After days of the white stuff, we were finally able to get Jake COVID tested for school! Monday was obviously the big storm. (Well, obvious I guess if you live in the Northeast.) We got a good 18-inches of snow, maybe a little more. Everything came to a screeching halt on Monday. No school. No work. Even the urgent care centers and medical practices closed. A State of Emergency was declared preventing discouraging people from travel (there will always be those who don’t heed these types of things).
Tuesday was not much better. There was still a lot of digging out to do, and while the urgent care center was on a delayed opening, they were not doing COVID tests. So that meant delaying again. FINALLY today the weather cooperated, and in a way it all fell into place since I did not need to take time off of work (the library is closed on Wednesdays). This morning I went grocery shopping while Jake had two online classes (yes, classes have begun even though move-in is happening Thursday – Saturday — doing the best they can). Then after a quick lunch we headed down to Poughkeepsie.
Truthfully, the whole thing was very easy. We had a virtual visit on Sunday, basically pre-qualifying him for the tests. There were a couple cars in front of us, and then a tech came up, verified Jake’s identity, went back to the pod and found his kit, swabbed his nose for both the rapid and the PCR tests, and then we just pulled into a parking spot and waited for about 20 minutes until the rapid results came back. (Yes, negative, which we figured since he hasn’t been anywhere, LOL! A positive would have been a real shock.) My anxiety had been going crazy because I tend to really stress over unknown situations, but now that I know the process, if we have to do it again it will be easy-peasy.
The PCR results will be available in a few days, but all we need for move-in is the rapid results, so we’re good to go. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that there’s only a few days with Jake here at home! Drew will be driving him up, and I’m not sure if I’ll see him until May. Definitely something to get used to. But he is very excited, and I’m excited for him. He’ll do great, but I will certainly miss my first little bird to fly!
Well hello there! Sorry I just kind of disappeared during the rest of the COVID lockdown. Honestly, I was so busy with work (working from home is not really my ideal, and managing a remote team of people who aren’t all comfortable with technology was sometimes a challenge). Also, the kids were in the midst of distance learning, so there was plenty of keeping them on task and on track.
But here we are, nearly July! New York is in a much better place than some of these other states because our governor took action, so for now I feel good, but I know that things will be rolled back at some point. With COVID running rampant all over the south and west, it’s sure to make its way back here. I really wish the federal government would take this seriously, but this is where we are at, so… For now I wear my mask in public, keep my distance and I still don’t really go out unless I need to. I have plenty to keep me busy at home anyway! Speaking of home, let’s kick off the week by linking up with Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.
The Weather… It’s a little on the humid side today, but at least it’s not that hot. I hated having to run the ACs last week.
Monday – Partly cloudy, 84/61 Tuesday – Chance of storms, 75/61 Wednesday – Chance of rain, 77/62 Thursday – Sunny, 84/65 Friday – Partly cloudy, chance of rain, 87/63 Saturday – Chance of storms, 82/62
How I am feeling… Hungry! It’s true. Dinner is finishing cooking and I am just starving right now.
On my mind… Thinking about the next school year and how it will end up being managed (distance learning vs. in-school). We will make it work either way! I also can’t help but think about the colleges. Right now Jake’s school plans to have students on campus, but we will see.
On the breakfast plate… Light multi-grain toast with peanut butter and a cup of tea
On the menu this week… Monday: Arroz Con Pollo, salad Tuesday: Turkey tacos Wednesday: Cheeseburgers, waffle fries, steamed vegetables Thursday: Quick chicken Parmesan, whole wheat pasta, steamed broccoli Friday: ? Saturday (4th of July): Grilled brats, pasta or potato salad, raw veggies Sunday: ?
From the camera… My son’s high school graduation was Saturday night, and the school was able to have a social-distanced ceremony at the county fairgrounds (which happens to be in town) so the students could actually receive their diplomas in person. It rained all day, but cleared for the evening. The sunset was just stunning!
As the ceremony was wrapping up, we heard some loud noises coming from behind. Everyone turned to look and there was a surprise fireworks display! Community members banded together to put on this show for our grads, and it was just amazing! I feel so much gratitude toward the school district and everyone who made this happen — really, it’s wonderful to be part of a small, tight-knit community.
Looking around the house… I will be honest: it’s a mess. I have so much laundry to catch up on, it’s crazy. The patio cushions are in the dining room because a mouse got in the deck box so we need to sterilize that. And no matter how I try, with everyone home all the time there’s just projects and books and music stuff everywhere. At this point, I’m just rolling with it.
Chore I’m not looking forward to today, or this week… Going back out to the grocery store. There was several sale items I wanted to pick up at ShopRite yesterday, but when I went they were temporarily closed. I checked one more time after I hit my other grocery stores and it was just crazy inside, so I left. I guess they had a power outage or something because all the refrigerated cases were covered up. I’m really not sure what was up, but I decided it was better to just come back another day.
