Off on a road trip...

 We are heading out later today to visit two wineries. it's a gorgeous sunny blue sky day... just right for a road trip!

Dominic and his Mother dropped by last night after band ( meets physically outside after school for several hours.)  with a batch of "crack pretzels" for me!!  He had to play solo for the band teacher on his Euphonium  (sp ?)  Says he did well... teacher somewhat surprised since he had never heard Dominic play other than his trombone!! 

Dominic has gotten the music for the local music competitions and is practicing!!

Crack pretzels are popcorn oil, dry package of ranch dressing and pretzel sticks... just the snack for a 6'4" fourteen year old !  

Something came up and we didn't make our road trip... trying again tomorrow

 

 

little get together

I belong to a "quilting" group that used to meet every two weeks at someone's home with snacks and something to drink. Some of us quilted... some worked on bears or cross stitch or jewelry or whatever. It was fun.

We missed the get together and each other so planned one outside. Sitting 6 feet apart earlier in the evening so it would still be light out...  still with snacks and drinks!! We didn't get much done but we did talk alot!!  The hassles of teaching  and parenting online was a major topic.  I sat there while the words whirled around me!

We sat on a deck ... lots of flowers, grass  and birds! Gold finches... both male and female were eating the sunflower seeds. A red tail hawk swooped over head looking for little field mice. The eagle didn't show and it was too early to hear the owl...

Around 8.30 mosquitoes showed up so it was time to head home!!

it seems like nothing

 It seems like nothing... but I did manage to go into Kansas City and get my hair cut. Mark, my "stylist" was amazed at how long my hair had gotten. He liked the  new look so just shaped and thinned it. I now have gray sections from the center of my head...

I also managed a trip to the cardiologist. His office is part of a hospital so there was a routine to get into the building... temp, questions etc ending with a dated green sticker to wear. The doctor seemed happy with me but has decided it's been too long since my last echo cardiogram and scheduled me for a new one next week.

My grandchildren and their mother were over today. My daughter to make a shelf for next to her computer... much needed with the online teaching... to hold stuff while she is online.

My grand daughter to talk about her college plans for next fall... this year is turning into a gap year. She "moved out' and into a house with two friends. She is working for Americorps as a preschool reading tutor and at Applebee's ( a chain restaurant) doing what ever they need. She is coping with growing up in a really weird time.

My grandson tagged along. I asked him how his schooling is going. He said the teachers are doing better... no more scheduling things that conflict with other teachers!! And he's getting his homework done....English, Biology, Geometry, History and Health .... and Band  which he actually goes into the school building for.

Felt somewhat strange having them all in our house ... all at the same time... that hasn't happened since February.

wide awake

Wasn't really asleep this morning at 7.30 when the phone began to ring.  It was raining heavily and rumbling not too far away. My daughter lives about 4 - 5 miles away and had lost her electricity... but we hadn't.

My daughter had contacted her school district since she was to start online teaching in an hour... and with no electricity, that wasn't going to happen!

My grandson was to start online high school at the same time and that wasn't going to happen either.

Told her he could come here and "go to school"! 

He was on his way ( Father driving) when my daughter called to say the electricity was back on and that my grandson and his Father were headed home....

Everything back to normal ( except for the rain) with 5 minutes to spare!!

walk?? Not today...

We had plans to take a walk "in the park" today but  it started raining off and on all night ! I thought it has finished earlier this morning... but it has started pouring... again!!

I really don't mind. We had a dry August with large cracks in the ground..

 The view out my window is of pouring rain and sun shining through it all!!   The "storm" had settled over our area for hours but is supposed to head SE....now..

Maybe all this water will have soaked into the ground by tomorrow and we can take that walk! 

ps...we had enough rain that flash flood warnings have been posted on my phone

 

braved the uknown

 I had postponed my annual eye exam twice... but decided I just had to "brave the unknown" and go! I hadn't been inside anywhere other than the grocery store since this all began.

We arrived... masks were required and temperatures taken. Bob waited in the car with a book and the morning paper. The waiting room only had 6 chairs and very far apart. People were staggered...and no one was near anyone else.

Eyes are fine... no change big enough for new glasses! Actually 20/20 in one eye and 20/30 in the other.  Cataract lens fine too!! Don't need anything for at least another year!!

Cardiologist next week for a check up.  Hope things are as well ordered.

Still don't like the idea of going in anywhere but the grocery store...

My daughter the teacher seems to be settling in. The first day of school she had only two students in the morning and none in the afternoon. Her district is red and she is teaching virtual. She teaches in a pull out program for the gifted Kindergarten through 5th grade. One grade level in the morning... another in the afternoon.  The number of students is increasing and she hopes things will settle after the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Her only complaint is that the small number of students showing up has thrown her lesson planning for a loop.