Countdown to JT

Tomorrow after school wraps up for both boys, we head out to Joshua Tree for another in a series of “glamping” trips. I have no idea what we’re getting into. It’s the desert. There’s no water to play in. It’s quite a bit hotter than I had hoped - mid-high 90s each day. Considering the only thing to do is go on long hikes and scramble up rocks, I’m not so sure everyone else will be as into it as I am. Well, it’s an adventure. Much like all of our other trips, if we decide we hate it, there’s nothing to prevent us from packing up and going home. We’ll be staying in a makeshift cabin with an outdoor kitchen, so packing up will be quick and easy! 

Yesterday I had my second pandemic haircut, and today I had my first teeth cleaning in a year after my March appointment was canceled and never rescheduled. Next week the boys will have their first dental appointment in a year after their March appointments were canceled and never rescheduled. Their teeth are horribly stained in the front despite religiously brushing morning and night. What’s up with that? Theo had some tooth staining when he was a toddler and a cleaning got rid of it. I’m hoping the same will happen next week. 

Bobby had some kind of assessment last week for reading and math - math put him on the high side of average (a few months ahead of his current grade level) and reading two and a half years ahead (almost to sixth grade!). I was pretty proud. He has some more testing tomorrow. I’m not sure if this is normal for 3rd grade or is a result of distance learning. Either way, it’s a relief to know he’s not falling behind. 

This upcoming month marks the end of my actual money, and the beginning of living on loans. Any hope I had of handing back the money I’ve borrowed, unused, is gone. If it were a normal year and I could start my income stream in February by opening registration, and I’d only be in the hole three months. But I’ll be lucky if I can open for registration by summer; even luckier if I can run the event and actually make some money. But I’m not 100% confident that I will be able to have a live event next year. Will I make it to 2022? Sure. The loan money is there. But every penny has to be paid back, with interest. Starting in May. Sigh.

I’ve managed to send myself into various anxiety spirals this week thinking about the election, voter suppression, the Supreme Court, Drump saying he won’t leave, more civil unrest, Covid numbers no longer decreasing in California, etc etc etc. It’s all too much. Time to escape to the desert!