e: The princesses are real in Disneyworld, right?
M: Yes, they're real.
e: They're not dolls, right?
M: No.
e: How big are they?
M: They're a regular adult size. About my size.
e: The real ones?
M: Yes, the real ones in Disneyworld.
e: So...could we fit one...in a trunk??
Friday, June 26, 2020
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
This is Quarantine: Day...Oh forget it.
It's safe to say we're well past Day 100 with no end in sight, so I'm going to kibosh the counting. Also, I can't be bothered to count ALL THE WAY BACK to my last entry to figure out what day it is.
I've been remiss.
First, let me clear up a few questions you may have:
1. I did not die.
2. I did not sell my children to gypsies passing through town.
4. I am still making sourdough. And it's only getting better.
5. The girls did wrap up the school year successfully and embarked on their summer "break" this week.
On the other hand, here's something that no one anticipated:
I retired!
Yep, you heard me. As of...well, now...I am no longer working outside the home. It's a little anti-climatic, as I haven't been working outside the home since March, but it represents a huge shift for me.
Working as a massage therapist during a pandemic is a daunting prospect. Social distancing is not possible. Direct contact with a whole bunch of people is inevitable. We were officially allowed to begin working again toward the end of May, and that surprised me. I thought, given the nature of our work and the fact that it isn't "essential", that we would be among the last to be given the green light. I knew when I heard that announcement that I wasn't ready. Soon after, I heard from the owner of the clinic where I work, asking about when I was thinking of returning. As soon as I got that phone call, I knew I wasn't going back.
How could I go back to a high contact situation and feel safe returning to my family at the end of the day?
Who would care for my kids while I go to work, with camps closed?
If camps open, do I feel comfortable sending a 3 year old?
What will happen in September, if schools remain closed or, more likely, students attend school in a part-time capacity?
How is it possible that I got a tax refund last year when I wasn't working, and had to pay an exorbitant tax bill this year when I was??!
There are many people just like me out there struggling with these questions. For some, the answers to those questions are irrelevant, as they don't have a choice about whether or not to return to work. I do have the choice, along with a wonderful husband and family, who threw their support behind me wholeheartedly.
And so, at the ripe old age of 43, I am gracefully transitioning into my "retirement years". They will look different from most. Most people don't retire with preschoolers in the house. Most people don't stop working before their oldest child is out of elementary school. It will likely be several years before I start to feel retired. But I'm okay with that. Truthfully, I am excited at the prospect of focusing on being a mom and a wife for a while. I feel like that's what our family needs right now.
And in that spirit, here are the Top 3 benefits of early retirement:
1. Being able to go to the grocery store (whenever I end up doing that again) when everyone else is at work.
2. Being able to fill my days with whatever I want without having to consider my afternoon nap or my colonoscopy appointment.
3. Being able to say that I retired before my father-in-law.
I've been remiss.
First, let me clear up a few questions you may have:
1. I did not die.
2. I did not sell my children to gypsies passing through town.
4. I am still making sourdough. And it's only getting better.
5. The girls did wrap up the school year successfully and embarked on their summer "break" this week.
On the other hand, here's something that no one anticipated:
I retired!
Yep, you heard me. As of...well, now...I am no longer working outside the home. It's a little anti-climatic, as I haven't been working outside the home since March, but it represents a huge shift for me.
Working as a massage therapist during a pandemic is a daunting prospect. Social distancing is not possible. Direct contact with a whole bunch of people is inevitable. We were officially allowed to begin working again toward the end of May, and that surprised me. I thought, given the nature of our work and the fact that it isn't "essential", that we would be among the last to be given the green light. I knew when I heard that announcement that I wasn't ready. Soon after, I heard from the owner of the clinic where I work, asking about when I was thinking of returning. As soon as I got that phone call, I knew I wasn't going back.
How could I go back to a high contact situation and feel safe returning to my family at the end of the day?
Who would care for my kids while I go to work, with camps closed?
If camps open, do I feel comfortable sending a 3 year old?
What will happen in September, if schools remain closed or, more likely, students attend school in a part-time capacity?
How is it possible that I got a tax refund last year when I wasn't working, and had to pay an exorbitant tax bill this year when I was??!
There are many people just like me out there struggling with these questions. For some, the answers to those questions are irrelevant, as they don't have a choice about whether or not to return to work. I do have the choice, along with a wonderful husband and family, who threw their support behind me wholeheartedly.
And so, at the ripe old age of 43, I am gracefully transitioning into my "retirement years". They will look different from most. Most people don't retire with preschoolers in the house. Most people don't stop working before their oldest child is out of elementary school. It will likely be several years before I start to feel retired. But I'm okay with that. Truthfully, I am excited at the prospect of focusing on being a mom and a wife for a while. I feel like that's what our family needs right now.
And in that spirit, here are the Top 3 benefits of early retirement:
1. Being able to go to the grocery store (whenever I end up doing that again) when everyone else is at work.
2. Being able to fill my days with whatever I want without having to consider my afternoon nap or my colonoscopy appointment.
3. Being able to say that I retired before my father-in-law.
Saturday, June 13, 2020
This is Quarantine: Day 94
I guess those bagels were so good they rendered me speechless!
