DAY 178

Well, it's Labor Day, 2020. I started this blog on March 14th, 178 days ago. I began writing as a method of processing what was happening to our family and the world around me in response to school being closed, supposedly for three weeks. For a short time, it seemed like an adventure. Then the adventure turned into a living nightmare.

I knew at the time that my kids would not be going back in three weeks, but I never imagined that six months later we would still be grappling with this. If I had really been paying attention to history I might have had a clue. The Spanish flu pandemic lasted for two years. The really sad thing is that if the whole country had just shut down for three weeks, we could have actually been pretty successful at curtailing the virus. Instead, the lack of leadership coupled with a nation full of spoiled, entitled, put your head in the sand and ignore reality at all costs human beings led us down a dark and frightening rabbit hole.

College Boy still has no return to school date. I see his depression worsening as each day goes by with no word about what to expect. I see no reason for this when every other school in the state has either started or has a plan in place.

Tomorrow is our first day of Homeschool. Camp Covid-19 has become Clinton Street Academy. Miss Ten is excited to start school. Her cousin and one friend will be joining us for many of our lessons and activities. We have some fun and exciting things planned.

On to a new adventure.

DAY 170

I can't figure out if it is laziness, a form of protest against the mandate to wear a mask, or a general disregard for the planet we all live on and the people we live amongst. Over the last couple of months I have encountered a new form of litter on the streets and sidewalks around town - face masks. And not just disposable ones. I've seen a couple of nice masks that I was tempted to pick up, take home, and wash. I won't do that unless I come across a really cool tie-dyed one. I have grown accustomed to seeing flossing picks, cigarette butts, liquor bottles, and drink cups. I don't know why I should be surprised that people who are inclined to litter would add their face mask to the mix.

I generally pick up garbage when I am walking and deposit it in the nearest receptacle. Often I carry a plastic grocery bag in my pocket for this purpose. I am a girl scout at heart and I believe that we should always leave a place cleaner than we found it. I have tried to pass this principle along to my children and grandchildren. One of my daughters refused to walk with me when she was a teenager because she was afraid of getting a reputation as the Garbage Lady's daughter. I told her she should be so lucky and that her future self would be sorry that she did not aide me in my efforts. My lessons fell on deaf ears at the time but twenty years later I am pretty sure she has come around to my way of thinking.

Like so many things that I have experienced in the last six months, I find this incredibly depressing. Please people, I appeal to your better nature. Put your damned mask in your pocket and throw it away at home.

DAY 166

And so it begins - Hartland High School has closed for in-person learning until September 9th after thirteen confirmed cases and three probable cases of Covid-19 among teens in the district. The superintendent of Hartland Schools is of the opinion that gatherings outside of school are the cause of the spike in cases. Maybe so, but teenagers are going to hang out together in school and outside of school. And they are going to contract the virus. And they are going to spread it to their friends. This is not rocket surgery.

DAY 163

Howell Public Schools started virtual and in-person classes last week, on August 19th. I am of the firm belief that school should not start until after Labor Day. It is still summertime, and we have summertime stuff to do. So we are doing it. It's been really hot, so we have made several trips to the beach and Miss Ten has been in her pool nearly every day. Her best friend has not started school yet (that is a whole other story), so they have been riding bikes, taking early morning runs, and generally being silly ten-year-olds.

We have our learning space pretty well set up, ready to start school after Labor Day. I have all of the books and resources organized, online resources bookmarked, and two weeks of lesson plans set up in my planner. Miss Ten, the budding school teacher, wants to start school now. She can't stand having all of these cool teaching materials just sitting there. Since she is so enthusiastic I had her color a cover for her morning work folder, and help me laminate a few things. This seemed to satisfy her for the time being.

Honestly, I am getting a little excited about school, too. It can be a lot of fun to learn alongside your kids. It can be frustrating and exhausting as well. The important thing is to have realistic expectations of yourself and the kids. Otherwise, someone will cry every day. And it will probably be me.

DAY 161

Today was the last day of camp. The staff and volunteers did an amazing job of creating a "camp" experience in the midst of a global pandemic. Hopefully, next year the circumstances will be vastly different and they can all meet in person again. The Virtual Talent Show was a big hit. Here for your enjoyment is Miss Ten's Talent Show entry. She is totally her mother's child. 

DAY 160

There are so many fun things that happen normally at camp. One of the activities is Color Wars, where the campers basically smear each other with the paint color of their unit. It's always a challenge to get the stains out of their clothes when they come home. I always send a designated outfit for Miss Nine to wear in case I just need to pitch it. Another activity is Messy Olympics, which is just a big food fight.

One of the camp activities today was a fashion show. During a Zoom call, the campers took turns dressing up in whatever they had around the house. Here is Miss Ten's fashion selection.

DAY 159

Today was Empowerment at camp. This is the only time during camp that they address the reason for camp. The kids are each given a battery-operated candle. If and when they want to talk about the cancer in their family they turn on their candle and share their story. A counselor told me once that the whole feeling of camp changes after empowerment. The campers and counselors become closer, and a little bit of the weight that they all live with at home is released.  This year the campers received a candle in the box that came in the mail. Miss Ten went in her room and closed the door for the Empowerment Zoom meeting. I went to my room and had a good long cry.