Happy Velcro Day!

You know how you can work really hard on a project, and then for some reason put it off to the side when you get to the very last step? Well that has happened with me and the current doll clothes I am making for Christmas. I am not talented enough to do zippers and button holes, so I am using velcro to close them off. I have been meaning to do it for days as we need to get them in the mail for Christmas. So finally, last night, I teased my family and told them to stop canceling "Velcro Day" and to not distract me as I was determined to get it done tomorrow. Well, I am happy to say that I did get it done. We celebrated with refreshments - Ha! Ha!

Actually, besides being Velcro day today is my birthday. With my family's support I was able to do exactly what I wanted to do: a beautiful, peaceful walk along the beach; working on said Christmas projects; wrapping Christmas presents while we all watched a Cary Grant/Katherine Hepburn movie called "Holiday"; opening presents; eating and sharing my "cake" which was a box full of chocolate/peppermint Trader Joe's treats and chocolate peppermint ice cream that our niece brought to me.

It was a lovely Velcro Day Birthday. (Next year I am planning a reunion where we sit around and talk about "where were you on Velcro Day?" Hee Hee!)

Maybe they'll be ready for next year

One thing I missed this year by not going to Utah (you know, besides my family) is the D.I. thriftstore. Whether they liked it or not, for the past several years I have gotten gently used church books from there for presents or stocking stuffers for my family. I really do think some of them have been wonderful treasures. For example, I got a copy of the following book for Samantha last year, which looks absolutely new. She is really enjoying reading it.

I asked if I could borrow it the other night and read one of the cutest stories. One of the prophets of our church, decades and decades ago, used to hang his stocking along with his children's on Christmas Eve. But he had a sense of humor and also put out his rain boots for Santa to fill. Christmas morning they contained coal in one and vegtables in the other. Years later, with his grandchildren, he put his stocking up and then cut a big hole in the toe, and then put a bucket underneath the hole. They thought that was ingenious and that he was going to get a bucket full of presents. When they noticed coal and kindling in the bucket the next morning they thought Santa was not very nice treating their sweet old Grandpa that way. So anyway - maybe my family will be disappointed this year at no D.I. books, and will be all ready for more by next Christmas!

O Christmas Trees!

I once read someone's blog post about how every year she picks up 4, full sized Christmas trees for her family's house: one for the living room, dining room, family room, etc. I judgmentally thought how extrvagant that was - that she must have no concept of people who couldn't even afford one. Well, I have noticed that this year people are starting their Christmas observance earlier than ever - so many of us are extra eager to catch and keep that spirit of Christmas. In my home, full of adults and a couple of children, that is absolutely true, and I have noticed more than ever how much of a sanctuary our bedrooms are to us. They are places to step away and replenish and get some alone, or almost alone time. And maybe that is why there is now a Christmas tree in every bedroom! Samantha planned hers out very well - she went and bought a cute little fake, flocked tree and little ornaments and lights to attach. She just loves it. She also provided my Mom with a similar one for her room. Mariah and Ross have taken a mini-road trip to their storage facility in the central valley to get their Christmas tree and decorations for a full-on Christmas bedroom. I remember Julia and family doing that when they lived downstairs, and we gave them a hard time for starting right after Halloween. Luke has the biggest bedroom in the house, in the basement, which he shares with lots of our storage items. But he has skillfully moved things around enough to add a full sized, live Christmas tree! He went to Home Depot yesterday and did my favorite luck-of-the-draw strategy: bought a tree withought unwrapping and looking at it. It is the most perfectly shaped Christmas tree I have ever seen. He has some great ornaments that represent who he is ready to put on. He and Samantha have also spent time perfecting their Christmas playlists. They just love their rooms. So, I understand the concept of multiple Christmas trees in the house now. But I also feel motivated to be more generous to food banks, etc. this season to help other's have a Merry Christmas.

such an important weekend

The way Reggie puts it, sometimes you just need a win. This weekend is a big win for me. Reggie spur-of-the-moment had Thursday and Friday off. We are not in a place right now where we can just take advantage and leave - we are stick-close-to-home people for so many reasons these days. So, we decided to turn the living room and dining room into "Santa's Workshop". We brought up all the presents we've been gathering these last few months. We put on a lot of "opening acts" Christmas movies that I talked about, for fun background noise. We organized who is getting what, and while I started wrapping Reggie and Luke were the "runners" and went to get stuff we still needed - like wrapping paper, tags, etc. It will then be Reggie's job to pack up the Dobbins and Pineda's packages to be shipped.

I have also had extra Grandma time with Avonlea and Emmy this long weekend. Avonlea and I read our favorite book over and over again - "Too Many Pumpkins" - and then we've treated ourselves to Pumpkin Bread. She has also sat at the dining room table watching me wrap presents and asked which ones were for her. I promised I would wrap one for her while she was sleeping. I would definitely call this weekend a win!

