distancing day 24/sip day 12 thoughts:

Guess we are still doing this then, huh?

1. I have been doing some very scientific research of asking people for their opinions on how/when this is going to end. The general consensus is DEFINITELY through the summer and PROBABLY into the next school year. This is fine. Everything is fine. I can’t even pretend that I understand the medical s-curve this and bell curve that. All I can do is ask questions like “if we are nearly at the peak, why are we all now having to wear masks if we leave our own yards for any reason? So. I’m just leaning-in to this tele-school crisis stuff and hoping that at some point we don’t wake up and feel like this is some bizarre shit- dare I say feel normal?

2. It is 70 degrees in Colorado Springs today. That doesn’t sound very hot, but, you see, Colorado Springs sits basically directly on the surface of the sun. The kids begged, pleaded, cleaned, behaved, and slept in- so I broke out the water slide we bought last summer. I thought they’d only last 10 min since the water is cold but they’ve been playing on and off for almost 3 hours now, which gave me a chance to make sweet tea and work. I have more work to do today, but the trampoline was calling to me so I could splay out and attempt to suntan my pasty panniculus (or to the less webmd inclined: FUPA). Today I’m thankful for privacy fences.

3. Little Jerry or Husband Jerry has spent his day inside with his foot propped up on his chair like Washington crossing the Delaware doing work. The artist formerly known as baby Jerry (but is now 10 year old, preteen Jerry) is so much like his dad it kills me dead. He just came out, sat with me, and asked me if I realized how very small of a possibility it is that he would end up here 1. As a human. 2. As an American. 3. As a member of this family. He is so sweet, which may or may not have to do with the fact that his body is probably 90% bribery haribo gummy bears at this point, and just makes my feelings drip out my eyeballs. This coronatime is ugly and hard, but it’s also so beautiful and soft. Side note: he also just asked me “you know how I’m made up of millions of tiny organisms? You think each one has a soul or just one big one per person?” UM. Go ask your dad.

4. I’m making jambalaya tonight. My name is NOT Momma Thibodeau and I do not speak French-creole but my jambalaya is delicious and you should trust me on this. I got the recipe from a gal years ago and it’s the easiest, yummiest recipe ever. I feel I should share it until the end of time. So, I shall share it here again. I use Uncle Ben’s rice because it cooks quicker and I do 2 packages of sausage instead of chicken because my family likes it better. It’s not diet friendly, but as stolen from a friend who stole from a friend: if we make it out in time, this bathing suit season is all about personality. I wish I was less of an amazing cook because self-control isn’t my strong suit, but one crisis at a time.