To relax this week, I will… I have some sewing projects I want to work on, and I want to replenish my dishcloth supply so I will get out the kitchen cotton and knitting needles.
Hope you all have a great week! Wear a mask, be careful, and above all be kind!
Well, much like everyone else, we had a very quiet Easter! It wasn’t bad, though. In a way it was nice to have such a relaxed day — no one had to leave, so we could eat whenever we wanted. Of course, the Easter bunny still brought the kids baskets of candy. Usually he brings a few extras, but this year… well, candy was what he could swing, LOL…
The weather was pretty nice. The sun was in and out, but it wasn’t freezing cold and it didn’t rain. We set up an egg hunt for the kids in the yard, but instead of candy in the eggs we put clues and set them on a mini treasure hunt. The prize at the end was a jumbo Reese’s egg! It was silly, but fun.
Dinner was delicious. I made a roast turkey breast, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, and cheddar-olive bread (I’ll be posting the recipe for this tomorrow). Everything was delicious and I still have turkey left over. I think I’ll make a pot of creamy turkey & rice soup.
Laura and I had make double-chocolate cupcakes on Saturday, so we decorated a few with jelly beans and had those for dessert. They were just from an Aldi box mix, but wow — they had a delicious, rich chocolate flavor!
Truly, it didn’t feel like a holiday, but it was still a nice day together! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend.
Hope you all had a nice Easter! I will post a recap of ours later. Let’s get right to Happy Homemaker Monday, where I am linking up with Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.
The Weather Today it’s raining and the wind is howling and gusty. It would be a good day to relax with books and movies, if I didn’t have so much work to do. Guess spring is still not arriving in New York. The weather, quite frankly, sucks. I’m really tired of the cold.
How I am feeling today Tired. Laura’s alarm clock must have been accidentally set last night because it started beeping like crazy shortly after midnight. Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night to a loud noise you weren’t expecting!
On my mind Wondering if/when the kids will be able to return to school before the year is over, what will happen with graduation… Lots of work-related stuff, too.
On the breakfast plate You guessed it, PB toast and coffee! I am a creature of habit (or perhaps laziness in the morning)… what can I say?
On my reading pile Nothing at the moment. My mind just can’t focus on a book right now.
On my tv Twi Peaks Season 2 (Netflix – rewatching it for the umpteenth time in honor of the 30th anniversary and my teens are totally addicted!) Monk (Amazon Prime – I forgot how great this show is!) Young Sheldon Season 2 (DVD)
On the menu this week The last time I was grocery shopping was Sunday the 5th, and this is the longest I’ve gone between trips in quite some time. When things were normal, I’d do one big shop and then a smaller “fill-in” for more fresh vegetables. I have to say, I am really missing lots of nice, fresh salads. Anyway, my menu is subject to (and likely to) change. I’m hoping I can put off grocery shopping until Friday morning. Not the best time because I think the stores have less stock at the end of the week, but… I want to go as long as possible. Monday – Chicken korma, cauliflower rice Tuesday – Pork chops with sweet & hot peppers, steamed broccoli Wednesday – Chicken & black bean quesadillas Thursday – Maybe take-out tonight? Friday – Chili & cornbread, salad Saturday – Burgers & fries, cole slaw Sunday – Western quiche (ham, onions, peppers, tomatoes), salad
From the camera My forsythia bushes are so vibrant this year! I’m enjoying seeing them out the window.
Looking around the house Nothing is too out of order, just a bit of tidying up to do.
Chore I’m not looking forward to today, or this week Laundry. I have so much to fold and make sure gets put away.
To relax this week, I will… Watch TV, crochet, maybe catch up on my memory planner
Hello all! Hope you had a great start to the week. It’s always hard for me to get these up early in the morning, but better late than never right? Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.
The Weather Today was a snow day! And a sleet and rain day, too, as is the way it goes in March. We’ve barely had any snow all winter, and since we literally had no place to go I thought (cue up the song…) let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! It’ll all melt away tomorrow, I’m sure but for now it looks pretty and I’m enjoying that. As for the rest of the week? Here’s what we’re looking at:
How I am feeling today Today I woke up early. I had such a weird dream, and though I don’t remember what it was it jarred me awake. So I’ve been a little tired. I also felt really overwhelmed about halfway through the day. Trying to manage working from home with homeschooling and balancing it with cooking while managing calls and conferences was a little hectic. Around 2:30/3:00 I was pretty much done. I did a little more work, but the kids had finished their assignments and thing finally started to quiet down.
On my mind Wondering how long this all will go on. Seems like we’re under a work from home order until at least April 19th, but who really knows?
On the breakfast plate This morning I just had a slice of toast with peanut butter and a cup of coffee.
On my reading pile I have SO MANY new books right now because I’m taking all of the library deliveries home. I wish I had time to read everything because there are just heaps of great books that have just come out. But the two I’ve got going are:
Blindsided by her mother’s sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, moldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she’s been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey’s fight to fulfill her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink.
