The news hit hard yesterday with over 1 million reported cases around the world, and two hundred and thirteen thousand plus here in the United States. We are doing our best to stay put. We are grateful to have a place that can function as a lot of different things - home gym, home office, school classroom, art studio, etc. We practice social distancing, and though we’ve gone out a few times to pick up food or do the occasional drive by to see friends, the streets lay empty all hours of the day, we hear military helicopters in the air, and for the most part, we are home taking advantage of every inch we can find.
Update: We have reintroduced the STICKER CHART like when our children were three years old (they are currently 10 and almost 7), and it seems to be working! Breakfast between 8-9am, School 9am-12pm, Lunch 12-1pm, Sister/Play Time 1-3pm, Quiet Time 3-4pm, Exercise 4-5pm, and so on. We fill those in between moments with Legos and art projects, and walks or bike rides in the hood. We are keeping our heads, though some days are harder than others, doing what we must, braving the grocery store, making dinner as a family, grinding through work, and having the occasional glass of wine…well, not really, kind of close to a bottle a night. We FaceTime friends and family regularly. It’s important to stay connected. We all need to know that we are not alone. Everyone in the world is going through this right now.
Last Saturday, Estella’s 1st Grade Teacher, Mrs. Richardson met us in the parking lot of Kester Elementary to give us the next three weeks worth of lessons. Each morning Estella logs into Google Classroom where she gets a welcome video from her teacher, the days instructions, and online learning videos that help her hone her reading and math skills. Monday and Friday’s her teacher hosts a Zoom call with the class, and moving forward there will be Academy, where 5-6 students at a time will meet virtually once or twice a week for instruction. Mrs Richardson, along with Sylvie’s teacher Mrs. D’Breau have gone above and beyond to make these kids feel a part of a class community again, and keep the learning moving forward in a way that is manageable and retained.
We are figuring out what to do next week when the girls go on Spring Break and how to have a seder so we can celebrate Passover. I’m sure there will be more Legos, more movies, and more Mario Party. I think it might be good to just go on a drive, head up the 101, cut through Malibu Canyon Pass to the PCH, right around sunset as the sun dips into the sea.
Another week in the books. Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Home.
Ventura & Beverly Glen 9am, usually the busiest intersections in the valley on a work day morning 3/28/20.
Mels Drive In at the corner of Kester & Ventura is open for take-out 3/28/20.
Estella’s teacher, Mrs. Richardson and her daughter meet us at Kester 3/28/20.
Bobby, Jasper and Cleo Croll on their driveway. Bobby and I have been friends since 1998 3/28/20.
Estella does a Zoom call with all her classmates. She was so happy to see all her friends 3/30/20.
Estella takes some time to put together a Lego & Friends house Saturday afternoon 3/28/20.
Estella & Sylvie sit at their little picnic table that we’ve had for at least seven years and do some art 3/31/20.
Amanda works out in what is the new home gym 4/2/20.