Fact #1a- The accessible version of the White House website is no longer in existence.
Fact #1b- Just over 7 million people in the US have visual impairments and thus are candidates for using a screen reader, which only works on accessible websites. {credit: National Federation of the Blind}
Fact #1c- In college, I interned at a non-profit (Federation for Children with Special Needs) and eventually became full-time staff. During the almost four years I worked there, I learned about many disabilities and their related accommodations/assistive technology. I specifically remember creating large print materials for the conference I helped to manage and visiting another non-profit in our building to see how various assistive technology worked.
Fact #2a- American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are no longer present at White House Press Briefings. See letter from National Association of the Deaf.
Fact #2b- About 11 million people in the US identify as deaf or hard of hearing. {credit: National Deaf Center}
Fact #2c- My stepdaughter Grace has Down syndrome and she has a hearing impairment. She's completely deaf in her right ear (NOTE: if you ever meet her, sit on her left!) and has partial loss in her left ear. When she was born, my husband and Grace's mom along with other family members learned ASL (and Grace learned, as well) in order to communicate with her until she could speak.
Fact #3- On February 25, 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gave a briefing. At approximately the 5 minute/40 second mark, in the context of the President being accessible, she said,
The president, and this entire White House, are committed to ensuring the American people continue to receive this same level of historic transparency, access and visibility. In fact, we want to double down and give even greater access to the American people.
I can't believe it's already the last day of April! I had planned to write this post in March, but that month flew by, too!
March and April are bittersweet. So many positive anniversaries & milestones, but also a sad one.
March
My maternal grandfather would've been 100 on March 26th! He accomplished so much in his life and I honestly don't think I was able to appreciate it all until I was an adult.
A son, a brother, a husband, a father (to my mom & her two siblings) and a Papa (to my cousin & me). And so much more! He was an accountant by trade but to me the most impressive part was his service in WWII.
The town that he lived in/my mom grew up in did a yearly project in which junior high and high school students interviewed town residents and told their stories. The title of his report was, "“Marauder Bombardier – Navigator World War Two." He was proud of his service and throughout the years went to many reunions of his squadron. He was the marshal of the Memorial Day parade in town.
My mom has been living back in Massachusetts for a year as of March!
This photo was taken on March 11, 2022 after we'd packed up her condo in Florida. We still had miles to go before she was officially a resident of Massachusetts, literally and figuratively. We drove her car from Florida to Massachusetts through some sketchy weather, which as we know, Southerners do not know how to deal with...lol. She flew up and stayed with us briefly before the moving truck arrived with her possessions. Soon enough she was all moved in and has really made the condo her home. (She's really good at that- she was HGTV before there was HGTV!)
I am extremely thankful to have her close by, as John and I both enjoy spending time with her. I haven't done the math, but I'm guessing I've seen her more in the past year than I had in the 30+ years since I left for college!
April
On April 9th, 2022, a funny, cute, fresh Golden Retriever came to our house and stole our hearts. Over the past year, he's settled into his role in our family and established daily routines with us. He's a good boy and we are so lucky to have him in our lives. Even though he's currently in desperate need of a bath and smells like Fritos, he brings so much joy to us. He makes us smile, laugh, and yes, sometimes shake our heads.
(Yes, I was shaking my head in the above one.... but also laughing hysterically)
Sadly, April is also the month I last saw my dad. It's hard to believe two years have gone by. When John & I drove back to Massachusetts in early April 2021, I fully expected he'd be there when we returned six weeks or so later. I look back at my FB messages with him and I think I was willing him to hang on until we got back.
For all intents and purposes, this is the last photo I have of him. (I took one a few days later, before we left, but it doesn't look like him/how I want to remember him.) The two most influential men in my life. So different in many ways, but so similar, too. (Both use/d laughter as a tool and are/were very good at it, sometimes to my dismay 😵)
Even though my dad felt like crap, he still got out when he could and walked as far as he could. I can't thank John enough for his support during my dad's sickness. Not only did he emotionally support me, but he supported my dad and my mom and I am forever thankful for having a rock during that time.
It's somewhat fitting that I post this on the day of the Bruins' game seven in round one of the playoffs. Best regular season and can't close out the first round in less than seven. My dad would have SO MUCH to say about this. (During game six I could clearly see him vehemently shaking his head in disgust.) He hated pressure moments in sports, so part of me thinks he would keep an eye on the game from afar and only tune in if they had it in the bag.
Last week I was driving home from some errands and started thinking about my dad. I don't even remember what prompted me to think of him, but I caught myself smiling.
I started to reflect on how far the wave of grief has taken me since his passing on May 11, 2021.
