Quarantine Part 2

Hello and welcome to another Saturday here at the Wannaskan Almanac. Today is September 26th.

Hey. Pssst. 

*waves* Hi! 

Shhh! Keep your voice down! You see, I’m hiding because I needed a few minutes to myself before I go back out there and cook the guláš and fry the langoš.

Folks, I’m exhausted. After only two weeks back at school, our family went into quarantine on Monday. All it took was one sick kid in our household to put the rest of us under house arrest.

Hey, no worries. It’s all been good. Sore throats and coughs progressed to just coughs and stuffy noses. No fevers. I’ve been plying the crew with hot soup filled with hearty vegetables and a ton of garlic. A friend gave us a bottle of freshly-made elderberry syrup. Peppermint tea has been the beverage of choice. Symptoms are improving. The kid had a Covid test on Wednesday afternoon - not the brain tickling one, but one to be just discomforting enough that the kid's not likely to forget it anytime soon. I downloaded the MyChart app then updated, linked, and synced all the necessary items, and now we're just waiting *fingers crossed* for that negative result. Overall, we’ve had a positive quarantine experience. So, it’s all good.

And, I just have to tell you how awesome people can truly be. A few friends texted, offering to run errands or bring school papers home. The teachers are so accessible, cooperative, and kind. And this weather – oh my goodness, could you ask for a nicer week to play hooky?

And while my eyeballs are burning, I have to say, THE BEST part of this week has been getting outside with the littles for MY favorite thing: ADVENTURES! I mean the fun ones that involve some element of discovery. Like, on Tuesday, when we biked over to a spot of river and examined the milkweed pods and their seeds and fluff. The river itself, we inspected, which is much lower than usual. All of the oxbows around us, including the one in our own backyard, have dried out creating new, spongy stomping grounds to explore. I suggested hubby go down there and harvest all the wood. He suggested I do it.

Thursday, the littles and I biked a new (to them) direction from our house – a new set of backroads that criss-cross. We greeted a friendly dog who galloped, then trotted along with us, until we no longer interested him. We found a friendly cat who offered a rub across the shins and let us give her a scratch behind the ears. Another dried up oxbow. Then down another road to check the neighbors’ apple trees. They usually let us pick. So we did. A few. They were tart, but beautiful little red orbs of perfect fall. Hubby says they could use more growing time.

Friday, the Kindergartner got to join his class virtually and participate in a science experiment in honor of Johnny Appleseed. If you put an apple in water, will it float or sink? Write down your hypothesis! How many seeds are in an apple? Write down your guess! There were so many personal favorite moments of that online hour: Seeing the whole class wave at the camera. The classmates shouting greetings and cheering for my boy. “We miss you!” they said. How the Kindergartner sat still and followed directions from all the way over here in our house. The smile on his teachers face. The Kindergartner’s question about how many fireflies were in the jar.

My work went to the wayside, but you know what? It’s only a week. I recognize that I’m blessed to say this. And so, while it would be tempting to complain about the challenges that came with quarantine, instead I’m going to count them all as blessings, and call it a good week.

Okay, folks. I hear some rumblings about needing dinner now, so I better come out of hiding. Thanks for sitting with me for a few minutes!

Love your people and make it a great Saturday.

Kim

On This Day

Historic Highlights (credits)

1959 - Typhoon Vera hits Japan

The category five typhoon is thought to be the strongest typhoon to impact the island country in recorded history. The resulting rain, landslides, and damage caused the deaths of about 5000 people in Japan.

1917 - Battle of Polygon Wood begins

Fought during World War I between the British and Australian troops and German army near Ypres in Belgium, the battle ended in an Allied victory.

1914 - Establishment of Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), an independent government agency in the US, responsible for consumer and market protection was established by the Federal Trade Commission Act on this day.

1810 - Swedish Act of Succession is passed

The Swedish Act of Succession, also known as the 1810 Act of Succession was adopted by the Riksdag of the Estates. This act is part of the Swedish Constitution and regulates the succession of the Swedish Royal family.

1786 - Protestors shut down the court in Springfield, Massachusetts starting the Shay's Rebellion

Named after the rebellion's leader Daniel Shays, the revolt began as a response to an economic crisis where people who owed debt were imprisoned. After a bloody conflict, the Shaysites were crushed by the government. This was the first armed internal conflict in post-revolutionary America.

Happy Birthday to You!🎶 

1981 - Serena Williams, American tennis player

1943 - Ian Chappell, Australian cricketer

1897 - Pope Paul VI

1889 - Martin Heidegger, German philosopher

1888 - T. S. Eliot, American/English publisher, playwright, critic, Nobel Prize laureate

Remembering You

2008 - Paul Newman, American actor, director, race car driver, businessman, co-founded Newman's Own

2003 - Robert Palmer, English singer-songwriter, guitarist

1959 - Leslie Morshead, Australian soldier, businessman, educator

1945 - Béla Bartók, Hungarian pianist, composer

1820 - Daniel Boone, American explorer

Make it a great Saturday!

Kim