Phases 1-3

This entry documents the end of the first New York wave of Covid19. Experts assure us it is far from the end of the virus. Still, there is a definite feeling of being in remission here, as we come to the lowest level of virus activity since early March. My attitude has improved enormously since we've been able to see friends and family again. I hadn't been much interested in examining silver linings during this pandemic; all I have been able to see is misery. Now, as summer progresses and our hospitalization numbers fall to the level they were in late March, we are being taught to be grateful for things we once took for granted. Even I can see the value in that. 

It being much harder to transmit the virus outdoors, and given that most of our indoor haunts are closed, we intend to spend much of the summer outdoors. 

Joni gasped the first time we put her in the grass. But she did not cry. 

School ended early this year, on June 15. I guess they decided to let families handle the week of parties and field day type events that usually fills that final week. There was no particular relief or disappointment associated with the end of school

Believe it or not, we found ourselves an empty beach on Memorial Day! Apparently people don't get out to Hamlin until around 11am! We made a break for it and had several quiet hours enjoying a perfect day on the Lake until a combination of the baby's longing for her crib and our hunger for lunch got the better of us and we had to go home. 

This is me in bliss

As the warm weather finally settled over Western New York (it took until just about Memorial Day), we discovered the incredible potential of our fire pit to be the location of socially distanced gatherings, and basically, to save my life. I have been 1000% happier since June brought me my first fire party. I never thought I'd be so grateful to sit ten feet away from my friends and family and look at half of their faces, but I am. 

My birthday cake. I had a small and distanced party and it was everything to me.

My birthday gift! Bubble Bobble. You can play both new and classic versions!

Solstice Fire

For the solstice, I got the Whiskey Movie Squad to assemble. How dope is this stop-motion style video Aaron made us for a souvenir? We had such fun and were so easy together. I hope to do as much of this sort of thing as we can for as long as the Indian Summer may last this year, as Winter 2020-2021 is likely to be be extremely unsocial. We are still only in the first wave.

We've attended two rallies for Black Lives so far, one in Rochester, one in Henrietta. Henrietta! 2020 becomes more extraordinary by the week. 

I see more people at Target and Wegmans not wearing masks than at these protests; I didn't see a single CHILD without a mask at either of the protests. Turns out, saving lives is a political stance. Register me with the people who want to save lives, please. 

Joni continues to grow and flourish! Here she is at 4 months!

She can roll over both ways, sit up with support, grab things at put them right in her mouth, suck her thumb, and take a bottle like a pro.

We got out the Nickoloffs' old exersaucer for her this month. She's a big fan.

What sleeping looks like now. 

I'm unbelievably grateful to be living in New York State just now! Just as Covid is really taking off in 30 states now, New York is bottomed out at 1% positive. Recently, we had ZERO daily deaths from Covid. Here in Monroe County, we've been on a long, gradual downward trend. It doesn't mean the pandemic's gone; we know that. But it sure does ease the emotional load to be in remission.

To celebrate my return to the outside world, and my (partial) return to sanity, I cut my hair. I like it loads better. 

A few weeks back, the state reopened playgrounds. Here we are enjoying swings for the first time, after months of having to keep the kids off them while we took our sanity hikes at Mendon.

It feels so good. 

We are seizing this summer so hard.