Pandemic, week 24 (The Calm During the Storm)

On Sunday, Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the his back while walking away from police and entering his vehicle in Kenosha, WI. Protests erupted, which turned violent. This motivated an armed 17-year-old and his mother to drive to Kenosha from Antioch, IL in order to "protect buildings" and ended with the teen killing two protestors and shooting a third before heading back to Illinois with his mom. He was later arrested and is charged with murder. The NBA and WNBA players refused to play and the leagues postponed their playoff games in response and several MLB teams forced postponements as well. Meanwhile, Republicans held their convention this week, culminating in a 1,500 person, mask-less gathering at the White House (which probably violated the Hatch Act) where Trump accepted the nomination. Hurricane Laura struck the gulf coast resulting in the evacuation orders for over half a million people. Chadwick Boseman, who starred as T'Challa, the Black Panther, died at age 43 of colon cancer.

The world hit 25.2 million COVID case and 847,000 deaths this week with the U.S. accounting for 6.1 million cases and 187,000 deaths. The White House on Sunday announced that the FDA had granted emergency authorization for blood plasma in treating COVID-19 which would result in a 35 percent increase in the survival rate. By Wednesday, they had walked back the statements and on Friday the PR person in charge of the press release was fired.

Our week was largely quiet, as we geared up for next week's start of school. We had family game night of Poetry for Neanderthals (thanks, Dave and Kara) which involved hitting your opponent in the head with a club if they used two syllable words. While the initial round ended with some tears, eventually we all had fun with Nora even adopting it as a way of life. Owen had a virtual retreat for Duke Ellington, which involved some practice classes and learning the school creed (Commitment, Responsibility, Excellence, Empower and Dignity, though Owen thought there was an "Empathy" in there somewhere, so he may have some more work to do). Nora had her final SWS summer bookclub meeting (The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA) and meet-up with her fifth grade class. We spent a lot of time trying to change the kids school schedules (with mixed results), entering the kids schedules into their calendars and testing that they had all the different platforms needed in anticipation of next week's first day. But most importantly, we watched the premiere of Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe (spoiler, Candace wins!).

Hopefully, we will too.

(To see this week's pictures, click here.)

Pandemic, Week 23 (Crappy Birthday -- The Next Generation)

This week Joe Biden officially accepted nomination for President. The all-Zoom Democratic convention included speeches from Vice Presidential nominee, Kamala Harris,  Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Jill Biden, Elizabeth Warner, Bernie Sanders, a remote Democratic roll call (whose highlights included a Rhode Island product placement for the state's official appetizer, calamari) and a moving speech from a 13-year old with a stutter whom Joe Biden befriended and mentored while on the campaign trail (having also suffered from stuttering). The President called for a boycott of Goodyear tires after the company announced a policy that workers refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning, including MAGA hats. Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon was arrested for fraud through a "We Build the Wall" fundraising scheme. The First Lady revamped the rose garden. And NASA announced an asteroid is headed towards earth right before the November election.

This week the world hit 23.4 million total COVID-19 cases and 809,000 deaths; The U.S. reached 5.8 million and 180,000 deaths. The University of Notre Dame and the University of North Carolina both announced they were returning to virtual classes after numerous outbreaks on their campuses associated with social gatherings. Syracuse announced it was suspending 23 students for gathering recklessly.

For us, this week was mostly about Owen turning 14. Sure, we had a socially distant bike ride (and ice cream) with the Telfair-Chas and Nora had a not-as-socially distant as initially discussed playdate with Harper. Owen continued with Duke Ellington's bridge (Nora's bridge was only a week, so she spent this week reading, familiarizing herself with her new phone and making Owen a present out of popsicle sticks). And Nora made butter thanks to an early present from Grandpa Don. 

But the clear highlight was celebrating Owen. We started with a birthday dinner featuring ice cream cake and a concert from the birthday boy himself. Then we had a climbing party (for both Owen and Nora) with Aunt Katherine and Uncle L at Sandy Springs (where Owen demonstrated his maturity by talking his increasingly hysterical mother down during two situations where we almost had to contact the staff to save me on a blue course) followed by a slumber party at Aunt Katherine's complete with presents and a Hagrid inspired Mom Mom cake.

All is all it was a pretty good week and a not-so-crappy birthday after all.

(To see all of this week's pictures, click here.)

