It is what it is

Today is June 23, 2020 the 2nd day of summer.  It is dark and woke up to rain (and Lucy barking).  We need the rain.  After a flooding spring, it has been hot and dry.  Everything is looking August especially the lawns.  I am painting Amanda's room (2nd day).  Ceiling and patching done yesterday, walls and floor trim today.  Did Matt's room last week, took 3 days with all the trim and chair rail.  Turned out nice and soft.  Used Mineral Green.   Amanda's room is called Cement Pots.  Both are Magnolia Homes pain and it is a dream to work with.  One coat, quickly dries and looks great. Removed the 30-year-old linoleum from the stairs but had to have our Handy-man steam off the guck left.  Now we will sand and paint a dark grey.   Using non-skid.  I can't stand the thought of carpet or peel & stick tiles. Removed all the old drapes in the DR & LR.  Ordered white sheers and new rods so after it is pa...

I thought when i started this it would last a few weeks and be fun to look back on the Quarantine after it was over.  It is still not over! I know that going to school for two days last week was risky but I wore a mask and kept away from everyone to be able to pack my room and clean lockers I have gone to the store now with mask and distancing and gloves.  Staying home is pretty boring!  I am glad I can walk the dog daily and have good weather to be in the yard working. We still have a few days of school left and am busy winding it up and doing grades.  It feels like we have been home forever.  Some days I feel like I am on virtual meetings all day!  Everything is virtual.  I miss my children and grandchildren. In 3 months we have a whole new world.  I have to have a Covid test this week for a procedure next Monday.  Scared!   It is what it is and we are missing so much.  We know it will end eventually but don't know when. ...

I get busier and forget to post.  Day after day is pretty much the same.   Up, work, work, work, walk the dog, do the treadmill, fix dinner, go to bed.  We don't go anywhere and we don't see anyone. Last weekend was Memorial Day so our big outing was to drive to Battle Creek to plant the cemetery flowers.  Took my dollhouse to my brother's house because the wiring needs to be fixed for the lighting and he offered to help me with it.  It is 35 years old and I don't have the knowledge to fix it.  I would love to figure it out but can't do much until the R word (retire) Finished planting all 14 flats, pool is open and I was in it when it hit 90 degrees on Sunday (with a water temperature of 64.)   Heater was on and was better on Monday. Still up to my eyebrows in school.  My hair is way too long and I just pin it up in this heat and humidity.  Don't even mention my nails.....ugh.  I know I am whining about stupid stuff but we are all ...

Well the best news in quite some time is Moderna issued a press release that a vaccine is in human trials and looking very promising.  Covid may soon be a thing of the past.     Good news good news! Still trying to figure out so many things about school and the end of the year and how we will close our classrooms, give stuff back to the kids from their lockers and figure out what next fall will look like.  Still under quarantine restrictions.  Staying home.  Wanted to head to Chicago for the long Memorial Day weekend but no, not a wise idea yet. I bought 14 flats (and had to get more white) of impatiens and started the big dig on Saturday.  Emptied the greenhouse and used it to work in on Sunday between rain storms.  So far I have all the red and white in the front (pots) done and repotted everything in the greenhouse.  All the geraniums are clipped and around the pool.  Repotted all the ferns, spider plants and palms.  I wanted...

What a week, what a world.  Still slogging along at on-line lessons but getting better at it.  I just have such a hard time sitting all day checking papers, writing lessons and still trying to figure it all out "zooming" everything. Still ordering groceries from Shipt.  I got brave and went to Westborn for fresh produce.  Still scared but with a mask, big glasses and gloves it should be ok.  I am happy that I can walk Lucy everyday even though it has been very chilly (40's) lately with freeze warnings nightly.  Only planed some pansies and can take those in at night. Still keeping up with piano lessons (virtual) working on that 1000 piece puzzle (some days no time for it and some days only a few minutes) and keeping my chin up.  Beautiful flowers from Andrew & Brian, a bouquet from Otto and calls from all the kids and a photo montage from Amanda for Mother's Day. I, like everyone else need a haircut, nail appt. and see friends, go out to eat ...

