What's Been Going On: Thursday, 9 June - Sunday, 12 June, 2022

Good morning, and welcome to another week! It’s Monday, and I don’t know about where you’re at, but it’s supposed to be an absolute scorcher this week. The high tomorrow is something ridiculous like 97. We’ve already discussed the types of indoor workouts we’re going to be doing, since I’m not a fan of overheating out in the sun. If it’s going to be that warm where you are, stay hydrated and cool. Those kinds of temps can be dangerous!

We had a lovely weekend with my mom, very relaxing, and it’s always nice to visit with her and see how my hometown has changed. Nice to be back home as well; there are a lot of reasons why I’m glad I no longer live in my hometown.

Anyway, here’s what I was up to the second half of last week!

 

Thursday, 9 June, 2022

After coffee & breakfast, I finished writing and posting my Thursday, then I edited and posted my review for The Lost Family by Libby Copeland over at my book blog. I got dressed and got a batch of potato rolls started in the bread machine, filled and ran the dishwasher, then scooped the litterbox.

The kids and I went for our COVID tests (negative!), then it was back home to empty and refill the dishwasher, and I sliced and roasted an eggplant. We had lunch, and then I made a batch of baked eggplant burgers (these turned out to be REALLY good!!!). I got the rolls on to rise, took out the compost, cleaned the kitchen, and then the kids and I went on a three-mile walk.

Back home, I baked the rolls, baked the eggplant burgers, and then relaxed a bit on the computer. I read outside, and then my swing seat ripped! It’s only two years old, but the fabric is cheap and the weathering has not helped it at all. What a pain. I patched it with a piece of canvas I had in the basement, which took over an hour. I’m considering a newer swing, because I’m concerned about how long this will hold up, but I don’t know. We’ll see.

After dinner, I read outside a little more, showered, and did my Duolingo. I finished reading How the Other Half Eats by Priya Fielding-Singh, then started A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K. Barnett. My husband and I watched one episode of Unusual Suspects before bed.

 

Friday, 10 June, 2022

After breakfast and coffee, I wrote and posted my Friday post, then got dressed. I emptied and refilled the dishwasher, took out the recycling and compost, then remade my yearly fruit fly trap (apple cider vinegar with a piece of banana in a mason jar with a piece of plastic wrap full of holes in the top. Works like a charm!).

The kids and I took a trip to Walmart; my son needed a pair of swim trunks for an upcoming trip to the beach, and a belt; I needed dental floss, and I got some caffeine for my headache (nothing serious, just a naggy hormonal headache that has lasted throughout the week). At home, we had lunch, and then I sat down for more homeschool prep. I paused in the middle to fill up another box for Goodwill. I’m feeling SO good about my decluttering this summer!

I tidied the living room and took out more recycling and compost, then walked my daughter through cleaning up her toys out of the living room (she did a great job!). I took some food from the fridge to the garage freezer, then bagged up the frozen jalapenos for storage. I filled and ran the dishwasher, and my son and I went on a 2.75-mile walk (would’ve been longer, but it was starting to rain).

At home, I spent some time on the computer, and we had dinner made up of random things from the fridge. I did my Duolingo, showered, and watched YouTube until it was time to log on to virtual Shabbat services. Afterwards, my husband and I watched one episode of Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey on Netflix, about Warren Jeffs and the FLDS (I’ve heard certain episodes of this, particularly episode 4, should come with a content warning for child sexual abuse, so be aware of that if this is something that interests you).

 

Saturday, 12 June, 2022

After coffee, I got dressed and packed my clothes and bathroom stuff. I scooped the litterbox, emptied and refilled the dishwasher, and took out the compost and recycling. Then the kids and I were off!

We stayed off the highways due to construction, but unfortunately one of the towns we were driving through was having an anti-abortion protest on the main road. Fortunately, there was a warning sign posted prior to the protestors and their graphic propaganda signs, so we were able to warn my daughter to close her eyes and keep them closed until we told her it was safe. She’s got enough anxiety as it is; she doesn’t need adults waving posters of medical procedures at her, and it angers me that these people were literally attempting to force that on her. I understand that it's their first amendment right to protest like that, but it’s not cool to subject young children and people who aren't expecting it or who have medical anxiety to intense medical photos.

We arrived at my mom’s and brought all our stuff in, then hung out for a bit at home before going for a drive around town. It’s been over two years since I’ve spent much time in my hometown, so it’s nice to see what’s changed. We stopped by the local candy store for some ice cream, then we headed over to the local state park for a short walk.

 

 

It started to sprinkle, so we headed home, driving around town a little more on the way. My son and I headed out for a walk and managed to go 2.2 miles before the rain picked up again and we went back in for dinner. I did my Duolingo and played around on the computer while we visited, and then I showered. More computer while visiting, and then we all went to bed, completely exhausted.

 

Sunday, 12 June, 2022

We all had coffee and breakfast together, and then, after guzzling a bunch of water, my son and I drove downtown to walk around town. We parked at the library, walked the downtown, then walked by the I&M canal and river.

 

We then headed through the east side of town (I lived there briefly with my son when he was three) and managed a three mile walk weaving back and forth through all the side streets. The humidity was NUTS while we were out there, and it was a relief to get back home and get some more water.

My daughter was swimming in my mom’s little blow-up pool, so I joined them with my knitting (my son floated back and forth from the living room to outside). My mom and I chatted while my daughter played in the pool, then I packed up our stuff while my mom gave my daughter a pedicure (I’m not a nails person, but my daughter is super girly and my mom always has her nails done, so this is very much their thing!).

We ordered a pizza from a place a few towns over, then drove over there to pick it up and eat it by the river (no pics; they’re doing a lot of construction work by the river so it wasn’t a terribly aesthetic view). After dinner, it was time to drive back to my mom’s, collect our belongings, and drive home. My daughter cried; she loves going to Grandma’s and didn’t want to leave!

At home, I immediately unpacked all our belongings and put them where they belonged, whether in the laundry or back in the bathroom, then I filled and ran the dishwasher. I did my Duolingo, showered, and then settled into bed to read for a bit before going to bed.

 

And that’s it! It was a really nice weekend. I love getting to hang out with my mom, and we’ve barely been able to do that the past two years. We were only able to go this time because her husband was away; he’s not vaccinated and refuses to get vaccinated, so we’re not comfortable around him (and my mom did a PCR test as well before we came!). *sigh* We’re hoping to be able to visit her again this summer, but we’ll see.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend as well, and I wish you all a wonderful week! Stay cool and hydrated, and be careful out there!