Monday.. again.

[k3am]

How's your Monday treating you?

[k3am]

Our weekend was unproductive. Smoke has everyone trapped at home, inside. In a normal year, we could escape to the mall or the movies or the skating rink to have a change of scenery or a place to walk around or indoor play area, but thanks corona..

We did get some time Friday evening that we could spend outside, and I spent about 5 minutes this morning outside watering plants before giving up and going back in. I spent most of the weekend reading and watching TV. Like.. I read 4.5 books and watched 6 episodes of a show. Because.. what else am I going to do? Even working out indoors is uncomfortable. After 5ish minutes, I just feel so lethargic. I was.. "happy" (happy is the wrong word, but I can't work out what the right one is..) to get texts from two friends and hear from my neighbors that they're all feeling down in the dumps too, so hopefully this mental state clears up when the air does.

The closest fires are... not at all contained, but we are still lucky to not be at risk. Today isn't supposed to be as bad as the weekend at least? But my guess is this entire week and into the weekend is going to be more of the same.

[traveltheworld]

We had a great weekend. Went out and hung out with our 2 bubble families on Saturday - we let the kids watch movies in the backyard and the adults sat on the patio and drank; didn't leave till midnight, which is the latest we've been out this entire year.

I also found out on Friday that I definitely would not need to return to the office any time soon. Our GC hates WFH, so we were all concerned that he was going to declare that our entire department is "essential" and make us go back in person as soon as we are allowed; but apparently the in-office protocols were so painful when he was there last week that he decided it was not worth it and just declared that our entire department is non-essential. I miss seeing my colleagues, but not having to commute has made such a difference in my quality of life.

[mustardseed2007]

Today one of my favorite co workers are going to announce that they are moving to New York (Manhattan) to live with her fiance that she's marrying in November and I'm so sad. Happy for her, because it's going to be an amazing move and the guys is great and all that, but very sad.

This weekend was decent. I painted some door hangers for school spirit projects and they turned out very pinterest worth if I do say so myself. The hard part will be when the stencils I ordered come in and I put our school name on there. Writing in paint is not my strong suit. We will see.

Landscapers also came and cleaned out our front beds. No more letters from our HOA! Hooray!

[waverly]

We set up a classroom in our basement this weekend.

Today is the first day of elearning and they are not on the schedule it posted. Problems with earphones (kid user error), problems with Zoom because the whole world is in it now and problems with uploading stuff but otherwise going OK. Thank god for our nanny. I took off but I spent the morning grocery shopping and doing laundry and just popped in to check on them.

[mae0111]

DD2 had soccer at 9am and had the best time. She has it again tomorrow as well. They forgot to schedule Wednesday’s practice when they scheduled the other 2, and now I’ve filled in the schedule and she can’t go. Next week starts regular practices.

I’m waiting for DD2’s friend to come over to swim. They played soccer together last fall and she’s going to be a new student in DD2’s class, so her mom and I thought it would be nice to get them together.

School starts next week so I’m trying to jam in some summer fun. Beach tomorrow, a few friends that we’ve seen over to swim on Wednesday. I’ve promised mini golf at some point. Then they learn and I buckle down with my contract work.

[mellym]

We got back from vacation late Saturday night. It was a week of bliss - alternating between the pool and beach each day. We said we should probably do this every three months for pandemic sanity.

Yesterday was unpacking, laundry, yard work and catch up stuff. It's unseasonably hot and humid here so the girls had fun in the backyard pool.

The SD changed to hybrid and we find out our schedule tomorrow. We then have one week to figure out work and care. Welcome back to the insanity.

[librarychica]

I am having a “big company problems” Monday. Tomorrow and Wednesday I have hours and hours of meetings and interviews so I am trying to clear up smaller things and get organized. Sometimes just figuring out who is responsible for a thing is a job.

My parents report that week 3 of online learning has started off well. Thank god for them.

We didn’t do a lot this weekend. It was relaxing. H worked, the girls and I did lots of playing outside, cleaning, etc.

[186momx]

Weekend was good. Canned whole tomatoes on Saturday. I got 6 quarts and 21 pints between my tomatoes and the tomatoes I swiped from the neighbors yard. I think I'm done with whole and will switch over to making tomato juice but first I need to find canning lids. I've gone to 6 store and each one has been sold out. Only 2 of the stores said they would be getting more in as those two stores don't consider them seasonal items. Gardens are just now producing here why are all the canning supplies gone? Thought about ordering from amazon on but yikes they are price gouging.

Sunday we paddled with DD's old 1st grade teacher is was a great morning and we paddled more than I expected. It felt really nice to have adult conversations plus I got some school tidbits.

