I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where participants discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics.
Mouse's current TBR pile
What I Am Watching: We caught a couple episodes of Love It Or List It on Hulu this week along with Captain America, and the first of the Avengers movies.
Off the Blog: This was our first week of distance learning. Someone online referred to it as crisis learning, and that seems a more fitting name in some ways. It was a tough week. Motivating Mouse to do her lessons, trying to juggle her lessons while also having to work my paid job from home at the same time, and figure out the ins and outs of Google Classroom and how to submit work. . . There were lots of tears. There were harsh words said on both sides along with lots of hugs and reassurances. Thursday went much more smoothly, and as another Monday approaches, I have a better idea of what to expect and can plan accordingly. This is a learning process for all of us.
Rehearsals for the ballet and musical have started up again. Our Saturdays are back to being full of dance with classes in the morning and rehearsals in the afternoon. The difference is we don't have to leave the comfort of our own home. Mouse hates having to take dance classes remotely, and so it's been a fight sometimes to get her to take part. I do my best to be gentle with her, but at the same time, I think the routine and structure are good for her, especially right now when there's so little of both. Of course, we have no idea if there will even be a show, and it is not at all likely to happen when originally scheduled, but we are all hopeful it will happen eventually.
I only had to go into the physical office one day this past week, and it looks like that will be the norm for the coming weeks as well. I will be teleworking all but one day during the work week and in the office every Friday. It is always so strange being in the office these days. So few staff about.
Mouse gave me a shadow drawing lesson during my lunch break earlier in the week. I need more practice, but it was a nice stress reliever for both of us.
Sometimes when Mouse is especially down, I like to surprise her by setting a scene outside the door of her bedroom (or the bathroom if she's hiding in there). It often will bring a smile to her face when she opens the door and sees it.
Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your week?
Rehearsals for the ballet and musical have started up again. Our Saturdays are back to being full of dance with classes in the morning and rehearsals in the afternoon. The difference is we don't have to leave the comfort of our own home. Mouse hates having to take dance classes remotely, and so it's been a fight sometimes to get her to take part. I do my best to be gentle with her, but at the same time, I think the routine and structure are good for her, especially right now when there's so little of both. Of course, we have no idea if there will even be a show, and it is not at all likely to happen when originally scheduled, but we are all hopeful it will happen eventually.
I only had to go into the physical office one day this past week, and it looks like that will be the norm for the coming weeks as well. I will be teleworking all but one day during the work week and in the office every Friday. It is always so strange being in the office these days. So few staff about.
Mouse gave me a shadow drawing lesson during my lunch break earlier in the week. I need more practice, but it was a nice stress reliever for both of us.
My first attempt at shadow drawing and Mouse's final instructional artwork
Sometimes when Mouse is especially down, I like to surprise her by setting a scene outside the door of her bedroom (or the bathroom if she's hiding in there). It often will bring a smile to her face when she opens the door and sees it.
Mouse's "go away" sign
What greeted Mouse when she came out of her room this morning
When Nory Horace turned into a koat, she had the body of a black kitten and the head of a tiny goat. [Opening of Sticks & Stones]
The kids in Upside-Down Magic know their magic is a little out of control. But that doesn't make them weird -- it only makes them human.Everyone is gifted with some sort of magic ability. There are the Fluxers (shape-shifters), Flares (make fire), Flyers (can fly), Flickers (invisibility powers), and Fuzzies (communicate with animals). And then are those whose magic is not quite, well, normal. Their magic is called Upside-Down Magic (UDM). Flares with the ability to freeze things or make it rain. A Fuzzy who repeals animals or a Flyer who cannot seem to stay on the ground on his own. And a Flicker who sees sound waves. Then there are Fluxers like Nory and Bax--Bax can only flux into a rock. Nory's fluxes seem to be inconsistent--she often changes into two creatures at once. The UDM students are in a class, separate from their classmates who have "normal" magic abilities. They are often the butt of jokes and looked down on by their peers for being different.