I vividly remember the morning of May 11, 2021. John and I were on our way to Florida, as my dad went into hospice the day before and we knew it wouldn't be long before he passed away. My Mom called me while we were in the airport and told me that hospice had called her and told her to come right away. In hindsight, her telling me this was likely her way of preparing me from the inevitable. We boarded our flight, and I cried off and on during the two-hour journey.
As the flight landed and started taxiing toward the gate, I turned on my phone. Almost instantaneously, it rang. It was my mom telling me that my dad had passed away.
At that moment, I remember a distinct feeling of time stopping- but just for me. Passengers on the plane were chatting and looking out the windows. They were carrying on with their lives. Performing normal acts of "being." I thought to myself- how can they do this? Don't they know that a great man is no longer on this Earth? I kept looking around expecting everything and everyone to stop, pause, and acknowledge this unimaginable loss, but it didn't happen. It seemed like I was somewhere between being underwater and having an out of body experience.
That feeling was SO deep. And it lasted for a day or so. It was so strange. I've never experienced anything like it.
Now, almost two years later, I can look around and see people going about their business and living life and not be resentful or angry. I'm still angry it happened to him. I'm still sad. I still miss him. But I can now smile when I think of him and if you know him, you'd know that's what he'd want me to do.
Also, I don't want to be the jinx, but I think it's the Bruins' year and I really wish he was here to see it.
This is one of my favorite pictures of my Dad. (I have a lot of favorite pictures of him!) I'm not sure how old he is, but he's with his granddad (his Dad's dad) at a summer cottage in Nahant, Massachusetts.
The bathing suit gets me. The little bucket (?) he's standing in gets me. That blonde hair gets me. But most of all? The smirk/smile gets me. Cute yet a hint of the devil behind that smile. That summarizes my Dad!
As I often say to John, "I'm still pissed."
I'm still pissed that this rare aggressive out-of-nowhere cancer lived in my Dad's body.
I'm still pissed that he's gone. His absence is really something difficult to put into words.
Yet I smile and chuckle when I think of all the people he made laugh. That was his "thing." I truly believe that one of the reasons he was put on this earth was to make people laugh. I always say that when I was sad or upset, he'd try to make me laugh. OH BOY would I get mad. (Especially when I was a teen & mad at my parents all of the time.)
My Mom & I went through a bunch of pictures and lo & behold...my Dad was laughing, making others laugh, or holding court in many of them. In my mind, that's how he lives on.
The last few months have been quite a whirlwind around here! Lots of changes- all for the good!
I've been working remotely since March 2020 and finally...in March 2022, my company's offices opened back up! We have the option to go in or not- up to three days per week. We have a "hoteling" system, where we need to reserve a cubicle or an office ahead of time and basically can sit where we want in any of the three buildings.
At first I was gung ho and saying I'd go in three days per week. Well, I think I've been in a TOTAL of three times since opening. People who haven't gone in ask what it's like. It's...weird.
The fact that we don't have our own personalized spaces is somewhat of a bummer. We don't have two monitors at each workstation (yet), so that's somewhat of a deterrent to productivity. I also bring in a full bag...my keyboard, my mouse, my wrist rests, my mousepad, etc..., which can be a nuisance.
BUT...the "good" part? Seeing my co-workers/friends! It's been so great to just chat over the cube wall about day-to-day stuff or ask a work question without having to compose an email or a Teams chat. (Sometimes it's just easier to ask a quickie question in person!) Another "good" part? Actually having to get up at a specific time so I can plan for a shower, getting ready, and driving to work. It's much more uplifting than rolling out of bed and taking a Teams call in my robe (yes- I do in fact do that!)
I am going to make a concerted effort to go in once per week and maybe, over time, I'll eventually go in more.
March was a banner month! In addition to the office opening, my Mom moved from Florida to Massachusetts and is now only a 20 minute drive from John & me! This is a HUGE deal. I haven't lived within driving distance of my parents since I was 18 (minus a few months that I lived with them before I transferred schools when I was 20). That's 32 years of flying to North Carolina, Colorado, Oregon, and finally Florida to visit them. Don't get me wrong- it was fun to travel and see different places that I might not have seen otherwise, but there were many times I wish we lived closer.
John & I flew to Florida to help her prepare for the move (although she honestly had done a ton before we got there) and drive her car up.
There were some bumps along the way with the moving company but all turned out well and she really likes the condo she's renting (sight unseen- John & I looked at it and sent pictures).
The best part? If I'm doing a Walmart/Target/shopping run, I can text her the night before to tell her and she can drive over the next day and we can go together. (Shopping is what we do best. 😀)
Lastly...there's a new member of our household!
In my last post, I wrote about bad luck. Well, I'd like to think that it's our time for some good luck.