Monday is being Monday. OSHA put in more rules on business relating to covid. We now are required to have plexiglass in public places to block. We have a huge front area. I would need a 6ft long piece of plexiglass and then have to figure out how to suspend it from the ceiling. Dad decided we are closed to the public unless by prior appointment which we can do out front if push comes to shove. Ugh just stop will all the new rules, I wear my mask, I clean like crazy, and right now we have minimal people in, plexiglass is over kill and you can't find it anywhere. Also our office building was graffitied over the weekend so waiting on the management people to come cover it up.

[sandandsea]

We are also trapped inside because of smoke, but thankfully not in danger. I cleaned the kids bookshelves this weekend and donated a box of books to a neighbor and took a box of books and toys to a fire evacuee on Saturday. Today work is crazy busy and I don’t want to do any of the 5 calls I have to do today. I’m hoping soccer is cancelled again because of air quality because I don’t feel like driving to it and ds is tired.

[rere]

186momx, There is a shortage of canning lids everywhere!! I resorted to buying jars for lids and ordering off Amazon which cost me a pretty penny.

Decent weekend. Walked 4 miles with DH both days. Sunday ended up Door Dashing Mexican and hitting golf balls in the yard which was fun. DS whacked them way out there. I bought some used clubs last summer because DH and I wanted to try golf and didn't want to spend a lot just to try it. We are hoping to make it a new hobby. Sunday was a lot of yard work including taking down a weeping cherry tree in my front landscaping which was pissing me off, so it had to go.

School starts virtually for DD Wednesday. She got her schedule last night. It was a disaster. She is in a dance class that she never signed up for in the spring? She needs an ag class for her club, which they left off. They are screaming no changes, but I have a friend at the school who will hopefully help us out. The guidance office has really dropped the ball. They were out all summer and get back a week before school was supposed to start and were surprised that things change on the daily. I don't know if they have not been paying attention all summer, but I think there probably could have been some time put in this summer to help be a little more prepared.

School starting will also be hard on us. I just found out this morning not only are we the business people, the wedding people, the sports people, but now the school contact tracers. With 9 school systems and probably 50 schools. With 4 people. Amazing.

[tacokick]

Aug 24, 2020 13:33:30 GMT -5 186momx said:

Weekend was good. Canned whole tomatoes on Saturday. I got 6 quarts and 21 pints between my tomatoes and the tomatoes I swiped from the neighbors yard. I think I'm done with whole and will switch over to making tomato juice but first I need to find canning lids. I've gone to 6 store and each one has been sold out. Only 2 of the stores said they would be getting more in as those two stores don't consider them seasonal items. Gardens are just now producing here why are all the canning supplies gone? Thought about ordering from amazon on but yikes they are price gouging.

Sunday we paddled with DD's old 1st grade teacher is was a great morning and we paddled more than I expected. It felt really nice to have adult conversations plus I got some school tidbits.

Monday is being Monday. OSHA put in more rules on business relating to covid. We now are required to have plexiglass in public places to block. We have a huge front area. I would need a 6ft long piece of plexiglass and then have to figure out how to suspend it from the ceiling. Dad decided we are closed to the public unless by prior appointment which we can do out front if push comes to shove. Ugh just stop will all the new rules, I wear my mask, I clean like crazy, and right now we have minimal people in, plexiglass is over kill and you can't find it anywhere. Also our office building was graffitied over the weekend so waiting on the management people to come cover it up.

Butting in to say I was just reading about the shortage! I think it’s because so many people are home due to the pandemic and feeling crafty. www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/08/21/pandemic-canning-is-so-popular-stores-are-running-out-of-jars-and-other-supplies/

I wish I lived near you, I have a ton of jars I’m not using this year just sitting in boxes.

[polecat8]

On Saturday, we went to my parents' house to celebrate my mom's bday. My younger brother, who hasn't attended any family get-togethers for the past 2 years, showed up! The backstory is that he stopped coming around because his new wife has some kind of vendetta against ex-wife. And since we were still friendly to ex-wife (aka said hello to her), new wife didn't want my brother to talk to my parents. My mom was so happy to see him and we goofed around just like old times. Then my mom told me that my brother's wife actually called and apologized to her for being so rude and angry with us. We are cautiously optimistic that this change is for the better, but new wife doesn't have a great track record. We hope she proves us wrong.
Yesterday, I worked all day long. DH built DD's new bed frame and then we found out that I ordered the wrong size. So it looks like DD is upgrading from a full to a queen bed!

[186momx]

tacokick, rere, I've been canning for years. Some of my earliest memories of spending time with my grandma was snipping green beans on a ton of newsprint so she could can them. I've never seen the canning shelves this bare. I had three boxes of lids leftover from last year which got me through the weekend luckily. I can still find new jars but I really don't need more jars I just need the lids. FWP and push comes to shove I'll buy the new jars if necessary. What I can we basically use up each year. I have 6 pints of whole tomatoes leftover from 2019 and no juice.

