The Huddle

The weeks in this Quarantined state - fly by fast.  Walk, work, cook, clean, repeat.   Recently though we have been able to add in a few baseball/softball practices, Parker started to work a bit cutting grass, Reese has had a few play dates.  Things are definitely different in the world, but we manage to fill each day and be grateful.  For the most part the yard work is tip top and the dandelions are already gone.  In May the trees filled out and the robins eggs hatched.  Now comes the mosquitos ( just reminded me - I need to call to have them spray).    A few house projects- my dad came and hung a new light in the upstairs bath,  I painted dining table and this weekend, want to finish the stairs and upstairs hall.  Fishing fills the weekend for the guys - catch fish, clean fish, clean & maintain equipment.   So grateful for a freezer full of fish and meat.  A few other points that I don't want to forget...

Yesterday was Mother's Day.  I am going to be blunt.   My children don't make it special.   It is just another day where dishes pile up and laundry has to be done , and flowers are bought at 10 o'clock in the morning.     Though it breaks my heart a tiny bit; I do feel blessed that my kids are healthy and I loved the flowers.    In the grand scheme of things we are really aren't a family that makes a big deal about any holiday, birthday, anniversary!   And that likely is all on me.  If I wanted a big hoopla for Mother's Day, than I probably should have started from the moment they were little - making all events more special and memorable.    I had a nice day, I spent the morning with my parents (I broke the Stay Home orders...)!  We visited and watched the online Worship service together.  We laughed and it was so nice.   It was exactly where I needed to be.    When I got home w...

The weeks go by fast despite no where to go.  Kids continue to not be excited about the home school work.  They aren't motivated and I am failing at finding a way to get them on board.  I will keep trying!  I don't worry they will fail behind - but I just want them to progress like they would have if they were in school.   I do know that they are able to spend more quality time on learning other things.  Reese is baking more - and learning that following a recipe exactly is critical.   Parker is cooking, becoming a master fisherman and started a little business.  I think my biggest angst around what the fall will look like.  I read all of these articles on what "may" be; and it just makes my mind go crazy.   We will figure it out, whatever it is.  Aaron and Parker fished every chance they could.  Our freezer is getting full and I am so grateful for that.   Aaron gives fish away to friends and famil...

I come from a long line of women on both side of my family that grew gray hair early.  I mean I have had grey hair since I was 18ish.   (The only plus side of it all is that my sweet younger brothers also have the affliction).  All of this is in joke of course, because there are people with much worse genetic hand me downs than ours!  What this means is that as the years have rolled by, I have had to color my hair more frequently.   It started with a couple times a year to now every 4 weeks (and that is a stretch).  I used to color myself - it was messy and never looked that great.  I have had it done by professionals for a long time now.  And expense I bare, because I am vain.   I have dark hair and the gray (almost white hairs) coming out of my scalp with a vengeance everyday a millimeter more, just chips away at my self esteem. You can only wear a hat so much.   I am to the point that I will likely need to start ...

Happy Birthday Parker!  14 has been your sports number forever and now you are 14!   This morning you are fishing with your friends, no place you would rather be.  I am so proud of how you have handled the COVID quarantine; you get up every morning to help dad, exercise, hunt or fish.  You spend almost the entire day outside working on your fort or hanging in the barn.  You have enjoyed making dinner; becoming quite good at cooking fish, potatoes, chicken!     You even became entreprenuerial, starting a tackle making business with a friend.   You spend time each day tying lures and packaging them up to sell.   I haven't heard you complain once in 7 weeks; I feel like this downtime has been good for you.  We have a long summer ahead of us and I know there will be days that aren't fun or perfect; but keep up your positive attitude and you will make it thru and before you know it; you will be in High School. I am ...

For 8 years I have had the most amazing manager  - Carrie Fletcher.   Once a month on Friday afternoon, we met for a 1 on 1 call .  It was always a true pleasure to kick off that weekend that way.  We would talk about work, but then we would dive right into the fun stuff.   Carrie is married and lives in NJ outside NYC.  She is from NYC and Jewish, two things that I find so fascinating and interesting.   We would share stories about our families and talk about Broadway shows, TV shows & movies.   We truly have a friendship, though we have never meet in person.  Today, she notified me that in order to protect me; she had to move me to a new organization and leader.   Major cuts are planned for her team and she has been working diligently since Monday to find new teams / places her valued team members.    I am heart broken to the point of tears.   I don't clearly understand it all, it wil...

Today starts the 6th week of Quarantine.   The end of last week the School District handed out workbooks for the students and starting today, teachers will be sending out assignments and be available for questions, etc.    My kids aren't thrilled, but I know that many families/children will be excited to to a little school work again.  Work has not changed for me.   But what has changed is the time our family has.   As I worked outside this weekend (shoveling, using wheel barrow, racking sticks, etc.), I thought about how much time there is in a weekend and how the days feel long and accomplished.   I don't really miss the places that used to be on the weekends.  I wish I had the option to go, but not having the obligation has created a little less stress and anxiety for sure.  Aaron is working every other day, so on his days off; he and Parker are tackling projects and I see Parker learning things that in days prior ...