Strange things are happening at Dunwiddle Magic School and the Upside-Down Magic class is getting blamed! [Goodreads Summary]
Mouse and I broke the cardinal rule of not starting with the first book in the series, and so Sticks & Stones was our introduction to the wonderful UDM kids. Mouse and I enjoyed reading this book together. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments as well as more serious moments, taking on difficult issues school-aged children often face. Like dealing with divorce and a parent's job loss, bullying, overcoming obstacles, self-doubt, learning that it is okay to make mistakes (and that everyone makes them), and how to embrace our differences. The three authors handled each of these subjects with sensitivity and in a knowledgeable way, capturing the feelings of the characters and making them even more relatable. My 9-year-old was struck by how these great kids were treated so poorly by their peers. "They are normal, Mom. They are unique and may have different talents, but they are just like everyone else." She is unable to pick a favorite character among the UDM students, but she did say that her favorite part was when Marigold accidentally shrunk Lacey Clench, the school bully ringleader.
Both Mouse and I would like to go back and read the first book in the series and continue on with it after. We love the cast characters. I have not told Mouse yet there is a Disney television series coming out this summer based on the books. She is going to be over the moon when she hears that bit of news.
Which magic ability would Mouse and I prefer to have? Mouse and I both wish we could be Fluxers. What about you? If you could be any of the five (Fluxer, Flicker, Flyer, Flare, or Fuzzy), which ability would you want to have?
I stood in the warm L.A. sunshine, admiring the marquee sign above my store. [Opening of Mimi Lee Gets a Clue]
Mimi Lee is in over her head. There's her new Los Angeles pet grooming shop to run, her matchmaking mother to thwart, her talking cat Marshmallow to tend to—oh, and the murder of a local breeder to solve...now if only Mimi hadn't landed herself on top of the suspect list. [Goodreads Summary]Mimi is the prime suspect in this cozy murder mystery, and she is determined to clear her name and further expose the murder victim's cruelty to the Chihuahua dogs he bred as well as who actually did kill him. She enlists the help of her neighbor, a young lawyer named Josh. The reader gets an inside look at the upper crust of the Hollywood dog scene: doggy yoga and dog acupuncture, included as Mimi attempts to get to the bottom of the crime.
As much as I love cats, I am not always a fan of talking cats or cats who can communicate with their owners in a non-cat like way in mysteries, but it was impossible not to fall for Marshmallow in Jennifer J. Chow's Mimi Lee Gets a Clue. Can he come live with me? Although, my life is not as exciting as Mimi's, I'm afraid. Mimi did not ask for a cat and is reluctant to take in the stray her sister insists she take in, but she does. As the series subtitle describes, Marshmallow, a fluffy white Persian cat, definitely has a sassy side. He is also very insightful and able to get into places humans cannot go, which makes him a valuable partner in a murder investigation.
With a dash of romance, some action, and a lot of sleuthing, Mimi Lee Gets a Clue is a witty and entertaining mystery. Mimi is a relatable character, and I adored her family (cozy protagonists often have the best families, don't they?). There are a whole host of possible suspects to choose from, and give the victim was an awful person, it was hard not to sympathize with all of them for disliking him. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery, and look forward to seeing what Jennifer J. Chow brings us next.
Do you have any animals in your life? For those of you who are home more now because of the pandemic, how are they coping?
For a moment, the falling feels like something else entirely--like a brief, wild glimpse of freedom. [Opening of The Deep]
Someone, or something, is haunting the Titanic. [excerpt from Goodreads Summary]Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and Titanic stories have long fascinated me. Alma Katsu's novel The Deep features not only the Titanic, but also her sister ship, the Britannic which would take sail years later as a British hospital ship during World War I.
The novel opens with the main character in an asylum, hiding from the world after her ordeal on the Titanic. Annie Hebbley receives a letter from a friend who had served as a maid on that fateful voyage alongside her. Her friend asks her to join her as a nurse on the newly refitted Britannic.