(mine and Avonlea's dream kitchen)

Our Covid Story

TIMING

 How strange timing can be.  A while back our district provided the staff with several meetings about the possibility of "returning to school safely".  These meetings included so much important information about the Corona Virus.  Most useful, I found, was a presentation from the county's department of health.  It gave such thorough and clear facts of symptoms, how the virus is spread, what to do if you have it, why tracing is so important and who you call if you have it.  

Well, that afternoon we started putting two and two together - that maybe the cold going around our house was not a cold.  I started sharing information with my co-workers before I legally had to, because it was the right thing to do.  I firmly believe that this disease requires transparency in order to protect each other, though I see how that is hard to do.

The next day we found out that a close contact to someone in the house had tested positive.  That started our testing process.  Soon we had two positive cases.  That meant I definitely had to quarantine at home for at least the next two weeks.  Luckily the rest of us in the house tested negative.  So at least my co-workers were out of the woods - had not been exposed.  But one interesting thing written in the district's instructions:  "you can't test out of quarantine".  According to them and our insurance, we still had to quarantine just in case.

We were able to work some things out, lodgings wise, to try to get the virus out of the house and make it easier for us to isolate from one another. (It was prety funny to have a mattress on the floor in the living room; hey, that person got the biggest tv!) Even so, unfortunately, soon after the negative tests, more of us started having symptoms, new tests, and positive results after all.  (Again, luckily enough time had gone by that our co-workers were fine).

One last and best word out about timing:  The first day of the first symptoms was General Conference.  There were so many inspirational talks about handling this virus:  about avoiding it for yourself and obeying the law (wearings masks, social distancing) and being good citizens to help others avoid it: about taking it seriously but not panicking if you get it; about being physically and spiritually prepared, because covid is still here: some of us would still be getting it.  I so appreciate these talks and have been listening to them again, since.

 

GETTING READY

 As I was getting some medicine this morning it shocked me how organized and prepared we are for this virus.  When Covid became a well-known thing back in the spring we decided to get our house prepared in case we got it.  We upped our food storage - a good amount of soup, other canned goods, *gatorade, and the basics.  So far *gatorade has been very appreciated.  We stocked up on thermometers and over-the-counter cold and pain medicines.  Except for a few fresh ingredients we were pretty set, yet we still needed some help. Thanks to our good friend Jade and Reggie's brother for running to the store for us a couple of times.

* actually it has been challenging keeping the gatorade in stock, as some of the family did not want to save it for illness!  So thanks again to Jade and Walmart.com for replenishing that item.

OUR SYMPTOMS

Weird, but not all of us had the same symptoms.  And for some of us, by about day 7 we were thinking that we must have gotten a mild strain.  But then all of a sudden symptoms got worse, or new symptoms appeared, and it just felt it would go on forever.  

 Listing everything that went through our house: slight fever, severe body aches, constant headache, nose and chest congestion, sore throat and painful nostrils, mild lung issues (breathing was fine but it just felt different/fluttery), cough (for some it was mild, others needed prescription cough medicine after about 2 weeks, and yet it still went on for a month), fatigue, feeling faint and sleepiness.  Most of us also experienced the strangest symptoms of all - that loss of taste and smell!  The weirdest thing ever!

However mild or moderate our symptoms were, and however miserable we felt, we certainly know we were lucky compared to some.  We have the utmost respect and concern for anyone experiencing this virus, whether their experience is mild or severe.  We have no idea why it hits some harder than others but we continue to pray for anyone who has it and for the families who have lost loved ones to it.

HELPING

 I've already mentioned how wonderful our friend Jade and some of Reggie's family were in helping with grocery shopping.  Jade and other family also called every day or two to check up on us.  The teacher of my class dropped off, to our porch of course, a care pkg including treats and the biggest cans of disinfecting wipes I've ever seen.  (We went through the wipes so fast!)  Our insurance, Kaiser, gave us a wealth of information and sent out a couple of "Covid Kits" - full of supplies to get us through, and asked if we needed help in paying our bills or buying groceries.  The county health department also called to check up, make sure they got the right stats on our home, and even offered hotel lodgings if we needed. I think that is so wonderful that there are programs out there to help those in dire need.

I think that, perhaps, the biggest help I needed and received was the non-judgmental attitudes of my work, family and friends.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

 As I've said, the inspirational/general conference talks have helped to prepare for this, endure this, and not panic.  But for us I think the not panicking thing has been the hardest because of my mom: my 90 year old mom who is living with us.  When the kids first starting getting this they were in tears because they were so worried about grandma. She was the last one to get it.  Amazingly she had few symptoms and most were mild. But a few - fatigue, feeling faint, loss of appetite - hit her hard. She did have to go in to get re-hydrated, and our not being able to go with her was really sad and hard. But she is brave and she endured. We are very happy to say that, by mid-November she is virus free. One interesting thing: when her regular health care providers came to see her they had to bring along a "Covid Coach". When they got to our house they stood out in front while the nurse put on a gown, mask, face shield, shoe coverings, and lots of other things. The Covid Coach had to watch to make sure they did everything properly and didn't miss anything. Then after the appointment the Covid Coach made sure the nurse took all this gear off and disposed of it properly. Health workers, as portrayed in this random picture, are heroes.

