Onward, ho

We had a pleasant last day of winter break. Late wake up, big breakfast, looked for a couple of geocaches (didn’t find them), stayed at a nearby playground for a few hours, lunch at In-N-Out, home, light dinner, bed. As much as I’m psyched for school to start, I’m not looking forward to the early mornings and rushing around. I’m especially dreading the wake up tomorrow.

Still, it’s very likely the teachers will strike on Thursday and we’ll be plunged right back into vacation mode. This strike is hanging over me like a sword of Damocles. There is so much conflicting information - the school system claiming the teachers are being greedy; the teachers claiming the school system is being stingy. I’m worried the boys will have a truancy on their permanent record if I keep them out of school - but I’m also worried about the unsafe conditions at school with no teachers. It’s a real conundrum. They meet at the bargaining table again tomorrow. Here’s hoping resolution happens. 

Apparently the 1989 strike ended after nine days because at ten days the union has to offer loans to striking teachers. So maybe even if the strike happens it will only last a couple of weeks. I think (?) I can manage that, especially with afterschool still open. We shall see.

Thankfully one of my issues is nearly resolved - the fridge repair guy delivered an awesome fridge, a step up from our old one. It’s huge and full of cool features. It is the same old brand but we have a warranty so if nothing else it should buy us some time. Now he just has to take away the crappy loaner that’s graced our dining room since July. And hopefully deliver a missing shelf.

In the hopes of getting inspired about my stalled kitchen, I went to an antique hardware store to look for knobs and pulls. It did inspire me.

Despite my negativity in my last post, I have fumbled together a resolution of sorts. Last year I did stick to my “no fast fashion” rule; this year I want to reduce waste. I’ve ordered bamboo toothbrushes, bitable toothpaste that comes in a refillable glass jar, bar shampoo, beeswax food wraps, silicone ziplocks, and have signed up for a monthly green product delivery service. I recognize all of these things may be meaningless gestures in the face of a massively wasteful consumer culture; but as with all things, I feel like you at least need to try. You can be part of the solution or part of the problem. 

I’ve got my professional gardener friend coming over for a consult Wednesday. I’m hoping to really up my gardening game this year and start growing at least some of our food. But I need serious guidance and tools. I know nothing about growing food in this extremely hot, dry climate. I’m also flirting with getting chickens again...but I honestly don’t know if I have the right kind of space for them. This is something I’ll ask her also. 

I worked my butt off on my website yesterday. There’s still tons of text to write - I don’t know how I’m going to get all this done before the strike - but I’m hoping to launch it this week. Fingers crossed. 

I also have to renew my event and my band’s business licenses, send the event and the band’s 1099s (which both involve doing an entire year’s accounting), and at least start the band’s taxes, all before the end of the month. Gah. 

This and keep track of Bobby’s poop schedule. Sigh. 

It’ll all get done. Be of good cheer. Leave all the crap in 2018. Right? Right. Onward.