Fourteen

Thirteen has been rough. A couple of weeks after Owen entered teen-hood, his brand new bike (and birthday present) was stolen at school. Then his cell phone screen shattered. There was drama with geometry class and Spanish class and even drama in drama class. And there was the looming high school application process complete with essays and interviews and tests (oh my).

But then Owen got a new bike (he paid for part) and a new phone. He went to the World Series and the Nationals won (granted they lost all three games he attended, but still...)! He (mostly) resolved his academic issues, decided he wanted to go to Duke Ellington and really focused on practicing for his audition (which went really well). He went to New York with the drama club and finally saw Phantom of the Opera in person. He got second place in the school science fair and an honorable mention for his National History Day project. He was cast in the spring play.

And then the Pandemic hit.

The play was cancelled. Classes were remote. Climbing was done for. Hanging out with friends was over. He couldn't go to 8th grade prom (though according to Owen, that was a silver lining).

Nevertheless, Owen persisted. He managed to perform both for his Youth Orchestra concert and channeled Odysseus in a new online play. He got into Duke. He graduated from Stuart. He traveled across the country with his cello in hand in order to practice and participate in an online intensive. He learned to make pretzels. He wrote essays on Harry Potter and did online math (as well as a disturbing amount of Brawl Stars). We bubbled with friends so he could go biking, swimming, kayaking and hiking. We bubbled with family so he could swim at the pond, eat lots of corn and ride a zip line. We bubbled with even more family so he could swim in the ocean and fly in the air.

And so while 13 maybe wasn't Owen's greatest year, it certainly has been memorable. Despite all manner of obstacles, Owen's come through a stronger, more mature and empathetic person who we're pretty proud of. Happy birthday, little man. We love you so, so much (and hope that 14 is far less eventful).

1. Bumpy roads lead to beautiful places.
2. You'd be amazed what you can deal with provided you have wifi and a Disney+ subscription.
3. Some longshots are worth it
4. "Respect the tech."
5. Life is all about balance
6. There are no small parts, only small actors. And sometimes, extremely small sets.
7. Sometimes you need to expand your bubble.
8. Diggers are good at dig dig digging, scooping up the earth and building ziplines!
9. You can't chose your family group, but sometimes you get really lucky. 
10. And in the immortal words of J.R.R. Tolkein, It's like in the great stories... The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end… because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing… this shadow. Even darkness must pass.

Pandemic, Week 22 (Back to the Start)

This week Joe Biden announced that his running mate would be California Senator, and former rival, Kamala Harris. The Senate recessed until after Labor Day without passing another Pandemic relief bill. The midwest was hit by a derecho with eastern Iowa barring the brunt of up to 140 mph winds, resulting in lost buildings, crops and power. The President announced during a press conference that he opposed funding for the USPS because he doesn't want it used for mail-in ballots this November. Meanwhile, over 600 high-volume mail-processing machines had been removed from postal facilities since June while Oregon reported the removal of mail collection boxes as recently as this week. Senate democrats have announced investigations into the matter. Dr. Pepper is facing major nation-wide shortages. 

The world hit a total of 21.6 million COVID-19 cases and 769,000 deaths. The U.S. reported 5.5 million cases and 173,000 deaths. Russia approved a COVID-19 vaccine, but without actually completing any trials, making it efficacy and safety questionable. Dr. Fauci and others have doubted whether a vaccine will be available for wide dissemination until well into 2021.

But for us, the main event this week was the return to school or at least the return to some sort of semi-organized central instruction. DC announced in the spring that they would be hosting a "bridge" for rising 3rd, 6th and 9th graders, to acclimate them to their new schools (and potentially to test new distancing policies should they DCPS be back for in-person instruction this fall – they're not, and the whole thing is on-line) which started Monday. We were somewhat doubtful as to how engaging a remote 2-week orientation would be, but both kids reported they really liked it and it seems to have assuaged their fears about middle and high school. At least for now.

Most of the other developments this week were related to that milestone. Owen got a new laptop and Nora inherited his old one. Nora got a new (well, refurbished) phone and started chatting away with her friends. The kids spent their off time organizing 100 lego mini-figures so they could wait to sit on a couch (yeah, I don't understand either, but they were really proud of it). We had the Romans over for a socially distant dinner to discuss the boys return to climbing; and a less distant family dinner to celebrate Sharon's cardiac catheterization appointment going well.

Which I guess means we're ready for the next stage of the Pandemic, which is basically whatever we were doing in March, only now it's August.

(To see all of this weeks pictures, click here.)

