist that the attack was a false-flag operation of “Antifa,” despite the selfies and videos posted by known right-wing agitators, and the fact that Trump had invited, incited, and praised them.

Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis laid the blame for today’s attack squarely at the feet of Trump himself: “Today’s violent assault on our Capitol, and effort to subjugate American democracy by mob rule, was fomented by Mr. Trump. His use of the Presidency to destroy trust in our election and to poison our respect for fellow citizens has been enabled by pseudo political leaders whose names will live in infamy as profiles in cowardice.”

The attempted coup drew condemnation from all but the radical Trump supporters in government. Former President George W. Bush issued a statement “on insurrection at the Capitol,” saying “it is a sickening and heartbreaking sight.” “I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election,” he said, and accused such leaders of enflaming the rioters with lies and false hopes. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) was more direct: “What happened here today was an insurrection incited by the President of the United States.”

Across the country tonight are calls for Trump’s removal through the 25th amendment, impeachment, or resignation. The Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have joined the chorus, writing to Pence urging him to invoke the 25th. Angry at Trump’s sabotaging of the Georgia elections in addition to the attack on our democracy, prominent Republicans are rumored to be doing the same.

At 8:00, heavily armed guards escorted the lawmakers back to the Capitol, thoroughly scrubbed by janitors, where the senators and representatives resumed their counting of the certified votes. The events of the afternoon had broken some of the Republicans away from their determination to challenge the votes. Fourteen Republican senators had announced they would object to counting the certified votes from Arizona; in the evening count the number dropped to six: Cruz (R-TX), Hawley (R-MO), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Kennedy (R-LA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).

In the House, 121 Republicans, more than half the Republican caucus, voted to throw out Biden’s electors from Arizona. As in the Senate, they lost when 303 Representatives voted in favor.

Six senators and more than half of the House Republicans backed an attempt to overthrow our government, in favor of a man caught on tape just four days ago trying to strong-arm a state election official into falsifying the election results.

Today the Confederate flag flew in the United States Capitol.

---

EDIT AT 12:00 on January 7: The symbol on the abdomen of the rioter on the Senate dais is a religious symbol that has been appropriated by white supremacists, not the Ku Klux Klan specifically, as I wrote originally. I apologize for the error.

 

Christmas 2020

 Well, that was a different Christmas.  We enjoyed the break and it feels like we had a vacation.

We did lots of post Christmas organizing, including my office, which at the moment feels spacious and tidy.  

Visiting with our families over the Internet is certainly not the same as being in person, but we managed to make it a festive time. Jason was very proud of his prime rib and I thought we produced a great dinner. 

As per usual, we had too many gifts, but at least we did our part to stimulate the economy.  

Favorite gift... bamboo sheets!  

Elfie is Covid ready

Zooming with Grandma Susie & Papa

Jason gets gifts

Happy Christmas

Visiting with Grandma G!

Health...mental and otherwise

So it turns out that this pandemic thing is wearing on me.  I am go grateful for our home, these people who are here and a solid steady job.  My experience is really nothing compared to folks who have lost jobs, businesses and family.  I have this perspective - I am lucky, I am ok.  However, I am tired.

It is no secret that I enjoy traveling for pleasure and for work.  Those little jaunts to San Jose are good for my career and my well being.   I haven't been since January and I honestly don't expect to go at all in 2021.

We cancelled multiple vacation plans in 2020 - the first being a spring break cruise to Mexico, which for a brief moment was a week in San Diego hanging out at a luxury hotel.  We cancelled the cruise (before the cruise line cancelled the sailing) and booked ourselves on a Western Caribbean cruise out of Miami 1 year later.  That sailing is scheduled to leave Miami on April 3rd, 2021, but as of last week, the cruise line has cancelled all sailings thru February 28th.   Realistically, a cruise the following month is not wise, even if it did happen.   Ships sailing from other ports are being turned around after a single person tests positive.  No one wants a repeat of the initial ships that were stranded with people getting sick.  Especially not for something as optional as a pleasure cruise.

