Some Days

M went back to work today and I got a migraine so the whole day felt like a blur.

We did poetry teatime with leftover king cake and an extra special treat of coffee for the boys, who used to have little cups of coffee with M every morning but don't anymore. Max drank his cup down in one gulp like it was a shot of whiskey and asked for more immediately. Marlene brought them a book of poetry for children by Robert Louis Stevenson. The sun was out most of the day, but by the afternoon I was sitting in my bedroom with all the curtains drawn trying to keep it as dim as possible. 

Laurel and Marko did their copywork and math without too much complaining. Laurel actually seems to have developed a lot of confidence in math since we switched to doing it on paper and pencil. She works out problems, then checks her answers in the answer key. If she gets an answer wrong she works out the problem again. Occasionally she can't find her mistake, but normally she does and it seems to be a really good way to reinforce it. My favorite thing is when she gets Max to sit next to her to help her by holding the times table chart. 

I put their snacks outside today, and that was an effective way to get them out for fresh air and a little sunshine. They tromped around in the snow in the backyard, gathered the shattered bits of icicles that fell down last night and chatted with the neighbors. 

In the afternoon, they put together a birthday present for their little friend and Laurel and Marko walked to the mailbox together to send some thank you notes. 

We had a sudden realization that if Western States actually happens this year, and M is going to run in it, we have to leave to drive out there....like really soon! We've been in stay-at-home mode for so long, it's hard to imagine being anywhere else. We want to make sure covid cases are definitively on the decrease before we head out. Still trying to avoid getting it and spreading it! 

It feels like wishful thinking, since we said the same thing last year and pretty much all things got worse and worse as the year progressed. Part of me is afraid of what we'll find when we go. M and I have been criss-crossing America by car and foot and bike since the start of our relationship. Two lane roads and regional fast food cooking have been an integral part of those journeys. I love meeting people in libraries and at bus stops. Listening to subtle accents and finding out what they think of Pittsburgh. Seeing what the "local authors" shelf is stocked with in the bookstores. We know that this pandemic has hit some communities harder than others. Will people be wary of outsiders?