The best part of my day was this morning when I got to escape my lockdown facility. You know things are bad when the best part of your day is going to a LabCorp facility, in the middle of a pandemic, to have your blood drawn. My trip there felt like a mini-spa day. Before my appointment, I got to sit in the empty waiting room, relax and watch Channel 9 K-Cal local news. Then the phlebotomist called. back to draw my blood. I was happy to be in the company of another adult and enjoyed our conversation so much that I didn't even feel the needle. I could have stayed there all day. I probably would have, had they let me.
When I left the house, before my appointment, it was mayhem. Only half the kids' morning jobs had been completed from the list. This is the same list, with the same jobs that they do every morning. No surprises, no new skills to learn, no guesswork. A simple copy and paste situation. They had been up for two hours already at the time of my departure and other than eating the delicious breakfast I had prepared for them, they had nothing in the world to do, except for the few things on the list.
I left the house slightly annoyed and asked them to please stop reading, crafting, and lounging and to please get their jobs done. Miles was supposed to restart Planet Earth where he left off yesterday and once the jobs were done the rest were to get on their Zoom meetings at 10 for school.
When I finished at the lab I decided it would be best to get a few other errands done while I was out, rather than having to go back out in the afternoon, which would probably never happen once I returned home and got trapped, as I always do. Also, truthfully, I was not feeling into going home. I had a little taste of freedom and I wasn't ready to relinquish it yet.
I dashed to the bank and then to the market to pick up a few things we were running low on. Of course, a few things turned into a lot of things. For me, at least, I am finding it difficult to break that hoarding habit at the market, as if the end of the world is coming. It has already come, seemingly, and the stores have not run out of food (or toilet paper) so it might be time for me to work on that. However, the more you buy, the more time it takes, and the more time it takes, the longer you are out of your quarantine cage. I decided I would rather be in a mask and gloves, social distancing at Ralphs than locked in my house. I am only a phone call away after all and trust me, the kids never hesitate to pick up the phone and call.
Once I arrived home, I found that Planet Earth was no longer on, but instead, Curious George was playing. And it was no longer just Miles watching, but I had three inhabitants parked on the couch staring at George and The Man With the Yellow Hat. Garin was the only one doing his work, but even that turned out to be a mirage, since he later confessed to succumbing to Minecraft, for at least part of the morning.
I walked in with my many bags of groceries, unloaded them, and then immediately had to start preparing lunch for my famished scholars. Tuna sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, and salami on no sandwich for Miles, who turns his nose up at all sandwiches. Great to be back home!
After lunch and cleanup from the myriad of sandwiches, I had to get everyone back on track with their school work. There were tears, feigned confusion about assignments and meltdowns. Everyone just wanted to be done and head out to swim, but their work was far from complete. I helped Catherine with an innovation/craft project. I am neither innovative nor crafty so that was a challenge. We finally decided on an old-fashioned television. We used a Kindle (for the screen), brown construction paper (for the wood paneling) , foil (for the knobs), and reusable metal drinking straws (for the antenna/rabbit ears). It didn't turn out half bad. Garin looked at it and said, "Wow, that turned out cool." That is high praise indeed, coming from the most innovative person I know.
Just another average day in quarantine.....
Footnote: Our prayers are with the families and loved ones of the over 100,000 Americans that have succumb to COVID-19. May they rest in peace.
Graham collapsing on the couch, claiming he couldn't do his work.
Miles trying to occupy himself constructively, after I banned the television and had to start helping Catherine with her project.
Miles occupying my lap while I tried to start my blog.
After school pool time.
Overjoyed to have his siblings attention all to himself, at last.
A future scuba-diver perhaps?
In typical oldest child fashion, Garin spent the afternoon creating elaborate games around the pool that no one wished to partake in, but did anyway.
The chicken marinating.
Salad of butter lettuce from the farmers market; feta cheese; and homemade pickled beets and red onions.
Dinner: Sage, Orange and Honey Marinated and grilled Chicken; Sweet Summer Corn; Potato Salad; and Juicy Watermelon.
Visiting with a horsey friend on our walk.
Catherine with her magic touch.
Miles unable to resist the urge to pet.
My allergy boy shouldn't have pet the horse. He knows better. Lots of Benadryl when we got home for Miles and Garin.
This one knows better than to pet horses too.
Catherine's old fashioned console TV.
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