Rising above

I want to be like Huckie!

Basics: Walks and Hugs

My kids seem ok with not leaving the house. Nu (a sliver of blue way back in this pic) has taken to getting through the daily exercise requirement by walking in the backyard with Scoutie and Huckie. At has cited "hell week" and "finals week" as excuses to not leave the house--like at all.

But all four kids have been absolutely amazing with support and kindness and love. Almost... carelessly? Yesterday around breakfast, At just ambled over and enveloped me in a huge hug. When I asked him how he knew I needed a hug, he said "when do you not need a hug?" It was kind of sweet and funny, and made me chuckle whenever I thought of it all day. When I thanked him for it at dinner, HE HAD NO MEMORY OF IT. Either he just thinks I'm super needy and throws me hugs all the time, or I'm imagining things now?

Reprieve

Big A was to leave for NYC today--he was assigned to Bellevue where he did his E.M. residency--but we just heard that they have all the healthcare volunteers they need right now. Over 20,000 people volunteered to help! He's now on emergency standby for NYC and Detroit unless things get a lot better--fast.

Also, some magical pixies put this poster up by our Little Free Library in the night/this morning. 💖

Buy Day

1) Clippers
I realized the kids would all need haircuts before too long, and certainly before our lockdown is lifted. I asked Big A to look for clippers when he went to the store, but they were all out. They're almost all out online too, but I managed to snag a couple for the canine and human kids.

2) Plants
Because I have a riot of tropical happiness in the indoor tea garden (jasmine, bougainvillea, begonia, geraniums...), I began craving new replacement plants (especially for the bougainvillea, which have gotten a bit straggly). Thankfully, online nurseries are open--but I didn't know that the jasmine variety that works in my garden is called "confederate jasmine" or that the tradescantia vine I like is "wandering jew."  I mean! WTH with the racist references? I removed them from my cart, but I really did want them, and overcame my hesitation by making up alternative names like "Michigan jasmine" and "passover plant." I'm either very clever (sarcasm) or beginning the descent into dementia.

Human (Social Distance) Calculator

We weren't sure if the sidewalk was at least 6' wide, so T--who's 6'.4"--decided to check for us.

Reimagining

Arundhati Roy being visionary as usual; the full article is in The Financial Times.  

(Social Distance) Serenade

This week I guess I was anointed neighborhood  birthday coordinator? I received an "emergency email" about another birthday on our street and after some organizing, about 20 of us gathered to sing "Happy Birthday" at 10 am before the expected rain could drown us out.

Still worrying about Big A headed to NYC, may have had a tiny freakout on FB, threw away the kids' takeout mango lassis because how could I be sure they were safe, ordered some ski googles to protect Big A, etc., but I'm in bed now with human and canine kids and things feel... OK.