10/31/20

Matthew requested an absentee ballot before he left for college, but it never arrived. 2 weeks ago he contacted the auditors office and they had his address off by one number.  They said that they would send him a new ballot.  Yesterday a new voter ID card arrived...but no ballot.  So off he went to the early voting polls in Iowa City, hoping to avoid a trip to Polk County on Tuesday.  SUCCESS.  (He just had to prove his new address.)  I was very proud of his perseverance and the fact that he thought that voting was very important.  (Ken, Carolyn and I all have had our ballots received by the auditor!)

 

10/27/20 WORLD SERIES OVER

Now, you are saying to yourself, why do we care, why does Betsy care?

I only cared in 2016 when the Chicago Cubs won the series!  I even have a sweat shirt that celebrates the event.  (of course this is just a result of living with a HUGE Cubs fan, I have become a fan)

Anyway, this year I wanted the Rays to win because they spend $28,290,689 on payroll vs. the Dodgers spending $107,917,397 and I always like the underdog.  (even though both sets of salaries are CRAZY)

This still might not have made the blog until Justin Turner, the 3rd baseman for the Dodgers tested positive for Covid, was pulled from the game and THEN WENT OUT ON THE FIELD TO CELEBRATE.

What a selfish selfish man.  No picture here, because he doesn't deserve a picture.  When he first left his quarantine, the security tried to stop him and get him back in quarantine and he REFUSED!

To quote the New York Times:

"Your actions were a slap in the face to all who have died. All who have lost loved ones. All who have caught the disease and struggled. To the doctors and nurses, the grocery clerks and the postal workers. To the kids stuck at home, attending school over laptops.

You should make amends to your fans, to the fans of baseball, to everyone watching, and all who see you as a role model."

Of course other articles have pointed out a big question, "why did MLB test the players if they weren't going to get the results before the game?"  Turner's Monday test came back "inconclusive" during the 2nd inning on Tuesday, so they quickly tested his Tuesday's results and it was positive...but by then the game was almost over.  (my cynical self thinks that the Monday test was actually positive, but they didn't want to pull him out for a false positive so they looked at the Tuesday result to be sure.)

10/30/20 Beggar's night

Joel is back from his first "post season" training.  

--topic hop--

Note the candy.  We weren't opening the door (given the pandemic), but after YEARS of trick or treating we put out candy.  (The Des Moines metro area trick or treats the night before Halloween.)

We had probably 4-5 groups of kids come.  We never get many trick or treaters living on a cul de sac.  Anna kept checking to make sure that there was candy in the bowl.

This was the first time in 11 years that a McCleary hasn't trick or treated for canned goods with our church. (I helped push the cart around the neighborhood for 9 of the last 10 years!)  Sad to miss it, and the church still had the event, but I couldn't support the activity during the pandemic.  Instead we watched the Mandalorian on TV. 

Here is Anna last year!  (we happened to be at our Deacon's house)  These girls raked in the cans and boxes of food!!!  They were so energetic.

 

10/30/20

Anna made a baby pumpkin a house....when we got home from school the baby was missing! (not missing here)

We wrongly assumed that someone stole the pumpkin because we could not imagine that a squirrel could carry it off.  (although my walking buddy said that there was a cougar sighting in Ankeny, so I could believe that a cougar could make off with it)

Ken walked around the house and found the pumpkin was up in a tree!  That squirrel somehow carried the pumpkin high into a tree.  I would have left it there but Ken was at war and knocked it down.

He also attached a fishing line so that the squirrel could not make off with another pumpkin!!  

Twice we have found the baby on the ground, but it has not yet been stolen!!  (It is still attached!)

 

Pumpkin carving! 10/29/20

 Total McCleary Tradition!  (and by that I mean Ken and Anna McCleary tradition)

10/28/20

 

Joel finished his Cross Country season (and hadn't started training again yet)....so he and I gave blood.  It was lunch time on Wednesday so the "regulars" were there giving blood.  (you know...the people giving Double Reds or other special blood products)  It was nice that 2 of them were giving him kudos for giving blood at such a young age.  His Hemoglobin was like 15 without doping up on multivitamins (like I have to do) so he is a great person to give blood.  Plus his veins pop out like no-body's business.  I hope he makes this a life long habit.