We passed the Noah's Arc 40 days of rain and the Covid is still real on day 51 of Quarantine. Now it is Wednesday (started this on Sunday so it is day 54.  Need to walk the dog since the sun in shining and I am done with school work for the day.  Be back soon. Next to walking Lucy I can't say I have been out except last Saturday I took the plunge and went to Westborn Market.  It was wonderful!   7 weeks and no shopping.  I wore my mask, gloves and sunglasses and had the best time buying cheese, fruit, veggies, sweet corn and fresh fresh fresh! Today I needed to go to Target for essential things and did the mask, gloves and glasses again.  Found almost everything I needed, was not busy and felt very safe.  Same at Costco.  Only there for a minute to straighten a problem with my card having 2 numbers and didn't shop (wanted to though!)  8 weeks since I was at either place. My day is mostly taken up by school work.  Creating lessons,...

I vowed to blog more with the quarantine but I have been so darn busy with school lessons and trying to figure out Google Classroom that there has been very little extra time. I had a "breaking point" on my last blog post.  I think we are all at a breaking point especially to hear another 2 weeks of staying home to stay safe. I could not join the distribution of the computers at my school as I am high risk with asthma and breathing problems and I AM OLD!   I did get a Dr. note but I am not one to shy back on volunteering as most everyone knows ALL the stuff I do at school and out of school. I think I got the hang of the Google Classroom lessons and since we are thematic for the next 7 weeks, creating a weekly math lesson with follow-up worksheets has been kind of fun.  I get very nervous trying to remember how to do it all correctly. Cancelled my May trip to Boston, another heartache but I realize it could be much worse for me and my family.  LA, Chicago and ...

I am just out of patience.  I am sick of being quarantined.  Sick of being home.  Sick of this shit.  I want to throw something. I want to go away.  I want life back to normal.    I can't do this anymore.  I can't stand working.  I can't stand this on-line living.  I don't know what to do.  I feel like no one cares about us or anyone.  I have not been sick but I am at wits end.  Anyone else feel this way? It is what it is and I am about to blow up.   Anyone else feel this way?    My stupid robot vacuum knocked down my egg tree and broke about everything on it.  Everything went wrong today.  Anyone else feel this way? I can't do it!  It isn't what it use to be.......ugh and I am so mad.............can you tell?

The week flew by because we are back to work in a weird way.  Preparing to do on-line distance learning for the last 6 weeks of school.  Don't ask!   The district is planning to distribute chrome books (not sure why it took so long and why bother now) instead of continuing with packets that would be much cheaper and more widespread.  In our district, many don't have internet, and one computer will not sufficiently service a large family.  But, don't ask me, I have only worked there 20 years and am not in charge. Enough of that.   We have spent the week watching videos, on-line meetings, trying to learn this in 5 days compared to people that have been doing it for 5 years. I now know of 4 people that I am connected to that died of COVID.   No words.  I don't know what to say.  How are we going to get back to normal?  How are we going to teach school?  This is not going to go away anytime soon but there are idiots that are not f...

Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday Days we had looked forward to that were days we still are in quarantine and staying home.  My big event was taking the car out Friday to do a quick garage delivery for my M-I-L.  I told her to open the garage and stay in the house but does she listen?   NO, had to open the door and ask if I was coming in!!! WHAT!!!!!!  Does not at all get this at 97. Did some prep work for Sunday, more painting and took the dog for a long walk on Saturday. Sunday was busy in that I cooked a big brunch of my egg and cheese casserole, sausages and champagne.  Kept busy (no painting) listening to Sunday service, long dog walk, cooked a big dinner of ham, cheesy potatoes, salad, asparagus, yeast rolls, deviled eggs and a cherry cheese pie. Had a fun FaceTime video with the whole family at 8:00 EST, crazy all at once with 3 kids 5 and under. Today, Monday is our last day of Spring Break.  don't know what tomorrow will bring wit...

