Wordle

 

Both Anna and Joel got today's Wordle in 2

Here is Anna

Here is Joel (His first guess was "anger" since it worked so well his 1st 2 tries)

Wordle 226 2/6

Not sure how Anna guessed the word on the 2nd try with no clues (except to know that the word didn't include the letters FRAME)  She said she had been thinking about the word "light" on other Wordles!

Joel said, it was because the "g" was in the right place for the GHT blend!

It took me 4 guesses.

Anna's Wordle

Anna has been knocking Wordle out of the park.  She had 2 days in a row with only 3 guesses.

Yesterday I did get my Wordle in 3 guesses for the 2nd time, but I have been trying for weeks!

Here was Anna's Wordle yesterday.  (lettters were hidden to not be a spoiler!)Somehow she guessed the word Mount after eliminating 8 letters and knowing only that it ended in "T".  Amazing! 

Wordle 222 3/6

(green means you have the right letter, gray means that letter is not in the word and yellow means the letter is in the word, but in a different place)

My best habit!

I take lunch 95% of the time to work. 

Mostly I take leftovers....but I have been doing a good job cleaning out the freezer of my stash...so I whipped up a batch of one of my favorites.  No one else would love this dish in my family.  They would eat it, but I love it so I usually just make a batch for lunches.  It has quinoa, rice, chicken thighs and veggies.  It is super easy and I always feel like I have eaten very healthy when this is my lunch.  I don't have to remember to pack a veggie!  Plus it makes a huge amount without any extra work.  This time I packed dishes with 2 servings to make things even easier for my M/Tuesday!

 

Show choir hangover!

 17 hours later we arrived home.

All the adults were lovely, most of the kids too!   (a few demonstrated to me why I am happy I am not a high school teacher....but nothing terrible, just grating, glad they belong to someone else!)

I am actually going to buy photos from the professional photographer for this show.  I didn't want to schlep my camera for 17 hours and Joel show is still too dark to get good photos.....sigh!  The judge commented on it, so here is hoping the remainders of the shows will be brighter.

These are the photos I am ordering, but just screen shots here.  The actual photos will be much more lovely I am sure.

This one is cool...I was able to crop the photographers picture to make Joel the focus!  (Acually I did that for both Joel's photos!....you can just see it here)  Here they actually had lights!

I downloaded the photos below from the school's Twitter account.

Joel's group won Grand Champion again!

Let's get to the bottom of what happened on and before January 6 2021.

Thank you to the Supreme Court for allowing the Department of Justice to have access to all data related to January 6, eliminating the right for MANY MANY people to hide behind the claim of "executive privilege" during this time.

(except for Clarence Thomas who should have recused himself, given his wife's statement supporting the protestors (before the violence says she) and  her efforts to have the Republican members on the January 6th select committee be removed from the Republic House Conference)  That situation almost seems dystopian.  

---------------------------------------------

Here is some of the craziness that we need to stop:

Representative Andrew Clyde - did you lose your mind?  just a little?  I heard the man's speech and also read that he stood by this statement later.

In small print Representative Andrew Clyde said, "It was not an insurrection...if you didn't know the TV footage was a video from January the 6th you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit."

I HAVE NO WORDS FOR THIS MAN....but here is a photo.  

I guess these people though that >SEVEN MILLION votes were stolen.  Biden received more than SEVEN MILLION votes than Trump.  I am not a fan of Biden but Trump makes me sick in so many ways, least of all that he professed "Stop the Steal"..........SEVEN MILLION votes were stolen....really?  Too bad that the judges (many appointed by him) disagreed.

If the above photo wasn't enough to convince Clyde, how about this one:

Officer Brian Sicknick was killed by the people Representative Clyde thinks were "normal tourist[s]".

May officer Sicknick rest in peace and may everyone involved be held accountable.

I am beyond outraged that the leader of the Oathkeepers was allowed to buy $7000, then $5000 then $6000 then $4500 worth of rifles and firearms within 7 days before the insurrection.  Second amendment rights my a$$.

Glad Stewart Rhodes and 10 of his buddies are now behind bars.

Thoughts now Rep. CLYDE?

Ken's company is based in Georgia, but pray that he never has to live there, because their representatives are beyond crazy.  This one literally supported QAnon "Q is a patriot, we know that for sure" and was elected......to represent her state....... in Congress.

