Monday, September 7, 2020

back to scrap

 Although many photos have been manipulated in the last year (for graduation photo boards), I haven't put any photos in an album since last year's Homecoming!  (almost a year)  I was totally caught up then, so I am hoping to catch up pretty quickly!

Not sure if doing this makes me feel better or worse with Carolyn returning to school.  Plus Matthew feels sick.  He always feels run over by a truck during ragweed season, but he also has a stomach bug, which makes me immediately thing of Covid, because everything seems to be a Covid symtom!  Urgh.  Luckily he is 100% online so he won't put anyone at risk.  (Ken is doing a drop and run today, to be safe.)

Update:  talked to Matthew and he said he just feels allergy-ish now, so that his good.

9/7/20 Labor Day

Carolyn and Ken headed back to Iowa City this am.  They left early so Ken could also visit his folks in Marion.  Carolyn says she will be back in 2 or 3 weeks.  I think that idea seems better than it might during a normal year since all activities and groups have been cancelled!  
 

Sunday, September 6, 2020

9/6/20


 Illinois coronavirus: Remdesivir drug trial patient describes recovery from  COVID-19 - ABC7 Chicago

When Covid started, and we learned that people with certain commodities were much more at risk, one of the people I immediately thought of was my friend Tammy.  I have only seen her twice since Covid began.  Initially the outbreak occurred and we were all so happy that she was safe in St. Louis with her mom.  (She had went there for a funeral, then the schools shut down.)

Later she came back to Ankeny, but I felt we were both too much risk to each other (because of her flying and because of my work and my kid's work).  A few weeks ago, she was desperate for batteries and a phone charger because the Derecho knocked out her power.  I saw her twice during a 10 day period of time.  I wore a mask and stood at a distance.

On 8/21/20, Tammy wrote us a long text asking one of the group of us to go on walks.  (Earlier in the summer she wanted to get together outside for a BBQ, but everyone declined.)  I told her that I loved her too much to put her at risk.  She replied, "I understand everybody's concern but realize we're going to be walking outside.  That's why this is an OK thing to do...Miss all of you a lot.  I don't have anyone else to be around.  I have no family here, I don't go to work and I 'm stuck in my apartment.  Maybe we're just not right when I go home to St. Lousi but we all get together as family and friends and have picnics and walk etc. etc."   She went on and on, but I don't think anyone felt safe.  (Due to Tammy's blindness, social distancing is not a great thing when you are walking and she can trip etc.)

Anyway, a week later I came to find out she flew home to St. Louis....I believe for some medical care (glasses, dental).....and she and her mother were both sick.  A few days later, she got her positive Covid test result and one week later she was hospitalized.  I learned today that she is starting on Remdesivir.  Pray for her.

This is why I worry about Covid, not for me, not for my healthy kids.  This is why I am so angry over the non-mask wearing cohort!!!  We need to stop the spread and do everything we can.

Saturday, September 5, 2020

THE MYSTERY POST

 

For my Iowa City kids:

Can you find this little guy (and his friend) who are holding up a house in Iowa City...SO CUTE!

HERE ARE YOUR  CLUES:

I wasn't right by the guy when I took the photos below, but close enough to give you the hint.  I will try to get some more clues during my visits.




9/3/20

 AND SO IT BEGINS:

CROSS COUNTRY 2020

(I wasn't there, because of the Iowa City pick-up.  Ken took a bunch of photos and this one was from one of my friends.)

AND ENDS  (but just for the night).  

I love this little video.  (for many reasons....I like seeing the spectators in mask, I love seeing Joel doing something he loves and I am so touched that my friend thought to take it!)



9/3/20

Anna and I went to Iowa City to bring Carolyn home for the long weekend.  


1st we went to visit Matthew because he had a class from 5 to 6:15 and we wanted to see him before he went to class logged onto his class.   ALL his classes are online.  Originally there was at least a class or 2 that was meeting in person, but that was out before even his first day of school.  Glad he is a computer science and engineering major because it seems to fit well with online.  (bad to be a a major that requires HANDS on)  I wish we had known how the fall was going to play out, because we could have gotten him a year's lease in January, since he plans to finish school in Dec 2021....oh well.  To be honest I like him being in Iowa City with Carolyn.

This is his coolie set-up!  (note green light-bulb that was purchased for a class project last year...you can control the light with a computer program)  While we were there the Mediacom technician got him finally online!  Someone had come previously and for one reason or another couldn't  help him.  (He had to contact the landlord, who in the end didn't do anything but give Mediacom permission to do something I think....not really sure I follow the story.)


While we were there, the door was propped open (for Mediacom) and Anna was making toast when in came a little puppy....drawn by the smell!!  I wish we had kept him taken a photo of him....HE WAS ADORABLE.

Then Anna and I drove our car near Carolyn's dorm and walked away from campus!!!  (Carolyn was at class.)  I have to say much of Iowa City is doing an excellent job with masks!  (also after the 1st week, they closed down all the bars in 7 counties in Iowa...so smart!!)  People wear masks walking outside.  Given the terrible spread in Iowa City right now, it makes sense to be on your game!  It was a nice day for a walk.

After we picked-up Carolyn (and her laundry) we drove away from campus and stopped at Estellas....These ladies are masked up so that Matthew doesn't know it was them who went to one of his favorite restaurants without him.  (there also is one near campus)


Just kidding!  We ate outside and there was no one around.  It was as close to eating at a restaurant as I have come since March.



Then we drove home, talking non-stop!

 

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

9/2/20

So today was the first day since I am guessing March 11th that I had no one home for a big chunk of the day.  (When I wasn't also gone.)  Joel does have open campus and came home at lunch because it butted up to the open period he has on the day opposite of PE.  (there are no every other day classes)  Last fall semester he went to gym everyday, but decided it was too much last Spring.  I have to agree that working out twice a day during XC and soccer season is too much.  You need to let your body recover!

I spent 1/2 the day running errands and the other 1/2 doing my August banking/budget.  It wasn't pretty, with sending 2 kids to college for the first time, getting new tires for the car that now lives in Iowa City and property taxes.  Our most expensive month to date (except maybe the day I wrote the check for our down payment on the house or got new siding or a roof!)

We decided recently that we need to replace most of our kitchen towels and wash cloths.  Aren't these beautiful?  I am going to make some new cloth napkins as well and send the others to the rag bucket!!  It is the simple things that make me happy!  But even better....I know that tomorrow I will see Matthew and Carolyn when Carolyn comes home for the long weekend!!  (Matthew is staying in Iowa City.  Anna and I are driving to pick her up.)