Beneath the Wraps

                 Every essay needs a thesis statement, at least three body paragraphs and a concluding paragraph.  Jenna is now taking an English based on writing letters to solicit scholarship funds.  Her first theme currently is “Beat the Odds Scholarship”.  I looked over her first rough draft and we changed some of it.  It’s still not perfect but we knew that going in.  One of the suggestions that her instructor has was that she should focus on overcoming disabilities or hardships that affected her life.   Jenna’s only comment was the pandemic which is definitely NOT a personal struggle.   It is still a struggle nonetheless – and the only one that either of us can think of.           The fact that Roland and I are college graduates has already kept Jenna from the summer program that at least one of her friends had gone to this year.   Our family way of life...

            From the beginning of the pandemic, the horrific pictures in the media, the stay-at-home and lock down orders, mask mandates, verbal battles, etc. has been a reminder to some cheesy sci-fi that gets played on the Comet station.   Only we are really living it – though some are still in denial about it doesn’t change that it is and has been part of our lives for one to two years.                     Jenna is currently in the high school library with a bunch of other students who have not yet received their schedules.   At least she’s not alone.   She has always been enthusiastic and fired to return to school – even last year when I wouldn’t let her.   This year is worse than last year was – more deaths, more cases.   That is why she doesn’t have a schedule and is in the library waiting.   photo credit source here         ...

          During the pandemic it has been up to each state government to lay down the law of mandating mask, social distancing, reopening, etc.   It wasn ’ t long before facebook became flooded with this message: “ Having some states lock down and others not lock down is like having a peeing section in the swimming pool ”.  Yet there are some companies that seem to be encourage traveling?   “ Hey, come and pee in my state!   We don ’ t have enough of it? ”   I am a guilty party as I traveled with my family to New York last June.   Did we bring some pee with us?   Not intentionally.  Did we bring it back to Oregon? Possibly. But not from New York. It had been our flight from Detroit and our stop at Salt Lake airport that felt the most concerning.          Roland had asked for some time off the end of this month as we have arranged to have our floors done (i...

One year ago today – Friday the 13 th .   They tried to pass it off as an extension of Spring Break and were confident it wouldn ’ t last.   How did they think it wouldn ’ t last? Last day at school for the remainder of the year. Well, maybe not for everybody.   It was for me.   And in person for Jenna – who has friends in quarantine and reminds them about last year at this time. March 7 th was a Saturday.   Ester was scheduled to be baptized and Gary would be the following week.   But Bill and Kayla changed it so that Gary would be baptized at the same time as Ester ’ s baptism.   Different wards.   March 8 th was a Sunday – unbeknownst to us, the last Church meeting ’ s to be held for over six months in 2020.   On the 9 th this year I received a memory that was written in 2011.   It said “ It sounds like now days that it is going to come down to the fact for parents to take it upon themselves to home school. ”   Wow! ...

        I believe it was February 10 I had taken a personal day to be with my group of friends that I’ve been hanging out with for the last two or three years after the pool and once a month when the pool is closed.   We enjoy going to Soco and visiting outdoors but when it has gotten colder, we have gone to Good Dogs.   Our meetings have usually gone for less than two hours, but on the 10 th we were there for over three.         Sue got in trouble – first with the owner as she had parked her car in front and it should be reserved for other customers.   Apparently her husband was not all that thrilled she had been gone so long.   They put me in charge of this month.   We were supposed to meet at lunch at a nearby place which offers Mexican food.   I thought this week would be good as I would be off during spring break.   We had no clue than that spring break would turn out not...