Some positive things happened in June....

I am at a loss for what to write.  I have stared at the blank page for awhile tonight.  I'll start by posting the updated Coronavirus maps.  (note - updated this blog with July 1 maps b/c forgot when publishing yesterday.)   There are over 10.6 million confirmed cases and over 500,000 deaths world-wide.  Here in the US, there have been over 2.6 million confirmed cases and over 128,000 deaths.  

It doesn't seem that things could get heavier, but they have.  On top of the pandemic... on top of the protests and racial issues... there is now school reopening plans that have been unveiled in the midst of a spike of Covid cases.  As a parent - the worry about school cleanliness / classmates / ensuring that our own children are being careful is very real and totally out of our control.  One thing that we're trying to figure out is how we can get M to and from school with him not having to ride the bus!  That is frightening because the run 3 different routes in the morning and 3 in the afternoon.  Additionally, as a teacher - the worry about social distancing, how to sanitize between classes, and - of course - curriculum stuff.... seeing that I have not taught the subject yet has all set in over the past few days.  The sleepless nights are setting in too.

The county where I was teaching and the city where I will be teaching went ahead and unveiled their plan late last week for reopening, but it was quite a bit different than I was expecting.  I thought they were going to do a hybrid approach when school opened Aug 3rd / Aug 4th.  Instead, the approach is either you're sending your kids to school or you're not. (They're developing an online program for those who choose to keep at home.)  Unfortunately, yesterday, the governor extended the Public State of Emergency for Georgia through August 11th.  There was also an additional order detailing the continuation of requirements for social distancing and not allowing gatherings of more than 50 people.  Hmm.... school doesn't sound like it can manage EITHER of those requirements.  I wonder what this will do to our school schedule??!!

The coronavirus numbers are definitely up.  After Georgia's initial spike... it sort of leveled off (never really went down). Then, recently, the numbers have shot back up.  Here's a graphic for Georgia and another for Cobb County.  

We have no choice.  We will both be working out of the house.  (I'm not sure how the students who are in my classes who choose "online" will be serviced.  We were told that a teacher is not doing both online and in-person... they're splitting up the teaching force.  (But for a teacher like me, there's no one else to teach the content.)  I've asked my contact at the high school what this means for us, but was told it would be July 6th or later before there were any answers.  It would just be nice to know what to plan for!!   I have about 3 weeks left of summer so my brain is starting to move towards the curriculum I will be teaching (I had to get through architecture continuing education + multiple assignments due today for my teaching class.)

Here are some photos of my classroom.  I'm trying to wrap my head around how to implement social distancing in my room with these computer tables crammed up against one another.  Can they be moved around so we can get more spacing? 

What about the wiring?  Do I have to sanitize between each class?  (I've got 27 or 28 stations)  At first, I was nervous thinking I had 60 student spaces.  It took me a minute to figure out that the kids will have DUAL monitors... so there are almost 60 monitors, but only about 30 computers.  Whew.  

My room is huge (long).  The proportions are weird, honestly.   But I'm grateful that I have daylight.  I've been told there's glare in the afternoons.  I'll need to propose a solution!  I shopped for drawing boards with the funds that the school had to spend for my program this summer, but I really don't have tables to put them on so the kids can work (that's the next problem to solve... I was just trying to spend the required $ on durable goods that I could use in the coming school year).  

I want to start with drawing and fundamentals.  The drawing boards would need to be sanitized between classes too... and the supplies such as scales (architectural rulers) and drawing templates.  Oy... so much to think about!!  My room is off of this atrium (to the right).  I wonder if we can have class out there - spaced out when I need the kids to use the drawing boards?!  Can we use the steps like tables?!   

So many questions.  Next week, there are a series of "Town Hall" meetings for each school to hopefully provide clarity and answers!!  

Until then, we can only relish in the things that are tangible!

We celebrated Todd twice in June:  once for his birthday and again for Father's day.

His gift -- that he's picking out -- is sold out for a long time.  (A new bike).  Eventually, he will get his birthday present.  In the meantime, he claims that getting a new roof was his birthday present (it was put on the day after his birthday)... and the cake.  Oh the flop of a cake! I tried making a pound cake in the cathedral cake pan.  I've made bundt cakes before in there, but this never happened!    

Todd's expression.... THIS cake was supposed to look like that other one?!  :)  ha ha.  

sadly, yes.   

Thankfully, the French bakery around the corner on the other side of the square had exactly what I was trying to make!  He thought it was funny.  (Mercer wouldn't let me throw it out... which I was about to!  He is a growing 12 year old boy and isn't picky about too many foods.  Although he said he liked mine better.  It was quite moist!   

We went out to a restaurant for the first time since closure (and only time - haven't been out since we went out for Todd 3 weeks ago).    We went to the Mexican restaurant that is the newer version of our old n'hood Mexican restaurant that is about 20-25 mintues north of us.  It was a Friday night and we had a little bit of a wait, but we wanted patio seating, so we were patient!  Inside, they had every other booth and every other table blocked off.  Outside, half of their patio tables were moved out to the yard where cornhole, bands and other things used to be.  They put up a giant sun sail and basically expanded their outdoor seating.  Very smart! 

We got out of the house for a little bit while the roofers were at our house too.... going to a nearby park.  Isabella was happy to play on a playground!  (Of course, we sanitized after and washed up when home!)  You can see how it looked before we left (with no ice & water shield)... and after. 