With the window of likelihood for sailing in April dwindling, I found a similar sailing in 2022 and moved our reservation.  Oddly, the cabin was the same (a balcony) but it's in the "Concierge Class" which comes with lots of perks.  The fair was actually cheaper, and do I love perks.   Unfortunately, our travel companions didn't book within the same haste as us, and while on the ship are not in the special category.   To be honest, I think their original fare was much less than ours and the move to the CC wasn't practical.   Provided the sailing occurs, we'll use the CC perks to reserve the activities we had little hope of being able to book as lowly new customers.    We could get our money back at this point, but I am looking forward to this cruise.  And, technically, our travel companions could book into the CC class, but they don't seem too interested in adding an extra $4000 to their vacation costs.  Sheesh, some people.

We are trying for an alternate activity to replace the now moved cruise.  We have two - two bedroom villas reserved in Palm Springs for the week of spring break this year.   I've never been to PS, but I love sunshine, a pool and not washing my own sheets.  It's been fun researching a new location for things to do, but I just looked at the travel restrictions in Palm Springs and unless things get better it looks like we won't be going there either.   

A lot can happen between now and April, I hope that people do their part and stay home for Christmas - like they didn't do for Thanksgiving, and that this vaccine works (and that it doesn't have long term ill effects that we can't foresee).   

Our summer travel plans have shifted quite a bit.  Instead of using my sabbatical to  go to New York as planned last summer, the rescheduled time off will include a 1 week house rental at Seabrook in July.  Fingers crossed for good weather.  Our good neighbors will come join us for some or all of the week which will be fun.  The rest of the time off will be spent doing other things - maybe time at the lake with Marty & Lynne or if Lucy can go to summer camp a few days that's just Jason and I somewhere.   

The sabbatical program is wonderful, but it is hard when your partner doesn't get the same time off.   I expect that I'll take the peanut to go camping with Grandma G.

The other activity I am mulling is to change the flooring in my office.  I was thinking a fabulous tile floor would be great, but Jason would be more comfortable extending the hard wood floors.  I agreed that if we can find the same exact flooring that I would agree to using it, but if not - I get to mix it up!  Tile or a different (darker) carpet.    It will be a big job - obviously we will hire out the actual floor material removal and replacement, but there is a LOT of stuff in this office.  (Especially at Christmas)  Some of it may be time to part with, but other stuff I love.  I do think better storage could make a difference.  So, the planning for that has begun to form in my head.  

Anyway..here we are, all plans and nowhere to go.

So this is crazy...

  Here we are, 263 days into the Covid-19 stay at home situation.  Lock-down is the wrong phrase, as we are free to go where ever we want and while our household is choosing to stay home as much as possible we still visit the grocery store at least once a week and do takeout food 1-2 times a week.   We are not locked in our house Anne Frank style.  

However, we celebrated the second of the big three family holidays with just the three of us.  July 4th is usually a big family gathering, Thanksgiving is the other 30+ people event and we will be passing on Christmas as well.  

Summer was easy to manage as we had lots to do outside, backyard pools, distanced hanging with the favorite neighbors and good weather.   Thanksgiving was a different event.  We made our own dinner and, honestly it was pretty good.  A bit too salty, but better than dry and tasteless.  

The picture shows the settings I've just allowed on my phone, which means that I should get an alert if I'm at the grocery store and someone who is positive is within 6 feet of me.  I cannot really accept that I'm giving others the ability to track me within 6 feet, but until we're clear of this virus, I'll keep it active.  I can turn it off (in theory.)   There is a small piece of me that wonders if it's a big plan to whittle away our privacy, but I know people in the medical field and they cannot be lying about deaths.  

We are doing well, planning for a quiet Christmas.  We will be mailing our holiday gifts to our beloved parents this week.  I wish they could come, but it's not smart.  

The good news is that the (sorry) fuck-tard trump did not win a second term and grown ups will be returning to the white house in January.   Mr. Biden was not my first choice, but I'm very happy.   He's packing his cabinet with qualified people and many of them are women.  I hope that we don't pay for this moment of sanity in eight years when the GOP elects a literal bag of shit.   Common ground would be nice, but tRump...what a nightmare.  I would hope the GOP could find a candidate that would stand for their values without being a racist, whorey bag of crap.   And, (while I'm at it) be against abortion, but maybe let's make it irrelevant vs. illegal.  The un-aborted baby is a human who will need support, especially if the mother wasn't in the position to have a child in the first place.   

Oh man... ranting.

