64.
64 weeks behind us since coronavirus hit the state of GA full force.
This is my third to the last "weekly" post. I'll obviously keep posting here, but I just won't continue to count the weeks. Bri's vaccination cycle will be fully complete on June 18th. My birthday is June 19th. I honestly cannot think of a better birthday present that I could receive this year. #believeinscience #yesvaccinesaresafe #pleasegetvaccinated #microchipsarenotinvaccines
Briana received her second shot on Friday...
So far, so good. Just a little loss in appetite and a sore arm, but other than that, she is feeling pretty good.
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Last week was a week. I started off the week (over Memorial Day weekend) with a weird stomach thing that lasted a couple of days. Then a very good friend of mine lost a family member suddenly. Not the happiest way to start off summer break, but I hope things will start looking up a bit more soon.
D, B and I really tried to kick off our summer break in a good way with an overnight stay at the R!tz Carlton in Atlanta - Sunday into Monday. It was our first hotel stay as a family since the pandemic started (Doug did have a short business trip a few weeks ago that required him to stay in a hotel). Hotel workers are still wearing masks at the R!tz, which was nice.
We were looking forward to some yummy room service and a fun movie. Just chilling...
We checked in around 3 or so to our suite. Doug and I were going to be in the bedroom and Bri would sleep on a pullout couch in the living area.
Doug and I were watching TV in the bedroom and Bri came into our room about an hour after check in saying the next door neighbors were kind of being loud (and she heard some cussing). We all went in the living area to listen (there was an locked adjoining door between our rooms). I believe their room was just a regular bedroom room. Yes, they were talking pretty loud but we hoped they would stop when nighttime came around.
They must have gone out to dinner or something because when our room service arrived, it was all quiet for a few hours. (and we ate in that living area).
We all decided to watch a movie in the bedroom and got done with that around 10PM. Bri then wanted to get ready for bed. She goes back into her room and returns saying things are really bad next door.
The neighbors had returned. Not only were they loud, they were vulgar. Saying some really provocative things. I tried talking loud enough to let them know that we could hear each other, but that didn't phase them in the least. They could have been drunk - who knows. Let's just say, the woman (who was the loudest) was saying suggestive things that I didn't need my 14 year old teen overhearing. Honestly, it's not behavior that I'd ever think I would encounter at a R!tz.
Doug immediately jumped on the phone and asked for another room and explained the situation. After a few minutes, the front desk said they had our exact type of room a few floors up. We grabbed our stuff (luckily we didn't have much) and went up 4 floors. We actually had a better view of everything from the higher floor.
So, with that hiccup and with me starting to not feel well even before the dinner even arrived (I was able to eat a bit at that time though I wasn't feeling perfect), it wasn't the best experience overall. It wasn't all bad, but it was tainted for sure.
On a positive note, the food was really good (I sadly didn't get a fancy breakfast - just a bagel)...
And the staff at the R!tz could not have been nicer. Every person was friendly and super accommodating. It's just a shame we encounter people way too often behaving badly though. Sadly, it's just the (self-centered) world we live in today.
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I only have a couple of these "weekly updates" left to post, so I am going to continue with voicing my opinion a bit in these.
When the notice about the "removal of masks" for vaccinated people came from the CDC several weeks ago, I admit I was happy - just like everyone else. But at the same time, I was hesitant about it. It seemed a bit rushed. Briana had just received her first vaccination and younger children weren't (and still aren't) even eligible for vaccines.
I received an e-mail not long after that from a nearby store that I frequent (one of the few that were truly enforcing the mask use rule during the pandemic)...
The thing is...during the pandemic in my neck of the woods, mask use was "supposedly" encouraged in places, but it really wasn't for the most part. Lots of people were not masking. I would see some people masking up before going into stores that required them, but overall it wasn't really an important "thing" around here - which is why I didn't go out very much during the pandemic. When you saw unmasked people verses masked people here, you pretty much knew where everyone stood politically.
To me, removal of the masks really blurs the lines now. You just don't know who is who.
I kind of laugh when I hear F@uci say unvaccinated kids should wear masks in school in the fall. So many kids weren't wearing masks during the height of the pandemic here - at least in the public schools. It's like we are on two different planets.
This is why I am waiting a bit to start ditching the mask until Briana's vaccination is complete. I have no idea when I enter a store or restaurant if someone is vaccinated or not. We are continuing to be extra careful for now. Just two more weeks. Better safe than sorry.
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Check this out...this was a status update from a local BBQ restaurant (that I now used to eat at every once in a while but no more)...
This was posted on a business FB page. No joke. My mouth fell open after reading it. It is probably one of the most unprofessional things I have read on a business page. You can tell immediately where this place falls politically and where they get their news from.
I get that people are wearing out and that a lot of places are struggling due to being understaffed, but this should have NEVER have been posted on a business page. People have the right to rant and rave all over their personal pages, but this was just crazy to me. And obviously, this restaurant got reamed in the comments by a lot of people for it. This was one of the comments...
Then, the restaurant tried to backpedal a little in a separate status update to defend themselves.
But THIS is an outspoken "screw-you" attitude from a lot of people around here.
And just know, I know someone who ordered takeout from this joint not too long ago and literally half the order was missing when they got home. So, they had to complain. What were they supposed to do? Not say anything?
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Politically, I am still just sickened by so much...
It's horrifying that an insurrection commission to investigate Jan 6th was struck down. It sickens me that Republ!cans all over the country are making more difficult for people to vote.
What worries me right now...Tr@mp is going around telling people that he is still pres!dent and that he will be reinstated this summer. It isn't even close to true. It will never happen. Our political system doesn't even work like that. Misinformation like this can be dangerous - we've already witnessed that.
It's scary. It's madness. It's overwhelming.
It really is.
Let me end on this sad, insane note...
I wish I was making this up. This woman somehow got elected. There are just no words.
And I received so many wonderful gifts from family and friends... 
