Mask

For quite some time I have wanted to gently color my gray hair purple.  I've had some shampoo that is supposed to do that.  It didn't.  I'm going to use it the next few days and see if it needs to build up or something.  K wants to actually dye it after we are in the new house. We shall see if I remain brave enough to color it at that point.  Right now I am working from home at least until May fourth, plenty of time for whatever color I use to wash out.  😉 

A friend of ours made us some masks to wear when we go out during this time of social distancing. They came in the mail today.  Gideon and Kiaya were wearing them to try and get used to how they feel.  Gideon decided to try a kiss through the mask and thus, 'Masky kisses' were born.  Silliness ensued.  This is my happy for today.

☮☮☮

Wash your hands...

Monday-Third Week Home

This morning I made it out for a walk.  It wasn't long enough to get my step count in, but better than nothing.  I listen to my book for work while I walk.  This book is "Smart but Scattered" by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare.  It is full of great information but I am having a hard time answering the questions that have been posed.  The longer I am away from the students the less connected I am feeling to them.  Any connections to them was tenuous at best to begin with I suppose.  Much of what I am being asked to do is to create a way to use what I am learning in a mock school situation.  Suddenly all the students are so perfect that my imagination can't even make up a student who is not organized or has trouble with task initiation. 

Work and packing is most of what my life seems to be these days.  I'm so thankful to be one who is working at home.  My happy for today is that I took advantage of REI's clearance sale and how they closed all their stores early on, paid the employees, and are offering free shipping.  I bought a tent.  Next week some time I will see it.  I have no plans for when I will get to use it, sometime after all this social distancing I imagine, but I will have it!

A bird on a limb.

☮

Wash your hands.  Here is why-Mythbusters.

Rainy Days

We found a break in the rain to get more things into the moving truck and rearrange it.  Z got a much larger truck than we needed because it was all that was available.  This meant that I had to lower the piles and secure them so they wouldn't be all over the place when they got to the storage unit.  K told me that I did an awesome job so I am assuming that means the piles stayed put.  They left Gideon and I home while they emptied the truck.

As I write this it sounds like it is pouring out.  Earlier there was a thunderstorm.  As I listen to the rain I wonder about the sounds we will hear in the new house.  And lightening is flashing outside again so I will finish this and get off the computer.  Today my happy things are a phone call from someone I hadn't heard from recently, playing on the computer, and listening to the storm.

Not...

☮

Moving Van

It has been a long day of packing and loading up the moving van.  More of the same tomorrow, but some unloading will eventually happen too.  I am sore and ache in so many places but it was a good, productive day.  As Z and I were loading up some of the last things for today we got rather punchy.  I laughed and laughed and don't even know why now. 

My bed is in the moving van, I have the mattress on the floor for at least tonight.  We aren't actually leaving the house for at least a few days and I haven't decided if I want the mattress or if I am willing to make do on my camping air mattress for a bit.  My happy for today is that we planned ahead and I made a lasagna in the crock pot this morning for dinner tonight.  It made the end of the day so much nicer and at even came out good!

Unmaking the bed?

Look at the directions backwards.

☮

Washing hands is important.

Blue Sky

The worst part about working from home is how much my back and body ache from sitting on my bed to work.  Maybe once we move I'll get my desk out of storage.  The best part of working from home is that I am home.  I'm not in the car 45 minutes each way to and from my job.  Lunch is at home, I walked and listened to the book for work, and the family is close by. 

Today I attended a Google meet that included some of the students!  It was so great to see their smiling faces.  That is so much my happy for today! 

I tried to get a picture of a hawk, but all I got was blue sky!

 Blue sky and a little dot.

☮

Wash your hands!

Home Bound

Today the governor issued a stay-at-home order for the state of NH starting tomorrow at midnight.  This is to last until at least May 4th.  Remote learning for students will continue.  I assume it will continue for para-educators as well.  I guess I'll find that out soon enough.  Until then, I will limit travel as much as possible.  We still don't know what that means for selling and buying a home. 