We are safe, we are happy, the tree is up.  

Drive-thru dance show behind a tavern - the most Renton thing ever.

Instead of a show on a stage in a theater, this year's dance recital is in a parking lot...

I suppose this is much better than no recital, but it also feels like a way to justify not refunding the costume fees.

The dance studio is working hard to make dance a reality in this moment of separation.  I am hopeful that when (if) school resumes next year that in-person dance classes will happen.

Now, the big question is will they do the summer dance classes via zoom as well.  I really hope not because keeping her attention for 4 hours will be challenging.

George Aubrey and others

I am not an eloquent person, but I want to put out to the universe that I want my lovely neighbors and beloved friends of color not to live in fear.

It’s not ok with me, a policeman’s daughter that they don’t experience the peace officer as a source of safety but as someone who might end their lives if they don’t act perfectly. It is ok with me that we are taking to the street to make it known it is time for a change.

It’s not ok with me that that the smart, lovely son of my community was followed home from the grocery store and threatened with violence by their neighbor who said he didn’t belong because he’s a strong athletic black “man” (he was 14). It is ok with me that our local police department came into their house and listened for over an hour to get the details and reassure this scared boy that he is entitled to his neighborhood and that he matters

.It’s not ok with me that folks are breaking into and looting businesses. Their actions are taking away from a needed protest. It’s ok with me that non-violent protesters are still showing up. It’s ok with me that there are some folks who can only help by praying, expressing their hope by participating in feeding programs.

It’s not ok with me that the President uses military level force on protesters to clear the way to hold a photo op on the steps of a church building while holding a prop. This action is no more Christian than it would be Jewish if he was holding a Torah on the steps of a Temple. It’s a show, and I don’t buy it.

The pain my coworkers, friends, and neighbors are feeling is real. My love, support, and prayers go out to them. I hope we can see beyond the distraction of the looters and agree that even someone has possibly broken a law can be taken into custody without having their life ended, or go for a jog without having their life ended or being a lawful gun owner without having their life ended or having a tail light out without having their life ended or playing cops & robbers in a public park without having their life ended, or react badly when police randomly/mistakenly break into their apartment without notice without having their life ended, or walk home from the corner mart with skittles, or...or...or..

For the record, I have never lived in fear of any of these things...we should ALL feel that way.

Peace

There's a point in our church service where we pass the peace.   We stand up and greet those around us with a handshake and say "God's peace" to each other.  There are hugs with friends and a kiss to my own family.   Truth be told, it stretches me as a closet introvert.   I'm comfortable greeting those whom we sit near every Sunday but seldom do I cross the room to others.

One Sunday about three years ago I was jolted when I noticed an older man in the back of the church.  His pale yellow-pink coloring, lack of hair, and larger body frame made me think it was my dad.  My breath caught and my brain caught up with my eyes as a wave of emotion that included the always present undercurrent of loss and regret passed through me.  How many phone calls did I cut short because dad was retelling me a story from years ago, or how many weekends that I could have visited that I did not because I wanted to sleep in, or go out with friends? 

The next time I saw him, I made a point to walk his way and reach out my hand to extend the peace.  He casually took my hand and it was shocking that his skin had a familiar paper-thin, but warm feel.  As I returned to my seat with my own family, again my eyes were moist with a feeling of connection to my dad.

So, now I'm a thief.  When I see him, I make a point to shake his hand and pass the peace.   I don't know his name and while I hope he's a happy person in a happy life, I don't need to know him.   I just want to touch him, and I know I am stealing from him.  The hand I hold for those three seconds isn't his, it's my dad.  That kind grasp and minute squeeze is a hug, a stolen touch of my father across the boundaries of life and death. 

I am careful not to be overly effusive when I take from this stranger what I want.  I give him a warm smile but no bigger than the people I greet on the aisles as I make my way towards him.  I don't want to scare him or let him know that I've got ulterior motives.  When I greet him with my "Good morning, God's peace." I'm really saying "thank you".

Dad would be 81 this week.  I wonder which story he would tell me when I called him Tuesday to wish him a happy birthday.  It would be nice to hear his voice as he talked through current events,  told me I'm doing a good job of parenting, or teased us about having an electronic gadget for every need.   We won't have those conversations ever again, but I have a secret.   When things get back to normal and we can attend church in person, I get to shake his hand and carry that familiar touch in my heart.

