Um… Jan.-Feb. 2020

I haven’t written here since Dec. 30, 2019. Remember 2019? It seemed like it sucked and 2020 couldn’t help but be better. Except so far 2020 is a flaming dumpster fire (not to be confused with a flaming car fire, which I experienced in 2019).

I need to write a full post about COVID-19, but I also don’t want to miss memorializing January and February 2020. Here are a few highlights:

Our family made it through another season of Girl Scout cookie sales. Michaela exceeded her goal, which was 350 boxes, largely thanks to pounding the pavement and booth sales. Mike was a super champ, taking Michaela door-to-door multiple times. It’s Michaela’s favorite part of Girl Scouts, which I find totally fascinating!

I went with a couple of friends to a book reading by Isabel Allende. I love her books, and she was delightful. Eccentric and honest and lovely. It was a really fun evening, and I can’t wait to dive into her new book.

Michaela went to Junior Achievement’s Biz Town for a school field trip. Each student applies for their top three jobs, is assigned one, and then all the students go to this virtual city to participate in the Biz Town economy. Michaela was a veterinarian. Mike, who chaperoned, was assigned to help at Jack in the Box (which serves popcorn, not burgers and tacos).

We went to Colorado in mid-February for a long weekend of fun in the snow. We went to Winter Park and tubed, did a horse-drawn sleigh ride, and took a snowcat tour, among other things. It was great to spend time with Nana and Papa. I felt like the weekend was a good reminder that we should do it more often! I hadn’t been to Colorado in years (even though Michaela goes every year for a week or 10 days).

February 24-25, I went to Sacramento for a convening about the census (I’m leading some work on behalf of K-12 schools to encourage participation in the census). On the 25th, I was in a breakout session when my phone started buzzing that a director of the CDC said it spread of COVID-19 was inevitable and that people should call their schools to find out their plans. And with that, my life totally exploded.