Weekly Recap #159: Week of 7/12 – 7/18
It’s time for another weekly recap post of all things happening on and off the blog. This week I’ll be linking to the Sunday Post, which is hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
This is actually my first weekly recap in almost a month. I have to confess that I just abruptly stopped writing these posts a few weeks ago because they were starting to really bring me down since absolutely nothing has been going on and it made me sad to just keep documenting that fact over and over again. There honestly still isn’t all that much going on, but I’m trying to get back to some sense of normalcy so I decided to go ahead and get back to posting.
July started off with a short, socially distanced visit with my mom and sister over the 4th of July holiday weekend. I hadn’t seen them since Christmas so it was really nice to finally have a face-to-face visit and to spend quality time with other human beings. We wore masks and stayed six feet away from each other and 2+ weeks later, everyone is still healthy so we may do that one more time before the end of the summer.
I’m still working at home so there’s no real change there. We had reopened our office in Hampton Roads, Virginia a couple of weeks ago but then cases immediately started surging there and everyone got sent back home. Statewide, we had gotten down to about 400-450 new cases everyday before July 4th but now we’ve had 5 straight days of 900-1,000+ cases. For that reason, I think we will probably be in a holding pattern on reopening offices for a while. The holding pattern works for me as the main issue we’ve been dealing with all July is what to do with my son when the school year officially starts in August. We were presented with two “return to school” options, 1) 100% virtual/distance learning, and 2) a hybrid model with 2 days in school instruction, 3 days virtual/distance learning. The in-person would involve social distancing and wearing masks from the bus stop all the way through the entire school day, not to be removed until they return home, with the exception of eating lunch. After much discussion and testing how long my son would willingly wear a mask, we have opted for the all virtual plan. It will be challenging, but we feel it’s the safest option and thankfully my employer is good with me flexing in my hours around my son’s class times so that I can supervise him. At first I was a little worried about missing out on things like gym, but soccer started back up this week (socially distanced of course, which is so weird, lol), so at least I know he’ll have physical activity and safe in-person social interactions with his teammates.
Not much else has been going on. Just lots of reading and watching shows on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus. I think I’ve already watched Hamilton 6 times since it came out on July 3, lol. Then I binged the first two seasons of Good Girls, which is such a fun show. I’m trying to decide what to watch next. I need to get caught up on Riverdale and the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina but that need for light and fluffy I’ve had with my reading lately is also carrying over to my TV watching so I have no idea what I’m going to go with, probably Love, Victor on Hulu since that ties to one of my favorite feel-good books, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.
I think that’s pretty much it for me. I hope everyone out there is staying safe, healthy, and is practicing social distancing. Have a great week!
WHAT I POSTED LAST WEEK
- [13 Jul] What You Wish For by Katherine Center ★★★★½
- [14 Jul] Top Ten Tuesday – Books That Make Me Smile
- [15 Jul] Can’t Wait Wednesday – SUPER FAKE LOVE SONG by David Yoon
- [17 Jul] Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby ★★★★½
WHAT I’M READING THIS WEEK
UPCOMING REVIEWS
STACKING THE SHELVES
TOTALLY RANDOM
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Our school district (California) just announced 100% distant learning for next year. A lot of parents are relieved, but a lot are upset and don’t know how they will make that work with both parents working full time. I feel for everyone going to school, no method is going to be perfect. We have parents forming “pods” to help each other out, where a group of kids in the same grade/class will meet in person at a house and then rotate between houses. Not sure how that will work! I’m glad my kids have graduated, although they are both doing distance learning in college but at least they are independent and don’t need a parent to teach them. Hope you have a good week!
The pod idea intrigues me. Thankfully my employer is flexible but I know several parents who are going to struggle with work and their kids doing distance learning.
Ugh, that is a terrible decision to have to make for your child! I hope it works out well, and I’m glad he’ll still have opportunities to get outside and get exercise and interaction with other kids.
Thanks goodness for all the streaming services! We’ve been watching so much TV!
Right? I’m very grateful for my books and streaming these days. I’ll take all of the escapes I can get!
I was just have this discussion (argument) with my father about schools, and I point blank told him, if my daughter was still school aged, I would not be sending her until we have a vaccine. I know I am fortunate to have a masters degree in education and would be able to help my child, but honestly, I don’t even want my sister, who is a teacher, going back in the fall. Not all school facilities have adequate ventilation (my school was built in the 50s), nor do they have the space to have any sort of social distancing. Once the kids are in middle school, you also have the challenge of tracking and kids needing to switch classes. It’s a very complicated issue.