Man writing this was cathartic.  Normally my walking buddy J. and I rant to each other about this stuff, but it is COLD this week in Iowa my friend and all walking has been on the treadmill and not nearly as much fun or cathartic.

We booked 'em Danno!

My niece is getting married on October 29!  We just booked the hotel and our plane reservations.

And yes....we got the travel insurance :0)  

Anna is going with us.  I thought about travelling alone and it just felt scary!  I did travel alone for Brent's wedding (nephew) but I guess I was braver then.  Actually, I think it is just easier now to bring Ken along because the other 3 kiddos will not even be in town and Anna is an easy tag-along.  I thought about bringing the college kids, but I hate the thought of them missing school.  Would they come to Ankeny on Thursday, then they would they miss even more school.  Biggest thing has been all the flight cancelations....what if they couldn't get back in time for classes etc.

I talked to Cathy and she said it was no big deal and that Allie would not mind!

 

Covid testing updates

 Yesterday I ordered 4 Antigen tests from the federal government for free.  I have spent a couple hundred dollars on tests so far, so this is welcome.

Then this morning we received this from Ken's company:

FYI…

Coverage for Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Tests Under Your Siemens Benefits
 
Starting Jan. 15, 2022 and continuing for the duration of the public health emergency period, the cost of at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 tests will be covered for those enrolled in a Siemens medical plan. Each covered member may purchase up to eight (8) U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved or emergency use authorized at-home over-the counter COVID-19 tests per month with no member cost share. Home testing kits should be used for diagnostic purposes only. The tests are intended for personal use only to confirm if current symptoms are COVID-related (e.g. diagnostic purposes) by members covered under the Siemens health care plan. If testing is required for business-related purposes, discuss testing options with your manager.

Tests may be purchased at participating pharmacies with no out-of-pocket expense, or you may pay out-of-pocket to purchase tests and submit a claim form for reimbursement.
 
If you purchase and pay out-of-pocket for a test, be sure to save your itemized receipts so you can submit them to your carrier for reimbursement. Watch for additional details in the Benefits newsletter and on the COVID-19 page of Benefits QuickStart in the next couple of weeks.

In addition to the coverage provided under Siemens benefits, you can also request one set of four free at-home testing kits per household through the United States Postal Service (USPS) at this link to be shipped in late January. You do not need to be enrolled in Siemens medical plan to request tests via USPS.

Of course we won't forget that a negative test just means get a PCR if you have symptoms....which is a bit crazy.  If you get a negative antigen tests you think, "that was a waste of $15, now I need a different test".....NOT REALLY!  If you get a negative antigen test and don't have a known exposure or symptoms it can put your mind at ease.  (Although really the Siemens tests aren't to be used for this purpose!)

It just bothers me that I know 6 people who had Covid this week and 3 had negative antigen tests....sigh!

It might be that we just take the Antigen test too soon.  (although 2 of the 3 false negatives had terrible Covid symptoms when they took their antigen test)  When Carolyn still didn't have her PCR test results on Monday she took another fast test and it was positive....which blows my mind since she hadn't had a symptom in 5 days!  

Ken just had a stuffy nose and a bit of a headache....no fever/sore throat/coughing and his rapid test turned color in 5 minutes.  (they say you should check at 10 minutes...but his was fast!!)  Joel's was the same, but he did at least have a traditional "sore throat" that you hear about with Covid. 

It just makes me crazy that everything you knew about diseases and how to handle them went out the window this month.  (maybe March 2020 really!)

A picture is worth a thousand words

Of course, let me add a few more words:

Joel went to ISU on Tuesday with Ken.  It wasn't a full tour because there weren't kids on campus, but it did the trick.

On Friday (no school) Joel made a list of all his important issues.  They he assigned each school a number.  He did consider going to a smaller school (St. Ambrose and Marquette), but in the end having such a great Engineering school in  your backyard with in-state prices was hard to pass up!

He had indicated he would decide his school on Friday ("by the numbers mom").  Although, I could hear him ranking everything and there was a clear winner!  He wanted to be a Hawkeye, but knew Iowa State was a better choice!

So at 10:30 or later Monday night he asked for my credit card to pay for his fees to enroll in school.  Of course I thought it might be nice to hear which school before handing over the credit card :0)

Iowa State University: Home of the Cyclones

Course of study: Mechanical Engineering

 

Joel putting on the chefs hat

Joel made the yummiest Penne alla vodka (vodka all burns off) with delicious baked chicken today!!  The flavor of the sauce was out of this word!

