Crashed But Not Burned...

No one got the Covid but G did get the flu and had a mid-grade fever for 4 days. That all came about at the same as the Kawasaki-type reactions started to come to light about kids and its link to Covid-19. It was a very hard week that week. But he's ok and we're all ok. I ended up getting a sinus infection and some depression so I just had to take a break for a bit. I needed to get my mind back to a good place.

But we still had some fun times. G learned how to ride a bike last weekend so we are now biking it up around town! We went all last week and weekend and then yesterday my tire popped. So I need a new tube but I should be back in business by Thursday.

We didn't go anywhere for Memorial Day but I made some mojitos with my garden mint. I barbecued up some chicken and corn on the cob. We chopped up watermelon and I even baked a lemon bundt cake. And we ended up socially distancing with our neighbors with our drinks in hand and watched the sunset. It ended up being exactly what we all needed.

I was hoping to get this up last week...but it's just been a dumpster of a week... or fill in day, month, years...

With the horrific death of Mr. Floyd by the hands of a police officer and the protests around the country and even the world, I've been trying to talk to my son about what's been happening and what we can do. I've tried to talk with and read with him about race and racism but I know I can do better and have a long way to go. We started reading Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. We've already had some great discussions.

That's been my week...trying to stay informed without getting burned out, sharing on social media, writing representatives, discussing with my family, and giving money where we can to causes that support Black Lives Matter and criminal justice reform.

Buzzfeed has a great post on things I can do right now as a white ally. They have a list of petitions to sign, articles to read, videos and movies to watch... I can't stress enough the need to watch "I Am Not Your Negro." It's on Amazon Prime if you're a member for free or it's about 3$ to rent or a few more to buy. I watch it every year and it's so powerful. James Baldwin was gone too soon. "The Fire Next Time" is also a fantastic essay he wrote. We have to know our history and in order to change our future. Medium also has a fantastic list of things to do and watch and read.

Fave Pics over the last few weeks...

I did a social distance coffee with some friends, Mother's Day treasures from G, walking in the spring blossoms, finished a puzzle or two (thank you, Stacy!), G said goodbye to his teachers at their school parade, Teh kitties socializing and relaxing, and G finally learned to ride a bike! We have been going on bike rides together almost every day. It's been so fun! And I finally got my hair cut this week with some color!

We went for a morning hike/walk in our neighborhood this morning. Some pretty spring wildflowers are still in bloom in my dry town.

Books: I haven't checked in for a bit so I have a big list over the last few weeks!

Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity by Rebecca Goldstein; The Conference of Birds by Ransom Riggs; Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland; Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris; Spark and the League of Ursus by Robert Repino; Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis; Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-ending Search for a Cure by Jim Murphy; Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by Daniel Quammen; My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix; Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World by Laura Spinney; Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English by John McWhorter; We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby

Currently reading Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi with G. I knew this would help keep the dialogue going and talk about what's happening right now and what we can do. What Language Is: And What It Isn't and What It Could Be by John McWhorter. He's my favorite neighborhood linguist so I'm working through his pop-language books and nerding out. Dawn by Octavia Butler. For Sci-fi in June! The Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling.

Listening to podcasts: Justice in America. The first episode dives into the problems with money bail and how it penalizes poor people and lands them in jail for months or even years before they're even legally charged with a crime or convicted.

Watching: Finally, I am getting around to The Good Place! It's hilarious. DH and I started Space Force on Netflix. I also started rewatching the original Star Trek series. So cheesy but there are some great plot lines and quotes. It's keeping me entertained. Movies: The Lodge. Disturbing but good. The Invisible Man. So good and creepy. Loved it.

Just Mercy is one we're going to see this weekend together as a family. There is a documentary on HBO about Bryan Stevenson. I watched it back in February and thought it was well-made. True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight for Equality

This week: We're getting a cold-front Sunday and Monday. I'm planning on making a curry Thai and wild rice soup. It'll be cold so I'm excited to get one more soup in before the hot weather stays. 

A few of my flowers died due to some crazy winds and hot temps we've gotten over the last few weeks. I'm planning on grabbing a few more to finish up the summer flower beds.

Looking forward to my birthday next weekend. We're not going to do much due to, you know, a pandemic but I'll branch out that evening for some sushi and sake with the family. Saturday night a few of my friends and I will sit outside and enjoy some drinks and a game or two all while social distancing. Should be a perfect "quarantine" birthday.