May AND (most of) June 2022

[jedimentat]

It's hard to remember what even happened in May; it's July now. And I'm all about looking forward, never back. Now we're in happy summertime mode, right? (It's July 4th as I type this, and that isn't quite how it all is going down, tbh) But ok..

Right after the 'Shrek' musical wrapped at the end of April, the kids were down sick. Never tested positive, but I think they had a version of the variant (everyone around here just kind of called it 'the bug') and were out of school for about a week.



It sucked to get (what I presume was Covid) for another round, and it swept the area in much the same manner as Omicron did back in Dec/January, but with like 99% less masking and cautionary measures (or even acknowlegement) in place. It was pretty surreal; cruising through the end of May into June with an obvious surge in sickness but no preventative measures in school really sucked. (A month later, I feel like, "Did that really happen?")I emailed the Super about allowing private donations of air filters, again. I don't know what to do about next school year. It's not like I'm under delusions about the efficacy of one-way masking for hours on end in an enclosed unventilated classroom. My kids were pretty much the only ones masked in their classroom, and carried on that way until the end of the schoolyear. I hope there is *some* health payoff to it, in terms of less exposure, but i don't even know anymore.





And then there was the Uvalde shooting in June. I mean, the freaking horror of that one. Every day for several weeks, worse and worse news and developments on that situation. If it didn't fill you with horror, grief, and anger, I don't know what to say. (Two days after the shooting, at breakfast watching the news about the woman who ran in to get her kids, Liberty said with earnest, utmost conviction, "*You* would run in after us, Mama." Oh my Jesus. Yes, I would, my sweetness. They'd have to kill me to keep me away. But what a world. What can you say about it? The burst of political energy that shocked through US society, that had people saying, "This time, it's different. Things are going to be accomplished, steps taken." ((Two months later I write this and it's another mass shooting on the 4th of July)). I'm not numbed out or dead-eyed about it. I'm fierce. I'm fierce about finding a future for my children.



Like nearly every other parent of young children right after the shooting, I hugged them incessantly and took them out for ice cream in the bright, beautiful sunshine. They were happy, and you smile at them while your heart breaks into shards and you carry on with your beautiful mundane rhythm of life.



Here's Kirk in his Easter suit ("I want to wear the suit that makes me look like a man, Mama"), singing sweetly with other first-graders about peace in his heart. The concert happened a day or two after Uvalde, and the vibe among parents sitting in the audience, well, I don't know how to describe that. Fragile? Brittle? Numb? Kind of breathless.



If I had to describe my mood in May/June, I'd say that it was pretty damn fey, in the JRRT sense. Dread, determination, and death-sense. I don't know how else to describe it.



I wish I could say I was full of love and hope and determination, or even a humble sense of duty, like this aspirational quote--



But I just feel grim and fey; my resources have all been marshalled and have been fighting for some time, but it's like acceptance of a long, permanent state of battle. June was also all the Supreme Court stuff. The war in Ukraine is still happening, btw. The formula shortage. The beginning of Monkeypox. And locally, I attended a public meeting and spoke against some pretty rotten racist and anti-LGBT stuff. I was so angry that I could barely choke out words. So there are a lot of "WHEE END-of-SCHOOL/BEGINNING OF SUMMER" pics and events below, but try to keep in mind the background tone of these two months, all-the-while running in the background. I dragged my feet on this post, and it's not bc I didn't have cute kid pics and a life chock-full of activities that I cram into every marrow-sucking moment. I didn't want to think about these past two months and sort of add it all up/organize it. If you just look at things piecemeal, or don't look back at all, it's a bit easier to handle.


End-of-the-year Elementary School Art Show. Gave both kids two weeks of mask-free after they returned to school, bc I figured they'd get at least two weeks of immunity from that variant b4 being hit by the next round...does that sound crazy? that is the constant risk-assessment of now. Constant strategizing for the most minor mundane activities.







oh my first grader. I love him so. Can't believe he's a big second grader now.



May and June was full of 'stress gardening', both at home and at the Community Garden, which was new for me this year.



Re: Community Garden: it's a lovely place, and I've met some delightful new people and learned some new techniques and some motivational garden things, but overall, I think it's a retired-person's thing...I just found myself really struggling to keep up with it, and I'm not sure that I'll do it next year. The kids came and were helpers a few times





Strawberry picking with a pal









Ukraine *almost* made it into the World Cup...



Took Liberty piano shopping...



(She started piano lessons this summer)





We went to the SCA event 'Qwest,' and got to be colorful characters and questors...







'Pool after school' on some weekdays in May and June...











Father's Day trip to Bolero Snort Brewery, where Kingfox got brews *and* a swanky beard-trim!















In addition to end-of-school and Father's Day, June was the month of birthdays! We went to *at least* four birthday parties...











....And I was Room Mom and also attended two class Field Days, which were great!









...AND we saw a friend's production of 'Camelot'! which was fantastic...



(NOT my pics of 'Camelot' below but I loved them)..





...AND Kirk and Kingfox did a Cub Scout overnight campout...









...AND there was a ballet recital!













...AND there was a trip to New Jersey RenFaire! (I was at an SCA SAS Practice so I missed this one)


...AND there was a visit from Aunt Emmy, in from the UK!



(she brought cookies! and we found Kirk's 'boat' name)



....AND Clinton 'Come Together' nights and Mem Day celebrations etc













End of school pics










Back at Memorial Day weekend, Kingfox and I made it out to War Practice for the first time, and had a great two days away...



Adventure Buddies make a lot of things better.





Ez-Up Number Three? Four? It came to a bad end.



Started doing the 100 Day Pell Challenge, and made it to like Day 64, before it got interrupted. Need to re-start. Here's me being dedicated by the lake on vaca







Pell-work aside, made it to two 'Southern Army Sundays' to learn some melee stuff, and it was cool, and also worked a bit on fighting with a friend. I'd like to fight at Pennsic War, but with only a few weeks out as of this writing, I don't think I'm ready. However, I made some small strides. Learned some new things, made a polearm and added knees and gauntlets to my kit, and auth'd. I hate baby steps and wish that life could be a real-life training montage with a kickass ending, but I need to look at the work I put in, in terms of fitness, for May and June, and I feel proud of the consistency I managed at that time. (Now that the kids are out of school and it's vacation mode, I've lost a bit, but hoping not to lose gains).


We also took the parents to Maryland on a family fishing trip, as soon as school ended. It was lovely. I'm going to smoosh the pics of it in the July post though, along with pics of the Parish Festival, just can't fit it all in June even though it all somehow fit in that month.

Tires and suspension done on one car, other car maintenance getting done next month. New cars and used cars are still incredibly expensive, so we are trying to take good care of our (getting up there! 2012?) used cars...



Had the driveway re-paved. Broke now.



Re-Moderna'd/Second boosted at end of June. The authorization for the Under 5s vaccine finally came through in June 2022, btw.




Liberty











...When you wake up in the morning, and find both your kids reading books, is there a better feeling in your English-teacher-heart?? I mean...



Kirk







unloading the dishwasher



















somewhere in there, we watched 'Obi Wan' and 'The Boys', and enjoyed both immensely (not my cupcakes, but a cute idea). Also an outdoor backyard movie viewing of "Northman."