Our neighbors across the street have Golden Retrievers and we'd talked to them about maybe being ready to welcome another one into our home (it's been ten years since our first Golden, Max, passed). In February, John got a text from our neighbor saying a high school friend needed to give up her Golden Retriever, as she was moving into an apartment that didn't take pets. After a small nervous breakdown, I decided to "let go" and say yes. (John was onboard from the word go.) The woman, however, wasn't ready to give him up, so he went to live with her mother (at least this is what I can piece together.) Then, a few months later, in April, our neighbor texted again. Were we still interested? YES!
On April 9th, "Boston" came to visit, stayed overnight, and never left. Here's the first picture I have of him, shortly after he arrived.
"Boston" is now "Murray." (We'd long wanted to name our next Golden Murray.) He'll be two next month and came to us housetrained & neutered.
It's amazing how much he's added and changed things here. He's definitely added that love that only comes from a relationship with a pet. My overall mental health has improved, as well. There were definitely some changes we had to get used to, in terms of schedule and just being responsible for another "being."
He's only been here two months, but he's fit in nicely and adapted to us. He's a special dude and we are certainly lucky to have him in our lives.
Today I had an appointment with a gastroenterologist to discuss scheduling a colonoscopy (oh the joys of turning 50!)
I shared my health anxieties with him and told him that a lot of it stems from my father passing away last year from Cholangiocarcinoma (aka bile duct cancer).
An otherwise healthy man in his early 70's was hit with a fairly rare cancer. So sudden and completely out of left field. He only lived six months after his first symptoms/diagnosis. John and I have talked at length about the suddenness of him getting ill and then passing away. John likened it to a shooting- so abrupt and so harsh (I honestly run out of words to describe it.)
The gastroenterologist acknowledged how tragic this was and as a follow up to my question about the role heredity might play with this cancer, he looked at me and said, "it's just bad luck."
BAD LUCK?
Bad luck is waiting in line at Dunkin to get a maple-frosted donut and the person in front of you buys the last one.
Bad luck is going to an appointment and the bridge you have to cross to get there goes up unscheduled.
Bad luck is a black cat crossing your path (allegedly).
In the 21st century, shouldn't we be able to take the "luck" part out of the cancer equation? I honestly am still blown away that there are cancers that are just not curable. We've come so far with treatments for certain cancers, yet not very far at all for others. I don't necessarily know that I can change that, but will try to raise awareness for this type of cancer in my own small way.
I still don't think I'm ready to write a full-blown post about my Dad, but here are a few things I can share that have been on my mind lately as memories surface-
He was a mathematical/statistical guru. He loved numbers (evidenced by doing Cross Sums in the crossword puzzle magazines- the one puzzle that drives me crazy). He could sit for hours and look at horse racing or greyhound racing data, digest it, and put it into the formulas that he created. While he and I never talked in-depth about his hobby (as a teenager, I was pretty much dead set against taking an interest in anything my parents enjoyed...lol), I look back now and wish we had talked about it. I wish I could've had that window into his brain and perhaps some of it would've rubbed off on me!
Related to above, he was a strategy guru. He loved chess. When I was in elementary school, he bought me a kids' book on chess and spent time teaching me. We'd play occasionally but this was another hobby that I never took to- my brain didn't work like his. Back in the 80's, he'd sign up to play chess by mail with an opponent from somewhere in the US. He'd have the chess board set up and the pieces in the places where he and his opponent had designated. Moves were made via mail- he'd send a postcard to his opponent with his next move and vice versa.
I said above that as a teenager I was pretty much dead set against anything my parents wanted me to engage in. My Dad took me on my college visits, including Simmons College (now University) in Boston. At the time, undergrad was all female, but graduate was co-ed. He got his master's degree from Simmons in Library Science (a great story for a later post). I specifically remember being in an auditorium at Simmons with him sitting next to me and wanting me to like it. He never said that, but it was a feeling I got. Of course, because I was 17, the thought of all female was a no-go and I declined attending there. Fast forward almost 20 years and it all came full circle- I was going to be attending Simmons for my master's in Library Science. I was older and (somewhat) wiser and looked differently at following in his footsteps- I was proud to be doing so.
I always wanted built-ins in the living room- to showcase my plethora of books and also to share mementos and photos. Luckily I married a former contractor who made that dream come true. Throughout the process, I sent photos to my parents and my Dad would always marvel at how talented John is (while my Dad had many sterling qualities, he was not gifted in the building/fixing realm). He said to me a few times (even before he was sick)- I hope you have a shelf for me.
It's not perfect, but I think it sums up my Dad pretty well. An American Libraries magazine with his memorial notice, a horse racing book, a chess book, and two Saint books. A chess set. A greyhound racing memento I had given him. A photo of us from the last visit he made here at a hockey game (no surprise- another love of his). Lastly, a card he gave me probably 30+ years ago that I saved.
