Cancelled

Photo credit - Nadia (Badlands)

There were a variety of words that we became very weary of hearing in 2020, and one of those was cancelled because so many things were cancelled for months on end. Thankfully far fewer things have been cancelled due to COVID over the past year. It still happens from time to time. For example, they announced that the youth chorale which Nadia and Ian had sung in during the fall of 2019 was going to resume rehearsals on October 18 to prepare for a Christmas candlelight service. Then I got an email two days ago stating that because all participants and those attending the concert must be vaccinated, only the adult chorale will be singing in the services this year. This is the first time my kids have not been able to do something because they aren't vaccinated. Ian isn't even old enough at the moment to be vaccinated. I hope and pray these vaccine requirements won't be in effect for years to come. My kids don't usually get the flu vaccine. I've followed all of the pediatrician's recommendations for vaccines for my kids with one exception, Nadia didn't receive the HPV vaccine. The kids and I are again dealing with the word "cancelled" on a regular basis, but this time it's because of my ankle. So far they've missed homeschool co-op, a homeschool roller skating party, Sunday night youth group, and a service project. Normally, I drop the kids off at youth group at 6:30 on Sunday nights, and Paul picks them up at 8:00pm. They haven't been to youth group on Sunday night since August 22 due to our trips to Long Island and out west and now my ankle. We shall see when they make it back to Sunday night youth group. Thankfully they are still able to meet with our church's youth group on Sunday morning and Wednesday night. Paul usually works on Saturdays. I asked him to come home early enough to go to the library before they closed at 3pm. I figured that was more feasible for him than trying to get to the library before 6pm M-F. At some point on Saturday morning he ended up deciding to stay home from work. Had I known that, he could have taken the kids to the service project (packing meals for Haiti) yesterday morning. He did go grocery shopping and to the library for me on Saturday afternoon. 

Photo credit - Nadia (Yellowstone)

There were also many times in 2020 when it was hard to purchase certain items. Although I haven't seen empty grocery shelves in 2021, the supply chain issues are definitely still a factor in 2021. For example, we are having new shingles installed on our roof this week. The roofer asked us to pick a color. I've never paid for shingles before so I had no idea there are so many options. The first few colors we picked, he'd call the supplier and then call us back and say- nope not in stock. He didn't call me back after our last choice so hopefully that means we finally picked one that he can actually purchase. Similarly, I had a hard time getting the state pictures printed. I worked to complete them on October 6 so Paul could pick them up at Walmart (1 hour photo) on October 7. When I went to submit them online the night of October 6, they told me the Walmart supercenter nearest us wasn't available for printing photos. They were trying to get me to send my order to a different Walmart. So I placed the order with the CVS closest to the hospital where I was having my surgery instead. I applied a 50% off coupon and planned to use a $10 Extra care pass so the 19 photos would cost less than $4. They said the photos would be ready at 8am the next day. When Paul showed up the next afternoon, they only had one print available. Paul didn't understand about the coupon and the care pass so he actually ended up wasting most of the value of the care pass (if you don't spend the whole thing you lose whatever value you didn't use on that transaction). The next day I got an email saying the rest of the prints were available, but since the care pass had already been used and we didn't plan to go to that area for 2 weeks, I placed an order online with Walmart to have them shipped to our house (which involved paying shipping). Walmart goofed up and accidentally gave us 2 copies of Montana's photo and 0 of Minnesota's. So I placed another order of just one 5x7 print that supposedly we are going to be able to pick up this Thursday at the Walmart near the hospital. Who would have thought having 19 photos printed would be so complicated?!? Food items are still out of stock more often that usual. When Paul went to Walmart to buy groceries on October 3, they were out of the honey wheat bread we usually buy as well as the yogurt the kids like, but in general it's much easier to buy paper products and food in 2021 than it was in 2020, although the prices of things have definitely gone up in that time. 

Photo credit - Nadia (Horseshoe Bend, Arizona)

I have been helping a little around the house, but whenever my leg isn't elevated, my pain greatly increases. I had wanted to give Paul a haircut before we left on our vacation, and it didn't happen so he is really overdue for a haircut at this point. I was determined to give Ian and Paul a haircut this weekend, but Paul wisely insisted I at least wait until my cast comes off (hopefully on Thursday). It's an exercise in patience during this time when I can't do most of the things that I usually do. Paul did get around to weed whacking today. If my ankle wasn't broken I would have done it two weeks ago. The neighbor behind us mowed most of our lawn on Wednesday night. He uses a riding mower so the only part he didn't get to was the part inside the fence. Paul hasn't gotten to that part of the lawn yet. The kids helped do some of my usual Saturday chores yesterday such as vacuuming and cleaning the toilets. I hope I never break another bone or at least never have to go 9+ weeks without walking again! I also really hope to never have more metal plates or screws inserted into my bones. It is highly unpleasant in my opinion. I really hope eventually it doesn't bother me because I don't relish the idea of undergoing another surgery to have them removed even though the surgeon said that happens more than 50% of the time at the patient's request. 

Youth group painting night on Friday night