We went to the storage unit and the grocery store.  Grocery shopping, of course, will still be acceptable.  I looked it up and the storage area seems to be essential too.  None of my search words for buying or selling a home produced any definitive results though.  My thoughts are that since the banks are to remain open that the house transactions will take place.  This weekend we will be the big packing push.  The time when we would normally be asking for help.  I think we are in pretty good shape though.

There are still many things to be happy for:

• Birds singing in the neighborhood this morning
• Remote learning in the car as a passenger
• Modern medicine and practices (like gloves, soap, allergy meds, and vitamins)
• All the communication hardware, software and applications that allow learning and social contact from a distance
• Strangers smiling when crossing paths and kind anonymous messages on the sidewalk
•  Long walks--I made myself take a walk tonight, I needed it
• Gideon let me use his iPad to play a game that I recently deleted from my phone so I could play one game tonight, but not be distracted by it tomorrow
• The crocuses are still blooming after the snow melt.

☮

Keep washing those hands!

Work

People I care about are losing their jobs because of this pandemic.  So far I am blessed to still have a job that I am able to do from home.  Okay, I'm receiving professional development at home, not caring for students.  The idea is that we will have more information and resources upon our return to be able to assist the students better.  Or maybe it is just to help us keep our jobs.  Whatever, I am thankful to have the job and the health insurance that comes with it still.  I feel bad for the people who are losing their jobs, but I feel even worse for those that are suffering with this illness and dying.  I am thankful for those people who are still out there working to keep people healthy, fed and warm. 

So today I am happy for my job.  I am thankful that the governor moved to close the schools and many other things around the state.  I am hopeful that if need be, they stay closed for a bit longer. 

☮

Singing

This morning I got up and worked and stayed going, like I did last week.  I felt like I actually finished at a reasonable time.  Then I played Minecraft-for just over 15 minutes (timer)- and then packed.  I packed things that I shouldn't have, those boxes will stay open.  I also went through some things and added stuff to the burn pile.  A shredder that we got a few years ago has been found, it was hiding in the cellar, but I think I may still wait and burn things.  It will be faster and less tedious.

One of the things that has happened with social distancing is more people connecting and sharing on social media.  Tonight I got to watch E sing on Facebook.  Unfortunately the live connection kept freezing, but what I got to see was beautiful.  I'm hoping to be able to watch the whole thing later.  Watching her performance is my happy for today.  If there is a way to share it, I don't know what that is.

When it is spring and the world hands you snow,

send it flowers.

💮☮💮

And wash your hands.

Week Two Working From Home

Last week I was very focused on getting all my work done.  Today started slow, but I worked later to make up the difference of my slow morning.  One of the things I had to watch is this video.  I share it because I liked it.  I'm liking the information in the book we are reading (or listening) too, "Smart but Scattered."  I may look for my coloring book because it may help me stay focused when I am listening to the book.

There is a snow storm outside as I write this.  We had to move our cars to the city garage so the streets can be plowed.  When we move, that won't be necessary, we'll have a driveway.  Z and I parked the cars and walked back in the snow.  I checked out where the crocuses are and they were already buried.  My happy for today is the snow.  Or should I say how every thing looked and felt because of the snow.  It was a quiet, still evening walking back home in the city this evening.                         

Hiding under the white stuff are the crocuses.

☮

Wash your hands

Sunday

The other day I posted a link about dolphins swimming in the canals of Venice.  It turns out that was fake news and so I added a little edit to that post noting that.  The sediment in the Venice canals has settled, but no dolphins yet.  As a society, I think we are looking for happy news.  I'll do what I can to not spread fake news in the future. 

Although the corner of my room that has been a problem is not completely packed for the move, I feel like I conquered it today.  Tomorrow is a work day then, more packing.  I'm tired and not feeling well, but it will all get done! 