Back to the whole "bad luck" thing- I am still angry that my Dad, of all people, who was such a smart, funny, and loving man got the extremely short end of the cancer stick. It's been almost eleven months since his passing left a gigantic void in the lives of those who loved him. While it's still not easy at all, I find that smiles are starting to take the place of tears when I think about him.
Other than feeling like it's hours later than it really is, let's see what else is going on around here.
It's been "warm" for November in New England (in the 50's!), so John and I were able to get out yesterday and take a walk on a local rail trail. We walked to the Merrimack River and sat on a bench and just took in the scenery. It was beautiful.
I've gone to Pilates three weeks in a row, which for me is good! The class is early Monday evening, which can sometimes be tough. Mondays are always crazy at work, but I've made it a priority to go.
John and I always have trouble finding a TV series that we're both interested in watching. I found this list of the 18 best Netflix Original Series and we made a list of seven that we were interested in trying. When we sat down last night to actually watch, we determined that two I wasn't really that interested in, one was totally hokey, and one was meh. So, yeah- we'll give the others a shot, but it's back to the drawing board. (Suggestions? Throw them out!)
I've tracked all my meals on WW (Weight Watchers) for the past week and did it sporadically prior to that. The scale shows it's working.
The six month anniversary of my Dad's passing is coming up this week. Some days it seems like it happened yesterday and some days it seems like it's been longer. Grief is weird.
Since it's only 6:45 🙄, I'll try to catch up on some book reviews- plenty of time!
BOOK REVIEWS 2021
Book #49: So You Want to Talk About Raceby Ijeoma Aluo
Summary: The book is about race in the contemporary United States, each chapter titled after a question. Oluo makes the argument that America's political, economic and social systems are systematically/institutionally racist. The book provides advice for readers when discussing race-related subjects, such as how to avoid acting defensive or getting off-topic. Statistics are used to support the book's arguments. Oluo also describes her upbringing and experience living in Seattle, Washington. She was raised by a white single mother and became a single mother herself to two mixed-race sons at a young age.
Rating: A-. I found this book to be informative and definitely worth a read. (Admittedly, I am very behind on reviews and I read this one a while ago, so my in-depth impressions have gone out of my mind...lol. This will be applicable for the next set of reviews, as well. 😀)
Book #50: The Bombay Princeby Sujata Massey
Summary: Bombay’s first female lawyer, Perveen Mistry, is compelled to bring justice to the family of a murdered female Parsi student just as Bombay’s streets erupt in riots to protest British colonial rule. Sujata Massey is back with this third installment of the series set in 1920s Bombay.
Rating: A-. I've really enjoyed this series. I love that Perveen is blazing a trail as Bombay's first female lawyer and breaking down barriers. The time period and setting are fascinating.
Book #51: Who Moved My Goat Cheeseby Lynn Cahoon
Summary: Angie Turner is back in her hometown of River Vista, Idaho, ready to open her own farm-to-table restaurant. Together with her friend and business partner Felicia, Angie is lining up vendors from local farmer’s markets to Old Man Moss’s goat dairy farm. Not everyone in the Boise suburb is keen on having a fancy new eatery in town. But the cantankerous Moss takes a shine to Angie, as does his kid goat Precious. When Angie hears the shocking news that Moss has been killed, she jumps in to mind the man's livestock—and help solve him murder. Now with her grand opening just days away, Angie has grave reservations about her new neighbors. But one thing's for sure, Angie's not about to let some killer get her goat.
Rating: A-. This was a fun/light cozy mystery and I will definitely be reading the next one in the series.
Book #52: What's Mine and Yoursby Naima Coster
Summary: When a county initiative in the Piedmont of North Carolina forces the students at a mostly black public school on the east side to move across town to a nearly all-white high school on the west, the community rises in outrage. For two students, quiet and aloof Gee and headstrong Noelle, these divisions will extend far beyond their schooling. As their paths collide and overlap over the course of thirty years, their two seemingly disconnected families begin to form deeply knotted, messy ties that shape the trajectory of their lives. On one side of the school integration debate is Jade, Gee's steely, single, black mother, grieving for her murdered partner, and determined for her son to have the best chance at a better life. On the other, is Noelle's enterprising mother, Lacey May, who refuses to see her half-Latina daughters as anything but white. The choices these mothers make will resound for years to come. And twenty years later, when Lacey's daughters return home to visit her in hospital, they're forced to confront the ways their parents' decisions continue to affect the life they live and the people they love.
Rating: B+. The premise was good and I liked it, but I wish I'd liked it more.