The author takes the reader back and forth between the voyages as Annie remembers her time on the Titanic and begins her new life on the Britannic. She never expects to run into another passenger who had survived the Titanic, bringing back memories Annie would rather have kept buried. The terrors they faced on the Titanic seems to have followed them to the Britannic. Can they survive yet another ill-fated voyage?
I was taken with Alma Katsu's writing in this atmospheric novel. The Deep is not a particularly fast paced book, but it had no problem holding my attention. The historical and subtle supernatural elements are woven together into an intriguingly eerie and dark tale. I was swept up in Annie's story as she re-visited her past, introducing the reader to a variety of characters, some based on historical figures. The class differences are often very stark. And each of the characters, however minor, has an interesting backstory, which only enhances the book. Unfortunately, there is not a whole lot I can say about this one without offering up spoilers.
There is a definite turning point in the novel where it shifts from more of a historical novel to a thriller. If I had one complaint about the novel, it would that I wish the supernatural aspect had been a little less subtle than it was during the first half if only for continuity's sake. I think it could have been done in such a way as to not spoil any twists or surprises later on. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed The Deep and look forward to reading more by Alma Katsu in the future.
I personally have never been on a cruise. Have you? If you haven't, would you someday like to?
I hope you all have a wonderful week. Stay safe and well.
Happy Reading!
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My third-grader has been reading the Upside-Down Magic books, too. She started with the first one but since then has been reading them out of order, even two at the same time! We are have trouble adjusting to the distance learning. My kids learned pretty quick that the work they do is not being graded right now, so it's hard to motivate them to get the work done. I feel like I've been successful if she gets just one assigned task done per day, when really it should be double that or more . . . Never been on a cruise, unfortunately I get pretty seasick (found out on a few rough ferry crossings) so I doubt I would enjoy it much. Funny to me how many mystery series seem to prominently feature cats. Maybe because we find cats themselves mysterious? I don't know, haven't really explored that genre any myself. Stay well!
ReplyDeleteJeane - We weren't initially told whether my daughter's schoolwork would be counted toward her grade, but I found out in a round about way that it does--kind of. I guess if they do the assignments and show progress, their second trimester grade will go up in the third trimester. But if they don't do the work or show improvement, it will stay the same. So, at least we have a little bit of incentive. Of course, the work she protests the most over is the area she needs the most practice in . . . It is nice to know we are not alone in our struggles with distance learning though.
DeleteI am not sure why so many mysteries (especially cozies) feature cats. It might be an interesting research project. :-)
Thank you for visiting!
I hope next week with the distance learning goes better for you both. We have adjusted pretty well, but all of his work is not on the same platform :( Reading is on Google Classroom, but most of the other stuff is on Class Dojo, plus I physically have to take papers to the school every other week. It's a lot to figure out at first. We have two cuddly cats and they are LOVING having us home :) Stay well, Wendy.
ReplyDeleteStacy - Thank you. I hope it will too. I think once we have a routine down, it will go more smoothly. That's odd that you have to take papers into the school still. We have to do a lot of scanning and Google Docs has become Mouse's best friend for turning in assignments. My only complaint is the teacher wants everything in a journal, but the journal is not user friendly. We have to make sure we copy it every time we add to it because once we turn it in for an assignment, we can no longer access the one we turned in. It's got other quirks too that make it difficult to work in.
DeleteI think our cats are glad to have us home so much too. :-)
Thank you for stopping by!
I have been on a couple of cruises and loved them! Eventually we will go on another one, if there is still a cruise industry left after this.
ReplyDeleteMarg - I always wanted to take a cruise to Alaska. I know in recent years my enthusiasm to do so has gone down because of all the health issues that always seem to plague them. Or at least it seems that way because those are ones mentioned in the news.
DeleteThank you for visiting.
It is a struggle to get Eleanor to practice her dances for Revue or complete her technique classes too, sometimes. It just is not the same as being in the studio; she knows it, I know it, the studio knows it. Even so, we do the best we can and there's not much else to be asked of us.