[erbear]

We found out today that, instead of starting all in person on Monday, lower school will be in person but middle and upper will be remote for the first 3 weeks, then we will reassess. Great, good plan but 1) why not do this months ago and 2) what about 5th and 6th graders? They are...staying home all day alone? Doubtful. Sigh. Just keep swimming.

Also, we got class lists. DD2's (4th grade) grade has so many remote kids (17). 13 are in school and because the school promised pods of 12 or under, she has 6 kids (and 2 teachers) in her class.

[waverly]

Aug 24, 2020 19:57:31 GMT -5 erbear said:

We found out today that, instead of starting all in person on Monday, lower school will be in person but middle and upper will be remote for the first 3 weeks, then we will reassess. Great, good plan but 1) why not do this months ago and 2) what about 5th and 6th graders? They are...staying home all day alone? Doubtful. Sigh. Just keep swimming.

Also, we got class lists. DD2's (4th grade) grade has so many remote kids (17). 13 are in school and because the school promised pods of 12 or under, she has 6 kids (and 2 teachers) in her class.

Our remote learning was announced after they delayed the start of school twice and the day before we started. They tried everything they could to be in person and with additional guidance handed down, they just couldn’t make it work anymore.

[librarychica]

My kid wrote her first essay. I’m very proud.

[sdlaura]

I’m sorry for everyone dealing with fires up North

Had a decent weekend with nothing really planned. Had fun at the beach yesterday morning - temps were a lot more comfortable then near my house.

DH had his vasectomy today so he’s hobbling around. I half jokingly tried to talk him out of it last minute - I know I’m insane but I just love babies!

[k3am]

Aug 24, 2020 19:57:31 GMT -5 erbear said:

We found out today that, instead of starting all in person on Monday, lower school will be in person but middle and upper will be remote for the first 3 weeks, then we will reassess. Great, good plan but 1) why not do this months ago and 2) what about 5th and 6th graders? They are...staying home all day alone? Doubtful. Sigh. Just keep swimming.

Also, we got class lists. DD2's (4th grade) grade has so many remote kids (17). 13 are in school and because the school promised pods of 12 or under, she has 6 kids (and 2 teachers) in her class.

Enjoy the small class size while it lasts! That’s.. kind of awesome. I wish they would let the lower schools be in person.

I don’t understand the point of remote for 3 weeks and reassess. The first 1-3 weeks will be just working out kinks. And once they finally start to get into some kind of rhythm.. time to mix things up!!

[erbear]

Aug 24, 2020 21:55:24 GMT -5 k3am said:

Aug 24, 2020 19:57:31 GMT -5 erbear said:

We found out today that, instead of starting all in person on Monday, lower school will be in person but middle and upper will be remote for the first 3 weeks, then we will reassess. Great, good plan but 1) why not do this months ago and 2) what about 5th and 6th graders? They are...staying home all day alone? Doubtful. Sigh. Just keep swimming.

Also, we got class lists. DD2's (4th grade) grade has so many remote kids (17). 13 are in school and because the school promised pods of 12 or under, she has 6 kids (and 2 teachers) in her class.

Enjoy the small class size while it lasts! That’s.. kind of awesome. I wish they would let the lower schools be in person.

I don’t understand the point of remote for 3 weeks and reassess. The first 1-3 weeks will be just working out kinks. And once they finally start to get into some kind of rhythm.. time to mix things up!!

It's a public health thing. Our cases are rising slightly and the CHOP Policy Lab (who is our major medical partner) recommended holding off in person for a couple of weeks to see if we will stabilize again. Plus, with Labor Day weekend, they assume people will go down the shore (though my school is actively discouraging this and I hope people listen), so the two weeks after to quarantine is necessary. I'm ok with the plan - we have too many middle and upper schoolers to do this safely right now and we are not ready for a full opening next week.

[tacokick]

Aug 24, 2020 16:23:50 GMT -5 186momx said:

tacokick, rere, I've been canning for years. Some of my earliest memories of spending time with my grandma was snipping green beans on a ton of newsprint so she could can them. I've never seen the canning shelves this bare. I had three boxes of lids leftover from last year which got me through the weekend luckily. I can still find new jars but I really don't need more jars I just need the lids. FWP and push comes to shove I'll buy the new jars if necessary. What I can we basically use up each year. I have 6 pints of whole tomatoes leftover from 2019 and no juice.

It is crazy how bare the shelves are! I’ve had some issues getting lids in the past but not like I’ve seen now.

[k3am]

Celebration: we have blue skies (temporarily), moderate air, and temps in the 70's. DH and I just went for a walk. The first time I've done anything more laborious than walk to/from the car. We are nowhere near done with the smoke, but the reprieve has been amazing.