TIPS

 I hope the information in our "Covid Series" posts have been helpful to anyone reading it.  I guess my advice would be  to take this virus seriously; avoid it as much as you can; be a good citizen and follow the mandates/laws regarding it.  Stock up on cleaning supplies and medicine and food storage (and hide the gatorade until you need it!) so you can avoid a lot of shopping if you get it, and don't forget about Walmart.com and other shopping/delivery sites. If you do get it try not to panic or blame yourself.  When others offer to shop or run errands for you, take them up on it.  People are very caring and want to help. 

Quarantine can be maddening, especially once you start to feel better and you have days to go, and especially if you are trying to isolate from other family members.  Let yourself rest and relax and sit outside and read and listen to music and watch movies and work on hobbies that you feel well enough to do.  

I don't know why it hits some so hard and even kills others, and then some make it through. We all certainly have our own experiences. I thank God for helping us through the ordeal. I sorrow for those who have died and those who lost their loved ones to this virus. I think the following video is the perfect way to end this post.

And then we got it

Today I looked back over the blog to remember how we have spent and gotten through this crazy 2020. One thing I am grateful to myself for is having documented, in several posts, what the world was like with the Covid Virus - the shut down, the sheltering in place, the lines to get into the stores that were open, the empty shelves, the gradual opening of things, etc. etc. I think this will be pretty important for our family history's sake. So, I've decided that my writings wouldn't be complete if I didn't include the fact that our family got the virus in October. There is a bit of a stigma about getting it - a fear of having done something wrong. But I've decided not to worry about that and record our experiences here on the blog. I also wanted to put it on facebook because I feel that sharing experiences helps others to know what to anticipate, how to get through it, etc. But everything on facebook these days is an argument. Everything is political. So for now I'll just put it on here, in the next few posts.

the opening acts

I don't think I have ever had as many Christmas projects to work on as I do this year: some for my class as I am working from home, some for my doll-playing grandaughters, some for my mother-in-law's posterity as I inherited her bundles of yarn and unfinished projects, some for my Sunday School kids to let them know they are still in my mind and heart.

So, I have decided to do all of this while watching the "opening acts" in regards to Christmas movies. I don't want to pull out our traditional favorites yet but I noticed a lot of random ones that I've never heard of on Amazon Prime and Netflix. I need to feel that Christmas spirit NOW! (Although I am still working on that Thanksgiving Spirit and enjoying Autumn.)

God Bless America!

I love these words from President-elect Biden's accceptance speech: "I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris," Biden said in a statement. "In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America. "With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation," the president-elect continued. "It’s time for America to unite. And to heal." The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not. I will keep the faith that you have placed in me."

recent walking pictures

Same places, as I'm sticking close to home this year, but I'm trying to get different viewpoints from my walks. Something about taking pictures makes me happy.

origami

I never thought I would be able to learn to do origami. But we are folding Japanese Cranes for a school project and so I learned - and am enjoying it now. I even bought some origami paper so that I could do it at home. Maybe instead of bows onpresents this year it will be Japanese, origami cranes!

November 1st

Ever since seeing the movie Coco we have celebrated Day of the Dead, which is November 1st, because we love how it honors people's ancestors. Besides putting their pictures on the mantle, or ofrenda, the tradition is to have favorite foods of the ancestors and some of their posessions out. The decorations are marigold flowers and a beautifully etched-out bnner - I am going to have to look up the name of that. For mother's day this year Samantha bought me one of the banners. This year was special because it was the first time having my mother-in-law on the ofrenda. So even though it was kind of a hard day, still recovering from being sick and all, we decided it was important to do. So we decorated, made a dinner my Dad would love complete with mashed potatoes and gravy, and I ordered a special treat from Hawaii that is on it's way. I remember my mother-in-law enjoying these chocolate covered macadamia nut butter cookies from Hawaii. We of course topped it all off with watching Coco. It was all so worth the effort. It is hard right now for my mom to walk all the way into the living room, but I held her hand and she made the journey, because I wanted her to see the celebration. She really enjoyed what she saw, and ate a little bit of the special dinner. the walk was enough exercise and she went back to resting in her room. And in watching Coco it occurred to me that their family were 4 generations living together, like our family. I've always loved how the movie portrayed the family cherishing Mama Coco, even though her days were spent just resting. These thoughts, combined with missing Reggie's mom, made it a pretty emtional watch. So, Dia de Muertos was a wonderful way to welcome November.