My Daily Life

 This might as well be my once in a while life instead of my daily life. I see the last time I wrote anything here was in January. That wasn’t my intention but that’s what it has become. I’m working hard to pay off my debt. Eventually this will result in an increase in my credit score, but most importantly a decrease in my debt. So far, I have paid off at least two loans maybe three, and I’ve reduced my outstanding credit balances too below 100%. I really never intended to have my credit balance’s so high. In fact, one of the cards I have, I got as a way of reducing the percentage of credit I had outstanding. I’m very ambivalent about retiring on June 1, even though I’ve already set the wheels in motion to do so. It feels like there’s no turning back now that I’ve set the date. I hope I’m not making a mistake financially.  Even more than that I’m going to miss my job. I’ve been working at the same hospital for nearly 40 years; it feels like I’m leaving my family, and my home. ...

 Another day with a second grader trying to make sure she is focused on her schoolwork.  She actually did pretty well today. I read  more of “The Promised Land” by President Obama this evening. His writing flows so smoothly as if he were having a conversation with his reader. I’m really enjoying the book for that reason and the fact that he’s telling his story from the heart.  I’d probably be further along in the book if I didn’t have other responsibilities.

 I took the day off today to get my second grader through her online school work and the Kind kids Club.  I also took it off to take my 14 year old to the doctor to rule out an ear infection and get her prescription treatment for a yeast infection.  Later I made some more chocolate covered peanut butter balls.  I made chicken fingers and tater tots for dinner using the air fryer I got for Christmas.  By the time I had everything done I wasn’t hungry for dinner, but I made myself eat at least one piece of chicken and a few tater tots.  Today was the inauguration of Joe Biden Jr and Kamala Harris.  I find the tradition and the patriotism around this event to be both inspiring and emotional. I love our country and what it stands for.  This day, no matter who it is, is an important piece of who we are.  Yet, I found myself looking at the outgoing Vice President Mike Pence.  I have deep respect for him and how he managed himself throughout hi...

 Martin Luther King Day, a national holiday in our country, was under celebrated today because of the pandemic.  It was certainly very quiet here with just my sister, my granddaughter, and I.  I finally started to read “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama-he’s a really good writer!! I was drawn to his story from the first sentence in the preface.  I’d probably still be reading it if I didn’t have to put a 7 year old to bed.  I swear she still suffers the effects of  in uterine drug abuse by some of her behaviors, especially at night.  Its harder than hell to get her to go to sleep. It’s like she comes alive at night.  Her mom didn’t do her any favors when she chose to continue using heroin, or meth, or whatever was her drug of choice while she was pregnant with this beautiful little girl.  I hope for her sake, it’s gets easier for her as she gets older.

So the plan was to write this blog daily, but obviously that didn’t happen.  What did happen, though, was COVID.  My oldest granddaughter said she didn’t feel well, her symptoms got worse , so I took her to get tested.  2 days later she got back positive results.  Then her dad got sick, followed by her 14 year old sister and me.  My results came back positive on December 16th.  I never got as sick as everyone else.  I mean I had a serious headache, constant fatigue,  and an annoying cough, but I never had a temperature above 99.6 m, nor the congestion everyone else had.  They lost their sense of smell, but I didn’t.  After we all recovered, but before our quarantine ended, my niece came home from her grandmother’s despite my asking her to wait until I told her the coast was clear.  Guess what, she got very ill, spiking  temps between 100.3 and 101. 3.  I had her tested on January 3rd and got the positive results the very n...

 Usually my Saturdays are more productive.  I woke up with the intention of getting a lot done.  I managed to get to the store before everyone woke up so there would be milk when they ate breakfast.  I did get the kitchen cleaned up before I fixed breakfast.  I love it when my kitchen counter is cleared off and the sink is empty. I can always count on my youngest granddaughter waking up before everyone else so this morning I helped her shower and took her shopping for a birthday gift for her friend.  I was really looking forward to the couple of hours she would be at a Birthday Party.  I needed the time to charge and set up her Nintendo Switch Lite before I wrapped it.  Got that done!! Got laundry done too!  I even made cookies and wrapped a gift or two.  The Christmas tree has more gifts underneath it then I think it has ever had this early in the Christmas season.  I did my first Black Friday last week.  It’s a good feeling. ...

So I’m a 66 year old widow raising  2 granddaughters ages 14 and 7 and a great niece age 14.  My older granddaughter who is 20 and my 58 year old sister also live here.  I’ve not really ever had time to be lonely since my husband passed 13 years ago. My son was here briefly, but it wasn’t long before he moved out.  Then my daughter and her family moved in for about 2 months before she and her significant other found a house.  I think it was less than a year after they moved that I became a relative placement for my great nephew and niece who had been removed from their mother’s care.  It was only supposed to be for 6 months.  I didn’t know these kiddos as well as  my youngest sister did so I asked her to move in with me to help.  She had already bonded with them before they were taken from their mom,  so I thought she could help make the transition for these small children easier.  After all, they were only 3 and  2 years old. ...