Book #53: Dead Dead Girlsby Nekesa Afia
Summary: Harlem, 1926. Young Black women like Louise Lloyd are ending up dead. Following a harrowing kidnapping ordeal when she was in her teens, Louise is doing everything she can to maintain a normal life. She’s succeeding, too. She spends her days working at Maggie’s Café and her nights at the Zodiac, Harlem’s hottest speakeasy. Louise’s friends, especially her girlfriend, Rosa Maria Moreno, might say she’s running from her past and the notoriety that still stalks her, but don’t tell her that. When a girl turns up dead in front of the café, Louise is forced to confront something she’s been trying to ignore—two other local Black girls have been murdered in the past few weeks. After an altercation with a police officer gets her arrested, Louise is given an ultimatum: She can either help solve the case or wind up in a jail cell. Louise has no choice but to investigate and soon finds herself toe-to-toe with a murderous mastermind hell-bent on taking more lives, maybe even her own....
Rating: B+. A decent start for this new series. This is a period in history that I've always been interested in, so hoping the series continues.
October is indeed Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In my opinion, every month should be Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or just Cancer Awareness Month, in general.
While I've been affected by breast cancer, I've never felt the need to raise funds for research or promote awareness. What's different this year is my father's passing. He passed away from bile duct cancer, a fairly rare cancer with no warning signs/no preventative measures.
I started thinking about this and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I don't want to lose anyone else from a cancer that can be prevented or caught early enough to mitigate.
I said I'd personally been affected by breast cancer. My maternal grandmother passed away from breast cancer in 1982 at the age of 57. I was young so I don't have all the details, but from what I know/heard, she knew she had a lump but was scared to go to the doctor, so by the time she did, it was too late to treat her. I don't know if she got annual mammograms, but if I had to guess, I'd say she didn't.
It was the 1980's, so I don't know how robust treatment was then, but I'd like to believe that had she gotten mammograms or gone to the doctor as soon as she realized she had a lump, her life would have been prolonged.
My mom had breast cancer. She did get mammograms yearly and was lucky to catch it early. In 2008 or 9, she had a lumpectomy, they couldn't get clean margins, so she had a mastectomy. Four years later, she had a lump in the other breast and had that breast removed. Today she's cancer-free.
In 2016, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had said to John occasionally, "I know I'll get breast cancer, it's just a matter of when." I got mammograms annually and due to having dense breast tissue and my family history, it was recommended I go to the Breast Cancer affiliated with my local hospital. I remember asking my primary care doctor if she though I should go. She said, "It never hurts to have another set of eyes." I am glad I listened.
I went to the Breast Center and it was decided that again, due to family history, I should be watched more closely. The plan was that I would get checked every six months- alternating between a mammogram and a breast MRI.
The breast MRI I had in late December 2015 showed very early stage ductal carcinoma. A few months later I had a lumpectomy and a sentinel node biopsy. They got clean margins and the cancer was not in my lymph nodes. Hallelujah. I followed up with radiation. I am cancer-free.
So, please get an annual mammogram. (The 30 seconds of squeezing is minimal!)
If you are recommended to go to a breast center, please go.
If they want you to have breast MRIs, please do.
Early detection is key here.
Cancer is scary, but you have the power to make it less scary by being proactive and getting screened.
Yeah, so I'm bad at course correcting. Once I get something in my mind, it's going to happen that way. If it doesn't, I generally have a tough time getting my mind around the fact that an adjustment is needed.
Case in point- after my Dad passed away about a month and a half ago, I got it in my mind that the next blog post I would write would be about him- his life and his illness. Let me rephrase that- the next blog post HAD to be about him.
So, I got to work. I created a new post and started writing.
I wrote two sentences.
After a minutes long crying jag I realized I was not in a place where I could write any more. It's still too raw/too emotional for me. I said to myself- OK, we'll wait until you're ready to write the post, but you can't write any before that.
Well, I started to reflect on that and acknowledged how rigid I was being. It could take me six months or a year or longer to be ready to write the post. I can't completely put the brakes on writing and my Dad wouldn't want to me to. I think in my head, it was somehow disrespectful if the next post wasn't about him. (Grief does strange things to people).
All that to say, I am course correcting! (Don't take back my $100 Jeopardy!) I am allowing myself to write a post about things other than a tribute to my Dad (stay tuned- that will come eventually.)
We are in the midst of a heatwave in New England with no relief until later in the week, per the Weather Channel app. ACs and fans are going non-stop and I can honestly say I'd rather be insde than outside.
We are watching The Crown. We've made it to Season Two and I have to say it's grown on me. I felt it was somewhat slow with dark settings/backgrounds, but the historical story it's telling has roped me in. I am also loving Claire Foy's portrayal of the Queen and not sure I'll be able to take a "new" Queen in Season 3 (SEE?!?!? Course correcting- not my thing!)
I started Weight Watchers about a week and a half ago. I've done it a few times in the past and was very successful. I'm hoping I can keep up the trend. (So far I've lost about two pounds.) It forces me to prepare/think ahead about what I am going to eat and it forces me to be cognizant of my portion size (I scan EVERYTHING from the app.)