Just what the doctor ordered, since I got back from Iowa City around dinner time and we don't want Ken touching food right now!

Cute haircut today too!

 

This girl is way smarter than her mother!

Ok- So Carolyn had a headache M/T/W of last week, but didn't mention it until Wednesday.  (so probably not super bad if she didn't mention it....right?)

Anyway, on Wednesday, she said, "I have a headache, maybe I have Covid" and I said, "oh no I am sure you don't", then Ken came home wearing a mask and you know the rest of that story.  Carolyn took a rapid test and it was negative.  She still wore a mask consistently out of her room and ate in her room.  I thought she was being overly cautious.  Thursday morning we sent in the Test Iowa PCR sample via UPS.  Carolyn originally was going back to Iowa City on Saturday, but stayed home just in case.

Today before we left for Iowa City (I was driving because I wanted to keep Carolyn safest) Matthew told us he got his Test Iowa results back - negative.  Then as we drove, I received my Test Iowa results (which just confirmed my work's test) and Anna's result - both negative.

Then we went to Matthew's apartment where he had one remaining rapid test (left over from when Carolyn tested before Grandpa Schilling's party).  Carolyn decided to use it since she still didn't have her Test Iowa results.  She took the test and she was positive....surprise surprise.  She never had any other Covid symptoms other than a headache that she said wasn't worth mentioning until Wednesday.   Then she was anxious that her Test Iowa would be negative and she would have to start her 10 days today!!!  I thought, "well the good news - you got through Covid with just one bad day of a headache".

I had a gut feeling that her Test Iowa results were more delayed than ours perhaps because they retest the positive results or something...who knows.  Just as I was leaving Iowa City her results (from 1st thing Thursday morning) were positive via Test Iowa.  Don't worry about me, she wore a mask in the car and probably got Covid a full 10 days ago at Mid Iowa Show Choir.

So lessons learn:  don't trust a negative antigen test even a little and even if you are nearly asymptomatic.  Also, Covid is rampant and people like Carolyn are out in the world with a smidge of a headache, but have the disease....wear a good mask.

Carolyn is staying in Matthew's bedroom and he is sleeping on the couch.  It wasn't chivalrous or gender related.  He is a great brother and his computer is set up in the room where his couch lives....so it made more sense to keep him all in that room and her all in the other room.  He told me, "don't worry about it" when I fretted over him giving up his bed.

While Carolyn didn't want to put Matthew at risk, she really didn't want to put her roommate at risk and they share one small room.  Matthew has 2 small rooms with a door between!!

Still excellent brother award.

 

Supernova

Joel's show choir was the big winner of Supernova.  I was the big winner of photos on Twitter.  There were 4 photos posted and Joel was in 2 of them!!

This photo is from Facebook:  The mountains were painted and look fantastic.

 

The worst part about snow in Iowa

 The not recently plowed cul de sac.

Typically the people who get stuck are not coming from one of the houses in our cul de sac.   As long as we take a running start, we USUALLY can get out of the cul de sac.   (one time I had to dig myself out a bit, but we have been here since December 2008, so not bad - although I also use common sense and stay home)  Today Ken turned his van around to have some momentum to get Joel to his bus.  This guy accidentally turned on our street and got stuck turning around!  Ken and Matthew to the rescue!

Ken said the main streets are fine and the interstates are clear....you wouldn't guess that looking out my window!

Eternal Rush and Spectrum Hit the road

The district allowed our 2 highest show choirs to travel to Linn-Mar Supernova.  They left 5 1/2 hours after the first bus was supposed to leave.  Someone in the district must have decided it was safe to travel.  The crews must of had enough time to clean the roads. There is no snow today and the interstate does look great.  There are 4 cameras on I80 and Ken was looking at one when our buses drove by!  Modern technology at its best.  We had planned to go to this show had Ken not had Covid.  The weather also messed up everything!  (Since Matthew isn't gone as he had planned.)  We were going to stay overnight at a hotel in Iowa City and then have breakfast + church with the college kids.

There is another show in the region in mid-February where we will try to stay over in Iowa City again.
 

Covid Humor....since this is where we are living

Where is the pregnancy joke....totally feels like a pregnancy test

This one is for all the "natural immunity is better than vaccination" people.