8 Weeks Behind Us

Well, we made it through yet another week of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some days are easier than others, but we are making it!

Today is officially the first day of summer break if you don't count the weekend. Bri was super happy to sleep in today (she wanted to keep with a schedule during digital learning, so she didn't sleep in those days). 

Last Wednesday, we had sustained winds all day (which is unusual for Georgia) and it was beautiful. I told Bri we were going to take a walk in the afternoon.

My roses are still blooming (yay!)...

You can see how windy it was...

The sky actually started to look a bit funny as we walked (black clouds), so we came in and sat on the upstairs back porch.

It started to rain as soon as we came in. Not for long, but I'm glad I didn't get rained on!

Bri and I ended up talking and chatting for about 90 minutes about everything and anything. It was so nice to have some mother/daughter bonding time.

Here she is leaning up against me...

As I mentioned in my last post, Bri finished up her schooling on Friday...

 As nervous as I am as to how we are going to spend our time this summer, I am kind of relieved at the same time that school is done. Digital learning is pretty tiring. And it was kind of weird and scary at first, but once everyone got the hang of it, it worked out - at least for us it did. Now we have a nice break before we have to think about high school ahead. This is one of those rare times that I am grateful that Bri started school on August 1st (I am not a big fan of going so early). She actually got in a lot of school time before all of this happened. I started to think about everything she got to do before she started digital learning on March 16: she got chosen as a reading champion, she read to kindergarteners at the elementary school twice a week for 9 weeks for her "pack time" class, she read to the dogs at Mostly Mutts, she received some extra "points" for helping out a special needs student during Home Ec class, she took a field trip to the high school, she attended her high school orientation and she learned so much from her terrific 8th grade teachers. So instead of focusing on some of the 8th grade milestones she missed, I am going to try to think about all the good things that she was able to experience her 8th grade year.

On Saturday, Bri's friend Kira turned 10 years old. Her parents set up a "drive-by" birthday party for her.

They asked Doug, Bri and me if we would stay a little while longer and spend some "social distancing" time with them for Kira's birthday (Bri made a sign for her)...

They have a great big deck and backyard, so we hung out, watched Kira blow out her birthday candles and spent some time catching up from a distance...

Other than seeing my parents the weekend before last, this was the first "social" outing we have had in a long time. It was really nice.

 Then Sunday was Mother's Day. My request was a very "low-key" day.

Briana's card and gift to me (she drew both)...

Doug made me pancakes in the morning and gave me this hilarious cookbook (since I am always trying to figure out what to cook)...

I know a lot of you will be shocked, but I do have a bit of a potty mouth at times. Especially when I get angry. I can really dish it out when you rub me the wrong way - LOL! Luckily, my family loves me anyway - heh.

And then for dinner, my amazing husband served me lobster rolls that he had delivered from Portland, Maine (so delicious!!!)...

We watched the Disney singalong in the evening...

I love me some Idina Menzel and Ben Platt (this made me so happy!)...

And Bri and I had some fun with Snapchat...

I didn't do much of anything much during the day (except call my mom and talk with her for over an hour!) and that is exactly how I wanted it. Doug and Bri treated me really special and I am one lucky lady.

Ok - it's time for my weekly "this is my two cents" update again I guess. Feel free to read or don't. I like to give you the choice. Totally up to you.

 

I have to admit - I am still emotionally and mentally wiped out. I am a "highly sensitive person" (possibly even an empath?). I soak everything in to the point that it overwhelms me. It can be a positive thing at times, but it can also a curse.

Social media is a double edge sword right now. It is a way to connect with other people, but it seems everyone has lost their minds at the same time. This is why I come over here to my blog to express myself because this is my safe space where I don't have to debate stuff with people.

I am going to have to severely limit my time looking at FB and watching/reading news on TV and the internet. It's not good for my mental health - anyone's mental health for that matter.

The world has been going a bit nuts for a while, but this past week seemed especially nuts for some reason - at least that is how I perceived it. This is what I discovered...

