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Archive for April, 2020

Devastating Totals

April 28th, 2020 at 04:28 am

A friend from Minnesota has an elderly mom in a care facility there where now 17 people have died of COVID, while another's mom is across town where another 18 have died. The numbers in those care facilities are just staggering. Please keep these folk in your thoughts and prayers while the arguments for and against quarantine continue.

We spent nothing today, and my garden seeds have arrived. Tomorrow the hair scissors come. I'm busy busy teaching and trying to keep my mind clear for students and spirits up for them and my family.


Wrong Walk

April 22nd, 2020 at 05:19 pm

After updating classes and grading papers, my DD and I decided to drop off some pansy bowls I'd planted with the remnants of the pansy flat I bought earlier.

Since of our pansy recipients was a co-worker who lives close to the university, we decide to walk around campus. It seemed like a good idea; I haven't been there in well over a month, the flowers on campus are usually cheery, and it offers a lot of things to see. But instead I came home almost in tears. It seems so sad to see campus completely empty. All of those buildings should be bustling with students, and friends, and colleagues. The coffee shop should be full, and the library should be open. Instead of a good idea, it seemed like a bad bad dream.

Then I came home and cooked a big dinner, but faced with yet another stack of dishes, I think I just spiraled down. One of my dear co-workers is ill, so I did some of his grading and stayed up too late.

I need to find something else to help raise the spirits. Maybe, like CB, I need to paint something. Or maybe just a book and a nap. Ugh.


Virtual Proms and So Much Food Prep

April 19th, 2020 at 10:46 pm

My wonderful daughter and her friends held a virtual senior prom last night. One of her friends decorated their whole living room with lights and all three of their girls and the parents dressed up. They had big "Class of 2020" signs, and then zoomed six more girls in. It was a lot of fun as they laughed, chose dance numbers, and just enjoyed hours of teenage chatter and dancing together.

I'm plugging away at classes, seemingly cooking all the time, and trying not to think too far ahead. Our university chancellor held a virtual town hall meeting on Friday outlining four possible scenarios for next year. They all involve furlough days (read paycuts as furloughing from teaching is impossible), and some combination of online, hybrid, and maybe some face to face teaching. Our deficit has doubled because of the refunds for dorms and food service and other expenses.

It sort of made me want to cry, but like so many of us, we are incredibly lucky. DH and I continue to work, our house is paid for as are our cars. We have food, lights, heat, telecomms, health, and each other.

So, in more uplifting news, I thawed some forgotten puff pastry which should use more of the (damn) ham with swiss and spinach for a puff pasty something.

So onward! At least to the kitchen!

Dribs and Mostly Drabs

April 14th, 2020 at 05:09 pm

Yes, it's been a strange time here, hasn't it? I have little financial news as we've done little spending.

Sunday night I ordered a few things, about a dozen I think, from Target.com. It was mostly fill-in groceries, pet food, and some toiletries. The Easter ham will be on the agenda for quite some time. What's that joke from Dorothy Parker: "Eternity is two people and a ham." There's three of us, so maybe we can outwit eternity.

We also have colored hard-boiled eggs to use up so I foresee a CSA spinach, ham and egg salad. And a million other things with that ham.

In earning news, there is little. I continue to push away at SB, mostly running videos as I e-mail students and grade papers. I like their new $10 Paypal cash out. My very bored DD is also running SB. But DH and I continue to work and continue to get paid.

And although the mail is quarantined in a corner of the entryway, it looks like our auto insurance rebates have arrived. I wish I was kidding when I say I'm really looking forward to a visit to the drive-up bank.

It's been so cold that I didn't walk yesterday. It does make me restless without the walk.

I ordered a few extra groceries from Target to bring to the drive through food collection at church. It sure hurts the heart to see those food donation lines.

We're AOK

April 9th, 2020 at 06:28 pm

Like most of you, we're still home, still on three computers in three different rooms with one coding, one learning, one teaching--and one barking to liven things up.

Groceries are being delivered--for the most part for which we're grateful. We're walking, playing monopoly, and cooking a lot.

I planted spinach, we raked the yard, and my CSA guy delivered three pounds of spinach today. We like spinach.

In decluttering efforts we've given away plastic Easter eggs to local families looking for some. I'm going to take another swipe at parts of the basement today.

Happy for what we have been privileged to have. Realizing how much we have taken for granted.

Lots of NS Days

April 2nd, 2020 at 05:38 pm

There will be lots of NS days ahead, I think.
And more soup making on today's agenda. I've got another wild rice soup that I'll throw in the Instant Pot today.

Lots of questions and a few postings from students, but online education is slow.

DD and I had a lovely walk yesterday and hope for another today in the sunshine. Other outdoor activities may include garden prep. I can't seem to get a definitive answer about whether it's too early to plant spinach outside. But I have a lot of seeds so may attempt an early crop.

I'm worried about a work colleague, actually my "work husband." He's the sweetest guy in the world, but lives alone, struggles with depression, and is morbidly obese. I brought him chili last week and will go by tomorrow with some soup and fresh food. He has lots of health challenges, so if you have room on your prayer list, please fold him in. I would be broken hearted without him.