1. What's happening where you live in terms of schools opening? How do you feel about it?
Right at the moment, schools in our town are planning to open around the end of August, I believe. The governor is giving guidelines but pretty much letting school districts decide on their own just how to handle it. High school sports are going to happen, but will be starting 3 weeks behind schedule, and no one knows quite what to make of that. I think pretty much everything regarding school opening will be subject to change.
How I feel about it: well, I know that this isn't a popular position, but I think the kids should go back to school as usual -- and I would say the same if I had kids involved, or if I was a teacher. ( In fact, I do have a grandchild who is affected by this. ) I have been a teacher and I have been a parent of school children, so I can look at this from both sides. The survival rate for this virus is very high, and we have never gone to these extremes before. This unreasoning fear is out of control.
We also have a university in our town and the iconic building above is part of that. That is a bit more of a sticky wicket, as we do have students coming from all over the US and often beyond. The university is not having fall sports, which has to be incredibly disappointing for the athletes. Lots of testing (for the virus) is going to be happening as well, and it really seems as if the entire semester may be up in the air. I can understand this one a bit more, but I still feel that the fear and the control issues over a highly survivable illness have gotten out of hand.
2. What's something you still do 'old school'?
Washing kitchen and bathroom floors. I much prefer to wash them on my hands and knees.
And I prefer to wash dishes by hand. Also, I still have a flip phone! (And I almost never use it.)
3. August 4th is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. Will you/did you celebrate by baking a batch? Eating a batch? Nuts or no nuts? Homemade or store bought? Soft and chewy or do you prefer your cookie to snap when you bite into it?
Maybe I should celebrate it! If I did, it would be baking a batch and eating a few cookies. I usually make them without nuts, but they are good either way. Homemade, for sure, and I will go with chewy. My aunt Dot made the best crispy chocolate chip cookies (she used butter, as well as walnut chunks), but those are really the only crispy chocolate chippers I have ever enjoyed. My aunt Joanne, and my mother, made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that were both chewy and crispy and have been a huge favorite in our family over time. But for myself -- mostly, I prefer my chocolate chip cookies chewy. Below is a vintage chocolate chip cookie recipe:
Normalcy. Like back in the day when we didn't have to make reservations for a picnic table or beach space at a state park.
5. Anything new and interesting on your August calendar? What is one thing you're looking forward to this month?
Our friends Noah and Rachel are getting married this month. We're looking forward to their wedding!
And let's see, what else is new and interesting? Well, at church we've started having Sunday School again, so as of this past Sunday I'm back to teaching. That's a little different, but in a good way. Hopefully as August moves on there will be more fun activities on the calendar.
Well, I wouldn't call this really random -- it's quite relevant -- but lately I've been thinking back to our trip to Grand Canyon in June. I came back from that trip with a lot more hope than when I went -- and I was not by any means lacking in hope at that time. What really struck me at both Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks was the vastness and beauty if it all -- and the undeniable wisdom and power of its Creator. The One who created all things is the One holding all things together. We can absolutely rest in that.
And there is the Wednesday Hodgepodge for this week!
Oh that's a wonderful reminder that Everything is being held together by Him. I might prefer that He was holding it a bit tighter, but His ways are much higher than mine. I can trust Him. Your cookies sound yummy!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on all of the above re: school, virus, etc. Thank you for your sensible approach. Your chocolate chip cookies sound good. I probably should bake some. I do like walnuts in mine...I prefer the nuts to the chocolate! LOL. Can't eat as much chocolate as it upsets my tummy, but I can manage to eat a few of these cookies when they are fresh out of the oven. I sometimes make them with oatmeal too. When baking a batch of oatmeal cookies I add the chocolate chips to the last batch. The rest have raisins and nuts. Glad you are having Sunday School again. I hope that can keep going strong. I miss ours. Hopefully it won't be too much longer. But at least we are having church. So thankful for that. Have a blessed week!
ReplyDeleteAs someone with a school-age child, I do have skin in the game. I have Stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer, and I do not like the feeling of being part of the “expendable” population. If I contracted Covid-19, my chances of surviving this “highly survivable” virus would not be good.
ReplyDeleteI do not understand the resistance to wearing masks. My child, when and if he returns to school in person, will be wearing a mask and a face shield to protect his classmates, teachers and staff, and to protect our family and himself.
My only thoughts about school is no matter which choice parents take they should make every effort to teach history at home from now on. I don't think in school or in textbooks it will ever be the same.
ReplyDeleteI do tend to wash most dishes by hand. Very very rarely if I have the entire family over I will use the dishwasher.
A lovely post! I especially like "The one who created all things is the One holding it all together. We can absolutely rest in that." Thanks also for the recipes. Chewy cookies are my favorites.💖
ReplyDelete