We'll post a FINAL photo once we get the house painted too.  We're going a little more blue-green than what we have now, but haven't settled on a color just yet.  

Father's Day, we had a very low-key day.  Mercer's tournament team (Spikes) had a tournament Saturday and Sunday.  We had a Sunday morning game (which was blazing H-O-T)... but Todd was right there next to the batters area in the blazing sun.  Isabella and I were father away finding some shade!  Afterwards, we went to lunch at a new (quick serve) restaurant near us that was in a converted bank building and had some of the old vault stuff which was cool.  THEN, we took it easy for the rest of the day..... Well, Todd and the kids did... I was working on my teacher class work.  But - he didn't want to go on a hike or to the pool.

The chill afternoon is what he wanted.  I pre-purchased a meal from a local caterer (thank goodness).

What a good value it was, honestly, and so easy!  We had quite the spread of Ribs and sides.

We presented him with a hand-made cards from the kids + a hand-made "certificate" for father's day for a boat ride the following weekend.
















The next weekend, we went for the boat ride over at Lake Hartwell -- about 2 hours away from where we live.

(It's the lake that we pass over on highway 85 when driving to North Carolina.... it separates Georgia and South Carolina.)  It was not very crowded for such a nice day.  Maybe because it's a little bit away from the city?

Here are GOBS of photos.... and blogger isn't cooperating with the placement of some of the photos, so they're a bit out of order.    We were "treated" to more than just a sunset cruise.  "Captain Russell" is an old friend.  He told us to come early for our sunset tour... bring the dog... bring swim suits... and he was making us dinner!!  wow.  what a treat!

Russell is my old co-worker and mentor from Urban Design Group.  He actually left the profession to teach in public school as well.  

He went a more traditional route -- going to college for a teaching degree (He didn't have to take teaching classes while working, but he had to take a break from working for 2 years. Sounds like he cobbled together some consulting work to do while going to school.)  I thought that he was a math teacher -- and he has done that -- but he was actually teaching 6th grade science at the same time I was.  Too bad I wasn't keeping track of him throughout his transition into teaching... I could have picked up some pointers from him!  Oh well.)  The great thing about teaching, of course, is summers off.   Russell said that he was up at the marina at the state park on Hartwell and overheard some visitors asking if there were any boat charters on the late and they said no. So, he talked to the manager at the marina and started offering tours for people who inquired - thus started a boat tour company on Lake Hartwell last summer (for fun & for a little extra income).  His wife, Jennifer, says it's the perfect job for him because he loves being on the boat and he loves talking to people.  

They have a puppy - Buttercup - here with Isabella and an older dog, Joey, below with Mercer in the boat.  (I'm not sure if he takes them normally on boart rides

One of the highlights for Isabella, of course, was the dogs.  Mercer actually got into playing with the dogs as well -- playing fetch with one of them in the water over and over again until they asked him to stop... they needed to let their dog rest!  It was actually kind of amazing to watch their dogs swim, fetch, ride on their floats, climb up the ladders, etc.  

Hip-Hop finally braved the water but it took awhile.  He had to jump into Todd's lap to make it work.  A couple of times, he did end up in the water and did this sad little doggy paddle to the ladder, but needed help getting up.   We were still proud of him for finally jumping in after much coaxing.

Hip-Hop also had his first boat ride.  He was shaking and cowered/ cuddled... but did well overall.  He got a little defensive about "his spot" on the boat if the other two dogs got too close to him.  The hosts (Russell and his wife, Jennifer, were so very kind and were trying to calm HH as much as possible / were very understanding about his territory and tried to keep their dogs away from ours on the boat where he was certainly more timid.)

Jennifer suggested that the kids ride on "the couch" -- a giant inflatable 3-seater tube that is pulled behind the boat.   Todd and the kids rode in it for awhile (Isabella is certainly too young to ride without an adult), then we stopped for awhile so we could watch the sun set.  

The kids jumped back into the lake for a swim.... and their dogs were so funny.... either watching the kids or really wanting to get back into them water themselves!

Then, Todd and Isabella rode it back. 

Mercer is not as much of a dare-devil as Isabella and decided to take a break from it on the way back to the dock.  Isabella LOVED getting almost bounced out and was screaming to go faster.  Oy~

Isabella jumped on me after her swim to get me soaking wet!

Here is a photo of our hosts:  Jennifer and Russell.  They were wonderful and really treated us to some fantastic memories for our little family unit!  (We have watched their kids grow up -- they're teens and young adults at this point -- and they have watched us get kids and been there for some of the early milestones / formative years as they have come to soup night year after year.  We've lost touch over the past fews years, but glad we reconnected.  They said "next time you're out...." which means we're invited back.  :)  yay!)  

These photos of the sunset on the rippled water reminds me of our painting of water that we had commissioned by Elena Madden.... before kids, of course.

Thank goodness we had the boat ride planned.  It has been the highlight of June... and the highlight for our summer so far!

You'll notice Mercer's haircut in these photos.  (Although he didn't want me to take his photo....)

It was absolutely required!  He could not wear his baseball cap.  Isabella needed one too because she had knotted up her hair.  This was only her 3rd haircut in her 7 1/2 years!  We masked up... used social distancing... had our temperatures checked... and used sanitizer.  

It looks like this will be our new norm for awhile.  Masking up and getting the temperature change didn't even phase them, thankfully.  

It was intersting watching them get scanned... I suppose this is going to be the new norm?!   (sigh)