December 2 2020

 oh look. It's December 2020. And today was one of the deadliest days yet. We're heading towards another lock down shelter-in-place situation. We have to fly to Virginia for Christmas this year and I'm so afraid we're going to catch something and get stuck there. 

So far so good with everyone with school and work. I have to have two bed desks (like a breakfast in bed table?) to use my laptop and document camera to get the job done. Last night Sam had his first Arroyo choir "performance" about social justice that was so hard for him. It's not the way this was supposed to be. And that makes me so incredibly angry and sad. He hates choir because it's NOT choir...or the way choir should be. Sigh. 

 

I go to the library three times a week to pick up lunches for myself and the kids. Then I got to Arroyo on Tuesday and Thursdays for school lunches for the boys. We make due a lot with what we have to avoid going to the grocery store more than once every few weeks now. 

I just barely saw this blog and thought I'd update. We're okay. The world is contagious and scary.

Holy Week

It's been Holy Week and I've been trying hard to focus up on that. Yesterday was another worldwide fast for relief from COVID-19. We passed 100,000 worldwide deaths.

So, I've tried to focus on what I CAN do. I can make kids happy.

I made a Pigeon (from the famous books by Mo Williems) to remind people to stay inside.

The Pigeon

 I also thought I would give away some succulents. It started as 7 little milk cartons with cuttings and soil. Over the last 24 hours I've cut 92 cuttings from my aeoniums! People need love right now, big time.

Mom finally started sewing some cloth masks after I got the ones I ordered from a friend in PA. She asked me if I wanted a Red Hot Chili Peppers one...like my favorite band. And this is what I got. She's so cute.

I've stayed busy learning some new creative things and painting along with Facebook live projects. This was a goofy sun I made out of salt dough clay.

The boys are doing okay. Working hard at school stuff. Next week is Spring Break so we're all looking forward to school easing up just a little bit. I met with Room 11 students on Zoom and they're always so happy to see us. So cute.

The line at Arroyo High School gets so long some days. I was about halfway to the window to pick up our lunches. April 10, 2020

I took a virtual field trip today to the Neon Museum of Las Vegas where Tim Burton has an exhibit called "Lost Vegas" amongst the old neon signs of Vegas. It was really cool to be able to take a tour. I even wrote notes!

Lastly I finally made Zephyr's memorial garden in his food dish. It feels so strange to be without our boy. Another neighbor from Corte Ulisses was offering some succulent cuttings. That was the court next to us that Zephyr walked for years and years and years. So it's his "territory". I think he'd be happy they succulents came from there. Oh, Zephyr.

Last shopping Trip

Today is Monday April 6, 2020.

Today I went shopping for what I hope is the last time in at LEAST two weeks. This week will be our last week getting school lunches and then next week is Spring Break.

Everyone is healthy. I will take Mom to go get a blood draw on Wednesday. She HAS to have it. I suppose the hospital is probably one of the cleaner places, but that's where the germs live.

Yesterday I had to go to Kaiser to pick up pills for her and I was literally shaking the entire time. I have come to fear Coronovirus. Poor New York has lost nearly 600 people for the last three days in a row. They are considering a mass grave in Central Park. Horrifying.

The apex is coming.

Zephyr

Sweet Zephyr Nowlin

July 4, 2004- April 2, 2020. 

Our Zephyr

Today we lost our Zephyr. He was in such bad shape. I had an appointment at the vet to remove his stitches from two weeks ago but knew as soon we pulled up to the vet this morning that there needed to be a change of plans. He was lethargic, even more than usual. The vet tech came out to the car and got him. The vet called to tell me that she wanted to start him on iv fluids for dehydration and get some blood work done. At that point, I knew. No. No more for our Zephyr. He was done and he told me that. So, they brought him out to us again and let us snuggle him in a big blanket. He tried to spin circles a few more times. We let him down and let him walk just a few more steps. We called Bryant and had him Facetime to say goodbye, as he had done for me with Cleo. We took photos and talked about  the many, many times Zephyr had cheated death. Then the vet came out and gave him a little, quick shot to calm him down. The boys did not want to be there when he went so we waited a little while longer for the shot to kick in and for him to calm down and then the Vet tech came and took him away. We were outside in the parking lot the entire time for the whole world to see and I didn't care. We cried and loved him so very much. He was our special boy and had been by my side for nearly 15 years. But it was his time. And I know he's running through green fields being watched by my grandmothers and my daughter, Rachel and with Cleo. What a happy reunion. But, oh, I miss him already. Our routine was SO intense. Someone had to stay up practically all night to make sure he was safe for the last 2 weeks.

Yesterday school was canceled for the entire year. Everyone needs cloth masks from here on out. Poor New York is slammed. So far it seems like the Bay Area is at least slowing down the curve, which was our goal.

Food Preservation Day!

We have been so blessed to get free lunches for the kids but that meant we had a LOT of fruit, especially pears, apples and peach fruit cups. We like our fruit but there was just too much at once!

So, I blended the peaches and made fruit leather. I dried the pears and apples. I'm excited and thankful I know how to do these things so I have food for my family longer than the food should last.

 

 

 

Peach fruit leather 

Dried pears

ran into a friend at the grocery store. I was buying a red cabbage for the experiment below

Joey and I did an experiment about acids and bases

Joey and I did a chemistry lesson today. That's the theme all week for his Supercharged Science classes. We made a predictor out of boiled red cabbage and then tested other liquids around the house like vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, 7 Up Soda and bleach. We kind of took the day off from everything else because it was a "day off" from school for Cesar Chavez day.

Worldwide Fast

Today was our 3rd Sabbath at home. We had a nice meeting together studying Enos. Today was the worldwide fast for relief from Coronavirus.

We are still taking our walks. We've had a little bit of rain.

I made some peach fruit leather in the dehydrator today with some fruit cups that we got from the school in the boys' lunches. I also dehydrated some pears that are delicious. I love my dehydrator.

Picasso Ms. Nowlin

I've been staying busy video chatting with friends and last night The Chabot movie theater in Castro Valley did a live stream of Plan Nine from Outer Space so that was fun too. I did some art following the Mrs. Thomas, a teacher from Del Rey that was inspired by Pablo Picasso. I like learning new techniques and I'm pretty excited to have a portfolio by the end. Maybe I can teach an art class someday from them.

Sam, flying.

These are the youtube videos we follow for scripture study. Don't Miss This.

Everyone here is still feeling pretty good. Except for Zephyr, but that's nothing new.