There is supposed to be snow tomorrow, so Gideon and I got out for a walk this afternoon.  We walked by the State House and he was so excited to see the statue of Daniel Webster.  It seems that Gideon's scout council is named for Daniel Webster.  We did a little bit of research to learn more about this former Secretary of State.  One of the best things about smart phones is how quickly questions can be answered.  The walk with Gideon and working through that corner are two of my happy things for today.  A few more things are:

• The replica of the Liberty Bell that Gideon also was so happy to see and read
• Gideon plans to go to Concord's tricentennial to see the opening of a time capsule
• More trees are budding
• We watched the Disney Pixar movie Onward tonight.  It was fun, but I cried a bit too 
• The crocuses are still blooming

☮

-Too tired to proof read.

Unexpected Visit

Looking around my room it is mostly packed.  There is a corner of my bedroom that I don't seem to be able to get to.  That isn't exactly right.  I keep trying to get that part packed and get to a point and then can't finish.  Today the majority of the shelves there got packed but there is still a section that has accumulated stuff that is a mess.  As I was about to sort through there today I heard a drip, drip sound and realized that my water glass had spilled.  After cleaning that mess up I was done.  My bed was still covered with things I was sorting, the corner will wait.  Normally, I am very careful and only bring up bottles or a small glass that won't make a mess.  Not today.  I don't tend to eat in my room either but this week I have been working and eating in my room.  Good thing we are moving. 

Late this afternoon I got a call from an old friend.  He had something that he wanted to bring by and could he swing by with it.  I joked with him about social distancing but he said he wouldn't even have to get out of the truck so I said sure.  He got here and pulls out toilet paper and lets me take some.  I had to laugh.  He was at the store and ended up finding the last 30 roll thing of paper and decided to share some with friends.  Toilet paper is one of the things that people are having a hard time finding with during the pandemic.  We had a nice visit while he sat in his truck and I stood a few feet away.  Seeing this friend, his surprise and getting to catch up a little is my happy for today.

☮

Friday!

My first week of work from home is over.  It was a long week and I miss the students and faculty.  The daily technical check-ins have been welcome as are the more recent ones with other para educators.  I've been learning quite a bit about the brain, teaching strategies and stuff.  At least two more weeks of working from home.

Tonight, after work and packing, we sat down and watched Pride and Prejudice.  Gideon loved it.  There were a few things that had to be explained to him because things were different in the 19th century.  He absolutely loved the dancing and is looking forward to learning some country dances once the social distancing is over.  My happy for today is seeing his excitement over the movie.

☮

Happy First Day of Spring

Spring started in New Hampshire today with snowfall.  Yesterday there were crocuses blooming and today snow.  That is how the weather is in New England.  I'm okay with that.  Maybe the snow helped to keep more people inside and social distancing.  With the pandemic there has been quite a lot of sad stories going around.  This one that I am sharing has some sad in it, but also some good.  If you haven't seen the story about the dolphins in Venice, here it is.  (edit: it turns out the dolphins in Venice story is fake news.  I'm leaving the link because it can still be fun to watch dolphins swim.)

Working at home has me a little burnt out.  I thought of some strategies to help me with that and hope to start with them tomorrow.  I plan to make a point of getting up and moving more often and alternate between class subjects.  Hopefully these things will help.  Some of the other para educators and I are trying to come up with some topics for discussion that we might be able to share and be part of our work day.  We can video conference and share ideas and concerns.  I'm supposed to be coming up with ideas for themes.  So far my mind is blank.

The first day of spring is a happy thing.  Another happy for today is that I got some more boxes packed and hopefully found a way to pack my looms.  I was half hoping to get some weaving complete and off the looms before the move, but that will have to wait.  I expect to have them packed, but the box open until it gets closer to move day.  Maybe I'll make the time before I tape up the box.  So far, the move day hasn't been canceled or rescheduled.

⁕☮⁕

Spring is in the Air

When I probably could have been working more I went for a walk instead.  K and I walked almost 2 miles and later Z, Gideon and I walked.  They didn't go as far as me, but I got all my steps in for the day.  I've decided to end my day now with one of the videos I am supposed to be watching for work.  If I fall asleep, I can watch it again in the morning.  If I don't then I am maybe ahead for morning.  I slept in a little today, I needed it.  If I am able to get to sleep tonight, I plan to get back to that 5:00 AM wake up time.

While out on the walks I buds on trees and crocuses that have broken ground and are starting to bloom!  Spring really is coming and I am looking forward to it.  That is my happy for today.

