Summer vacation for our school district officially started June 18th. What a year! We are in school, we are hybrid, we are online. And that was just the beginning of the year. When we finally decided that we were all online (or rather the state did) we could finally move forward in one direction instead of trying to set up two different scenarios of what school will look like. (In-building or online.) I was online until October, where I was pulled in-building to work with a special needs student. I was fine with it. It got me out of the house and made the days go faster. Although there were a few added items to the teacher/para dress code.

The last quarter of the school year we started hybrid school. (Half of the students in-building while the other half was online at the same time. They would switch every other day with Wednesdays everyone online.) It was a bit scary because we had not done anything like this before. But we had survived being thrown unceremoniously into online school March of 2020, we could survive hybrid. And we did.

So, now we are in summer vacation, and boy do we need it. All the stress of learning new ways to teach, some of the technology. Do I have covid, do I not have covid? If I do have I given it to anyone else. No, my cough is not covid, it’s allergies! If I don’t go somewhere besides work and home anytime soon I may go insane and commit someone bodily harm….. Well, that last one maybe not so much, but I can see where the isolation and worry would send some into that downward spiral. It’s exhausting because you can’t relax. What did happen is that in order to survive all the unknowns and changes I did not commit to any change because I knew that THAT would change within the next day or so. So why bother? “It is what it is” was something I clung to because I knew what was, is still, happening to the world is not in anyone’s control. All we can do is try to follow the guidelines the experts set out for us and pray we don’t fall victim to something that is so small we cannot see it without some sort of high-powered microscope. Ugh!

I keep digressing. Okay. Summer.

The weekend before school ended we headed to Michigan for our niece’s wedding reception. It was great to see everyone and have some fun. Mask restrictions were lifted for those of us fully vaccinated, which was great with the 90F+ degree weather. Michigan is a beautiful state. The only complaint I have is in the summer when you are in a hot and muggy room and need to go outside to get some relief from the hot and muggy, guess what. IT’S JUST AS HOT AND MUGGY! Gah! Other than that it was a blast. Back to school for a week and then we are off. Freedom!

First weekend, Father’s day and Birthdays. House clean and leftover food and I was set for the next week to do nothing but yardwork and getting ready for our Vegas trip. Unfortunately, our dog, Jack, was diagnosed with cancer. We knew he was not doing well. The last six months his health was deteriorated rapidly. When everyone was here for the celebrations I warned them I was taking Jack to the vets and there was a good chance he was not coming home. He was 17 years old and he had lived a great life. It was also the first time I have taken him to the vet and he was not shaking. I think he was tired of not feeling good and the pain. It was also one of the hardest things I have had to do, but at the same time I was mentally ready for the outcome. Unfortunately it does not help with the pain of loss. He will be missed.

Vegas was a lot of fun. We walked over 40 miles in one week. We lucked out with a couple of days in the 90s. What was weird was on that Sunday and Monday, we were cooler in Vegas than it was in Washington State! I did not miss that 116F we had on Monday. We are part of that 70% of people in the Pacific Northwest that do not have air-conditioning. Did we win anything in Vegas? We held our own. Ate some good food, did some shopping, sat out by the pool and relaxed. It was a great vacation.

Then we came home and I caught a cold….. (sigh)

I think today I can finally say my summer vacation can start (not including the week in Vegas vacation). Starting a routine of walking in the morning, then writing with what yardwork there is and errands afterwards. The house does seem a bit empty without Jack, but I also have some freedom to be out and about longer without having to worry about him. And I have the Dragon. Not sure she will know what hit her when I start to pay more attention to her. he he he.

Have a great day and rest of your week!

Heidi