I have been reading like a maniac and am so far behind on my book reviews.
The holiday weekend is next weekend and I am thankful that my employer gives two days off for the 4th of July. You'll never see me turning down a four day weekend!
I was never a big Star Trek fan, but the title seemed fitting.
Here's what's new here:
Yes indeed- we are at day 247 since quarantine happened. I am still working from home and as of now, will be doing so until the end of April (I firmly believe that will be extended to the end of June.)
I still miss seeing family, friends, and co-workers. I realized recently it's been over a year since I've seen my parents. This has been tough for me. However, a few weeks ago, we Zoomed and it was so good to see them (vs. just talking to them). (Hi Mom & Dad- my faithful readers. 😅)
Here in New England we had some 70 degree days last week (HALLELUJAH!), but are back to "real" fall weather- 40's and chilly. It looks like snow here today (gray), but none is in the forecast (hoping that's not a jinx...)
I have done a fair amount of Christmas & John's birthday shopping online, so I feel that's somewhat under control. Knowing that there have been hiccups in delivery times, I decided to start early.
Thanksgiving is not far away and not sure how that will look this year. I do know that we are going to cook a turkey breast in the air fryer (John's new favorite cooking tool!) I also know that I'll be making Pecan Pie Cake for dessert (even if it's just the two of us!) John LOVES pecan pie. While I'm not a fan, I decided that this might be a decent compromise. It calls for a Butter Pecan Cake Mix, which I'd never seen before, but stumbled upon in Walmart, so I grabbed it!
I have dipped my toe in the yoga arena. My supervisor told me about Yoga with Adriene, a YouTube channel with short yoga videos for all levels of ability. I found a 20 minute video for beginners and I've done it a few times now. It complements the mat Pilates class I do via Zoom very nicely.
I've done some (semi) crafty things, which I'll share, but they deserve their own post. We've also made a bunch of new recipes, also deserving their own post. However, here's a sneak peek at one we did recently- Ham & Gruyere Sliders with Raspberry Mayo. They were really good! We had a ham dinner and instead of making regular old ham sandwiches, we decided to try these. The raspberry mayo is a nice twist on just regular old mayo.
And lastly, before I hammer out some book reviews, a picture is worth a thousand words-
I just realized I read four memoirs in a row...completely unintentional!
Book #46- The Upside of Being Down by Jen Gotch
Summary:Memoir of ban.do Chief Creative Officer. Gotch suffers from serious mental health issues throughout her life and this memoir chronicles those travails.
Rating: B+. I thought this was an inspirational story- showing that mental health issues don't have to impede success and living. However, (and yes, I know it's a memoir) I felt like Gotch tooted her own horn. A lot.
Book #47- A Backward Glance by Edith Wharton
Summary:A collection of autobiographical sketches by the famed writer, detailing New York society in which she grew up and the relationship she developed with Henry James.
Rating: D+. I loved Ethan Frome & House of Mirth. Thus, I thought what better way to get an insight into how and why these were written than reading Wharton's memoir. Wrong. So.much.minutiae. (About nothing.) And more time was spent on the first book she wrote, which was architectural in nature. Snooze. I skimmed the middle and read the beginning and end.
Book #48- Everything Beautiful In Its Time by Jenna Bush Hager
Summary:Jenna Bush Hager, the former first daughter and granddaughter, shares moving, funny stories about her beloved grandparents and the wisdom they passed on that has shaped her life.
Rating: A+. I absolutely positively loved this book. It was honestly the best of the memoirs I read in this stretch. It was honest and really portrayed The Bush presidents as humans, with real lives and familial relationships.
Book #49- The Making of a Miracle by Mike Eruzione
Summary:On the fortieth anniversary of the historic "Miracle on Ice," Mike Eruzione—the captain of the 1980 U.S Men’s Olympic Hockey Team, who scored the winning goal—recounts his career on ice, the legendary upset against the Soviets, and winning the gold medal.
Rating: C+. I loved the movie Miracle (about the amazing upset of the Soviets in 1980) and since Eruzione is a local hero, I thought I'd love this book. Meh. Another one that toots his own horn to a fault. And strikes me as someone who is not very personable (I have zero proof of this- just my impression.).
Last Saturday, June 20th, was the officially 100-day mark since my company's work from home order and since the pandemic became real.
Last time I wrote a post checking in, it was May 13th and I said I'd be working from home for at least another 48 days. That would've brought us to June 30th. The new return date is August 31st. That's 64 days from now and at that point the total days of working from home will be 171. (I think. Math was never my strong suit.)
171 days.
Honestly, I never thought that we'd go that long. (And who knows, it could go even longer.)