ReplyDeleteI am a teacher and even though it is massively difficult to actually teach remotely, I at least like being in contact with my kiddos. I teach Resource, so my groups need so much support anyway. I worry how this will impact them going into 7th grade.
Sarah - That is all we can do right now. I'm just glad the studio is offering this option so everyone can stay in touch and get some sort of normalcy, even if it's not exactly the same.
DeleteI have a friend who teaches special ed at the elementary school level, and she's had such a rough time of getting the resources she needs, not to mention the challenges her families' face. Her district has not been very supportive, unfortunately. My brother who teaches special ed in 7th/8th grade is running into his own challenges, although his school and district are more supportive. I know my daughter's teacher is having to learn all of this as she goes. She's doing the best she can given the circumstances. She meets with the kids twice a week for about 45 minutes to an hour. The amount of work we've been getting just isn't manageable, not with both my husband and I having to work alongside trying to help her with her school work. We'll do what we can and it will have to be enough.
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Our district is supportive to an extent, but there is so much more being asked of SpEd teachers than of Gen Ed. My students simply do not have access to the devices, or even Internet on their phones, to get content and material to practice. It is ridiculous.
DeleteI understand the difficulty handling the tantrums of a kid because this lockdown has got me, an adult, having my moments. I hope you are staying safe
ReplyDeleteHave a great week ahead!
Gayathri @ Elgee Writes
Gayathri - Believe me, I can totally relate too. I imagine it is harder for her because she doesn't have the words or full understanding of how what is happening can impact her emotions.
DeleteThank you for visiting.
What a roller-coaster week, Wendy. Though it sounds to me as if you are handling the difficulties with grace and patience - Mouse is lucky to have you for a mother... My student has decided he wants to suspend his studies as he doesn't get on well with distance learning, so we will fully resume once lockdown is finished. I think I'll be teaching through the school holidays, but I'm fine with that:)). Yes, I went on a cruise to Norway to see all the waterfalls in spring and was an amazing experience which I loved. I hope the coming week is a smoother one.
ReplyDeleteSarah - Thank you. I sure am trying. I am sorry your student is suspending his studies for the time being, but I can understand. Some lessons are much harder in the distance learning format. Your cruise to Norway sounds so wonderful--beautiful.
DeleteThank you for stopping by!
Omg I connected with your post because I saw the cuttest hand drawings in a person's house window as I was driving by. I've also seen some very encouraging posts in people's yards lately, like 'you are loved' and faith, peace , hope! it's nice.
ReplyDeleteTrin - People have come together in small but meaningful ways through all of this. We decorated paper eggs and put them in our window for passers-by to see and enjoy. Before that it was teddy bears in the window for the kids and adults who wanted to go on a "bear hunt". There's been a lot of sidewalk art as well with messages for neighbors or essential workers.
DeleteThank you for visiting.
We were lucky that we had one day of practice home based learning before transitioning to it full time - my heart goes out to you and Mouse! I hope the coming week is much smoother!
ReplyDeleteEustacia - We got about a week of practice with Google Classroom before we started up officially, but the work load then was very light and the formatting of assignments the teacher was requesting was much simpler. Thank you for your support.
DeleteThank you too for stopping by. :-)
I can't imagine abruptly switching to online learning. It must be a huge stress on the teachers, the children, and their parents. It's even more difficult to imagine trying to teach dance online. I can't even seem to make myself do a daily yoga session!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you have read quite a bit this week. My reading has picked up, but I really don't want to spend so much time in books (!). I think I need to come up with a project that is apart from reading and blogging.
I love the row of figures you set up for your daughter. We so need humor right now.
Deb - My mom's yoga class is now online, and seems to be going okay, fortunately, but, yeah, I imagine it cannot be easy with the dance classes. It's much harder to make corrections and give feedback. Add to it that we don't really have a good place for my daughter to do certain types of dance techniques and moves.
