Thank You

Today I woke up because my cat was petting me. Mike was already on a Zoom meeting at his desk in our room and Lily was in the middle of Physics class at the dining room table. I was dreaming that I was having a baby. I was equal parts over the moon and filled with dread. Sounds about right. It's a beautiful sunshiney day. What we used to call Indian summer, but that's not PC any more. I don't get the slight on this one though. This is the time of last harvest and the native Americans were the first farmers of this country. So much turmoil. Today's news is all about the potential for uprisings if a verdict does not go a certain way. Businesses are boarding up, schools are cancelled and the national guard is on alert. I'm feeling equal parts angry and sad. In theory, it will be a normal Wednesday for me because the threat is on the other side of town. For now. Today I'll work, take a mid-day break to visit the farmer's market hoping to get one more yellow watermelon, read, write, make dinner for my family and watch the debate that I hope is more about issues than insults. Voting is the only way I know to be heard right now.

Yesterday before Ted left to return to Madison, he completed his absentee ballot. Every vote counts. I stopped home mid-day to make him lunch and see him off. He went home with clean clothes, enough to stock his frig and pantry for the next month and flannel sheets. The nights are getting chilly. Mid-terms are next week. Hard to believe, and yet I bought my first Christmas gift this week and Ted is already interviewing for an internship next summer. I put out the few Halloween decorations I have last night and then I settled in to watch a movie on Prime. It was called The Lie and I thought it was decent. It's been awhile since I've been able to say that.

Monday was hectic with Mike, Ted and Lil all trying to find comfortable, quiet space for school and work. I was happy to leave for the office for some alone time. I made Ted's favorite dinner on his last night home and we watched the Packer game despite the fact that I have less interest than ever in professional sports. It was family time.

There was a good amount of that over the weekend too. That and golf. After school Friday, Lily went to pick up her new clubs and then went straight to the range to try them out. She was quite pleased and even said yes to golf in the rain Saturday. Friday night I made a big pot of spaghetti and we had an impromptu dinner with friends around the kitchen island. Just enough for everyone. Then Saturday the boys left for the annual Evans Wegehaupt Match. I made the last tomato galette of the summer, another round of roasted tomato soup, and a batch of Magnolia Bakery cupcakes for my dad's birthday celebration later in the day. I had to ditch the first bowl of frosting because it wasn't the right consistency. The butter wasn't warm enough. Rookie mistake. My dad and Judy hosted an end of summer/birthday bbq. The day felt refreshingly normal. Driving west and noticing the fall splendor, good food, family gathered in celebration, the big buck coming out at dusk to eat the corn my dad leaves in the yard...it was a much needed break from pandemics and politics, and all I can say is thank you. I needed that.