Let's see what's changed (or not changed) since my last check-in:
62 days is a LONG time to stay at home with only short trips to the grocery store and the pharmacy. I mean, a LONG time. Thankfully now, at day 108, I actually go more places! I've been to Walmart twice (although, honestly, after those experiences, not sure I'll go back), I've been to Home Depot, Lowe's, and we've gotten takeout a handful of times. I even plan to go to TJMaxx this week. Woo hoo!
I will be working from home for at least another 48 days. Over ONE HUNDRED days. See above.
Even though I'm an introvert, I miss being around co-workers. Still the case. I had a social distancing lunch with my friend/co-worker Terry at her house and that was nice. It was nice to see someone live and in person- not on a screen.
We/I have done some really fun Zoom/Google Hangout happy hours and I have gotten to "see" people I wouldn't see even if there was no pandemic! This has slowed down a bit, although I did Zoom with my parents for the first time on Father's Day which was great. It was good to hear their voices AND "see" them. We also started an online Happy Hour for my department at work, which allows us to have some of that social interaction that I've missed.
I have pretty much stopped watching TV. (Odd since my last posts were about binge-watching shows.) Call the Midwife makes me cry during every episode and I'm not in a place where I can handle that right now. (If you do need a good cry, I can certainly recommend some episodes.) John and I started watching Killing Eve on Hulu which was great at first and then you know what? I got tired of seeing multiple people getting killed in each episode. (Go figure.) I need a comedy that will make me LAUGH. Season 2 of Netflix's The Politician came out last week and we watched it. While it was good, I liked Season 1 better. But the clothes and the characters are enough to keep me watching.
We have been getting creative in the kitchen with drinks and food- I'm hoping to share some of those soon. Still cranking out the recipes. As I type, John is making Jordan Marsh's Blueberry Muffins. If you're from Boston/New England, you know Jordan Marsh, but you may not know that they were known for their legendary blueberry muffins. For those not from around these parts, Jordan Marsh was a department store chain - on the level of Macy's. My last recipe was No Bake Butterscotch Pie. It's really simple and can you really go wrong with butterscotch pudding & Cool Whip? (Don't mind my bad drizzling technique.)
The weather is SLOWLY getting nicer here in New England, although John informed me that overnight recently we broke a 100 year record for coldest temperature on that day. Hot as blazes here. We had to buy a new window AC, as the floor ones we have sound like a jet is landing in the room. And the window AC we had, well, let's just say that it was a fire hazard.
I have been slacking on the physical activity side of things. We walked today but hadn't the past few days. Same. The heat is getting to me. We've been walking but I need to get back on the Zoom Pilates bandwagon.
Let's end on some positive notes:
Massachusetts has been opening up in phases and we are to the point where libraries are now during curbside pickup! Hallelujah! I am OVER reading on the Kindle. I miss real books! I will be able to pick up Julia Alvarez's new book Afterlife on Tuesday and I am pretty excited!
I got a new desk chair from Wayfair and it has saved my back. While I love my cute upholstered chair from HomeGoods, it's tough on the back/posture. John put it together and voila- a whole new workday.
I'll leave you with this. We use a local pharmacy and when I picked up my prescriptions maybe a month or so ago, this was in the bag. It was such a nice surprise. I keep it on my bureau and honestly, it makes me smile every time I see it. I hope you have someone/something that makes you smile during these times.
If only at the end of this 90 minute late 80's classic movie could we emerge from the theater and find out that the COVID-19 pandemic never happened. That is was just a figment of a movie director's imagination and not real.
I wish.
And I'm guessing 99.9% of people worldwide wish the same (I'm very literal and do need to account for that wackadoodle .1%.)
(Oh, and if you're not following along, I'm referring to the movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.)
However, this is DEFINITELY not an excellent adventure and definitely not a 90 minute movie that we will emerge from.
Unfortunately.
I have a lot of things to write, but not sure I'll be able to get it all out in a coherent manner, but let's give it the old college try, as my Mom would say.
On Thursday, the company I work for gave the directive that we were to begin working from home starting Friday, March 13th. We got emails leading up to this directive that made me think in the back of my mind it was possible (bring your laptop home every night, make sure you can access the VPN, etc...), but honestly, I didn't think it could really happen. Because a directive to work from home meant things are serious...and that's tough to deal with (at least for me.)
So, on Thursday, March 12th, I packed up and said goodbye to the cubicle that I spend 40 hours a week in.
I brought my two monitors, docking station, laptop, keyboard, mouse, etc... home and my trusty in-home IT support guy set me up.
I am thankful that I have a nice space to work from and a view where I can see birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and (if I put my glasses on) deer.
But it's not the same. I can't yell over to Andrea in the next cube to ask if she's having trouble in Teams. I can't walk down to Terry's cube and ask her if she wants to go for a walk. And I can't go into Annie's office to sing whatever song is in my head at that moment (and grab chocolate.) Thus, the social isolation aspect of working from home has been tough. (But I do have that cute in-home IT support guy to chat me up when needed.)
