Pandemic, Week 67 (That's a Wrap)

This week Senate Republicans used the threat of filibuster to block voting rights legislation while the Justice Department sued the state of Florida claiming that its voting restrictions target black voters. Derek Chauvin, the police officer who killed George Floyd, was sentenced to 22 years. The Supreme Court issued rulings that found: disgruntled cheerleaders have protected speech; unions are not allowed to trespass on worksites to recruit members; President Biden can replace the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shareholders can't invalidate $124 billion in transactions stemming from the government's intervention in the 2008 housing crisis; and that the NCAA violates antitrust laws by limiting benefits to student athletes. President Biden negotiated a bipartisan infrastructure deal (which may still fall apart). And pop singer Britney Spears challenged her father's 13-year conservatorship in court claiming he used it to control her finances and even her reproductive health, resulting in the hashtag #FreeBritney trending.

The world reached a total of 182.5 million COVID cases and 3.9 million deaths this week, of which the U.S. accounted for 34.5 million cases and 619,000 deaths. 178.9 million Americans (54 percent of the population) have received at least one vaccine dose while 152.2 million (46 percent of the population) are fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the President of Philippines has threatened citizens that refuse to get vaccinated with jail.

This week we celebrated Father's Day, our 18th Anniversary and Ducky returning from whence she came (well, some of us celebrated...). But mostly this week was about the end of the 2020-21 school year (finally). While neither of the kids really had classes this week (though Nora did have an assembly where they received an award for general "Excellence" and Owen was still turning in work on Monday), both dutifully logged in every day for attendance purposes. and then went about their business (which involved Air Disasters crafting for Nora and a lot of Dr. Who for Owen). Nora celebrated the last day by meeting Anais at Stanton Park and enjoying free ice cream from a community minded realtor; Owen finally had his friend Adam over (and then got a waffle cone at Rita's after dinner). 

And while it might not have been the most exciting of endings, it was a tremendous relief to put this year behind us for (hopefully) a more traditional education experience come this fall.

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