Buds!

Building with a castle rooftop. 

Crocuses! 

The State House/Capitol Building 

☮

Wash Your Hands

Happy St. Patrick's Day

After writing my blog last night I couldn't sleep.  I may have napped a little, but I don't think I did.  I fell asleep after my alarm went off and woke up a few short hours later.  This made it difficult to work today.  If I had been driving to work today, I would have called in sick I think.  Instead I did as much as I could and when it started to put me to sleep, I went for a walk.  Well, actually, I did fall asleep at the computer for a little bit.  Then I went for a walk.  I ended up walking around 4.5 miles.  I thought it was supposed to rain all day, but it was just this morning I guess? 

Some trees are starting to bud, spring will be here soon.  It was busier than yesterday on the streets.  Fresh air on the walk and llama socks are my happy things for today.              

                                                                                                                                                                    ☮

First work from home day

Although I didn't mind working from home, I am not fast at it.  It took me most of the day to do something that should have taken only a few hours.  I took a bunch of notes and I may skip that tomorrow.  Or at least be more particular about what I write down.  I sat way too long though.  Tomorrow it is supposed to rain, so I probably won't get out and up much then either. 

The governor closed restaurants to today, delivery only.  It will be a quiet St. Patrick's Day for many.  K made corned beef for dinner tonight.  It was okay, but not like I remember as a kid.  After the move I may see if I can find some corned beef that is more naturally cured.  I read somewhere Wiki?)  that corned beef isn't Irish. 

For today my happy is sorting through the things in the Make Room with K.  We rearranged what is left, some things went to Goodwill, and more boxes went to storage.  Tomorrow or Wednesday I can move things out of my room and be able to get more sorting done here.  Another happy for today is that I solved my Rubik's Cube.

☮

Beware the Ides of March

The NH Governor had a press conference today that closed all schools from tomorrow until April 3rd.  These precautions should slow down the progression of COVID-19.  The school I work at is ready to go with remote learning.  As a para-educator, I am still unsure exactly what I will be doing.  There is training set up but I am not certain what else may be in store for my responsibilities.  Today emails and text messages came, but most, while informative, were aimed at the teachers. 

On the packing front today was more sorting than packing but progress was made.  Later this afternoon, Gideon and I went for a walk.  He wanted to go out.  It is not a ghost town out there, but there were definitely less people on the roads than I would have expected for a Sunday afternoon.  He and I walked about a mile when he was ready to go home.  I made the choice to walk longer and get my steps in.  I totaled 3.5 miles.  Walking is my happy for the day.

☮

Pi Day

The exchequer work I needed to do is to the point of waiting for others.  More boxes are packed and I brought things to the storage unit.  I have too much stuff.  Knowing this, and wanting to get rid of things is still not easy.  The only way to fit more into my storage unit is to stack dangerous or fill up the narrow aisle I finally have.  So there was productivity today and I hope for more tomorrow.  

Thing are getting canceled all over the place because of the Covid-19 virus.  I must say that no matter how much I want to go and do some of the things, I am glad that people seem to be taking this somewhat seriously.  There are funny memes and things, of course, but most of what I am seeing, that is first hand, is respectful.  I managed to forget the whole thing today and dropped off something at my brother's house.  Then was reminded of the pandemic and scooted out of there fast.  My niece is one of the high-risk people that need to not get sick.  As far as I know I am not sick, but I have still been going to work and stores.

Today is Pi day.  In celebration of this we had pie for dessert tonight.  Apple crisp pie a la mode is my happy for today.  Okay, getting through that exchequer stuff is too.  

☮ 𝛑

Sunset

Today improved instead of fading like the last few days have.  The school is preparing to close even while hoping that it won't have to.  It appears that they have plans for what the para educators will be able to do as well should this happen.  If the custodians at school could just keep up with filling empty soap and paper towel dispensers it would be great. 😉  There just isn't enough staff for that. 