There are a zillion articles and posts all over Social Media on how to cope during a Quarantine.  What it comes down to with the onslaught of self help articles  (even when we aren't on lockdown); is to figure out what works the best for you and your family.   One thing that has been on every list is Connecting with people.   That resonated with me.   I started writing letters to cousins and aunts/uncles. And guess what - they started writing back!   Snail mail - it is so amazing to get a letter in the mail.  I love opening it and reading them as I walk up the driveway.    Reese started writing to her friends as well (my sneaky way to get her write)!  Then my amazing long time friend Tiffany, said up a weekly Zoom call (video conferencing), with Reese and I and Maria.     So we log on every Monday night and laugh and joke and share stories and suggestions.  Last week we dressed up as a Celebrity...

Here's a secret - I am not a real fan of exercise.  But, as I get older it is evident that I needed to get moving.    I am proud to say that it is almost a year that I have walked 30 min to 1 hr. EVERY DAY.  I truly can count on one hand the number of days I may have missed.   I have wore threw 2 pair of shoes.   I have gotten soaked with rain and snow, gotten wind burned checks, forgotten my phone in the car and had to go back and start over.  Had to cut it short to get back to my desk for an early meeting.   Walked in the dark because the days are short in the winter.  And thru it all there was not 1 day that when I got back home that I regretted it.    In June of 2019, in a casual conversation at the ball park, I mentioned that I was walking in the morning.   Another mom said "Can I join you?" and from there a daily walk, new friendship was born.   Jamey and I would meet at the track parking l...

The kids have been off from school since Monday March 16th.  The Governor of Michigan signed an Executive Order on April 2nd that school would be suspended for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.   It is a lot to process for me as as parent.  I can't imagine what that means if you are a teacher or administrator.   And it is a lot for the children to comprehend - they walked out of school on March 13th not knowing that they wouldn't be returning until the next school year.   When they go back Parker will be in H.S.   He didn't get to go on the Mackinaw Trip or Cedar Point Trip.    Reese was having a great time in 6th grade .   She made lots of new friends - which I am thankful for.    But, our losses are minimal compared to the Seniors that have the best part of H.S. lost.   The last few months are filled with the best times.    I know they will pull off some amazing things in the...

Jennyreadsalot - was my first blog name.   Last year, after a 2 year gap in blogging; I stared this new blog under the name The Huddle.    2 summers ago, Aaron built an amazing outdoor bar and we decided to call it The Huddle.   I love that name.   Our friend Heather painted a sign to hang on the front of the bar!   But I digrese..... Jenny used to read alot.  The real one constant in my life is my love of reading everything and anything.    The introduction of TV streaming and less time, really slowed my reading.  But, now that I have more time to read again I realized I  really missed it.  So far this year I have read : Meg & Jo - Virginia Kantra Heaven is Here - Stephanie Nielson Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gail Honeyman The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris One Day in December -  Josie Silver Carnegie Hill - Jonathan Vainer Shortest Way Home - Pete Buttigieg I wish ...

When you are used to homework, practices, scrimmages, softball, baseball, basketball, Sunday School, Church, playdates.  When you are used to looking ahead on the calendar to Class Trips and Softball/Baseball Tournaments.   When you eat in shifts and clean when you can and your car is a PIT;  but then you are told to STAY HOME and STAY SAFE and everything is cancelled for the foreseeable future you have A LOT of time on your hands.  Most of the time the slower pace is treasured and reminds me of when the kids were little and we didn't have any activities.   Having limitless time in the evening and weekends means: Cooking more, Baking more Random craft projects you see online!  Reading thru the stack of books Writing letters Journaling in this Blog! Puzzles Coloring Cleaning out drawers Staying on top of laundry Cleaning Screens and Windows (earlier than not) Washing leaves on your Ficus Tree Walking more than once a day - more e...

We are living in a government mandated quarantine - stay home, stay safe.  Only essential workers.  Everything but grocery stores and gas stations are open.   No this is not a movie or a book plot - this is our current state of life beginning March 14th.   A highly contagious (deadly) virus, known as the coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading around the globe and the only way to slow it down or stop it is to not be around people.   It is all surreal and scary and every other emotion.    Our current status is Aaron works every other day.  I continue to work my job as nothing as changed from home and the kids have NO school  or activities.  There is no Church or Sunday School.   So, needless to say our free time has increased exponentially!   Week 1,  I was loving the new life,  slower pace; you can get alot done when not running the roads every night and all weekend.   Then came Week ...