Four months

[aome]

So, I realize that after posting the drama of getting my meds replaced while I was in Hawaii in AUGUST I never really posted a proper update since. And for that - man, I am so sorry. The fall semester just about killed me. So, now that we're at the end of 2021, I'm going to try to give a brief bullet list update.

August:

• In Maui we drove up Haleakala (~10k feet), drove the Road to Hana, snorkled, had a great condo rental.
• Stayed at Disney's Aulani resort on Oahu, just enjoying pool, lagoon, and relaxing.
• Got home, slept 1 night, took MiniPlu to college the next day.
• Her double dorm room was more the size of a single, and on outer edge of campus, but her roommate, S, from Nepal, has proven to be a great match.
• MiniPlu broke up with her bf of nearly 1.5 years that one evening we were at home - mutual but still painful.
• Two had done bare training for his 1st job before HI, began working in earnest once we got back.

September:

• MiniPlu struggled to adapt to college, despite more normal campus life. Grieving her ex-bf didn't help.
• I started fall semester, two reading- and assignment-heavy classes. Never was able to get ahead, was frequently handing in assignments mere minutes before deadlines.
• Continued to sub 2x/week, and volunteer in elem library one morning/month.
  
• Two started senior year, his 1st time back on campus since pandemic began.
• He deliberately got all requirements out of the way early, so he could cruise senior year.
• R&K celebrated 30th anniversary in early Sept.
• We celebrated our 24th anniversary in late Sept.
• MiniPlu, homesick, came home for a weekend just before our anniversary. Took the train down, but we drove her back. Traffic awful. :P

October:

• Will and I spent 2 weeks in OR, going through my dad's stuff. Threw out 45cu yards of trash and non-salvagable stuff. Donated truckbed-full of items to homeless shelter.
• Dealt with leavings of rat infestation in garage, and soot *everywhere* in house.
• Professors were kind enough to give me a little flexibility with deadlines while I was gone. I mostly didn't need them, but I was grateful when I did.
• Saw my mom for ~12 hours on our way home.
• MiniPlu spent her long-weekend fall break at home (NJ) while we were in OR, taking train both directions.
• The weekend after we returned was Parent's Weekend at MHC, so off we went for another trip. Mostly spent our time with MiniPlu doing completely "unofficial" things. Did get to do homework in gorgeous library, though!
• Two submitted his early-action application to Johnson & Wales (JWU) associate's degree baking program.

November:

• Everyone but Two got booster shots.
• Family friend H came to visit in mid-November.
• Continued to flail through schoolwork.
• Two got accepted early-action to his first, last and only choice of college program!
• My dad's facility had Covid run through it (he was fine), meaning no visits for a bit, and didn't feel safe bringing him home for Thanksgiving dinner.
• MiniPlu came home for Thanksgiving weekend, taking train both directions.
• Thanksgiving at home, just us (plus H), nothing special.
• Was declared likely to test to 2nd-degree black belt in early 2022!

December:

• Final projects due for school, was absolutely convinced I was going to fail one of them.
• For that final week, I didn't do anything but work on it. Will handled transporting Two to/from work, extra dishes, etc.
• In the midst of that, the HS librarian contacted me to say she was leaving and invited me to apply for her job, so I was squeezing that in.
• Miraculously, I did not fail. I mean, I got a C on my one final project solely because of ONE THING I didn't understand, but that could have been much worse.
• R&K and houseguest spent a week at DisneyWorld, so we took care of their cats.
• Picked up MiniPlu for winter break on Dec 11.
• Our dog, Jade, damaged her right rear ACL (yes, really) and is on meds and rest for several weeks, requiring even taking her out to do her business extra carefully.
  
• Struggled to get gifts wrapped & shipped, cards mailed, in time, because I was working so solidly on school for so long.
• Will still has not done his Christmas cards.
• Interviewed for HS librarian job with panel consisting of principal, both vice principals, head of English dept, another English teacher and a social studies teacher.
• Two got his booster shot once age lowered to 16+
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• For Xmas, Two bought me tickets for the two of us to see Six on Broadway on 30 Jan. (He's feeling rich now that he has a regular job.) Fingers crossed the show will reopen by then.
  
• Flew to CA on 12/23 to visit my mom for 1st real visit in 3 years.
• Also visited hamsterwoman and family yesterday for 1st time in 3 years.
• On 29th, kids fly home without us, and we return to OR to begin painting over all the soot on every wall. We've learned they got a couple inches of snow recently and my dad lives up a 2-mile windy hill road. Not sure how we're going to get up there!

We've been doing our best to be safe during Omicron, going back to double-masking or N95/KN95s during our trip, and will likely continue when we get home again (I was already double-masking again when subbing), and meeting people outside when possible. CA requires masks indoors and proof of vaccination for dining (had to show it for our free breakfast buffet in the hotel) and most people we've seen have been compliant. We are DYING to see Spiderman: No Way Home and (Two and I) want to see the new West Side Story, but we're not ready for movie theaters yet.

Really struggling not to feel completely fatalistic and like giving up and curling up in a ball because of Omicron. I feel like that scene from Princess Bride:
"We'll never survive!"
"Nonsense. You're just saying that because no one ever has."

I'd like to promise I'll do better with posting in the new year, but I'm not hopeful. :P My apologies to all the friends who have not had the attention they deserve.