"Spring is in the Air" March 2020 W.I.S.H. Challenge

[Flossbolna]

Woohoo for the day: I have lost 4 pounds this month so far!

I am hanging in there. I am battling allergies at the moment. I think partly this is stress related. I think the uncertainty is more stressful at the moment than anything else. I also thought I have a high threshold for stress. But I guess I was wrong. But then illness has always been one of the things that bothered me most. But to be honest, I am in a comparably good place. I have trust in how the German and local government are dealing with this. I do have a government job with tenure (all civil servants do) and work in a vital area of the state, but luckily not out on the streets. So this doesn’t mean financial crisis as it might for many others.

 

[Oneanne]

I am able to work at home, so income is not at risk. We have several open positions in my group/job class, so with pending cutbacks coming as we adjust to the economic aftermath, we can not fill them rather than having anyone at risk of losing their job.

I'm 10 days past the knitting class and having my Sister in the house - just a couple more days and I'll be clear of that 'breach' in social distancing. I'm just 5 days past the eye and brow appointments, so a ways to go there but the risk is minimal as both appointments only add up to contact with three people.

We've been having lovely sunny weather, which is so helpful in keeping positive.

I've been having a silly group text thing going on with my brother, sister and sil and checking in here to see how y'all are doing is also important for staying connected.

Oh, and I've been cooking:

 

[sjrec]

I am able to work at home, so income is not at risk. We have several open positions in my group/job class, so with pending cutbacks coming as we adjust to the economic aftermath, we can not fill them rather than having anyone at risk of losing their job.

I'm 10 days past the knitting class and having my Sister in the house - just a couple more days and I'll be clear of that 'breach' in social distancing. I'm just 5 days past the eye and brow appointments, so a ways to go there but the risk is minimal as both appointments only add up to contact with three people.

We've been having lovely sunny weather, which is so helpful in keeping positive.

I've been having a silly group text thing going on with my brother, sister and sil and checking in here to see how y'all are doing is also important for staying connected.

Oh, and I've been cooking:

View attachment 481898

Looks like something from a fancy bistro!

 

[Summer2018]

Woo Hoo!

The weather was finally good enough for a walk on the beach. I still had to bundle up in my winter coat and wear my hat, hood, and gloves because of the cold and wind. The sun was shining and the fresh air felt wonderful. The view was everything.

 

[JacknSally]

Woohoo - I've stayed under 210 successfully for a week now, which in my opinion means it's sticking!

DH's boss is already asking him when he thinks he'll come back in the office to work. Really frustrating because DH signed a work from home release form Monday, so it's been all of 2 days. Things are just getting started here and they're already pressuring him to come back - and there's absolutely nothing about his job that has to be done in the office. They just want him there to help answer phones if it gets busy when they're short-staffed - but his boss even said it's completely dead there today.

Apparently they've decided to keep the office open and have half the team work from home and half from the office. If anyone in the office gets sick, then that half will get sent home and the at-home half will come work in the office. That is..... literally pointless. I'm furious. One of his coworkers flew to Vegas 2 weeks ago for vacation, stayed a week, flew home, and was back in the office last week. He's an outside sales rep so he goes and makes sales calls at other businesses in our area, too. Vegas has 42 confirmed cases and a death so far. His coworker doesn't really "believe" in all this, so telling him he could be an asymptomatic carrier means absolutely nothing to him.

Our county had our 4th confirmed case today, and the news is doing everything they can to spin it as "everyone who has it here got it somewhere else and were already sick when they came home, so it's not actually in the county"... yes. Yes it is. They got it somewhere else but brought it back home to this county, so it's in the county. I'm so tired of people being dumb.

Jazz Fest got postponed - no official new date yet but I think it'll be in October. I'm fine with it. Disappointed to cancel another New Orleans trip (we had to cancel Mardi Gras a few weeks ago) but I love October and haven't gotten to see New Orleans in October yet, and it should be much cooler there then, too.