Seriously - that "Pl@ndemic" video came out and the world went completely haywire. I don't really have much to say about the matter. The whole thing is complete bunk in my personal opinion. I'm not a believer in conspiracy theories or people who are not credible.

And I'm still trying to wrap my mind around how some Americans can view a "global pandemic" as a "national conspiracy." This virus is very real and countries all over the world are doing the exact things we are doing to protect themselves - social distancing, wearing masks, staying at home and introducing phases to reopen their economies. The more I try to understand it, the more exhausted I get, so I am going to stop trying.

As for what is going on in Georgia, this is the most recent chart that I follow regarding new virus cases recorded in GA...

Doesn't really look like a downward trend does it? And the stay at home order was lifted a little over a week ago. The good news - we are at the lowest number of hospitalizations in Georgia since this all started. But now that people are moving around more and not really social distancing or wearing masks, we will have to see what happens.

This is my take on it...

 Doug and I are still taking this super slow. We may start to consider going to some doctor's appointments in the next few weeks, but eating inside of a restaurant (we do get takeout and delivery), going recreational shopping or hanging out in any type of group setting that lacks social distancing or masks will take much, much longer for us. How long? Not quite sure yet.

I have to go pick up Briana's locker contents next week. Only 10 parents are allowed in the school building at a time to retrieve their kids' belongings (no students allowed) and we have to wear masks.

I do wish more people would wear masks in enclosed spaces where people cannot social distance properly. Surprisingly, Kemp has even asked people to wear masks...

Gov. Kemp asks people to wear face masks, continue social distancing

Very few people are doing it here though - unless they are working or volunteering.

This is my take on it. These are unprecedented times. I don't see it as anyone forcing me to do anything. I feel it is my civic responsibility to keep others safe, so I'm ok with wearing a mask. Yes it's not super comfortable, but it is a short term inconvenience to deal with until we learn more about an easily spread, potentially fatal virus that we just don't know a lot about yet. We are quickly learning more about it every single day. And private companies have every right to tell people to wear a mask on their private property (the whole Costco ordeal) - it's just like "no shirt, no shoes, no service." If you don't like it, then don't shop there. I seriously don't understand what the big deal is though. 

Aren't we all supposed to be in this together?

Anyway, I think that is all my thoughts on this for now. I'm sure I will have more next week. The takeaway is that Doug and I are just going to continue our "be very cautious," "gather more info," and "wait and see" attitude on this...

I hope all the moms who read my blog had an amazing Mother's Day. I also know it is a tough day for some...

I better get going now. Hope everyone has a great week! I'll be back soon!

Briana's Last Day Of 8th Grade And Middle School

Wow - I cannot believe it's the last day of school for Briana. Her last day in the actually school building was March 13th (Yep - Friday the 13th).

I know I've said it before, but I cannot believe 8th grade is ending this way. I'm not sure I'll ever wrap my mind around it.

Well, I have a high schooler now!!

Since Briana has been rotating through lounge/pajama/sleep pants every day since she's been digital learning, we thought it would be appropriate for her to wear a pair for her last day of school picture. Heh.

Here are all her first and last day of school pictures...

Kindergarten and 1st Grade...

2nd Grade and 3rd Grade...

4th Grade and 5th Grade...

6th Grade and 7th Grade...

And now 8th Grade...

Bri is finishing up with all A's. She's worked really hard. I'm so freaking proud of her!

I have no idea what will happen for high school now. I'm just grateful Bri had her high school orientation night before all of this happened. I don't know if the new school year will actually start in August now, if there will be appropriate social distancing, etc. Just so many questions to be answered. So many decisions will have to be made before/by then. 

For now, I am going to just try to focus on the summer. I'll do my best to give Bri a fun and restful summer break and try to be safe at the same time.

Happy early summer break everyone! Be back soon!

23rd Anniversary Recap

Our 23th Wedding Anniversary landed on Sunday, but we actually ended up celebrating it the entire weekend. 

Saturday morning, Doug got up early and spread mulch around the house...