The more things change

Summer camp is officially canceled.  I think I knew it was not going to happen this summer, but when the news came I was pretty emotional.  Lucy took it better than I did if we're honest. 

It softens the blow that we were able to change our week plans to all go to the fabulous lake house.  A week of being on the water, mini-golf, real golf (for Jason), and evenings on the patio will be delightful. 

We canceled our trip to Canada in July and rented a house at Seabrook instead.  With the borders still closed it seemed silly to hold out hope and end up with a week off and nowhere to go.   We will shelter in place in a different place. We will cook all the same meals but in a different kitchen.

The fun thing will be being at the beach, a change of scenery, and forced time away from work, home chores. Oh, and a hot tub.   Maybe the Seabrook pool will be open, and maybe I'll feel comfortable taking Lucy, but with a hot tub in our backyard we won't be forced to do it to get the waterplay in.

Our (rented) Beach House

Perspectives

The list of things I am grateful for is endless.  My partner in this mess is pretty easy to be with, and our home is comfortable enough for us to all have our own spaces to nest in when needed.   We are both working, and homeschool while not perfect is going better.

Still, I am worried, and bored and heartbroken for all that is lost and changed.  Two of my neighborhood friends were laid off this week as a direct result of all this change.  One, a cruise consultant (salesperson) and the other a property manager, both very qualified and lovely people. 

While our employment is solid, I am not eager to spend any extra money and have been putting extra into our savings each month just in case.  We're back up to where we were before I had to bail out a family member out of a mess.  Still, I worry about:

1) Food shortages 

2) Income loss for families

3) Health concerns that aren't covid related.  Will we be safe to go to the ER if needed?

4) Will Lucy's long term impacts be significant?

5) Will we lose someone close to us

6) Will this always be a politics issue?

7) That Trump will get re-elected

8) That even if he doesn't the new order of lies and deflection has hurt our country beyond repair

9) That I'll never get to hug family again

10) Vacations are a thing of the past.

and on and on and on

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday.  We were supposed to depart for San Diego this morning, and I won't be looking up the weather at every pace we were supposed to be next week but I do take a bit of comfort in that it's 57 and raining in San Diego today.

Having taken some time to think about it, my sabbatical will be postponed as well.  Probably next summer.  It super sucks to wait another year, but it's better to wait than to take the month off and do nothing.

I'm still going to take the first week in August as vacation and enjoy the week where Lucy is (hopefully)  in summer camp and I'll hang at Marty & Lynn's at Lake Roosevelt.

We'll see what next year brings.  Maybe a two-week European vacation.  Lucy would love to go to Paris and Jason wants to go to London.   I could get behind it. 

Covid Thoughts

April 4, 2020

Schools have been canceled and will not resume this year 2020. Lucy will finish third grade at home.
Cell phone companies are giving away months free so that people can stay connected. Internet data Gigs are being added so that people can stay in touch.
“Social Distancing” is the new norm and is expected to be happening long after this wave of COVID-19 is over...if ever!
Medicines are being fast-tracked to try and save lives. A vaccine is our priority!
Tape is on the floors at grocery stores and other locations to help shoppers remember to stay 6 feet apart.
Hugs are no longer felt but expressed!
We are lucky to be working from home. People deemed "essentials" have to go out and work, this is more than the police, fire department and hospitals. Grocery workers and delivery people are in an unfortunate situation where they have to be "out" in the word but are risking their lives each day.
Some stores are limiting the number of people allowed inside. Seniors are those most vulnerable to the virus and get their own private shopping times.
“Non-essential” stores and businesses are being mandated to close. Businesses that were thriving on the end of February of 2020 may never open again.
Unemployment is likely to exceed the Great Depression of the 1920s.
Parks and trails are closed you cannot camp, you cannot fish.
Entire sports seasons have been canceled.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - canceled.
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - canceled.
No in-person church services. Sundays we tune into Facebook live and watch the pastor do her stuff.
It began as no gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, then 10 or more and now no more 3 people can be together if they stay 6 feet apart. At this point, it is regulated by information, but in places like New York the fine can be $1000.00
Children's outdoor play parks are closed.
There is a shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line medical workers.
People are making masks to donate to others.