 

[piglet1979]

I am woohoo the ability to work from home and same with DH. Neither of our jobs at risk. We have a lot of issues at work as we are a scholarship place and now students can't get what they need to complete the application as well as a good portion may not have access to internet while not in school. We have moved some deadlines for now but it we don't really know what we will do. We will make more decisions after our 3 weeks home is up. I am fully thinking the 3 weeks will be extended.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Major WooHoo:
The kid's test (that I posted about the other day):

...I found out yesterday evening that the twins I take care of have a classmate with pneumonia and a fever right now. His mom is trying trying to get him tested for the virus, but meeting with push-back. I've been around multiple kids from the class all week..

came back negative!!

Thread-specific WooHoo - I'm down 3 pounds!

 

[sjrec]

you

Major WooHoo:
The kid's test (that I posted about the other day):

came back negative!!

Thread-specific WooHoo - I'm down 3 pounds!

That’s wonderful news!

 

[MickeyMom76]

My woohoos - I got out for a walk with some neighbor moms (keeping distance). Kids are having fun FaceTiming their friends. My parents stopped by to drop something off and ended up staying for dinner. (I’m just having a hard time social distancing myself from family.)

 

[sjrec]

Thankful this Thursday for all these good people that are out there doing their jobs keeping this country going at the possible cost of their own health.

 

[MickeyMom76]

I’m thankful for everyone who is stepping up and doing their part...from the health care workers to the kids who are staying home from school. Everyone has a part to play in slowing the spread of this virus. The hard thing is knowing exactly how to play your part. But thankful for technology/social media for helping us to stay connected and find ways to help each other through this unique circumstance! And that same technology allows me to stay connected to my class. I’m also thankful for my on demand workouts that give me options for working out in my own home.

 

[Flossbolna]

I am thankful for all the people who behave responsibly during this time and who are willing to refrain from their own short term pleasures for the good of society. I am also thankful for those who bear the burden of keeping society going. Here in Germany they can still use schools for child care and are classified as “system-relevant”. That’s the term that was used for the banks in 2008/2009 that were “too big to fail”. I do hope that society will remember how it was the garbage men, the supermarket shelf stockers, the nurses, the delivery guys etc. who got them through this. These jobs are so important, but it doesn’t show in their pay that they have such a value.

 

[Flossbolna]

I am also thankful for all of you. It’s great to have this group going at the moment!

I am doing a bit better today. I have drastically reduced my news consumption. That’s helping a lot!

 

[Oneanne]

I'll add being thankful for grocery store staff for keeping the stores open and giving folks access to food.
Other than that, my woohoo's yesterday were also thankfuls.

I'm now day 11 away from the knitting class and have to admit a little nervous, like if I caught anything there it will show up today or tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Yesterday I put some Christmas lights back up on the porch... there's national movement to do that as being symbolic of 'light and hope'. It is kind of odd to see them and have daffodils in the planters tho.

I'm working on my daily plans for next week, so far I have:
one outdoor chore and one indoor chore
read for at least an hour
go for a walk
do breathing exercises four times a day
get six bags of stuff ready to go to Goodwill when this has passed

Oh, and I cooked again:

 

[sjrec]

I'll add being thankful for grocery store staff for keeping the stores open and giving folks access to food.
Other than that, my woohoo's yesterday were also thankfuls.

I'm now day 11 away from the knitting class and have to admit a little nervous, like if I caught anything there it will show up today or tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Yesterday I put some Christmas lights back up on the porch... there's national movement to do that as being symbolic of 'light and hope'. It is kind of odd to see them and have daffodils in the planters tho.

I'm working on my daily plans for next week, so far I have:
one outdoor chore and one indoor chore
read for at least an hour
go for a walk
do breathing exercises four times a day
get six bags of stuff ready to go to Goodwill when this has passed

Oh, and I cooked again:

View attachment 482123

That looks delicious!
I also have bags for Goodwill starting to clutter up my entry way-I might take the clothes/shoes to one of those freestanding bins.
I like the idea of an indoor project and an outdoor project. Today I am cleaning out and organizing my freezer space. I am hoping to put off a trip to the grocery store until next week. I can spend some time cleaning up the yard as well. Noticed lots of sticks in the yard after this last rain. I think it’s really important to get outside every day for my mental and physical health.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I hadn’t heard about the Christmas lights. That sounds nice.

big thankfuls:
DH's job (which he already worked from home)
not too many shortages at the grocery store this morning
a nice drive yesterday to get DS moved out of the dorm

tiny, but fun:
McDonald's brought back the “Little Mac” (which I had from the drive through during that trip yesterday). I always liked Big Macs, but they obviously don’t fit my healthy eating plan! With the mini version, I felt like I could make a small exception yesterday.

