Tuesday

We’re settling into a routine, if you will. I mean, one of the hardest things about this covid isolation is that we constantly feel like everything is tentative and might end any day now. There’s no way to count on anything – will the numbers get better or worse? Will you get sick or someone you love? Nobody knows anything. Ever. And it’s all fragile and scary and tentative.

My mother tested positive two and a half weeks ago. I hadn’t seen her for at least a week before she tested positive, but I saw my sister the day before. And my sister lives across the street. Mandi tested negative twice, so I didn’t have to test or quarantine, and I never had any symptoms. My brother and niece both tested positive, but were asymptomatic.

I think she’s getting better. She seems better. The idea of her not getting better is such an incredible anathema to me that she must be getting better.

But she is. She sounds more energetic, she sends me oxygen levels and talked on the phone with me today for 20 minutes. All of which is a good sign.

But we’re in a routine here. Jessie is at school – she threatens to drop out every few days. I’m relatively sure she’s kidding. We’re in this limbo area, where the college apps are mostly in and we wait.

Sam is thriving. There are issues – because he’s not using any of the accessibility features independently, but he’s kicking ass academically. I figure I’ve got the rest of high school for him to learn how to do this on his own – and this year, I’m just trying to keep my head above water. It’s easier for me, right now, for him, for me to just assist. So I sit beside him, and click “next page” and read the questions to him and transcribe the answers. He’s doing the work, but not the accessibility stuff. Given that his IEP isn’t really even in place yet – we don’t have the assessments or the equipment, I figure it’s okay.

My Julie – this has not been fun for her. But she’s starting at TECCA in January, and for right now, we’re focusing on an eclectic, sort of unschool-y sort of homeschool, relying heavily on reading, typing, math facts and ELA workbooks. She’s also learning Hebrew. We’ll get through it. She’ll get through it. I’m so proud of her, she’s figuring out ways to make this whole time better for her. Establishing routines and plans, because they make her feel more centered and in control.

Marc is back to work, and seems to be doing well. He works so very hard, but his company loves him, and that level of appreciation helps on every level. Not just financially, but also emotionally.

As for me, I crochet. Badly, but I make blankets. Without cessation, I just sit and crochet. And read. And wait for a vaccine.