Gideon had a muscle cramp today.  I helped him stretch it a little and then suggested we take a walk.  Surprisingly, he said yes.  He only wanted to go around the tiny block that our house is on though.  We did, and then again, and again.  After that we went down one road a little longer and turned around.  Then we went the opposite direction and back.  It was starting to get dark so I offered to leave him at the house while I walked up a hill for pictures.  He walked with me up the hill too.  So proud of him for getting out there and exercising to help ease the cramping he was feeling.  We even remembered to stretch after our walk.  This walk with Gideon, the sunset and hearing from Gideon about Minecraft and April Fool's Day are my happy things today.

City Sunset.

☮

Wash Your Hands

Sunrise

Apparently I am feeling kind of down.  I'm tired and not sleeping the best.  I think all the different things that are going on right now are having a larger affect on me than I am consciously aware of.  Or maybe I am becoming aware as I realize how I've been behaving lately.  The wonders of my vacation, not quite two weeks ago, are already a distant past.  Work, moving, balancing reports and reactions concerning the virus are all talking their toll.

Tonight the family finished watching the movie Emma, with Gwyneth Paltrow.  When we watched the first half, Gideon was quite upset with some of the characters antics.  We weren't sure if he would be able to watch the entire movie because he was so upset with some of the characters.  He enjoyed the last half more and watched it through the end.  He has such an awareness of right, wrong and honesty.

Watching the movie with the family is my happy for today.  The sunrise was pretty spectacular too.  I do need to wash the windshield though.

☮

Wash Your Hands

No, Really, Wash Your Hands

School was canceled today to disinfect the buildings against the Covid-19 virus.  I'm not sure at what point things become overreacting.  This safety precaution was the right thing to do.  This morning, when I got the call I was still in bed hitting snooze on the alarm, I wasn't sure.  I couldn't get back to sleep.  I got a nap around 10:30.  Unfortunately, the day off ended up being more stressful than I want to admit.  Maybe I like going to work or something?  🤷

K and I did some chores and I spent the evening doing exchequer reports.  I have pushed getting the exchequer reports complete ahead of packing since they are due Sunday and packing has a few more weeks.  My local group is now as complete as I can get it to the Kingdom level.  There are so many steps in getting these done.  I am happy that I got this one completed and that I have help with some of my other regional groups.  Another happy for today is a nice comfy flannel shirt that a friend gave me.  It wasn't fitting them right and they thought of me.  😊

☮

Wash your hands...

Wash your hands.

Professional Development days can be draining.  I think it is because I don't necessarily get up to walk around at least every hour.  This was the end of a series of classes the para educators have been taking on behavior management.  I want to say that I learned a bunch, which I did, I am not sure if I retained it all though.  I guess that is what the notes are for.  One of the topics covered today was autism.  We watched this from an autistic woman, Temple Grandin.  There is a movie about her that I may need to check out. 

The superintendent talked with us about the Covid-19 virus.  The teachers are making plans for the students to do at home if the school ends up being closed because of this.  I'll keep washing my hands and encouraging the students to do the same.  The other thing people are supposed to be doing is not touch our face.  That is really hard for me.  I tend to be a very itchy person, even with lotion to help reduce the dry skin.  I probably should be more concerned about this virus than I am.  Wash your hands.

Wow, too much down stuff today.  Happy things for today are getting outside for a short walk, the fresh air, and playing Minecraft for a short time after work by myself.  I also sorted out a few more things today.

Clouds.

👏🧼👐☮🧼🙏🧼

Wash your hands.

Spring Forward Sunrise

There were many hours over the weekend that I was awake.  Even Sunday morning, when I 'slept in,' I didn't sleep as long as I thought because the clocks sprung forward.  With all of yesterday's packing I didn't get to sleep until after midnight last night and was awake around five this morning to get ready for work.  If I can type this fast enough I will be asleep by ten.

The good part about the clocks moving into Daylight Savings Time is that there was color in the sky on my ride to work.  That is my happy for today.  The weather was lovely with temperatures over 70 degrees this afternoon.  Spring is coming, and I must sleep so that I am awake when it gets here.  Why do they say "spring forward" when it isn't spring yet?

There was something on the windshield or the camera lens, apologies.

☮