Skipping Town

We are all excited about the snow. It's been too long since we've had a decent snowstorm, and we were happy to just stay home all day Sunday and Monday. The kids had remote school and Andrew and I worked from home. We played Blokus and Rummikub. Greta and I read some winter picture books in front of the fire in the Long Room. We watched This Is Us. Greta and I worked on a puzzle. The kids went sledding down Wightman on Sunday; on Monday they had a snowball fight in the backyard. Farrah loves bounding around in the snow. When we took her for a walk on Monday, Andrew ended up helping to push a stuck car out of the snow; three people had unwisely ventured out, trying to get to the airport. It took a few neighbors to push the car and dig them out, but they were successful. The only bad thing about these snowy days is that somehow the heat in the basement completely stopped working over the weekend. Saturday was chilly, but by Sunday it was absolutely freezing. Lucia had the good id...

The week flew by rather chaotically. With Andrew in Brazil I had to manage the crazy mornings of trying to get the car out of the driveway so the workers could park there, but also then arrange with the street crew who are tearing up the street right in front of our house, prohibiting parking on our block, then get the kids to school, then park again, then go to work.  There was also a winter storm to prepare for. We have a generator and lots of food, so I went out Thursday just to get some milk and jugs of water.  The insurance approval process continues with a denial of the appeal. Now it goes to a peer-to-peer stage where my doctor has to present evidence and argument to justify giving me this drug. From what I've read in the LGSOC group I belong to on Facebook, some doctors won't even go through this process. So I'm lucky that my care team is doing everything they can to make this happen, but it's still extremely frustrating and nerve-wracking. Andrew got home Frida...

It was so cold today that the kids' school switched to remote learning. Since this is the very beginning of the semester, there wasn't a lot of work to do, so after completing what they were assigned they spent the rest of the day sewing clothes (Greta) and bedazzling things while listening to a Percy Jackson audiobook (Lucia).  My sewing machine may be on its last legs--Greta was having all kinds of problems with it today--and when I looked back on old emails I realized I got it for my birthday from Mom and Dad in 2012. It's 14 years old! I got it that year because I wanted to sew a sleep sack for Lucia's baby doll, which, at 3, she carried everywhere. *sob* It may be time for an upgrade, especially if Greta wants to keep sewing. There were piano lessons and Lucia's tutoring in the evening, and then we heated up a few Trader Joe's meals and watched This Is Us. The house was quiet, a lull between electircal work and continued demo. 

Today was a day off for me and the kids. It was also the day the electricians were here to move an electrical box from the kitchen to the basement. This meant power to a large portion of the house would be shut off, and the entire basement kitchen would be emptied so the new box could go into the closet with the HVAC. Greta was valiantly trying to hand-sew since the sewing machine was not working, and I was trying to clean up my office in uncomfortable dimness. Once Lucia woke up, we decided to just leave the house. We started off with pastries and coffees at Paris Baguette in Shadyside, finding some seats by the front window, and hung out there for a while. After a quick browse at Kards Unlimited, we drove to Target, where the kids were struck by the weird cuteness (?) of mini Fuggler backpack charms. They are strange little plush creatures with realistic human teeth. I bought them each one since the day had the feeling of a snow day--cozy togetherness. Everyone was chatty and in a go...

A relaxing day. The girls and I went to Trader Joe's this morning for some groceries. Since Andrew will be in Brazil all week for work, we picked out a bunch of frozen meals for our dinners. I'm giving myself the grace of pre-made meals this week instead of doing the labor of prepping, cooking, and cleaning up while also going to work every day and doing all the chauffering. Something has to give and what is going to give is cooking. Pad thai! Orange chicken! Pork shumai! Lasagna! Trader Joe's has no shortage of options. There will come a day when I will happily undertake elaborate recipes in an enormous, sparkling new kitchen. That day is not today.  We were home for the rest of the day. Greta continued her intense crafting, turning her attention to upcycling some old jeans. She sewed fabric panels into one pair and wore them the rest of the day, and also made a tote bag out of another pair.  Lucia worked on some homework as well as editing a video she and a friend made at...

Wednesday I got my first fulvestrant injections--two shots, one at the top of each glute. I was a little nervous but they weren't anywhere as bad as I'd feared. It was a relief to finally get this part of the new treatment started. Do your work, powerful meds. Next dose is in two weeks. Thursday, the electricians were here and told me when they arrived that the power would likely be off intermittently. So instead of working from home like I'd planned, I went into the office for the morning. (Andrew played with fire and worked from home.) Andrew picked me up at lunchtime and we had lunch at the club, sitting in front of the fire. Very pleasant. Then I worked from home all afternoon, and the power stayed on.  Thursday evening was the Middle School and Upper School winter chorus concert. Mom and Dad drove in for it and we gathered in the basement afterward to have dessert for Mom's birthday (which is Friday).  Friday was Greta's Middle School dance. She wore a beautifu...