So much has changed in the last 4 weeks but Fridays still come around quickly.  It's just there isn't the fun times on the weekends to look forward to.  Shopping, staying home or going out, catching up on house chores, laundry, church, breakfast or dinner out with friends, sleeping in late, staying up late, now every day is just every day. I miss having all the social things I/we do.  I don't think I realized how much we do until we couldn't do it anymore.  I know it is just temporary but we just had another 3 weeks added to our "Stay Home"  order which puts us at the end of April.  This virus is brutal and the most devastating killer of our lives.  We don't know where it is going or how long it will last. Did my 3rd FaceTime piano lesson, going quite well, albeit slower because I have to stop and write everything!! This week I managed to clean the whole house doing a few rooms at a time.  I started painting the white doors in the downstairs...

I'm not keeping up here!  Plus the days kind of run in to each other!.  Weekends aren't as special because there is no place we can go and no one we can meet with.  I found some odds and ends around the house and made a few makeshift Easter cards for my 3 grandchildren and wrote them checks.  Not as much fun as shopping for something for them! Talk with the neighbors a lot (from a distance of course), FaceTime a lot, watch a lot of tv and find A LOT of extra time that I never had before. My puzzle is very hard and I can't stay with it long.  I walk Lucy every day.  I am cleaning more.  I started painting the white doors in the house (there is a ton of painting I need to do, it's been years).  It is too early to plant anything and we can't go to the store for supplies. I did get a Shipt order on Monday that was placed in the morning.  She was very good and text me to let me know all the changes needed on my list.  She delivered ever...

Days 21 & 22 Getting lost in the days of COVID.  Friday was filled with last minute decisions on schoolwork and how we are going forward after spring break.  Glad we had a time to Google Hangouts with our team building associates.  (Virtual happy hour).  Did fish & chips and paid for it all night....never that much fried take out again!   Running out of TV shows! FaceTimed with the entire family, Chicago:  Hannah & Ethan, Boston, and LA Harper.   I should have been on a plane to LA last night and arrived for my 10 day trip.  I get it and trying NOT to get it. Saturday trying to fill the time since I can't fill the stores.   Raked yard, did some cleaning and laundry (yippeee skippeee) and did a social distancing with backyard neighbors, sent home-made Easter cards to my grandchildren since we can't buy anything and worked on my 1000 piece balloon puzzle.    B'dubs on line.    Still have an e-book to read a...

Our governor has declared that the school year is over but we still have to remote learn.  Don't know what that means.  We have been working for 3 weeks, trying to learn all the on-line google everything, possible worksheet packets and this may be the hardest year ever for being a teacher.   I have been in the business for almost 30 years.  Ready to give it up to someone younger and more tech savvy than me.  I am spending all day watching different webinars, and posts for Google classrooms. Did my 3rd week of FaceTime piano lessons, paid with zelle, an app that replaces hands-on money. Zoomed with my bell peeps last night, face time with everyone or google hangouts with staff, what in the world or where is the world going?   I drove my car for the first time in 2 weeks so the battery did not die.   Just needed to the bank drive-thru to deposit an old check.  It felt good to get out.  No cars parked in store lots.   We have become a...

March came in like a lamb and stayed a LION all month.  This quarantine is wearing us all down!  Yesterday, we had a Google Hangout with staff to learn about Google Classroom.  Every day seems to blend together.  We check email, do searches, print, scan and ready for more packets, listen to webinars, after work, do laundry, walk the dog, walk the treadmill and GO NOWHERE! Today we had 2 google hangout meetings for our PLC and PBIS, I posted grades, citizenship, comments, a letter to parents from 7th grade math to emails, set up a Google Voice phone number and did the usual stuff after school. Andrew ordered me a new printer (mine died yesterday after ordering new cartridges of ink (anyone want #60?), showed me how to post my blog on Facebook, (it changed), sat outside for a bit (49) and am going to cook my last Blue Apron for 2 weeks.  It seems that I cancelled it because I was going to California on April 3rd for 10 days (Spring break) and would not be need...

It is getting harder to keep track of how many days since this quarantine started.  It is easy to keep busy but it is not the same busy as going to work.  Days are filled with reading emails, contacting staff members who share our fears and concerns,  listening to the news, searching for worksheets that might help our classes, listening to webinars (that make me feel worse about how little I know about on-line anything) (and I didn't even know what a webinar was until 2 weeks ago). After "work" I have been filling the time with Insta cart for both us and Grandma, walking loud-mouthed Lucy on very long walks (more to get out than exercise her!), treadmill TV (Watching a Netflix Soap Opera called Las Chicos de Cables) I think I spelled it correctly.  It took me 3 days to realize it was in Spanish with English lip-syncing!)  I love the costuming and all the drama! Working on a very difficult 1000 piece puzzle I ordered, have not done that in probably 25 or so y...

