Consistent blogging this summer has been an enormous chore for me, unfortunately. I just haven't been able to find the time to do it as much as I'd like. Hopefully with a new schedule I can finally find a consistent time to do it. Fingers are crossed but also it's OK if it remains a bit inconsistent! Such is life right now.
G started 7th grade last Tuesday! I cannot believe he is a middle schooler. It's the same school he has been going to since 1st grade so I feel like middle school will be a better experience for him than it was for me! A big worry for me was the Delta variant and what school would look like in a state that refuses to listen to science and has made it illegal for the local health departments to issue mask mandates. It just floors me. So we discussed. The only reason I allowed him to go back to school was because he is vaccinated and me and his dad. He is fully masked up and doing his best to stay safe at school. I'd say about 10% of the school population is masking and that might be high...It's a smaller school so I hope overall, he can stay safe and thus keep us safe. But I'm not going to lie; it's been a very anxious week over here! But he enjoyed his first week back and is excited about his classes and seeing his friends again in person. So I'm just trying to keep the optimism going!
I did send him to a very safe day summer camp for the first week of August! He got to learn about the animals at the local aquarium and play games and interact with in-person human children again! I think it was a great transition for him before school started.
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| Butterfly puzzle! |
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| G's first day of 7th grade! |
I finished up The Searcher by Tana French--I'm officially done with her books til she writes a new one! G and I finished up The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. I also finished Survive the Night by Danielle Vega--a young adult horror that was quick and fun, though nothing to write home about--God Spare the Girls by Kelsey McKinney--an interesting coming-of-age story about two sisters raised in an Evangelical church coming to terms with their pastor-father's affair--and Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor--this one has been on my list since it debuted back in 2012! I really enjoyed it!
DH and I just watched The Suicide Squad on HBO Max and really enjoyed it. So much fun. Humor and action and characters to care about. Dead Calm was a fun discovery. It came out in 1989 with Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill, and Billy Zane! Great cast and a great boat/sea thriller.
Its good to hear Dead Calm was good, it’s an older movie I’ve been curious about. I love Sam Neill, follow him on Twitter & like any movie he’s in.
ReplyDeleteBack to school! That’s a crazy time when it starts and now we have the virus concerns to worry about too. Love the photos! For what it’s worth I am in Florida and there isn’t any intelligent leadership here. The schools who want mask requirements are being punished by the government withholding funds. Can you believe it?!
I heard about that in Florida! That's crazy!
DeleteI think you'll love Dead Calm! Sam Neill is great in it. It was a fun find.
It's crazy here with the anti-masking edicts our governor has put out. Why would you do that? I can't even follow the logic. I hope you and your family all stay safe during this time, and that school is a great experience.
ReplyDeleteThe Searcher looks really good, and I've always heard lots of great things about House of the Scorpion. I'll be interested in hearing what you think of the sequel.
Have a great week, Heather!
I just can't believe how public health has become so politicized. It's scary.
DeleteI hope you get to the Searcher. I really enjoy her stand a lone books too.
As a retired health care professional, these anti-mask laws make me crazy! I understand very real concerns and am happy I'm not a parent of children too young for the vaccine. I just don't think I'm cut out for home schooling, but that's exactly what I'd be doing at this point. Hope G has a great experience in middle school... and you can take comfort knowing he's fully vaccinated.
ReplyDeleteExactly! It's just so crazy right now.
DeleteThank you! So far so good the first week. I hope it continues. Thanks for stopping by!
Good luck with school! I share your concerns- my daughter is vaccinated and is going back but we worry too, and our school district is sticking with masks as optional for jr/ high school which blows my mind. I just don't understand how there are SO many people who are anti- mask. Again, boggles my mind.
ReplyDeleteAnyway love the pics!
Ooh I remember Survive the Night- read that a while back. I'm curious about Nine PErfect strangers as I usually enjoy stuff by Liane Moriarty.
The mind is permanently boggled for sure! I hope your daughter stays safe too.
DeleteNine Perfect Strangers is great. I think you'll enjoy it. I just picked up Stephen King's If It Bleeds. Super excited for Halloween reading right now.
Oh gosh! I remember Dead Calm! Good grief, are we really getting old??
ReplyDeleteThe Delta variant is causing a lot of havoc here in SA. Our school is closed for the rest of the week again as one of our senior staff members tested positive. We still mask up and sanitize all the time. Good for you for taking care of your family and for spending a lot of time with them over the holidays! Blogging is always here.
Have a good week and we'll chat again soon.
I don't know about you! But I sure am. I sure feel it lately.
DeleteStay safe and I hope the variant calms down there and that you can stay open!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great week too.
I'm hoping G can stay safe -- but happy for him to be at school - 7th grade seems exciting. I remember Dead Calm, ha Billy Zane. I'll be very curious about what you think about the Michael Lewis book ... it sounds good my sister and brother in law have read it.
ReplyDeleteMe too. So far he's staying masked and doing what he can!
DeleteI'm hoping to finish off Premonition this week. But man it's hard to find the time between life and life! ha!
Dead Calm was so fun. Glad I discovered it. Made my weekend.
There's so much craziness going on now that school is open again and the anti-maskers. It's scary and I do feel for all of you with children.
ReplyDeleteI saw The Suicide Squad. It was good.
Hope you have a great week!
Right? Wasn't Suicide Squad fun? Just what I needed.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I'm so glad I don't have children and have to worry about masks and schools. I don't understand the anti-masking laws at all. It feels like such hypocrisy to me. "I'm in favor of small government but I'm going to tell you that you CAN'T wear a mask." What?
ReplyDeleteI loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone, especially on audio! If you like Zuzana's character, make sure you find Night of Cake and Puppets too. It's technically #2.5 but it's a fun addition to the series. It adds some background to Days of Blood and Starlight.
I loved the Daevabad Trilogy so much. I hope you like it!
Good luck with the new school year!
Right? It's small government until that doesn't work for me...so infuriating.
ReplyDeleteAudio would be fun. I'm having a great time reading this series. I'm sad I waited so long. I'm like 10 years behind. I just read the email that Zuzana sends to Karou about the cake walk night. I'll have to read the novellas once I'm done!
Also loving the Daevabad series. Engaging from the start! Fantasy is just really doing it for me right now.
I love your book selection!
ReplyDeleteHope things go well at school for G, lucky he is vaccinated, seems to reckless for govt. to be endagering children like this.
Well, thank you! Yes, it is so sad public health is now politicized. So frustrating. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHere's hoping for a safe school year for G. I understand the anxiety that comes with it, but know that choosing another year of at home schooling for an only kid has a whole other anxiety. There are no great choices. Stupid Covid. Hugs to you guys (masked, of course!).
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am hoping it all goes well on this end. So far things are OK here. I hope you both have an excellent homeschooling year. Stupid Covid and stupid people do not mix well. And hugs back to you guys (ha ha with masks!) Have a great week!
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