Hello, Week Thirty. And hello to the friends and family I actually spent some time with this week. I wasn’t 100 percent COVIDly responsible — I admit that. I shouldn’t have been so lax with things because I know COVID is still a threat. And I know I need to remember I’m extra susceptible. And that the consequences of contracting it are likely far worse for me… I know, too, that even if that wasn’t the case, I’m still supposed to responsibly distance for the good of society.
I know all of these things, and yet… I made excuses for everything I did. And it’s easy to make the argument that I wasn’t wholly irresponsible — that I still attempted to keep six feet, still wore a mask, still mostly saw people in outdoor settings… But there was some contact and some indoor spaces, too. I’ll be better. I have to be. Because the rest of the world (or at least the rest of my little corner of the world) is too antsy to get back to normal to continue with all the CDC recommendations. They’re nuisances, I get that. But they’re life-saving nuisances.
Sunday
I may not be super great with baby blobs (AKA babies), but I can catch a good pic every once and awhile. Taranne invited me to Buffalo for her daughter’s fourth birthday. This is clearly not the four-year-old. I got pics of her, too, but this shot of mom and baby number three makes me smile. The baby’s aight, but to me, this is exactly who Taranne is. A pale weirdo, a freckly mom, and a human who’s living her best life. In casual attire, zero makeup, and a smile.
Monday
Bailey Boo doesn’t like to lie in her pool, but she likes to stick her paws and face in the water. And it’s aDORable.
Tuesday
Aunt Lorri and Shauna came to town. It was time to move Grammy’s stuff out of the apartment that’s been vacant for the past month. My grandmother’s health has been deteriorating for a little while now and about four weeks ago, she fell and broke some bones. After a stint in the hospital, she was brought to the Utica Rehabilitation Center, where she’ll stay until her progress plateaus. We don’t know where she’ll go after, but she can no longer stay at the independent living facility (Side note: this whole time I considered Brookdale an assisted living facility because they provide meals in the communal dining area, but apparently I’ve been wrong. My mother vehemently pointed that out to me… she’s been short-tempered lately about all things Grammy-related).
Grammy gets confused in the evenings and has too many mobility problems to go back to living on her own. We have to wait for an evaluation before we can start looking for an appropriate place… Well. I see we, but the job mainly falls to my mom. I’m just helping with whatever I’m asked to do. Like packing up my grandma’s things and sorting through them. While they wait on the evaluation, my mom and aunts decided it was best to move her out so she doesn’t have to keep paying out of pocket expenses for the rent.
The moving process was interesting because only two people were cleared to go into the building as a COVID safety precaution. My mom and aunt packed the things in the apartment and lugged them to the door where Shauna and I waited to carry them to the cars and pack them up. The plus side is I was able to spend a little time chatting with Shauna, during which we bonded over our love and frustration with our mothers.
While loading the car for the second trip back, I said, “I’m super self-conscious about the way I’m packing right now because I feel like I’m going to be judged.” Shauna replied, “Yeah. I’m actually surprised they didn’t come check our packing on the first trip.” For realz.
Wednesday
This is how we’re allowed to see Grammy right now. I understand precautions are necessary, but there has GOT to be a better set up. We could barely hear her because some building utility was running in the corner right next to where we were standing, and we could barely see her because the window didn’t push up, it popped open — there was an awful glare. But she looked somewhat well, and despite some confusion and obvious agitation about her situation, she was still my grandmother. She tsked disapprovingly when she learned I was going camping on my own and informed my mom and aunt that they were not to allow that.
Thursday
Sometimes all you need is a little midday kitten cuddle. After three days of playing the role of dutiful daughter/granddaughter, this was a nice change of pace.
Friday
A typical Sam and Willow fight goes like this: Sam chases her the length of the house. They run through their boxes. They swat a few times at each other. Willow taunts Sam by touching him. Sam stares daggers at her. She waits for him to do something about it. She gets sleepy while waiting. She closes her eyes. Sam walks away. The end.
Saturday
When you’re trying to take a picture together but also social distance.
Chris, Aung, Kyaw (Joe), and I went tubing down the West Canada Creek (it’s basically a natural lazy river). Or rather, Aung, Kyaw and I did. Chris floated down in on a blow up air mattress.