The 1st and 2nd Nina was off due to student holidays (the 2nd was Election Day). Jill took off to take care of Nina, who ended up wanting to go to SACC on the 1st. So Tuesday was the get stuff done day, including a passport appointment for all of us because Nina’s passport expired that day and a dentist appointment for Jill and Nina (mine was the next Tuesday). Later I wondered how did I not hear this mashup before now? This is legendary!
Wednesday we celebrated as vaccinations for ages 5-11 in Fairfax County were live. Friday we got takeout from Pista House. Jill and Nina went on Saturday to Tysons Corner Center. Jill said “Covid shots at the mall meant wandering around for a bit, checking out the massage chair after mom found a random dollar in her purse, then sporting a new fashion headband to create art. Here’s to a fully vaccinated household for the holiday season!”
Nina had a 2 hour early release on the 11th for Veterans Day, but I didn’t pick her up as her Girl Scout troop picked her up and took her to a troop campfire. Friday Jill was out to dinner with coworkers and it was Nina’s turn to choose takeout, so we went to Ariake, ordered, then sat in my car watching Saturday Night Live videos on YouTube until the order was ready. Saturday Nina didn’t get much exercise during the day, as she asked to go outside after dinner and ended up climbing trees.
Tuesday the 16th we had a ramp installed. A couple months earlier, I’d invited my mom and her husband David to join us for Thanksgiving, and she’d agreed but told me that he was having trouble walking. I’d tried a number of local places that rent medical equipment, but had no luck until I reached out to Freedom Mobility in Maryland. They needed to install it earlier than we needed it and their minimum rental time was a month, but it was just what we needed.
Thursday Nina had been having some asthma running around in cold weather, so I got her early so we could have a teleconference with her pulmonologist (she wasn’t happy about leaving early and missing art). Saturday was an Open mic at Jammin’ Java for the music students. Nina was scheduled to perform, but when she realized it was on a stage in front of a bunch of people this time, got some stage fright. We still watched the talented Jammin’ Java school house band for concert #18. Her teacher brought her up later so she could see what it was like. That night the neighbor girls came over to help decorate the tree while I went out to see Joan Osborne at The Barns at Wolf Trap for concert #19. She had a nice mix of her recent album, her Dylan covers album before that, and the hits from Relish. Sunday Nina had Girl Scouts.
Tuesday the 23rd my mom came by. We thought she was coming for dinner but she was just dropping off the pies as she and David were staying at Lynn House. Nina was off Wednesday but they had plans with friends, so we just did our own thing. Thursday we were up early to cook while Mom and David went to church, then came over. We had made a little nook near the kitchen fireplace they could sit at, then we had the classic meal, and later 4 pies (Mom and Jill both made apple plus Mom made a pecan and picked up a pumpkin on her way down). I realized while making turkey broth later that that day was the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving and we had three generations of descendants of one of the attendees here thanks to my mom joining us. They joined us again Friday, I made Eggs Benedict and artichokes for brunch as Nina and my mom both love artichokes, then we ordered takeout from Mama Chang (Mom had read about it in the Post) and had more pie (Nina surprised us with a love for pumpkin for the first time). Only Jill went shopping on Black Friday for yarn and provisions at Red Apron, although I LOL’d at this.
Saturday the 28th Mom and David headed home in the morning. Later I got my booster and Nina got her 2nd shot, then we shopped at Dulles Town Center. Today I had some fever and fatigue, but the 3.5 hour nap seemed to take care of it. But if I had to do it all over again, I’d skip the mall. Nina had a Spanish project to create a community and label it with the Spanish words. Saturday she tried CAD and LegoCAD programs and wasn’t a big fan, so Sunday she worked all day on a Lego version (with just a little help from us).
On the 30th we got takeout from Pupatella to benefit Nina’s school. Jill said “My friend Patty posted this on her Facebook page and it speaks very loud and clear to me, especially what is going on in our crafting community. We cannot be silent when others are being exploited and harmed. I personally was never a fan but I know what it means to struggle with the ugly truth and bring in out into the light. We can hold grace for each other but grace is not a pass for accountability and inward reflection and growth. Let’s shine a light into the dark places.”