Lucy is sleeping, it is a dark and rainy day and I have nowhere I can go.  It has been like a continual snow day for 2 weeks now, except this is not fun. My credit cards are withering in my wallet.  I have on-lined ordered groceries twice and everything else I have needed and think of for now. Long walks with a leash-pulling dog help but not today.  It is just pouring.  It thundered and stormed last night maybe hail, not sure,  but it was noisy. I am sick of listening to webinars of people who think that on-line teaching is a breeze.  They teach in areas (or are in businesses like Google) where resources are greater than ours.  We are expected to figure this out pretty much on our own and have it ready to go in a week or so....what?   Our kids don't have computers or devices (other than phones, could you imagine going to class all day on a phone?) and many don't have needed internet.  We don't have needed lessons!  We left in such ...

I don't know about anyone else but I am tired from being home and working on stuff that includes preparing scans to PDF's, webinars, google hangouts for meetings and things a week ago I had never even heard about.   People are still suppose to stay home but I see many planes still flying over (regular about), I am still order on amazon, and not seeing much that has changed. I will however, say that I have had a Shipt order in for two days, still can't get a delivery date or a pick up date and had to "borrow" dog food from my neighbor because we both thought we had another bag in the garage.   Was surprised that I did an Instacart on Saturday and it was delivered 4 hours later.  Shipt....not so much. I am glad to be able to connect daily with my family and friends thru the many apps that are available and proud that I started the FaceTime with my piano teacher a week ago and now she has half her students on board.   I have to stay active and busy because th...

Wearing down easily.  I have learned more internet stuff in the last week or so than my whole internet life.  I am googled to death!   Working 6 or more hours every day to google hangouts, google classroom set ups, google mail, wish I had never heard the term google before. Days are harder than when we are teaching.   I have learned how to send an email letter through a parent portal, listened to webinars and gone chats, hangouts and just when I think I have it covered more stuff pops up to learn. I can't tell you how much I am ready to retire and leave this to someone else.   I am glad that the weather has been decent and in the afternoon I have been able to walk Lucy and evenings, check on friends, FaceTime with family and order groceries on Shipt, Instacart and other "stuff" on Amazon Prime. As many hours as we are trying to keep up and get ahead with lessons and students we can only hope we will be compensated for our time. We have all cancelled appo...

Every time I figure something new out they add something more.  I am ready to retire.  Google this and google that.  I spent all day reading the governor's post, the superintendent's post, trying to do all the on-line emails to parents, find lessons, scan, I can't do this on my own.  I have nothing more to say today...it is what it is.....I am a boomer not a millennial.

Saturday was not normal!   Did all kinds of cleaning and laundry and staying home.  Did my first order on Insta Cart.  Took me quite awhile to navigate but I recommend it.   My groceries arrived (most of the order and some I didn't order, some I didn't get and some was a substitute) within 4 hours.  Interesting!!!  Think I may continue doing this FOREVER!!!!    I need to try SHIPT also. I have way too much lettuce and not enough eggs.   Learning along the way!!! I took Lucy on a very long walk, started a 1000 piece puzzle (Otto made me a board to make it portable), learned to order food through Door Dash and Grub hub, connected with several friends, family, ordered some stuff on-line, I am pleased to say that I have not been in contact with anyone for a week, other than Otto and a wave or a distant chat with neighbors,  not one store.  Trying to get him to distance also. Otto is on day 2 with staying.   Glad I stocked up...