10/24/20

We were able to visit Ken's dad at his Transitional Care Facility.  He recognized Joel right away which was great.  (He didn't mention Anna's name, but she now is almost my height and had on a mask...so he might not have been sure who this tall girl was.   Joel was standing back from the window without his mask on....and Joel is the least changed of my kids.  yes he is tall now...but he looks just like he did at 2!  no offense Joel) Marland also remembered my mom being sick and needing to be a nursing home for awhile.  (update: He came home 5 days after this.)

 After visiting Ken's folks, Joel and I picked up Carolyn (in Ken's parents mini-van....he is going to sell it for him...as of this writing it is likely sold!!!) and Ken and Anna go and get take out.  We meet back at Matthew's apartment.  Here is the crew watching part of the Hawkeye game on Matthew's TV.  (The TV that was getting only its 2nd use of its life!)

Matthew made us snickerdoodles!

10/20/20 Yesterday's big announcement ..... we knew it was coming (since elementary school kids started back every day on Monday)

 

10-20-20     Hello, Centennial Families, Last evening, the Ankeny Board of Education voted to set a target date of Monday, November 9 for sixth through twelfth-grade students to return to a traditional on-site model. Setting a target date allows the district to make a final decision in response to current public health data closer to the November date, while simultaneously preparing for the return to on-site. This will be reviewed again at the November 2nd Board of Education meeting.   Students currently in the remote-only delivery model will remain in remote-only for the first semester.  Communication will be sent out in the coming days regarding registration for remote-only learning for second semester.   What this means for Centennial: Health & safety is our number one priority. The expectation for everyone to wear masks in the building will continue.  We continue working through the mitigation procedures for 100% onsite learning, and information will be communicated to students as we prepare for our full return date.   Our commitment to our students’ learning will not waver. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am kind of neutral about the announcement.  I don't mind the current hybrid for my kids, but I understand that for many children it doesn't work.  (especially young and special needs children)  I think everyone is just trying to do the best they can.  I do worry about lunch time, given the need to remove masks and the fact that there are going to be double the number of kids needing to squashed together.  Right now at Anna's school they are using extra school desks in the lunch room.  Well soon there probably won't be any extra desks available and you would need twice as many desks.  Glad I am not a school administrator.

Team photo-pandemic style

 

So early this school year they announced that there would be no team photos for Cross country.  Look what they came up with instead!!  Some very patient person cut and pasted each little head and even some arms (see the kid next to Joel lower right...it looks like he is standing with his arm in front of Joel!)  Crazy fun.  

Anna's art work

 

10/18/20

I heard it might snow this week, but I wasn't expecting it this morning!

I spent HOURS outside yesterday and then this today!  It might be gone before we even go to church.  

I positioned the picture so the pumpkins were visible because I love the contrast!

I harvested tomatoes from the garden yesterday, but still thought I would get some more!  (I also hope the basil makes it through).  I don't think we even have had a freeze  yet!

 

10/16/20

Today I saw my first patient who was post-Covid19.  But she wasn't really "post", she just was no longer contagious because this disease started for her September.  She was still in the CCU (Critical Care Unit).  She had just been extubated from the ventilator, but she was still on some kind of supplemental breathing machine.  She couldn't talk above a whisper.  She was still NPO, unable to even swallow the liquid from an ice-chip safely.  She had infection that required gentamycin.  (this is why I was called as this drug is oto-toxic)  They also were trying to decide if she had a stroke.

People who don't wear a mask, especially people who say that this disease is a hoax, need to see this side of the disease.  She is only 55 years old.  She may have a moderate to severe hearing loss because of the medications, but because she wasn't completely lucid, I can't be sure yet.  She still is getting the gentamycin, so she may lose more hearing.  Like my front desk staff said, "why is this (hearing) even important right now?"  I had to agree as I was testing this sweet lady and she said things like "mama" and "baby".  (the nurse said she was hallucinating)  They implied she was going to be released soon, but I have to guess this is wrong or she is being released to a nursing home.

I can understand that the doctor wants to protect her hearing for her quality of life when she is looking at Covid in the rear view mirror.  I hope for her that it is soon.  Please pray that she didn't have a stroke and that she can fully recover.

Anna's long wait is over!

 Before

During  (TODAY 10/14/2020)

Anna had to wait a long time to get braces because her baby teeth were slow to fall out and thus her adult teeth were slow to come in.  Also she had to have teeth removed!  She is fighting hard for the beautiful teeth that will be the result!!  (Only top braces today.  She then will get her nance off in 8 weeks, then we will schedule the bottom braces.)  She might have her braces on longer than average due to the work that needs to be done.  Luckily she takes good care of her teeth!

