The Vid

 5 years.

I've been Covid free for 5 years.  I was hoping that I would keep the streak going, but after going to an indoor concert in a smaller venue, I was defeated.

Last Friday I woke up feeling like there was the onset of a cold happening.  With the way our weather has been up and down and allergies have been insane, I assumed it was going to end up in sniffles and cold medicine.  As the day wore on, the tireds kicked in and I crashed out early. When I woke up Saturday morning, I felt something was off, so I took a test just to rule out Covid so that I could safely go back to work on Tuesday.

The double line showed up immediately and was deep red.  Fuuuuuuuck.  I went out to my partner that was mowing the lawn on one of the first really nice days we've had this spring and let him know.  I felt horrible because I knew that he could get it and I may have passed it along at work.  Luckily, my employers were super understanding and want me to rest and get well.  They were impressed that I managed to evade it for this long.  They all contracted Covid after a family vacation awhile back, so they knew what I was dealing with.

It's been interesting.  Friday was cold like symptoms.  Saturday was lethargy and ended with a fever before I crashed out for bed at 830 pm.  It broke during sleep and Sunday consisted of rest and snacks.  Monday and Tuesday were filled with phlegm, coughing that made my ribs sore and bingeing on tv. By the way, if you ever get the chance to watch the movie "Incendies" do NOT look up spoilers ahead of time.  The twist is 😮. 

Today is Wednesday. I think I'm on the upswing.  The cough is lingering but I have had no fever since the first time.  I can still smell and taste and have an appetite.  I get exhausted pretty fast but I can stay awake all day and not regret it. I think I will test again tomorrow or Friday and see where we are at. I'm starting to get antsy and feeling like I need to get back to my routine, which to me is always a sign I am feeling better.

I need to connect with my nanny family and see how they want to proceed.  Once I test again, we can figure out what happens next.  I don't want to put them in any more danger and I know they would rather have me healthy and able to be fully present.  

Thankfully, I am fully vaccinated.  I know it doesn't prevent me from getting Covid, but I am so glad that because I am vaccinated, my symptoms were like a bad cold.  I can't imagine how it would be if I was unvaccinated. However, now I am definitely more paranoid about getting it again.  Masking will be resuming indoors, especially in smaller spaces.  We have another small venue concert coming up in May and I am debating if we even go. The rest of the concerts we have scheduled are all outdoors and in large venues that allow for space.

As of today, my partner is still testing negative. I am very jealous of his immune system.  If he gets through this unscathed, I want whatever he's got.  He rarely gets sick and if he does, he usually bounces back quickly.  Lucky duck.  Honestly, I don't tend to get sick often.  But this season has been different and my nanny kids have had every illness known to man (sarcasm!) and shared some with me.  

Time to find some lunch, dip myself in sanitizer and continue to rest.  My furry nursemaid won't let me do much more.  💕

Do People Even Read Blogs Anymore?

 As are many of my conversations with myself in the car during my commute home, I wonder about things.  

Friday's drive home had me wondering if people even read blogs anymore.  I remember when they were super popular and everyone and their mother seemed to have one.  I subscribed to so many on this platform and whatever others were existing at the time.  There was a whole community and a vibe in blogging.

Now, we know that video/reels/Tiktok/YouTube are the big things.  You can listen and watch while doing other things.  You can doom scroll with the best of them.  They provide an immediate gratification that so many people are accustomed to these days. Blogs require the time and effort to sit and read what someone has to say.  The attention span is different.  You can't always hear sarcasm or tone in words on a screen. And for many, having to actually "work" to get the gist of something isn't going to happen.  

I know that since the dawn of TikTok (which I sometimes post and interact on), attention spans have changed. If something can't be wrapped up in a nice little 3 minute video presentation it's not worth a person's time.  I'm not condemning anyone for that.  Hell, I am guilty of it at times.  But here I am now second guessing if this blog is even a worthwhile endeavor.  

I want to stick it out and see what happens.  I know I need to let more than my friends and family that this blog exists.  I need to research a bit more to see how word out there to people that would actually enjoy reading what random thoughts I have and interact in this setting.  

What do you think? Those of you that have come across this randomly (if there even are any of you like that at this early point), how did you find me? Those of you that are friends and family, thank you for reading what I have to say. If you have any suggestions about how to get myself out there more, I'd love to hear from you.  