DeleteHonestly, I've barely read anything this week. Two of the books I reviewed above I read earlier in the year, just hadn't gotten around to posting about. And the one I did finish was one my daughter and I have been reading for awhile now.
Thank you for visiting!
My kid is climbing the walls not being able to do his usual activities. It's really though on them, more so than on the adults I think. :(
ReplyDeleteWe can only do our best!
Nicci - It really is tough on them. I feel so bad for my daughter. As you said though, we can only do our best.
DeleteThank you for stopping by.
I applaud all of the parents out there dealing with small children during this crisis. I don't know how many times my husband and I have looked at each other thankful that our youngest is 19 and rather self-sufficient. I couldn't imagine juggling helping with home school along with work. It has to be really confusing for kids. Have a good week and stay safe!
ReplyDeleteCarole - Yes, it must be confusing for them, not to mention frustrating at times. Thank you for visiting!
DeleteI love how you raised a book lover. This online learning is a challenge all around. I admire the parents who have found a way to juggle it all and sympathize with the ones who are struggling.
ReplyDeleteHang in there Wendy.
Diane - If only she loved writing just as much. LOL I envy those who it is coming easy for. I don't know many working parents who have said it is though, so I guess there is comfort in that. I know I am not alone.
DeleteThank you for stopping by.
aww..it has got to be such an adjustment with the virtual schooling, it can't be easy. Hope this week goes smoother with that. The shadow drawings look like a nice idea. Stay well! I'm still working from home which I'm glad for, but there is talk of us going back to the office early May.
ReplyDeleteNaida - Thank you. I hope so too! Take care and thank you for visiting.
DeleteI admire all of you who are working with your kids in a new learning environment. Also, those going to work. I can't even imagine trying to do my former career while social distancing! (Social work?).
ReplyDeleteHang in there and stay safe and well. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Laurel-Rain - It really is a struggle. I heard something about the kids going back to school this next year part-time to avoid having so many in class at once--wondering how that will work and what that will mean for us working parents. Probably best I don't think about it until it comes closer to becoming a reality--if it does.
DeleteI am really lucky I don't have to deal with the public, but I have three social workers in my new unit that do have to. Luckily they aren't going into homes, but they do work out of the hospital and are around children and their parents. All of our workers in the county have been issued masks and gloves. At the hotline we have a list of questions we are required to ask about exposure to COVID-19, and if any of the questions have a yes answer there is a protocol for handling those investigations. Waivers are being offered in a small few cases in regards to in-person visits. We can only hope it is enough. The call volume is way down for child abuse reports. It makes one worry about what might be going on we can't know about. :-( More than you wanted to know, I'm sure. I know you understand though.
Thank you for stopping by.
I'm with Mouse; I'd hate to have to take my dance classes remotely.
ReplyDeleteThe Deep is a book I really want to read. I've never been on a big cruise, but I did a Nile River cruise which I absolutely loved...and a short cruise around the Galapagos Islands which was fun even though the boat wasn't very luxurious. :)
Lark - It really isn't idea. I wish there was a way I could make it more enticing for her.
DeleteI hope you get a chance to read The Deep. It's a good one.
Thank you for visiting!
Crisis learning sounds appropriate! My Little isn't even in school yet and we've had to cut back on our daily learning activities just from the extra workload the rest of the day. It was becoming stressful! I'm so thankful I have a yard though! She can run around and make her own fun!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week and happy reading!
Stacy Renee | LazyDayLit
Stacy Renee - The sun is finally coming out here and I will be glad for the outside time again. We live on a cul de sac, and I think I'll let her ride her scooter out front some days. Take care of yourself. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteI think it's tough for the kids right now. Taking dance remotely just wouldn't be the same, but I guess it's better than not doing it at all. Good luck with the online schooling. I'm so happy my kids are grown! Take care and happy reading! :)
ReplyDeleteRachel - Thank you. It really is tough for the kids right now. Thank you for visiting.
