Week Nineteen felt at odds with itself. It started so bright and sunny and optimistic. It ended so cold and dark and uncertain. Week Nineteen was the first full week of May, yet it snowed two days in a row. Our weather patterns are changing and it’s freaking me out.
In fact, everything’s kind of freaking me out.
Make note, future world, that in Week Nineteen of 2020, we woke to snow on the ground, a deadly plague, isolation, a mentally unstable, fascist person in charge, and news of a lynching. An actual, bona fide fucking lynching. In Georgia, 25-year-old Ahmoud Arbery was shot to death while jogging. Because apparently jogging while black is a crime punishable by death by a citizen army of brazen, hateful, redneck fucktards.
In other news: I love my cats (though only one is pictured this week, I do love both of them).
Sunday
I was sitting on our back porch writing when I heard a My Chemical Romance song coming from somewhere outside. Excited by someone on our street showing the band some love, I walked through the house to the front window. Outside were our school social worker and her son BLARING the music for me!
“Teenagers scare the living shit out of me…” could be heard all through the neighborhood while Christina did a little shimmy on my front long and put a sign up honoring me in my role as teacher during this crazy COVID crisis because this week is Educator Appreciation Week.
The sign was whatever. But the delivery was awesome. Too bad this is as close as we could get to each other.
Monday
This cat does not think I should read.
Tuesday
The little purple flowers sprouting in our backyard made me smile almost as much as the greenery taking over under the tree and around the birdbath. I love that our small backyard is not just a grassy area, but something more serene — a haven for chipmunks and squirrels, pigeons and finches, skunks and stray cats. And now bumblebees! (We’re pretty sure they’re building a nest)
Wednesday
I guess dandelions are pretty, too. Brian wanted me to take a pic of these. He likes them, even though most of the world considers them weeds. They are a sign of the summer to come, though. And we all could use a sign that summer will eventually come. COVID has us going a little stir crazy, and the crazy New York weather has us getting a little cold. (Get it? It snowed this week. And COVID, which they think thrives in colder weather, is a sickness or cold. I’m hilarious.)
Thursday
This cat does not think I should conference with students.
Friday
Do you see him? For a good fifteen minutes he sat down there and stared at me.
Saturday
This cat does not think I should write.