First Day of School

Friday | 11 September 2020 | Portofino, Italy La Quinta, California: Oh Dear Reader, such a happy time here at home with our family with us, but a bit of drat-it as we would have been on Day 13 of our 40th Wedding Anniversary trip in Europe. We have already missed a few days in Paris, champagne tasting in Reims, wiener schnitzel in Zurich, a train ride through the Alps, a stop in Florence and finally to Rome, where we would have boarded a cruise ship for a week on the Mediterranean Sea, leaving from Rome and stopping today in Portofino.

If not for the pandemic.

I am being positive though, and happy to spend so much time with our family, when so many grandparents are separated from their grandchildren due to the virus. Rome will always be there. It's the Eternal City, right? Lucy won't be 6 forever. Leo won't want to hang out with his Bubbe much longer. But this pandemic happened. 9-11 happened. Our world is changing. We are only riding the bucking horse, clinging to the reins.

After witnessing home schooling only one day, I can't imagine how most parents cope with the schedule (school work, break, school work, lunch break, school work, break, school work), especially parents who are also now working from home all day. What about houses without internet? What about parents who do not read/speak English? LA schools gave each kid an iPad and a keyboard - did this happen everywhere in America? Probably not. I think our entire country will be so behind when this nightmare ends. Probably the little kids will be able to catch-up - is it even necessary to read at age 5 or 6? - but what about the middle-schoolers? Such delicate years.

Lisa works 20 hours a week (from home) and Lenny is a TV writer - currently working on a screenplay - so has more flexible hours. I am taking care of the cooking. Dave is helping out in the afternoon with entertaining the kids with exercise/play. They bicycled this afternoon.

Friday is "sharing" day in Lucy's 1st grade class. Lucy decided to share her Bubbe. No matter that it was 9a and her Bubbe was in a muumuu, hair pulled back, no make-up, (thankfully unseen Birkenstocks and non-existent proper foundation garment), and generally not prepared to be on ZOOM. Lucy shared this with her class: I am in Palm Springs, staying with my Bubbe. She has a pool, and lives in a mansion. So, now you know. I coudda died. (Laughing.)

This wasn't Lucy's only affirming statement of the day. Since I am the cafeteria lady, large-and-in-charge-of-lunch, I have set a schedule. Lucy was born on an odd day (19 August) and Leo was born on an even day (2 August), so... Lucy gets to choose the lunch menu on odd days and Leo on even days. The non-chooser cannot complain, but just eat the meal. (Don't worry, it's not like anything gross are options.) Today, Lucy chose mac & cheese, grapes, carrot sticks, and a cookie. I asked her if she would like garlic bread crumbs on top of the casserole. Lucy said yes. Leo said no. Lucy informed her brother that it was her choice and he would just have to eat it and NOT COMPLAIN!

I've created an odd-day monster.

Leo has been playing the piano for years now and we are really enjoying listening to him play. Suddenly, he has decided to join his school orchestra... not on the piano, but with a violin. No matter that he has never played the violin. I guess he will figure it out?

Tank top inside-out and backwards is a sign of genius, right?

Finally school was over and pool-time finally happened! The grandkids love the pool.

Lucy declared herself Queen of the Hot Tub. Like you had any doubt, right?

We had a very special Shabbat. Dave grilled the King salmon we ordered from Seattle, and it was served with green beans, and Jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk, lime zest/juice, and cilantro. A great meal. Sorry, too busy to photograph. This is what happens when feeding six people v two people. I will try to be better.

Day One Down.

Until my next update, I remain, your palatial correspondent.