Monday Funday

I had some time this weekend to photograph yarn, so you might have seen some of the Dream in Color Colossal Sock trickle into the Sale Section, and more will be added today. I also have some Life in the Long Grass and Regia to share, once I find a moment to post it all. Such great yarn to share this week and much more on the way. I'm doing my best to help our my dyers and companies that really need it right now. Thank you for doing your part too and ordering so we can continue to support everyone! We will continue to ship 6 days a week while social distancing.

Color- Awesome WOW

As of today, my sons are doing e-learning the remainder of the school year. From what it looks like right now, they have a morning video they watch from their teacher/s then Zoom meetings with their class/es sprinkles throughout the week, and then an app where they track their assignments and what's due and when. They also have a host of "optional" activities. I told them that nothing is optional unless cleared with me first. We will be taking part in the ideas for "gym class"-  this week taking walks is the assignment for Henry, and Terry and the boys have already started Ping Pong/Work Out Clubs in the basement and they play basketball when the weather is nice) or art (drawing pictures for their elderly friends at a local retirement community they were visiting). They also have foreign language, music, drama and even chess. I don't play chess so thankfully Terry does. To say our lives are full at the moment would be an understatement.

James is 12, so it seems like much of what he's doing is self-directed. I can hear him right now on a Zoom meeting with one of his classes, I believe Math. I don't think he's going to need me to do everything with him, just to check his work and make sure it's all getting done. And to keep Henry quiet enough that James can effectively do online meetings and his school work. Our house isn't too big and is fairly open, so we can pretty much hear anything in any room, which might pose a problem as this goes on. But Henry on the the other hand needs me to direct him on everything, at least that's what I noticed from our first week of e-learning (before Spring Break) in mid-March.

It's hard to believe that this is the new normal. That my kids are basically going to be somewhat home schooled by me and Terry for the next two months and for the following three months they will be on summer break. That's a straight 6 months home with me, without their peers, teachers, and their community. But they seem to be adapting wonderfully. In fact, James and Henry are pretty much living their best lives. They get more morning snuggles, tons of their favorite home cooked food, and lots of attention. We aren't rushed after school to get to an activity or do make dinner and do homework and baths. Our evenings instead are spent outside walking/scootering the trails of our neighborhood if it's nice, or watching Disney+ if it's not. But I know there will soon be a time when they feel a sense of loss and want to do more than just wave at their neighborhood friends from across the street.

First day of school picture this year. Last day of school picture likely in pajamas.

Here I was, a full 1.5 years of having my kids in school and me having a more normal day-time work day and now I'm back to what I was for the 10 years when they were home with me. It's hard to wrap my head around it, how it's all going to work. The odd thing it's, I'm not stressed about it. It's not causing me much frustration or anything yet, as I'm pretty darn accustomed to working at home with kids, or balancing stay-at-home mothering with a very long work week. I've always made it work, but I got used to having time during the work day without distraction.

Who is also dealing with the same schedule struggle? Trying to accomplish things during the day work-wise while also caring for your family? Do you also have an "essential" spouse who must continue the same work time and are handling day duties yourself? Or is it the other way around?

*Just a reminder that I'm committed to blogging every day during this time (instead of the typical 2-3 times a week) to connect with others. Please do comment and share with me here if you like! You'll see the typical yarn updates and shop tidbits, but likely also a bit more family and personal stuff.

Comments

[Natalie]

So last night I remembered I wanted to order something so I could of course get the bag!! In my search I found that you had listed some of the DIC Colossal yarn in the SALE section. I got two hanks of the Milky Sprite.( I almost ordered 3 - it was that beautiful) This morning I see that it is already gone. So glad I remembered last night to look on your site!!
We moved to the lake in January and our lives changed just because of that and the then the Covid-19. We are just taking it day by day.

[Jessica]

Yes. We are on the struggle bus with school stuff. I have 1st, 4th and 7th grade kids. Every teacher is using multiple platforms. No single sign-in. No single way to keep track of what assignments, when they are due, which ones are missing vs complete. Currently 1st grader is having a fit.

Husband working from home. He's in IT and has our stuff set up in a convoluted way. So the kids can't figure out how to get to any site or use any camera, mouse etc. And I can't help because I don't know how he has it all configured. He's getting mad that they can't figure it out.

[Donna]

I’m almost ashamed to admit that my life hasn’t changed much. I’m retired & have fibromyalgia which is worst when temperature drops below about 60° & even worse with approaching lows (storm fronts). I usually do go out to a movie or book store about once a week. That’s pretty much all that’s changed. And I go to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where my doctor has his office every other week for a B12 shot. For the past month that’s all I’ve done. I found out that the CVS Minute Clinics will give the shot with a prescription on file. So right now I’m trying to get that done (can’t talk to anyone at the clinic so I don’t know if the prescription for cyanocobalamin [B12] is enough or if they need a prescription for the syringes too. I do worry about my DC daughter who has been told she’s essential & can’t work from home. She has to take ubers because public transportation in DC has pretty much stopped.

[Dana]

I have everything pretty much in control. We’re on break now so no work till next week. I do need to do a little prepping though. I’m helping out a colleague of my boyfriend. She is working from home most days but doesn’t have a sitter for all the days she has to go in to the office. Yesterday was my first day with the 8 year old girl. We had a great time! I think that will be a nice distraction. We are crafting! I’m teaching her to knit and play the piano. She is begging her mom to bring her back. Lol