I am flabbergasted by how much there is to do to new learning for us teachers.  All of the on-line sites, researching for worksheets and if we can teach on-line, the lessons and games.   It was a full day of work with many new challenges. The day started out at 60 degrees and is now in the 30's.   I was able to get a dog walk in, lots of emails and colleague connections, sharing of knowledge, questions, posts, logs and trying to figure how to connect with our students that are not on-line. Overwhelming to say the least.  After "school" today, I was able to get some laundry, cleaning, treadmill, connect with friends and family and a much needed "fish fry Friday" with take-outs.  I am so ready to hit the market and stores tomorrow but know I have to revert to insta-cart and cancelling upcoming flights.  The news is grim in this country for the corona virus but we are America strong!  It is what it is and I cancelled my much needed nail appointment to...

It was a day of new normal.   Started the day with a Google Hangout.   Andrew had to re-configure my computer (MacBook Air) to talk to whatever it is we have at school.  Took a long time and he is my super knowledge tech person.   Make me stop now with negative comments about tech support because they are swamped with people like me that have no knowledge of any of this! We covered many things that have happened this last week.   We are all working from home, researching, trying to reach out to parents and students, handing out packets of work (our district has students without internet or devices to access on-line resources), trying to reach out to parents, keeping up with this insane virus and just taking care of ourselves and our families. I am just getting over a sinus infection with drugs, and want to help take care of my extended family but am afraid to travel and suspect myself to this virus. I have cancelled a dog appointment for her vaccines that ...

Spent the day doing stuff around the house.   Tried unsuccessfully to log in all the Google stuff that our district is telling everyone to do.   I think our tech support is trying to do it all and is overwhelmed.   Finally I was able to get personal tech support to log in to everything needed that our district has not been able to provide.   No one ever expected this to happen and  they are not prepared to handle the overload.  I am so grateful for my personal support from my family and the knowledge that is keeping me afloat.   Rainy and cold afternoon.  Feeling like all the meds I have been on are helping but fearful of what this virus is going to bring.  It is what it is and how do I say RETIRE Carol?!!!

Not complaining, but today would have been our 2nd day of Spirit Week, yesterday was Pajama Day and today Crazy Socks and GREEN Day.  We try to have fun! I started the day trying to log into Google for our teleconference day tomorrow and to get the log sheets that would help us keep track of what we are doing for school on these days.   Not much because we dd not bring that much home.  And our students don't have devices to keep on the internet or even the internet.  So, having difficulty working on a Mac book talking to a device that is not Mac. While I keep in touch with emails and our connections, I am able to do things around the house that have not been done for months.  Cleaning, laundry, raked the front and side yards, (yup blister), and preparing my usual St. Patrick's feast of corned beef, cabbage, redskins, onions, coleslaw, Jello, pistachio pudding and cool whip and this year, I am making soda bread with Irish butter. Talked to my neighbor today...

It is nice sleeping in and staying up late but the hard part is thinking about what to do to fill the day.  Since all evening activities are cancelled, it is a long day.  Today I will attack some cleaning projects and do needed wash as I clean.  I have an appointment for Lucy for shots but my gut tells me to stay home as completely as I can.  The shots can wait I think.   Also weigh in for TOPS but I can do that from home and send a photo to the leader to keep accountable. Yesterday I made 2 loaves of banana bread (staff meetings).  Am getting ahead on baking for the rest of the year.  Also made some chicken soup for lunches and then some kind of chicken that had turmeric on it and it ruined my french white manicure.  Any ideas to clean that up?  Lemon juice, bleach were a no go.  They suggest paint thinner on the internet. Since the library closed before I made it there, Andrew & Brian taught me how to use e-books with my librar...

2nd day of voluntary quarantine. On Thursday 3-12-20 we were informed at school that the district would be shut down  on 3-13-20 to prepare for a possible school wide shutdown due to Corona Virus and staff would report but not students.  This was 5 minutes before the students left for the day. On Friday 3-13-20 after a staff meeting, we were informed to prepare 10-15 days of lesson plans for a total shut down for a couple weeks. Then came the mess of preparing, using the copy machine, cleaning our rooms, catching up on grades (kinda like last day of school for summer vaca ) and getting ready to leave. Saturday 3-14-20   Pi Day   3.14    Saying no to a shower I was looking forward to, realizing that I was really sick with a sinus infection and now that school was prepared for, I could take care of me.  I HAD to run to Target to get my scripts (antibiotics and steroids) and cancel dinner plans with friends.  The only thing left that I could ...