DeleteAs crazy as it may sound, I do love talking cats in my cozy mysteries. LOL I have to read this one. I do have it on my Kindle waiting for me.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week! Take care and stay safe!
Yvonne - I don't think it's crazy. :-) Talking cats can be fun! I hope you do get a chance to read Mimi Lee Gets a Clue and enjoy it. I hope you have a great week too. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteI really like your shadow drawing. I've never tried that but then I can't draw either. My daughter would be good at this though. I have been watching Siren. I love that show.I haven't done a ton of reading lately.
ReplyDeleteMary - Thank you. I can't draw either--as you can see. LOL I haven't seen Siren, but I would like to. I am glad to hear you enjoy the show. Thank you for visiting.
DeleteGoing through this experience with small children cannot be easy. I am glad you're aware of the emotions and are doing things to lighten the mood! My 19 year old is home from college and that's tough enough!
ReplyDeleteHelen - I'm trying. I could do better, I'm sure. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteCrisis learning definitely seems like a more fitting term for what we're doing. That's great that you're doing so many things to keep your daughter's spirits up.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne - I'm trying. Thank you for visiting.
DeleteYour week sounds so much like my first week teaching/homeschooling/playing with my daughter in the first week after schools closed. By now I've come to the conclusion that some items should be abandoned for little kids and instead they should be resumed after schools reopen. I've found some things very stressful but also want to keep challenging my kid so I plug along. By week #2, I had a much better idea and things went smoother. I hope you have a much better next week.
ReplyDeleteAthira - I am glad for the assignments the teacher is posting for the children, but the amount of work they expect them to do is huge--or it probably seems that way since I cannot devote myself to her schooling full-time during the day. We'll get done what we can and hope that is enough. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteI liked Inside Out & Back Again. I need to get a new copy because I donated mine to a teacher who needed it. Good luck with the work and school from home! I don’t know if I could manage that.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
AJ - We are looking forward to reading Inside Out & Back Again. That's one bright spot in her education. She loves reading with me. :-) Thank you for visiting!
DeleteOoh Avengers. :) And the online learning- yes it can be quite an adjustment! My kids are older so they're pretty much just doing it all themselves, but it would definitely be more challenging with a younger one! Good luck going forward.
ReplyDeleteI think Fuzzies or Fluxers would be pretty awesome, but then again being able to fly... :)
I've been thinking of trying The Deep.
Take care this week!!
Greg - We are enjoying re-watching the Marvel movies. I think my husband is getting tired of me talking about how much I like Captain America. LOL
DeleteAny of those magical powers would be cool, wouldn't they? It's hard to choose.
I hope you enjoy reading The Deep when you get to it!
Thank you for stopping by.
My kids will be back to online learning next week when school resumes after the Easter break. It’s not easy on anyone but it sounds like you are doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great reading week and good health
Shelleyrae - Thank you!
DeleteCrisis learning sounds a lot more accurate than distance learning. I really can't imagine trying to balance working from home while also having kids at home who need guidance with schoolwork. I mean, that's two full time jobs... at least. I had to go into the office once last week for about 2-3 hours and it was so strange. Instead of 350+ cars in the parking lot there were about 12. And I only saw two people the whole time I was there. So bizarre.
ReplyDeleteTanya @ Girl Plus Books
Tanya - It really is bizarre with so few people about at the office nowadays. Traffic isn't usually lighter on my way to work, but when I cross over the freeway in the evenings I definitely notice a difference. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteThe online learning thing is something else, right? My husband's brother and his wife are both elementary teachers and they have been having to work out how to do all the online stuff. Easier for her than him as he's the art teacher. They are managing, but both say it has been a bit challenging.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in reading The Deep and probably will at some point. Like the sound of it. As to a cruise - no, never, never. I know some love them, but I have never been interested and would not be at this point. I like the mountains. Ha!
Hope you guys have a peaceful week, Wendy. Love your little stories about Miss Mouse. Good luck and take care!
