I feel the urge to write- it’s like an itch under my skin. A prickle in my brain that’s telling me I’m forgetting to do something.

I don’t have a story to tell, or a theme to this post- just a general state of affairs in Jan 2022. Our schools handed out Covid tests so now I have two kits (4 tests total). I feel like this is similar to a 2020 toilet paper flex. Only it’s January in Central NY and if I used the tests every time everyone sneezed (dust allergies), coughed (it’s dry AF with the heat on 24/7) or sniffled (see: the sneezing), I’d use them all in one day. So instead I feel like I’m going to go the opposite direction and force my kids to pass a 45-point check point list before I administer one.

My kids are hoping that school will go virtual for a week or so. One because she genuinely loved doing school from her bed and the other because he doesn’t like getting out of his bed. Our schools, bless them, are committed to staying open unless there is a lack of teachers or bus drivers. I foresee this happening sometime in the next month, and frankly, I wouldn’t mind a few days home with the kids- but, please dear Lord, not long term. None of us would survive that.  Sports are still going full force and I’m very, very thankful for that – both my kids and myself (let’s be real – mainly me) thrive on routine and schedules so school + sports = happier people.

All that said, I feel like getting Covid again is pretty much a guarantee at this point. It’s everywhere right now. I’m very, very, VERY thankful that the vaccine seems to be limiting most people to mild symptoms. But I have that same sense of dread I used to have when the stomach bug was going around the kid’s Kindergarten classroom. You KNEW it was coming. You KNEW it was only a matter of time. So all you can do is hunker down, make sure you’re stocked up and wait. It’s been a tad over a year since it hit my family in 2021, so- yeah. Cheers to that anniversary.

In non-Covid news, I did not win the Powerball lottery last week. I very rarely play – only when the jackpot is super high. Yes, I realize that actually lessens my chance of winning since everyone plays then, but no one has ever accused me of being logical. Am I the only one who dreams about what they are going to do with their winnings? How much money each family member will get. If we’ll stay in our house/town so the kids can finish school with their friends. If we’d keep our jobs – or, really, work any jobs. Where we’d travel to.

Our addition was completed almost a year ago now and I’m 99% sure no matter how rich we’d get, we’d stay in this house. I *love* my house right now- I love my bathroom. I love the space. I love my pretty easy commute to most places. The only upgrade I’d 100% make is I’d put in radiant heating in the floors and put in a heated driveway so allllll the snow and ice melts without having to shovel / snowblow. That would be the ultimate luxury in NY in the winters. I would also 100% quit my job and work in a library or volunteer somewhere in case anyone was wondering. (Our cat is also still loving our bathroom.)