I will say that it has helped when I and others turn on our camera during meetings. It's good to see people's faces and hear their voices. While it's not the same as in person, it's better than nothing!
I also realize that others still have to go to work during this crisis...to help others. I sincerely appreciate those who put their health at risk to help others. Doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers, grocery store and pharmacy employees. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and stay healthy.
Let's talk about something REALLY important, shall we?
Toilet paper.
This was taken the evening of Thursday the 12th at our local grocery store.
My food/paper goods panic started the night prior when I could tell sh*t was getting real. I volunteered to go to the grocery store on the way in to work on Thursday morning to at least pick up bottled water, since that's 90% of what we drink. At 8:45AM it was packed. I got four cases of water and while I wanted to get more, I knew I had to be on my way to the office.
During the day, I told John to work on a list and when I got home, I knew I would be going to the store. I needed something that I could exert control over since it felt like none of this was under my (or anyone's control.) After we ate dinner, I went to the store and piled up with basically anything I thought we might need. From meats to frozen food to bread to Pop Tarts to microwave popcorn. At that point they were out of eggs, pasta (although I got two random/off brand boxes of spaghetti), paper goods (as you can see above), and any type of cleaning supplies.
I felt like I was transported back to the Soviet Union. It was odd. Really odd. Eerie is more like it.
While I couldn't get toilet paper that night, we had enough to get us through the short term, so I laid that obsession to rest (temporarily.)
Over the next day or so, John and I discussed the fact that he's immunocompromised (due to being less than a year out from cancer treatment). I told him that I was worried about him going out into public and that I really thought it best he not do so. I was scared. I still am. Luckily, he came to the same conclusion and agreed that I would go out when we needed something.
It's hard to describe, but after having been through such a traumatic event (his cancer) and surviving it (which was exhausting and wore both of us down), my worry has been off the charts in terms of me getting sick or him getting sick again. This pretty much started right after we found out he had clean scans. I think all of the emotions I had to keep in check while he was sick so I could carry on were finally coming out. And now, with the pandemic, it's ratcheted up another notch. Thankfully, I have anti-anxiety medication that I can take when needed. And a loving husband and friends and family that talk me down when needed.
OK- back to toilet paper.
I went out on Thursday (the 19th, if like me you're getting confused) to get some more groceries and to look for toilet paper as we were getting low. None. No dice.
Ridiculous, but I was starting to panic about not having toilet paper.
I had a really bad day on Friday (the 20th) anxiety-wise and didn't sleep well and was up at 4AM on Saturday morning (the 21st). I decided since I was up and it was unlikely I'd get up this early again anytime soon, I went to the grocery store at around 6:30AM.
That picture you see above of the paper goods aisle? Same thing on Saturday morning. I bought a bit more food, brought it home, and then decided to step up my journey for the toilet paper.
The Target app (liar) told me that they had toilet paper. Nope.
I went to another grocery store. Nope.
I went to CVS. I see the single rolls of Scott toilet paper. (And hear the angels singing Hallelujah in the background). A woman was grabbing some and said, "Do you need some? I'll leave you some." THANK YOU! There were five rolls and I grabbed four, thinking someone might be desperate. She and I (6 feet apart) get up to the register and we start to notice that there are rolls of Scott toilet paper EVERYWHERE. Just piled up.
She gets up to the cashier and the cashier says limit of one roll per person. ONE? OK- now I know why people were dumping the toilet paper rolls everywhere. I think to myself that one is better than none and I'll hit Walgreens next. The cashier says to the woman, "I have some multi-packs back here- do you want one of these?" (Again with the angels singing Hallelujah in the background.)
So, let me get this straight. We can only buy one single roll of Scott toilet paper, but you'll sell me a multi-pack of 18 rolls? SOLD!
I stepped up and got the last multi-pack. Phew. I could now let that obsession go...for now.
I want to end on a positive note. I've discovered that there are certain things that are helping me get through each day.
A routine. A routine is huge.
Get up and shower as if you are going to work.
Get dressed.
Put on makeup (if you feel like it).
Each lunch at the regular time.
Take a snack break when you'd normally walk to the vending machine.
GET OUTSIDE. We have gone for a walk everyday so far (except one) and it's been amazing. I've never seen as many neighbors out and about as I have in the past week. And everyone's friendly (from a distance). I can honestly say that this has made me smile.
Exercise. The outside walk will do it, but if you want to do more, do it.
CONNECT with people. My friend Terry and I did a video chat. I did one with my parents today. Talk on the phone. Message. Send smoke signals.
Find something that will make you smile and be thankful for the day at hand, even though it may be a struggle. (And if you can't find it today, you'll find it tomorrow.)
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