Sighting

Sighting. 

It's like Big Foot sometimes--he shows up long enough to have a blurry photo of evidence.

 

Sleepovers

Alida. 

Home on a Saturday late afternoon from a sleepover the night before... 

where I suspect there was not much sleeping. 

 

And They're Off

Giving it a go with great concentration. 

Because we may have some backseat drivers in our family. 

 

Why We Cook At Home

Because that was pretty good. 

And even if I have to blast two chickens for a meal now, it doesn't cost much. 

And because, rice pudding.

 Because not only is even McDonalds ridiculously expensive in our house. 

That wasn't even the full order, which made me get back in the car and drive back for the next part of the meal. Making me wonder why I didn't just cook something at least quasi-healthful.

Nightfall

She fell down. 

But we ate around the fire the other night, and it was lovely to be outside after dark again. 

 

Growing Around Here

Our collection of garden boxes

Which are filled with magical soil. 

That arrives in large dump trucks. 

But grows my hyacinth for morning breezes!

And poppies from my dad.

 

Vegetarian Mondays

Black Bean stuffed Peppers

All things cheesy, fruity, and stuffed with vegetables. 

But, then sometimes, you just need meatballs. 

 

Nick's High School Experience So Far

Nick is "back" in school. 

As of this writing, it has been one year since the children went home. 

He has been in physical class on campus six times since they started rotating kids back in class over five weeks ago.

"I didn't think it was possible, but COVID school is worse than COVID remote learning."

He is quiet all day.  All. day.  

There are five kids maybe in his classes.

Two of his teachers don't teach in the school. 

He sits and does remote learning while sitting in the classroom, in a mask, not talking, no interaction.

So far in high school, he has 56 class absences. 

He didn't go to class, didn't turn in attendance, missed roll call, whatever the reason. 

He has a 4.0 High School GPA, 4.25 when weighted for his Honors classes. 

So, in addition to being the lunch lady, principal, janitor, driver's ed teacher, teacher, parent, counselor, and extracurricular manager, I have now failed at being truancy officer. However, it is really tough to actually care at this point, when no grades are affected for absence.  

My favorite teacher to student, complete opposite comment from what Ben received, both being entirely inappropriate: the kids are "lazy" for wanting to go back to school because they just want the teachers to do everything for them.

Driver's Ed update: After being told they would finish their November class with the driving portion in February, we received an abrupt text message in March that the driving school is backed up and still doing the driving portion for the kids who took the class in June 2020.  

So, just one more thing we'll do ourselves and out of step.

I'm exhausted.

 

Glasses Fog

It's real. 

 

Steady as She Goes

Wrapped in a blanket made to look like a tortilla, and eating cookies with dinner.  

Alida rolls with it, and always makes me smile.

 

Glimmers

Glimmers.

Of my father's smile in Ben. 

Of brothers who can stand each other from time to time. 

Of hope in our monotonous days.

 

Teenagers

despondent? 

Angry?

Has something to say. 

Changed her mind. 

I got you. 

Why am I red?