Right! My husband and I had so many discussions about all of the problems we saw with sending our son to school before there’s a vaccine. Having to change classes and navigate hallways full of kids was one of the big reasons why we’ve opted to go all virtual. Plus, we just know he’ll never keep a mask on for an entire school day.
Socially distanced soccer? How the…? lol. Glad you’re posting again, and stay well. Have a good week!
I know, right? It’s fine for soccer practice but I just can’t even imagine how they would effectively play an actual game that way, lol.
I have only read about one of your list. I’m so happy I picked up a Lisa Gardner book which is a shoo-in for goodreads.
Enjoy the Lisa Gardiner book!
I know school will be weird Suzanne. My daughter will be back at university in September but we have no idea how this will all go! I am still homeworking till mid September and as the cases are rising again I don’t think we’ll be back at the headquarter soon!
I hope everything goes okay with your daughter and school. I know a lot of our universities are planning for all virtual learning until there’s a vaccine. Such strange times we are living through.
I’m glad you’re able to keep your son at home and do virtual learning. I don’t know what the various schools around me are going to do. My niece and nephew still haven’t heard a set plan, but regardless, they will probably be starting later than normal anyway.
I’m glad your visit with family went well and that you’re all still healthy!
-Lauren
Our school year is starting a little later than expected as well. I think all of the districts are struggling to come up with a plan and then figure out how to actually implement it.
Oh things are so not good. The school openings are scary because people aren’t really prepared and yet having them home will be so challenging for working parents. I’m so glad my daughter is an adult and can handle her schooling herself. I wish people would get with the program of what needs to happen to beat this. The government hasn’t really helped with having each state have their own plan and by having no plan at a federal level. Sorry for the mini rant. At least we have books!
Have a lovely week! Stay safe and be kind.
Anne – Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
No worries on the mini rant. I’ve been ranting about all of those same things. A national plan would have made this so much easier but I should know about almost four years that that’s just not going to happen with this administration.
Some really, really hard decisions to make – and having been a teacher, I think your decision to keep your son off school, while the infection rate is still climbing so steeply, has to be the right one. We’ve always crammed too many children into classes, anyway and social distancing is going to be an impossibility. Glad he at least gets to interact at football.
I hope the coming week is at least going to be reasonable, Suzanne…
Thanks Sarah. I think it’s the right decision as well. The more I hear about the lung and heart damage associated with COVID even in those who have only mild symptoms, I just don’t want to take any chances with my child’s lifelong health.
I’ve seen my FB friends discussing school decisions this week and I’m so glad I don’t have children. It sounds like once they make a choice, they aren’t allowed to change their minds. No pressure there! *sarcasm* My aunt is a teacher’s assistant and she is busily looking for a different job. A lot of other stuff is going on but COVID is the straw that broke her back.
I’ve really enjoyed the 2 or 3 books I’ve read by Fredrik Bachman and Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop sounds interesting! Enjoy your week!
Right? That’s the same problem here. Whichever option we choose, we have to stick it out for at least half the school year. I don’t blame your aunt at all for looking at other jobs. I can’t even imagine working in a school right now and feel awful for teachers who are being forced to go back before it’s safe.
I know what you mean about not wanting to write Sunday Posts. I never know what to say in mine. Every week is exactly the same for me. I’m glad you got to see your mom. Good luck with the distance schooling. Have a great week!
Thanks AJ. Hope you have a great week too!
I’ve been (responsibly) seeing people a bit more, too. It’s good for the soul! I just starting reading The Black Kids and am excited for The Switch. Happy reading!
It really is good for the soul, and I know my mom and sister are being just as careful with masks, hand washing, etc. as we are, so I felt we could definitely visit safely.
Schools are such a worry, I’m in Scotland and my daughters go back to high school next month, Our government says no social distancing will be required at schools across the country. It worries me considerably, yes our cases our low but you just never know what is going to happen.
You have a lot of good books there, enjoy reading!
Yeah, no social distancing would make me nervous too.
I understand how you feel. The last couple months have been like Groundhog Day. On repeat. Glad you had a schooling option you are comfortable with – and that your employer is willing to be flexible. I’m amazed at how low the number of cases in your area is. Florida is consistently hitting 10,000-15,000 cases *daily.* It’s so discouraging.
That really is scary. I hope something changes with that soon.