 

[Flossbolna]

@Oneanne for someone who usually doesn’t cook a lot, your food looks truly amazing! Also, you shouldn’t worry about the 14 days coming to an end. The average incubation time is 5 days. That’s why the quarantine is 14 days after exposure to catch even the really late ones. So, every day your chances of getting sick should decrease.

 

[Summer2018]

I will get to thankfulness eventually...but right now I need to blow off some steam.

Teachers were instructed to prepare instructional packets up to June. We had to follow a strict schedule so that we wouldn’t all be in school at the same time. All grade levels except mine had materials created for them, and all they had to do was make hard copies. I had to create my own. Fine. Whatever.
I spent four hours individualizing work packets for each student so that they would actually benefit from completing them. I used six reams of paper. I wrote cover letters in English and Spanish.

We planned on distributing materials every two weeks. I collated my first packet and was halfway through my next two weeks and after FOUR hours of work was told, “Nevermind. The superintendent decided to only use the packets until April. After that, we have to write lesson plans for parents.”

I actually screamed out loud in my classroom. I’m sure my lazy custodian who would rather watch YouTube videos than clean and disinfect Corona Virus germs must have wondered what that crazy Pre-K teacher was flipping out over.

So, I have a huge box filled with custom-made work packets for students who will never see them. And, now I have to dumb down lesson plans for parents who don’t even want to help their children with a homework paper or read a book to them. These “plans” might be used by 3-5 parents...maybe. All this work for nothing.

So now my Thankfulness:
ABCMouse.com and many other educational websites are providing FREE memberships for students right now.

My new classroom Facebook account will enable me to post read alouds and other content for my students. They will be able to see my face every day. I can sing to them and tell them that I love them and miss them terribly.

Another note: My paraprofessional and I called parents today. Some of them get up, shower, get dressed, put on their jackets, grab their backpacks and stand by the door determined to go to school every morning. Today, Joseph told his father, “Dad, I reeeeeally need to go to school. Mrs. M. will wonder where I am.”

Tears...

Peace.

 

[Flossbolna]

Tears...

 

[sjrec]

I will get to thankfulness eventually...but right now I need to blow off some steam.

Teachers were instructed to prepare instructional packets up to June. We had to follow a strict schedule so that we wouldn’t all be in school at the same time. All grade levels except mine had materials created for them, and all they had to do was make hard copies. I had to create my own. Fine. Whatever.
I spent four hours individualizing work packets for each student so that they would actually benefit from completing them. I used six reams of paper. I wrote cover letters in English and Spanish.

We planned on distributing materials every two weeks. I collated my first packet and was halfway through my next two weeks and after FOUR hours of work was told, “Nevermind. The superintendent decided to only use the packets until April. After that, we have to write lesson plans for parents.”

I actually screamed out loud in my classroom. I’m sure my lazy custodian who would rather watch YouTube videos than clean and disinfect Corona Virus germs must have wondered what that crazy Pre-K teacher was flipping out over.

So, I have a huge box filled with custom-made work packets for students who will never see them. And, now I have to dumb down lesson plans for parents who don’t even want to help their children with a homework paper or read a book to them. These “plans” might be used by 3-5 parents...maybe. All this work for nothing.

So now my Thankfulness:
ABCMouse.com and many other educational websites are providing FREE memberships for students right now.

My new classroom Facebook account will enable me to post read alouds and other content for my students. They will be able to see my face every day. I can sing to them and tell them that I love them and miss them terribly.

Another note: My paraprofessional and I called parents today. Some of them get up, shower, get dressed, put on their jackets, grab their backpacks and stand by the door determined to go to school every morning. Today, Joseph told his father, “Dad, I reeeeeally need to go to school. Mrs. M. will wonder where I am.”

Tears...

Peace.

For so many kids, school is the place where people look out for them, take care of them and love them.
How good it is that they can “see” you when so much is uncertain in their lives right now.