Visitors

I know in this time of social distancing, we're not really supposed to have visitors, but I just can't seem to get rid of them.

Hundreds.  Incessant.  With so many legs.

Ants.

This has been the wettest start to the year since they started keeping track over a century ago, at least according to my favorite local meteorologist.  And it doesn't surprise me that we get tiny insect squatters after a lot of rain.  It's happened in years past.  But this is a whole new ballgame.  Wettest winter = so many more ants.  And somehow they come in through the roof into our bathroom.  The room has a high, pitched ceiling with a crossbeam running the length of the peak.  Ants like to use that beam as a superhighway, running along it, back and forth, but the dozens and dozens and dozens, until one or several get dizzy and fall to their deaths.  On my bathroom floor.  Into my sink.  On the toilet.  Which is spectacular fun to discover in the middle of the night.  Crunch.

Chris got out the ladder and commenced chemical warfare last night, which did (at least temporarily) close down the bug commute, but he forgot to remove the bathmats before hosing down the room with ant spray, so, surprise laundry!  And then when I went in about an hour later, I looked upon what could only be described as an ant Jonestown.  Now, I don't know how many died from poisoning and how many committed suicide, but it doesn't really matter, because who cares when there's a carpet of dead ants on the floor.  I cleaned that up, and a while later, there'd be another batch.  And another.  Thankfully, the batches are getting smaller, but I'm tired of sweeping and the mass grave wastebasket is filled with little bodies. 

Kids, time for hygiene class!

Not Normal But New

So, what's new with you?

Just kidding!  We're living in a tornado right now, aren't we?  Things changes so fast and furiously that any minute we could get sideswiped by a flying cow and it won't be surprising.  Even for someone as anti-change as I am, I'm at the point where, "Another new and startling piece of information that upends our lives again? Pfft. Whatever."

Since coronavirus blossomed into a mushroom cloud of terror a few weeks back, we've been doing all the buzz words: social distancing, isolating, you name it.  Actually, about this time this became real for the vast majority in these parts, we were on spring break, and Sabrina was down with the flu and strep, as confirmed by medical professionals.  I really thought that would be the worst to happen over spring break, but, well, you know.  Luckily, no one else caught either one of her illnesses and we remain healthy today.  (It probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway - it is my sincere hope that it stays that way for us and all of you.)

Spring break came and went.  A second week of stay at home came and went.  The kids have now commenced distance learning, which, thankfully, they are completely ready to tackle.  As much as I am not a fan of 1 to 1 technology in our school district, it has given our students an unexpected preparedness for this situation.  They dove right in today without a worry, and actually wish the schools would roll out further virtual options immediately (they need a little bit of time to put live classes and the like into practice because they hadn't really had to do it in the past, certainly not to this extent).  I sent emails to both principals thanking them and offering my encouragement to keep going.  Last week, Sammy starting taking taekwondo classes via Zoom and Sabrina's Girl Scout troop met via Hangouts.  I even had a virtual happy hour with some neighbor friends (note to self: pour a bigger glass of wine next time).  Granted, we have to learn to stop grabbing iPads out of each other's hands when things aren't progressing quickly enough, but we're getting better.  Technology for the win!

Chris's job is essential to the infrastructure, so he's still going into work.  It's mildly unnerving, but he's not out in the public and has contact with only a handful of people, so I'm trying not to get squirrelly over it.  Plus, if he were isolating at home with us for weeks on end, he would lose his fool, super short term attention span mind and I might have to lock him in a closet to save myself.  My parents are fine so far, as are my other family members and friends as I know today.  I've learned I already isolate/social distance most of the time anyway, so I'm pretty good at it.  I identify for just about every single meme out there right now.

And so, let's circle back to old school blogging.  Why not?