Final week before TG

Feeling a bit better after last week’s rant. New vaccine news has even the worst “nothing will ever be normal again!” cynics feeling somewhat hopeful. I’m still concerned about the timing of everything as far as my event in September. I wish I had more time. I suppose moving the event dates isn’t entirely out of the question, but I’d be hard pressed to find another weekend that isn’t currently occupied. I’d be more concerned about vaccine roll-out issues if we were stuck with Trump for four more years; knowing we’ll have competent leadership come January makes me feel more at ease that we’ll finally beat this monster in 2021. 

Did both boys’ online parent-teacher conferences today; both boys got glowing reports. Yay! They are apparently “right on track” and both boys are reading at above grade level. So thankful they’re doing so well under these crazy circumstances.

A friend who wanted to support her local small businesses found out her favorite cheese shop was offering a monthly cheese club and joined it; over the weekend I joined one, too, under the guise of “I need shit to look forward to”. I also have started collecting materials so that I can make my own dill pickles in a 19th century crock, also sauerkraut, and also make kefir (my hairdresser says she’ll give me some grains to get started when I see her on Weds). I’m fascinated by fermentation. When I get back from my trip I’m going to order a crock, weights, a sauerkraut pounder and milk bottles for my daily kefir. Hippie bullshit, here we go! 

Yesterday I finally got a break from the kids and enjoyed a few precious hours alone at home binge watching the new season of The Crown, which in all its brooding melancholy fed my Northern European soul. Now I plot out our Death Valley trip and meal plan for it while the kids have half days due to the conference week. Not bad, not bad at all.

Also? I got my period unexpectedly a full week early, which has never happened to me in my life before. I was waiting for the moment my periods would become unpredictable; it’s entirely possible that at 48 1/2 I am starting perimenopause at last. I only just finished the last one over Halloween weekend. Still, I’m hoping this means I’ll be spared having it for the entirety of our Death Valley trip, which would not have been convenient.