People with social media accounts always do the "like, share, subscribe" tag, but does that work here? Please feel free to leave a comment even if it is just to say hi and get some interaction going.  We shall see where this road leads us.  Happy Sunday!

Look For the Glimmers

 How does it already feel like year and it's only January 22? (I technically know the answer.  I wish I didn't but...)

In order to not be overwhelmed by the suck that is permeating the world, I made the decision to start looking for the little things that give me joy.  Some days are easier than others, but even if it's the faintest glimmer, it still counts.

I do have a current favorite that I get to experience most days on my commute to work.  Kids here wait for the school bus on various corners and they are all adorable.  However, there is one young girl that I estimate to be around 9 who waits by herself.  Every single time I drive by, she is in the middle of a dance routine.  And she gives it 110%.

She is living her best life on that corner rain or shine.  She is busting all the moves and the smile on her face and the lack of caring who sees her just makes me smile.  And she's good! I wonder what song she has playing in her head, if the dances are improvised or something choreographed in her bedroom or dance class, what she is imagining as she breaks it down and if she realizes how cool she is.

I've had the urge to yell out in support of her, but the last thing I want to do is hinder her corner dance routine.  So, I quietly smile as I drive by and whisper a quiet "you go girl".  And then I crank up my radio and take a moment to enjoy whatever song comes across my airwaves. If she only knew that she makes at least one person smile...

Other glimmers I have noticed lately and in no particular order are:

• the sparkling frost that covers all the bare tree branches during this current cold snap
• the feel of my dog's warm breath on my neck when he sleeps close at night
• how new, warm socks feel on my feet after taking them out of the dryer
• giggles coming from deep within my nanny kids on a whim
• distant hoots at night from barred owls that hang out in our neighborhood 

Let me know what glimmers you've have come across lately.  What helps you when you need to find a little light in a dark time?

January 20

 Today is January 20.  We honor MLK Jr for all he did in his short time on this Earth.  It's also Inauguration Day. 

It is also my birthday.  

I am currently sitting at the Subaru dealership while my car gets an oil change.  After this is over, I will head home, freshen up and then head out to run errands with my partner.  We may get a little birthday lunch.  I may come home and nap.  The possibilities are endless.

The one thing that I won't be doing is turning on my television and watching anything to do with that guy being sworn in.  I won't be watching any of it online either.  The last thing I want is to ruin my day with that lunacy.  On a good note, the weather and the ego of the Rump ended up changing the gameplan of the day, so I'll take that as a little gift to me from the universe. 👍

If I let it get the best of me, I could go off on a foul mouthed tirade about the whole political debacle.  Trust me.  I have a LOT of thoughts on it.  They will come. But for now, I will just go back to sipping my latte, eating my sumo citrus and listening to the hum of the waiting room. 

Take care of yourself.  Check on your loved ones.  Indulge in something that makes you happy.  Do it as a gift to me.  

let's get this show on the road

Ok, so I'll be honest.  

I don't know what direction this blog is going to go.  We are fresh into 2025 and the world is a shit show 11 days in.  Climate change is messing with the settings on Mother Nature.  Our government is like a really bad reality show.  But I digress.

I haven't religiously blogged in quite some time.  But I feel like this year is going to be one that will need to be recorded for my sanity and the sanity of the 3 people that may read this. 😏 I had also been talking with my fantastic boss recently and she brought up when I blogged in the past and all she got from it.  That caused a little spark to light under my butt and here we are. 

Anyhoo, here we are.  If you're new here, let me tell you a little about me.  I live in the PNW and relocated here from Northern California (Silicon Valley) 8 year ago with my partner in crime.  We are dog parents to a giant, white polar bear named Charlie.  I have been a professional child wrangler (aka a nanny) for several decades now and love seeing the world through the eyes and brains of little nuggets.

This space will be a mix of random thoughts, nanny life, venting, raving, questioning and utter nonsense.  Mix in talk of music, books, photography and SMDD (shit my dog does) and that gives a pretty decent idea of what goes on in my brain and the conversations I have with myself.

I hope you'll stick around.  Feel free to let me know in the comments where you are and how you found me.  Throw out ideas for what you'd like me to spew about and we will take it from there.  

I'll wrap up with a photo of the bestest boy.  He will work for compliments and snackies.