It is official! I am done....can the ads stop now?

Track Your Absentee Ballot - Results

Showing results for: ELIZABETH MCCLEARY
POLK COUNTY GENERAL ELECTION		11/3/2020
Date Request Processed by Auditor	Date Ballot Sent by Auditor	Date Voted Ballot Received by Auditor
8/25/2020	10/5/2020	10/13/2020

10/12/20

The kids didn't have school today, so I took the day off too.  We went hiking at a place recommended by a friend.  Joel's phone was able to track us!  (He did this when we were done....amazing that it could do it retroactively!!)

It was absolutely beautiful.  Initially we ran out of trail, but we knew there had to be more, which is why we did some overlapping when we found the 2nd trail.  (ok - Joel found the 2nd trail. it was not obvious)

Note the water-bottle....Joel is always good for a drink...it is the Boy Scout in him.  (be prepared)

We found this cool "rainbow tree"

 Margo Frankel Woods is a State Park that is sort of in the middle of town....I am sure it wasn't in the middle of anything in 1958 when it was started.  I am sure it was out of town then!!  It really is awesome because at least most of the time you feel you are deep in the woods (it is quite large).  Occasionally when we got near the edge we could hear a little traffic, but otherwise you could dream that you were in the wilderness.

We all loved it.  Esp. since it is so close to home!

I did feel a little sad to be such a small group.  Also there are 2 playgrounds on the outside of the woods and it made me nostalgic for when playgrounds were the only destination.

 

Show Choir Announcement

 1st of all Joel actually had a show choir practice last Thursday!  Normally Show Choir (high school not 8th grade) takes a huge bite out of August and is the reason we always vacation in July!

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

Today Anna and I watched the student/parent 8th grade show choir video.  They are going to meet 1/2 the time in 1/2 the size of groups to practice.  They will practice in a gym instead of a mirrored show choir room to spread out.  They also must wear a mask at all times and will only stay in one place for 30 minutes for weekly practices.  (so practices will be a bit shorter and kids will have videos to also work on at home)

Because there are no competitions, both North and South Ankeny 8th graders will be doing the same show!  (Much less work to prepare one show!  very smart! this also makes show choir cheaper this year!)

They joking added the 2 groups names together (Ignition+Dynamite=Ignamite)  They won't actually ever be together and they really aren't changing the names....really just a ha ha....2020 is crazy kinda thing.  (Joel said that they should just call it EXPLOSION (cuz you know what happens when you Ignite Dynamite))

Then they announced a very 2020 appropriate theme:

Stranger Things (this is the name of a TV show with kids...we watched it initially, but then I lost interest as it got a little creepy)   Anyway they will likely have a show that has some fun songs and at the end there is an uplifting song about coming together/overcoming....this is the theme of 8th grade show choir.  (Carolyn's theme was superheros and Joel's was antibullying and they both were so sweet.  I expect the same thing here.)

They left us hanging by not telling us the names of the songs.  Anna will learn it all on October 30 when this all starts.  No uniforms this year, just t-shirts.  (sound like Cross Country for Anna!)

To me it seems like they are playing it smart, taking it all down a notch, but still giving the kids the opportunity to start to learn this craft.  Happy for Anna that she won't miss out on this.  It will be different, but still nice.

Goodbye to the Iowa City crew

 Carolyn wanted a photo with us before she left!

Off they go! 

Family photo fun.

Thanks to my friend J for coming to take this photo for me!!!

I have saved one kiddo photo for the Christmas card surprise (not shown here).  (I will also use the photo of all 6 of us above!)  The suspense is killing you I am sure!

 

Joel's Confirmation

These boys were in Confirmation class together.  They are 3 of the 6 who will study together in 11th grade.  My Co-catechist sent me this photo!!

 

We voted!!

Ken, Carolyn and I all voted via absentee ballot.  (Matthew hadn't received his yet.)

 

10/6/20

 More Cross country....we are in the home-stretch.  Each runner in the family has one race next week.  Luckily not on the same day!!

I think Anna might have seen Ken here, because she looks pretty happy and this is near the end of the race!  She was pouring it on here!

10/7/20

I am making Joel a rosary using beads from my sister!

Unfortunately I don't have a Mary medal, which is the missing link in rosary making I guess.  (it brings the 3 sides together).  My Mary (sister) thinks she might have one at home!  Otherwise I will have to order it.

