Musings from Quarantine

Yes, we're still staying put, avoiding everything but some appointments in the last couple weeks. I've kind of gotten used to it, but like everyone, I'm wondering when this will ever end. 

• Last week, I got a much-needed perm from my usual place. I was the only customer and she and I both wore our masks during the long process. Of course, now I look like Mama on the Carol Burnett show with tight curls galore (at least I'm not all grey). It will relax considerably in the next week or so, giving me a softer "do" with more body.
• Hannah's plan of having both kids attend the Bullitt Athletic Center for supervised on-line learning completely fell apart. The children were from different schools, grades and had different schedules, and the teachers had no way to keep up. So she enrolled Lena in a tutoring program and Noah in a child care facility nearby. However, he had a three-day gap before they could get his paperwork in line, so my house became "Grandma School." I'm trying my best to guide him through the complexities of his classes and keep him on a schedule. He does language arts, math and social studies on-line, as well as two meetings a day with the homeroom teacher. In between, I let him take a swim break, lunch and iPad time. Noah always wants a nap, which shows how stressful this whole thing is for him.
• I caught up with an old friend this week and we chatted for a full hour. They were neighbors of ours with two girls about the same age. We vacationed together, shared dinners, family and holiday celebrations and had lots of fun over the years. It was truly shocking to learn that she suffered a massive heart attack and nearly died while they were on vacation in Montana. I had already scheduled a battery of routine cardiac tests this week and was reminded by her frightening story how important it is to get your heart checked once in a while.
• Yesterday, I was getting dressed in the walk-in closet (usual uniform of crops, t-shirt and sandals) and wistfully glanced at the few dresses and suits I have hanging there. When I worked in a development office for a children's health system, we were required to dress professionally--dress or suit, heels, hosiery, make-up, etc., in case one of our board members, an important donor or a doctor came by. I never dress like that anymore, but kind of miss it, as well as completing my outfit with a scarf (I have a drawer full) and jewelry. 

And so it goes. August will soon come to a close, and I'm looking forward to cooler temperatures as fall arrives. Stay well, my friends.