So, good thing I gave up the daily updates a long time ago, eh? So here's where we are: Kids: still 100% distance learning.  Plan is to go back to in person hybrid Jan 19, but we are back in the purple tier, so that's iffy.  We cannot open in purple. Exercise: I have really been enjoying myself.  Running: overdid it at the beginning of COVID - had some sciatica pain return and also had Achilles tendon issues.  Dialed it back in mileage and started doing more Galloway run/walk, still had Achilles issues.  Then tweaked my knee doing...something.  Prob trail r ..read more

Virtual school still sucks for an 8 year old.  I don't expect to be back at school even in hybrid mode until 2021. The west coast is burning. I miss my friends.  I haven't gotten together with anyone outside my household, really, since June?  A backyard birthday 'do in August, but only lasted about 10 minutes because: too many people, not enough masks. I miss silence.  4 people in a 3 room house, and I get overwhelmed. I love hugs.  I get them from my family. I need to simplify.  I have too many things on my plate, with virtual school, work, and chores.  I ha ..read more

 Notes, in no particular order, on virtual learning: 1.  My 8 yo WILL NOT pay attention to the teacher. 2.  If he doesn't want to do it, he ignores her and reads his book. 3.  He will literally read his book and then come ask me "what did she say?" 4.  He spends most of the time fiddling with crap on his desk, that I constantly have to take away. 5.  Yes, we share an "office" (their bedroom). 6.  I get approximately 15 minutes of work done every hour, from 8:30 until 12:00.  So, maybe an hour, tops. 7.  I have to sit next to him, and force him to pa ..read more

Today, I learned how to delete comments on facebook posts.  And... I learned how to change the sharing settings to hide certain friends from seeing them. This is much better for my mental state.  I COULD respond to the "You've got to be kidding me" with the "well, you are the POSTER CHILD for selfishness." But you know, no.  So, instead, I deleted the comment. And then I changed the sharing so that she can no longer see it. Peace out ..read more

It's tomato season!  We are finally getting tomatoes as add-ons in our boxes (one of them).  So, bring on the tomato-mozzarella-basil salad.  I miss my Sunday potlucks.  Some weeks, we'd have 3 versions of that salad. My baby turned 8 this week! The kids have been working out with Mike.  Today, Nick wasn't feeling the leg day.  He skipped yesterday too.  Daniel did leg day like a champ today. Mike is feeling stronger but isn't losing weight.  "I'm eating more."  Yes, that's what you do when you lift weights.  You are supposed to.  Even ..read more

Yeah, I think school starts in 6 weeks?  7 weeks?  Almost half way through summer.  How are we managing?  Schedules. Kid 1: has to exercise every day, and read.  I also want him to do some other stuff, like programming on line, writing, or projects.  But for now, he has been reading for an hour to six a day, so that's good enough.  He's doing a weight training workout with my husband 4x a week and joining the dog walks on other days. Afternoons are for Fortnite. Kid 2: same.  He has been mostly doing Cosmic Kids Yoga every morning, and joining me for ..read more

The beaches are closed for 3 days due to COVID.  The idea is to keep the tourists away, as Los Angeles and Ventura have also closed their beaches.  This is why we can't have nice things. Anyway, the bars are closed again for 3 weeks.  The restaurants are back to outdoor dining only, for at least 3 weeks.  I'm glad we went to the beach on Tuesday morning.  Staying home this weekend. Beaches are still open for recreation - swimming, walking, running, surfing, kayaking.  Just no sitting. Stay safe people ..read more

Today, the boys are fighting during their non-electronics time.  Nick decided to play Uno, so we played while Mike was in a conf call.  Daniel saved his +2 for Nick.  Nick freaked out, started crying and yelling, and stormed out.  Daniel and I finished the game. Nick came back.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  So Nick went out back and I locked the back door.  Daniel is still crying because he wants to play with someone, but now I have a conf call too and even the dog won't play with him.  Whatever ..read more

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SO much has changed since my last post!!  Not really. VACATION There was a brief half-week where we considered bailing for the summer and going to visit family in Upstate NY.  You see, we both know several people who travel all summer long.  They go visit family in other countries, and work from there. Thanks to COVID, we now know that we can basically work from anywhere with an internet connection.  For the last few years, I've dreamed of making a long summer away a reality.  My husband mentioned the possibility.  His family has a couple of camps on a lake in ..read more