Ten years after the Mayflower pilgrims arrived on rocky, unfamiliar soil, Plymouth is not the land its residents had imagined. Seemingly established on a dream of religious freedom, in reality the town is led by fervent puritans who prohibit the residents from living, trading, and worshipping as they choose. By the time an unfamiliar ship, bearing new colonists, appears on the horizon one summer morning, Anglican outsiders have had enough. With gripping, immersive details and exquisite prose, TaraShea Nesbit reframes the story of the pilgrims in the previously unheard voices of two women of very different status and means. She evokes a vivid, ominous Plymouth, populated by famous and unknown characters alike, each with conflicting desires and questionable behavior.
On my tv The Tick, Season 2 (Amazon Prime) Tiger King (Netflix)
On the menu this week I hit the grocery stores on Saturday and really stocked up on as much as I could. Tomorrow I do have to go to Tops to pick up some of our monthly prescriptions, so I may grab another gallon of milk, some cream cheese, and another package of romaine hearts. I think those are the only things we are low on. Yesterday I made a two-week meal plan up, so I feel really good about that! I may mix and match from my list of dishes, but this is what I have written down:
Monday – Turkey and mixed bean chili, cornbread, salad Tuesday – Roasted chicken thighs with potatoes, garlic sauteed spinach Wednesday – American Chop Suey, salad Thursday – Spinach-artichoke dip chicken, asparagus Friday – Penne a la vodka, salad Saturday -Naan pizzas Sunday – Kielbasa and pierogi skillet with sauerkraut, steamed broccoli
From the camera Probably the last snow we’ll see for this winter (even though yes, it is technically spring)!
Looking around the house We are all cleaned up from dinner. Kitchen table is cleared and the island isn’t too bad. The living room is a bit of a different story. I have some laundry baskets piled up that I need to tend to and today’s newspapers are strewn across the coffee table. The boys are upstairs in their rooms and Laura’s curled up on the couch under a blanket watching TV with me. Drew’s in his office finishing up a few work-related tasks. I am very much looking forward to changing into my PJs after I upload this post and relaxing for the evening.
Chore I’m not looking forward to today, or this week Heading out to pick up our prescriptions. Typically I love running errands, but I do not want to be out among people right now. Call me paranoid, I don’t care. If the medications weren’t absolutely necessary, I’d skip it but I absolutely have to have my thyroid medication. Maybe I should look into mail order!
To relax this week, I will… This week I am going to much more conscious of self-care. I’m going to spend more time reading, I want to give myself a manicure and pedicure. I want to drink more water. I want to put less pressure on myself to get everything done.
Happy Sunday evening, everyone! Hope you all had a nice day. Honestly, I found it quite a relief to not feel obligated to go anywhere. Yesterday I did venture out for some shopping. As of 8 PM tonight, the governor has ordered that New York will be on PAUSE (Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone), meaning only essential businesses can operate. I also want to minimize my time in public as much as possible because both Noah and I have histories of asthma and Drew is diabetic, so I am being exceptionally careful.
Grocery shopping was fine. I found everything I wanted (of course, I still managed to forget a thing or two). Yes, I did find TP! Our local Aldi had several packs, limiting them to 1 per person. By the time I was in the last store (Sam’s Club), I started to have a mini panic attack in line because the masks and the gloves and the general weirdness combined with this one irate lowlife screaming at an employee over purchase limits kind of put me over the edge.
But today was different. I slept in (and slept well.) Drew made me a delicious breakfast and I lazed about for a while in the morning. Then I decided to tackle some laundry baskets that I’ve been avoiding. In the afternoon I watched a few old episodes of Unsolved Mysteries while crocheting. I downloaded a few new patterns and looked up some recipes to make.
I also took the time to work on the crossword puzzle in the New York Times Sunday magazine. I’m picking up the library’s newspapers, and I’d forgotten how much I enjoy working through the clues! Back in college and right after I graduated it was one of my Sunday traditions. I’m thinking I should definitely make it part of my routine.
I made up a two-week meal plan, which was actually easier than I expected. Typically I create my menus based on what I have in my pantry and my freezer because I grocery shop based primarily on what’s on sale. So we’re used to a little flexibility. And obviously in the past if I decided mid-week that we wanted something different that required me picking things up at the store, it wasn’t a problem. So this is still a little different, also because we will all be home for all three meals. Still, I felt like I had a lot of options because of what I have in stock here at home, so I think it will be OK.
Dinner was delicious! Typically, I’m not a huge fan of pork chops, but hey, when they’re cheap it makes sense to grab a package. I coated each chop with a mixture of honey and Dijon mustard, and breaded them in breadcrumbs and French-fried onions that I pulsed in the food processor. I just baked them at 425 until they were done and wow – what a great flavor. Even Laura who usually moans and groans about pork chops said that this recipe is a keeper.
So now I’m in my PJs. I have a candle burning and twinkle lights on, and I’m ready to start winding down. I think I’ll pick my crochet back up, enjoy a cup of tea, and just relax until bedtime.
