Happy 2021, 1st Grader,
I really thought when I titled these Pandemic posts that it would only last for a few months. I remember a colleague posting on facebook, “So all we need to do is stay inside, watch Netflix, and wait this out. We can do this, people!” Oh how wrong we were.
The Pandemic has now reached the year mark, and nearly half a million people dead from COVID in the US. As of now (February 20th) new cases have sharply declined as well as hospitalizations, which is great, but 28 million americans have had coronavirus. The US is by far the leading country in cases and one-fifth of the current deaths – not something to be proud of.
Your school has published that Pre-K through 1st students will be going back to school in some capacity by March 1st, but that date has been pushed back and with the negotiations with the teacher’s union, nothing is clear.
But we keep going, having some driveway dinners, working from home, going to the pod, and doing what we can to stay active, outside, and social.
The latest 1 Second Everyday Video: Here’s the 2020 full year video in 1 second every day.
What you’re doing these days:
We’re re-listening to Harry Potter. We took a year off but now have plowed through The Goblet of Fire and are now on The Order of the Phoenix – they make car rides go so smoothly – as long as there is an audio book and treats, you can motor on.
You’ve lost three teeth in the last couple of months. You still buy into the Tooth Fairy, but your have your doubts. The last time we were talking about it, you went to Alexa and asked, “Alexa is the Tooth Fairy your parents?” Thankfully, she said she didn’t understand your request. 🙂
We continue to play Puppy in a Box – nowadays it is Cheetah in a Box – which gives you joy because you get to play a cheetah, boss me around, and allows us to roughhouse. It isn’t my favorite – I wish you’d want to play chess or draw or shoot baskets with me, but I try to say yes. someday Cheetah in a Box will be gone – I choose to participate now.
We’re doing a lot of skiing on weekends. You just completed your fourth lesson out of five today and you’re making tremendous progress – and loving it. Mommy says you’re going to outski me in the next year or two.
A recording
I am Thrilled that you and Marijke in the pod are singing Hamilton. I would play Cheetah in a box over and over to be able to capture you singing like I did with this ……you know it better than I do!
In my life these days:
I’m teaching more in-person these days, biking in to work for the afternoon session when I have class. Pretty soon, we should be back to all-day half capacity teaching, though many teachers are resisting it, not for the safety factor but also because they have home/kid situations that require them to be home with their kids. It is a tough issue right now.
I’m keeping active with biking, lifting in the garage, date nights on Thursdays with Mommy, and nordic skiing when time allows. Today I was in my first nordic race of the year….it was a self-timed 9k hilly course in Plain. After your ski lessons, we came down off the mountain. You and Mommy left me off at the start. I jumped out of my downhill clothes and into my nordic gear and broke into the top ten!
Here are some shots of the goings on in our lives lately.
this has been your 1st grade classroom for most of the year. It is home – we are so thankful that you’ve got a pod of learning going on and that you’re thriving with it.
This is Kazoo’s good friend, Theo, another sheepadoodle.
I taught your 1st grade class how to juggle scarves in two back to back drop in lessons in January.
we went to Zoo Lights at Woodland Park Zoo – this was a walk-in kaleidoscope you did with Mommy
my Valentine’s card to Mommy this year was a flip book – the librarian at school helped 🙂
this started happening to my right thumb back in April – I don’t know what the hell it is.
In the news:
I’m feeling much better now that there is a new administration. Just when I thought 45 was gone, the storming of the Capitol happened and we saw a new domestic terror that was unthinkable. I’m hoping to hear less of Proud Boys, QAnon, and the conspiracy theories as we move forward into 2020, along with a unified message to quell the virus and get the US back to normal.
A summary of a book or podcast I liked:
I just finished listening to Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime. I read it a few years ago but to have him tell it is fantastic. Growing under the shadow of apartheid in South Africa, it really helps you see how poverty, domestic abuse, racism, and religion, but in a comedic way.
I don’t know why this one was in my stack, but I finished The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
I also laughed out loud many times listening to David Sedaris’ The Best of Me.
Both Trevor Noah and David Sedaris have Poop stories that are two of the funniest I’ve heard. Here is David’s . For Trevors, go to the chapter, “Trevor, pray.”
Our MidWinter Break is over, little Cheetah, but we had a good long week of skiing, reading, watching, and lounging.