Sunday is Joel's big day!  Matthew and Carolyn are coming home, so that will be nice.  Mary is Joel's sponsor, but I have asked her not to come.  (just too much risk right now!!)  They did a lot of work together, so that was nice!

 

A bunch of stupid!

" Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life." Donald Trump on Twitter 10/5/20

Tell that to my neighbor who lost both of his parents!  Maybe if we all could be flown to Walter Reed the day we became sick or lived at a place that has 20+ medical staff at our beck and call we could all relax a little.  Maybe if we could get Regeneron immediately after diagnosis.  (oh yeah - this medication is still in trials and unavailable to almost everyone who isn't the President)

He needs to tell his followers to take this disease seriously and to mask up!  Do it to protect the weak and to slow the spread.  

I mask to protect myself so that I don't pass this disease to others.  I mask to protect other people from a virus I might unknowingly carry.  If this is "dominating my life"....then I will do it proudly....to keep other people safe.  To help my country.

10/3/20

Ken was still in Cedar Rapids, so I convinced the kids to have a book reading morning.  Neither liked that I took their picture while reading.  So Joel covered his head and said this would be an OK shot.  Fair enough.  (I don't think he liked that he was shirt-less in the other photo)

Anna was happy enough if I let her pose!  She usually is a willing participant for my blog.  (Joel too, to be honest.)

I finished The Woman in the Window, recommended by my buddy M.J. in Newburgh.  Now I need to talk about it.  My sister read it too (she is in 2 book clubs), so we will likely discuss after our Weight Watcher's meeting next Saturday. (not in person)

Final Home Chef meal.  Good, but nothing spectacular.  I definitely have all the ingredients, except panko bread crumbs, which were yummy on the chicken.  It was nice to make the chicken on the stove, because I usually only do that if I cut the chicken into small pieces, but this challenged me to leave the pieces whole.  (at the very end I did slice each into 2 pieces to make sure we fully cooked them) I also liked their idea to add a bit of cream cheese to the marinara sauce.  The portabella mushrooms were excellent, although neither Ken nor Anna like mushrooms (although Ken wasn't here, making it a good thing to make for the day).  I ate Anna's mushrooms :0)  

Both kids helped and so we had this made in 31 minutes.  I had bought a double of this recipe (so 4 portions), We ended up with huge portions and then I made 3 lunch portions.  Happy overall with my Home-chef experience.  I would never pay full price, but might try another "home cooking" company in the future....mostly just for fun in the kitchen with the kids.

 

10/2/20

Ken was able to see the kids after staying with his Dad on Friday  (visiting hours end at 6, so he went to Iowa City for awhile before spending the night with his mom). 

I had told Ken I really wanted to see these fish at the Hancher Auditorium (there was a story in our paper)....it was nice of him to take some pictures for me.  Plus he never fails to get me a few good shots of our kiddos.

Anna and I made another Home Chef meal (Salmon this time).  It was good.  The 2 portion meal fed the 3 of us, but Joel (after Cross Country) needed a supplement :0)  Now the kids want me to re-make our other Brussel sprout recipe although this was tasty (but spicy).  Our other recipe is very similar, but a little sweeter.  (our normal recipe has fresh Brussel sprouts roasted in the oven with a little sweet chili sauce, a little soy sauce (or something similar) and a little garlic powder)

 

Pray for Grandpa McCleary (and Grandma)

Grandpa McCleary had to have an emergency Pacemaker placed on 10/1/20.  They thought he might get out of the hospital the next day, but he is making a slow recovery as might be expected given the shock he had to his body.

 

10/1/20

Home chef review:  Pork Bento Bowl.  Restaurant quality, plenty of food for the 4 of us in a 2 person meal kit (the kids also had some left over sushi that I had eaten at about 2:00 (for lunch)....so I might have eaten more if I hadn't had a late lunch and Joel might have needed more if it wasn't for the sushi).  I will definitely make this recipe again.  I have most of the ingredients, except for the thinly sliced pork, not sure if you can buy it that way.  If so, it made this recipe a quick 30 minute make.  (Anna and I worked together, which of course is one of the best parts!)  I won't buy through Home chef, because like I said, I have most of the ingredients to use here at home. 

Crème Brûlée

pre-made dessert...pretty tasty....bought at Sam's club in a 6 pack, but we shared one because we were full from dinner.