School starts in two weeks. We have run the gamut of plans from all of them going back full-time, part-time, some-time, no-time. Like everyone else, we are floundering. My three oldest were set to go back until I learned that they would be attending school in “learning pods” on their chromebooks with a “Learning Coach”…
The Lost Family: DNA Testing
Last week I read the amazing book The Lost Family: How DNA Testing is Upending Who We Are by Libby Copeland. I also happened to listen to the podcast The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry‘s episode The Viking Code which examines how DNA testing works and whether or not all Britons (is that the…
Reviews can be bought: An Amazon shopping experience
I get easily overwhelmed when buying online. I tend to research items obsessively and even then I’m never really satisfied that I’ve found the perfect item. I love reviews and I read them like gospel. Or, I did, until a few months ago. Last year I bought a calendar. But, despite being a repeat purchase…
Skirt Challenge: Lessons Learned?
In June I stepped out of my shorts and pants only life and into a life of skirts and dresses. For two weeks I wore only skirts and dresses, except when exercising. At first I felt silly putting on a skirt to putter around the house, although that was nothing compared to how silly I…
Burn Out
I have four kids. Since schools closed on March 13th I’ve been in full-time full on mommy mode. That’s almost five months. No breaks, except my weekly shopping trip, if that could be called a break, which has now been hijacked by my 16 year old needing driving practice. I go to bed at 9pm….
What I read in July
I haven’t been doing anything extracurricular except reading lately. It shows. I’ve now read 50 books for 2020 and it’s only July. Up until 2019 fifty was about how many books I read in a year. What was I reading? Here’s a list with a brief summary. Just a quick note. If I read it,…
A Desk of One’s Own
We just built our children a desk. The best hope for their return to school this fall is a hybrid of school and home. For the last few months of school we used an ad-hoc and imperfect system of the dinning room table, my desk, and a small table we brought down from upstairs. But,…
8 Great Ways to Exercise during Lockdown
Are you still in lockdown? We are. Although the world around us is opening up we are keeping to ourselves. But, that doesn’t mean that we are sitting inside and molding to the couch. Here are 8 ways we are getting our hearts pumping: Cosmic Kids Yoga: “Your place for yoga, stories, and fun!” Have…
Autolyse, A Metaphor
I have no new ideas of my own and during the coronavirus pandemic’s initial lockdown stage as I watched my yeast stash slowly diminish I became one of those people who bakes sourdough bread. In sourdough bread you combine all of the ingredients together into a bowl and then you let the mixture rest for…
It’s Amazing What You Can Get Used To
The first time I donned a mask a few weeks ago it felt so strange. I felt self-conscious and stupid. But, this past week when I went to the store I barely thought about it at all. I simply strapped it to my face and went out. It reminded me of what it felt like…