Pandemic, Week 21 (Life's a Beach)

This week a massive explosion in Beirut killed over 150 people, though whether it was an accident or an attack is still unclear. The New York Attorney General filed a lawsuit to dissolve the NRA, alleging it violates laws governing non-profits.  The President issued an Executive Order (which may not be be legal) that cut the payroll tax and offered $300 per week in supplemental unemployment benefits if states chipped in $100 (down from $600 per week). On Friday evening, 23 postal executives were either reassigned or displaced and states were informed that the cost of mailing ballots to voters would increase from the bulk rate of 20 cents each to the first class rate of 55 cents each, a 175 percent increase.

The world hit a total of 19.8 million COVID-19 cases and 730,000 deaths. Meanwhile the U.S. reported 5.2 million cases (including the governor of Ohio) and 165,000 deaths. A student in Georgia was suspended for posting a picture of a crowded school hallway with students not donning masks. The suspension was later reversed while 9 people from the school tested positive and one Georgia school districted had 250 people quarantined after one week of classes.

We were largely unaware of these developments, however, having headed to the Outer Banks for our annual beach trip. It was a fitting 2020 vacation in that it involved a hurricane (thanks Isaias), jellyfish, sea nettles, lots of rain and cold water all of which led Nora to conclude, "The ocean is trying to kill me!" There was also a little too much imbibing, a spontaneously shattering sliding door, and issues with the chair service.

And yet, it was still a really, really good trip.

Nora flew a plane (with Don's son Jeff prepared to take over whenever needed)! Piggy and Owen's fleece got to experience weightlessness as Jeff performed a parabolic flight (Allen, Owen and Nora did too). There were games, a 40th birthday celebration, cocktails and beach time and despite the jellyfish and sea nettles, floating time (even Grandpa Fawcett got in). There was bocce ball on the beach (Nora tied for second place) and a 1/2 marathon (only Katherine participated in that one). 

There was Duck Donuts, homemade ice cream, cookies and pie, and a lot of sandwiches. And while we didn't get around to our annual sandcastle contest (due to rain delays and an inconveniently timed high tide), we did get to "surf the flamingo" for which Katherine, Lee, Owen and Nora all received points (and Allen tried really, really hard).

All of which culminated in Lee winning this year's Pelican Cup (with Nora coming in a close second). 

It was so nice to experience one of our summer traditions in a manner that resembled previous years. And while we're sad that we have to back to work this week (and the kids are starting their "summer bridge" remotely at their new schools), it was a great way to end the summer.

Now we just have to quarantine for two weeks.

(To see all the pictures, click here.)

Pandemic, Week 20 (Nothing to See Here)

This week it was reported that the US economy contracted at a 33 percent annualized rate in the second quarter of 2020, the worst on record. Congress and the White House were not able to reach an agreement on extending emergency unemployment benefits, which means an estimated 20 million people will lose the $600 per week enhanced benefits that Congress had approved in March. Federal agents withdrew from Portland, though they are slated to go to Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee. President Obama spoke at John Lewis's funeral and called for both a return and expansion of Lewis's Voting Rights Act. Meanwhile Trump tweeted that due to concerns about voter fraud associated with mail-in ballots, we should delay the election (which he is not legally allowed to do). He's also discussed banning Tik-Tok.

In COVID news, the world hit 18.0 million cases and 689,000 deaths. The U.S. reported a total of 4.8 million cases and 158,000 deaths. California is now the number one state in terms of cases with Florida a close second and Texas now third. Former Presidential candidate Herman Caine died this week, after contracting COVID at the Tulsa Trump rally. Texas Congressman, and mask naysayer, Louise Gohmert, announced at an in-person meeting with staff, that he had contracted COVID. Baseball games were briefly suspended after 21 players from the Marlins tested positive. DC schools announced they would be all virtual for at least the first term, through November 6th.

But while everything seemed to be happening in the world, very little happened with us this week. After arriving back home from Iowa around 8 pm on Sunday, we unloaded and unpacked. We spent the week trying to tie up all lose ends at work, Owen completed his summer intensive (which it turns out did not end last week as previously reported), and Nora recorded this week's musical podcast (an homage to Grandpa Fawcett who spent the week watching a season of its namesake), Air Disasters.

Now we just need to pack for a week at the beach as Hurricane Isaias descends on the Outer Banks, because this is how 2020 roles.

(Sorry, we didn't take any pictures this week.)