And then my parents came over to drop off a few anniversary gifts for us. We hadn't seen my parents since early February. It was so nice spending some time with them as we physically distanced on my driveway. :) (It was hard not giving them a hug!)

Doug and I showing off our gifts from them...

 They also gave us chocolates...

And cookies...

 Me and my best gal...

Briana played some guitar for Gramma and Papa...

Here is a very short video of what she is learning...

Mei Mei watched us from the screened porch...

After my parents left, we watched a movie. Bri and Mei always fight for Doug's attention...

The next morning, Doug and I exchanged our gifts. My gifts to Doug (which included an EMS foot massager)...

Doug got me this gorgeous lamp that I had admired online a few months ago...

I didn't send him a link for it, so he had to do some investigative work to figure out where to get it from (he did good!). Here is the description...

 Absolutely stunning...

Briana's made us a lovely drawing...

We relaxed in the morning and then things got a bit weird after 1:30 PM. Doug and I were running a bit late but planned to take a drive around that afternoon and enjoy the pretty day. I looked out my window and saw cop cars and gray SUVs lining up on my street. I realized those cars lined up were all around the corner onto the next street. I yelled to Doug and said that something was going on. He looked out and was as surprised as I was.

I immediately checked my FB neighborhood group and found out that a hostage situation was going on around the corner from my house (a man with a gun had his wife and daughters in the house with him)...

 Swat guys started putting on gear and then the swat truck showed up (a firetruck and ambulance parked in front of my house too)...

We snapped these photos above from our upstairs screened porch. We tried to hear what was going on, but we just heard yelling and couldn't make out what was being said.

We decided to just go inside and wait it out. I am so grateful we were running late now. I would have freaked out if I had left Briana home alone with a situation like that going on.

Right around 3PM, Doug and Bri heard a big boom (I was on the other side of the house and missed it). Come to find out, the swat team rammed in the door and threw in a flash bomb to get everyone out. Everyone got out safely. The suspect was taken out in handcuffs - and I heard he was using profanity, yelling racial slurs and saying he had Covid. He was not in his right mind. He was sent for a psych evaluation and is in jail now.

From what I hear, he got into an argument with his neighbors over a barking dog and started waving a gun around. The police were called and he refused to come out of his house. So the swat team was then called. He refused to negotiate still so then he was forced out.

So here is the really crazy part (if all that wasn't already crazy)...

On Saturday while I was visiting with my parents, a man was jogging by wearing boxing gloves. My  father said hello and the guy stopped on the sidewalk. He was quite friendly, but very hyper at the same time. He started talking 100 miles a minute - saying he had just moved into the neighborhood in March, telling us his and his wife's names (which he spelled for us) and said he was originally from Trinidad. He said people here aren't as friendly here as they are in Trinidad. I tried several times to tell him my name but I couldn't get a word in. He said his wife was walking a bit behind and asked me and my parents to do him a favor by saying hi to her, tell her to have a good day and use her name. He made us promise. He took off and a few minutes later his wife walked by on the other side of the street. We said hello to her by name and she smiled but seemed a little embarrassed and said hello back. I told my parents it was a bit strange that the man didn't allow me to introduce myself.

Come to find out - the suspect was him. The man we talked to on Saturday. I thought he was a bit unusual that day, but I would have never imagined he was capable of something like this.

I'm hearing now he is ex-military and the family has had some loss and financial difficulties. Of course this is hearsay, but in this environment, it doesn't surprise me that someone could snap. Which is what I think happened.

The whole thing was so sad and very scary. I feel so badly for the man and his family. It definitely made for a very memorable anniversary for me and Doug.

We were several hours late going to take our drive, but we decided to take a short one anyway around dinnertime...

When we got back home, Doug and I took a few fun selfies together...

We ordered some Italian food and Doug picked it up.

This is my chicken scallopini (so good!)...

So that was our (social distancing) anniversary weekend recap. It was way more eventful than we ever imagined!

May The 4th Be With You

May The 4th Be With You!!