Kay - It has been a learning process for my teacher friends too. Especially those with young children of their own. One of my teacher friends and I were commiserating yesterday about how difficult it can be juggling working from home and having to teach our own kids at the same time. At least I know I am not alone in this.
DeleteI hope you enjoy The Deep if you read it.
Thank you for visiting!
Looks like you are all doing your best under the circumstances! I love the cute scene you made for Mouse! What a great idea! We have lots of tears and hugs in our house too. My son loves the Upside Down Magic series. It was one of the first series that he really got into and helped him get his reading bug!
ReplyDeleteI want to read the Deep! I've heard great things about her books and this one looks fabulous. I hope you all stay safe and healthy too!
My kitties are loving and hating us being home so much more. They get all the pets' they need but sometimes they get more than they want from G. Such is life right now. I hope you have a wonderful reading week!
Heather - We're trying. It's fun setting up those little scenes. Anything to help her feel better. Today she was fussing about doing her ballet class, and so I lined up some of her dolls on the couch to watch her. I'm glad to hear the Upside Down Magic books are popular in your house too. THey are fun. :-)
DeleteI hope you enjoy The Deep if you read it. I haven't tried any of her other books, but now I want to.
I think my youngest cat, who doesn't especially like to cuddle or be held, will be glad when I go back to the office full-time. LOL I'm the one who is constantly giving her unwanted cuddles.
Thank you for stopping by!
The Deep was a little disappointing to me. Also, I have always wanted to take a cruise but seriously, cruise ships will never be the same for me after this pandemic. I mean, they always seemed to be floating petri dishes anyway but now?? So much of this virus was spread on a ship. Yeah, not so anxious to take a cruise now.
ReplyDeleteThe Go Away sign still makes me laugh.
My daughter took The Little Mermaid off and was thinking of returning to community theatre for Peter Pan in September but now, Little Mermaid will be pushed to September so she might be done with community theatre. Those performers are trying to rehearse remotely but it involves flying and roller skating so much of it really cannot be done remotely.
Ti - The Deep was not quite what I expected, but I did enjoy it quite a bit. I'm sorry it was a little disappointing to you. Yeah, I used to want to go on a cruise to Alaska or something, but in recent years with all the stomach bugs and now the pandemic, I am not so sure.
DeleteI have to laugh about the Go Away sign too. She told me later that she doesn't mean me. LOL
It's not quite the same rehearsing remotely. Her studio is still insisting they will be going forward in mid-July. I don't think that will happen, but I guess we'll see.
Thank you for visiting.
I love how you set up that scene for Mouse and hope that made her day. I cannot imagine working from home and having to also tend to children's studies. That must be so hard. Glad you are at least able to spend some time teleworking and staying safe inside. I realized the other day that it's been a month since I've been to my office. So weird. And, no, I will not be taking a cruise ever again. I've been on one once and that was already enough for me and now with this pandemic, no way!
ReplyDeleteIliana - It did. There have been lots of scenes like that waiting for her as of late, sadly. She's having a rough time of it. It's sometimes feels like it can't possibly be just over a month we've been living like this and yet other times it feels like forever. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteOur home based learning here is very much more on assigned homework and occasionally some lessons on Zoom. Our June school holidays are being pushed forward to early May since they plan to reopen schools on 2nd June but I suppose it all depends on the circumstances. Who knows what'll happen but I really hope that the cases will go down globally so we can all get back to our lives. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteMimi Lee Gets a Clue sounds interesting and I enjoyed The Deep, though I preferred The Hunger more. Hope you've a good week, Wendy!
Melody - Mouse meets with her class online twice a week, but everything else is assignments posted online that she and I do together (and her dad sometimes). Our end of the school year is the last week in May. I don't know what will happen when school starts up again. I've heard a number of different rumors, but it is all conjecture at this point.
DeleteI still need to read The Hunger. I hope you have a good week too. Thanks for visiting!