I made 7 masks for our family this weekend.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
Healthcare workers are forced to make decisions about who lives, who dies. They are exhausted and broken!
Panic buying has taken place and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towel, no laundry soap, no hand sanitizer, no meat, no dry beans or rice; grocery store shelves are empty. This is an area by area, day by day changing situation.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses are switching their lines to help make hand sanitizer and again PPE.
The government closed the border to all non-essential travel.
Fines are established for breaking the rules.
All spring sports have canceled their season and winter sports their playoffs.
Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of COVID-19 patients.
Homeless people are sleeping in Las Vegas parking lots in painted spaces!
In Central Oregon, the homeless, the ignored, deposed and harassed are actually helping those that refuse to help them!
There are public service announcements telling people that when they see a tent pop up in a field, leave it alone because before this is over you may be there as well!
We are having daily press conferences from President Trump. He looks deflated, exhausted and not confident at all. He has been humbled in my opinion.
We are receiving daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
We are all being instructed to stay home. Some states are enforcing stay-at-home orders.
The roads are quiet.
People wearing masks and gloves outside.
Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.
People are dying alone in facilities without their loved ones. Final goodbyes are said on Facetime.
The people who have "those: jobs", the ones that you wear a uniform of some sort have become essential and the ones that move food and freight in trucks to get the food and goods to the public cannot find a place to get a hot meal.
We may be getting close to one of two things: the virus might go away with the warming weather and it may not or we may be closing state borders, hot spots may be under the control of the National Guard who knows...BUT we are Americans! We will rise to the threat, the occasion, to our duty and for each other. We will fight to get back the ground we lost just like we have since the birth of our nation.
Children are painting windows and making hearts to show solidarity and love.
Shut-ins, elderly and disabled people are communicating to their neighbors that they need help by putting a green paper for "I am good" and red paper for "please help me" in their windows and we all help when green turns red.
People are remembering that ALL lives matter, all jobs matter and that when things get really rough, in the end, we only have each other!
This is the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic, declared March 11th, 2020.

We have so much!
Be thankful. Be grateful.
Be kind to each other - love one another - support everyone.
We are all one!

Cancel Everything

 What a bummer of a decision. 

April 5th marks 10 years of working full-time at my post-Mega-Bank employer.  One of the amazing perks is the sabbatical program, whereby after five years of employment the employee is encouraged to take a four-week sabbatical.  This is on top of the normal accrued vacation.   Now, we aren't allowed to take weeks of vacation and then the sabbatical, they don't want us to burn out our co-workers while we are away doing the lounging thing.

One of my favorite things to do is to plan trips.   When we took the cruise to the Panama Canal, I researched wonderful places to eat near our hotel in Miami, had lots of information about the places we would visit and enjoyed that part almost as much as the trip itself.     Therefore, knowing I had a sabbatical coming up in 2020, I've been planning and dreaming for a while.

We have enjoyed the two cruises we've been on and I thought taking one from the east coast would be fun.   I booked the three of us onto a 7 night New England/Canada cruise leaving NYC on Sunday, August 30th.   We would fly into NYC on the 25th to be tourists.   I've explored the neighborhood around our hotel, found a historic steak restaurant in walking distance and had started lists of the museums we (I) wanted to visit.

Current projections of the Covid-19 virus is that it will taper off over the summer, but chances are come fall it will spike again.   Clearly, August and early September are still summer and the weather should be amazing on the east coast, but getting on a cruise ship just doesn't seem wise.  

So... rather than risk it and tie up our considerable payments into a cruise that we may not take we opted to cancel.   This means a series of calls and visits to the associated travel sites.   Airfare - canceled.  Hotel - canceled. Cruise - canceled.

There are still some things planned for the sabbatical window.   The peanut has sleep-away summer camp booked and fingers crossed that we are not still in lockdown at that point.   While she survives in the wild (in cabins with guitar-toting college kids) I'll be visiting nearby Lake Roosevelt and getting some sun.  

There's time to visit Grandma G.  Now, with the NYC trip off the books, maybe we'll take the kid on a road trip to visit the Denver grandparents.  Maybe we'll rent a house in the Hamptons... maybe we'll fly to Switzerland...maybe not.

For now, the most disappointing thing is that we don't have something on the horizon.