As a result, there is so very much to catch up on.
First things first:
We did manage to get that playset up and running last weekend. It took about 5 hours or so and went so much more smoothly than any of us expected.
And it's a big hit! We're already getting our money's worth.
Whew! I'm exhausted. I guess I'll have to back into this slowly so I don't pull a hamstring.
As a result, there is so very much to catch up on.
First things first:
We did manage to get that playset up and running last weekend. It took about 5 hours or so and went so much more smoothly than any of us expected.
And it's a big hit! We're already getting our money's worth.
Whew! I'm exhausted. I guess I'll have to back into this slowly so I don't pull a hamstring.
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
This is Quarantine: Day 83
Quarantine Mission Accomplished!
I finally got around to the bagels.
We've accomplished a lot, my starter and I. Sandwich bread, boules, cinnamon buns and even english muffins. Rave reviews all around. But all along I've had my eye on the bagels.
A mighty adversary for something that looks so much like a doughnut.
And there's an extra layer of challenge to the undertaking, knowing that you will most certainly not please everyone.
There are the New York bagel champions, who enjoy the thick, bready texture that holds up to a half pound of cream cheese. These are the bagels my kids clamour for.
Then there is the Montreal contingent, who like a bit of fight in their bagel, with a chewiness that makes you work for it. I am a Montrealer at heart.
There are an infinite number of bread vehicles offering a thick, pillowy texture. The bagel, in my opinion, is special because of its divergence from this path. It is sturdy and stubborn, able to shine under an endless array of toppings. It can be simple and humble, elegant and refined, rustic and hearty. It can fill any category. There isn't much a bagel can't do.
It is even supremely portable. I can eat my bagel with one hand, while popping another on my pinky for my toddler while we take a neighbourhood stroll. Depending on the length and spread of your fingers you might even be able to take a couple for the road.
I'll be honest. They take a long time, and you end up with 8 bagels. So basically, if you live in my house, it takes about 26 hours to make something that will last about 26 hours. I had actually decided, when they were rising for the second time, that I would not be doing this again. Between the starter activation, the first rise, the shaping, the second rise, the boiling and THEN the baking...I mean come on. Sometimes you just have to say enough is enough.
And then I tried them. And forgot about everything else except that perfect. texture. 26 hours is a very small price to pay.
I finally got around to the bagels.
We've accomplished a lot, my starter and I. Sandwich bread, boules, cinnamon buns and even english muffins. Rave reviews all around. But all along I've had my eye on the bagels.
A mighty adversary for something that looks so much like a doughnut.
And there's an extra layer of challenge to the undertaking, knowing that you will most certainly not please everyone.
There are the New York bagel champions, who enjoy the thick, bready texture that holds up to a half pound of cream cheese. These are the bagels my kids clamour for.
Then there is the Montreal contingent, who like a bit of fight in their bagel, with a chewiness that makes you work for it. I am a Montrealer at heart.
There are an infinite number of bread vehicles offering a thick, pillowy texture. The bagel, in my opinion, is special because of its divergence from this path. It is sturdy and stubborn, able to shine under an endless array of toppings. It can be simple and humble, elegant and refined, rustic and hearty. It can fill any category. There isn't much a bagel can't do.
It is even supremely portable. I can eat my bagel with one hand, while popping another on my pinky for my toddler while we take a neighbourhood stroll. Depending on the length and spread of your fingers you might even be able to take a couple for the road.
I'll be honest. They take a long time, and you end up with 8 bagels. So basically, if you live in my house, it takes about 26 hours to make something that will last about 26 hours. I had actually decided, when they were rising for the second time, that I would not be doing this again. Between the starter activation, the first rise, the shaping, the second rise, the boiling and THEN the baking...I mean come on. Sometimes you just have to say enough is enough.
And then I tried them. And forgot about everything else except that perfect. texture. 26 hours is a very small price to pay.
Monday, June 1, 2020
This is Quarantine: Day 82
First, the good news:
J's assistant tested negative for Covid and is feeling much better. Hooray!
Then, the better news:
On the heels of this announcement, the girls and I decided on the spur of the moment to pay Grandma and Papa a visit.
The hugs were as wonderful as I'd imagined. The smiles were priceless. And the speed with which things clicked back to normalcy made my heart happy.
And though I explained several times that this would not be a sleepover, the kids won the battle.
So, for the best news of all:
J and I have a kid free evening!!!
What to do, what to do?!
Anything!
Nothing!
Whatever we want, on our own schedule.
It. is. so. quiet...
J's assistant tested negative for Covid and is feeling much better. Hooray!
Then, the better news:
On the heels of this announcement, the girls and I decided on the spur of the moment to pay Grandma and Papa a visit.
The hugs were as wonderful as I'd imagined. The smiles were priceless. And the speed with which things clicked back to normalcy made my heart happy.
And though I explained several times that this would not be a sleepover, the kids won the battle.
So, for the best news of all:
J and I have a kid free evening!!!
What to do, what to do?!
Anything!
Nothing!
Whatever we want, on our own schedule.
It. is. so. quiet...
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