QLIFE
[As copied/pasted from my quarantine diary…]
FRIDAY • MAY 29 • 2020
Dear QD,
I got up early this morning and worked out. I can’t believe how much weight I’ve lost so far and how energized I feel. All this healthy eating and sound sleep! Who knew?!
(As you know, I’ve been documenting my program in another journal so I’ll share it here once I crunch all the data.)
(Hmmm, or maybe I’ll just release it as part of the lifestyle app I’m making…)
(Note to self: do this!)
When Phoebe went out for her 5 mile run, I got the kids up and made them pancakes with caramelized walnuts and chocolate chips. Then I made fresh ones for Phoebe after she got back and showered. (A little bit extra baking soda because she likes them fluffy.) I’ve been honing my shiatsu pressure point skills so I worked her upper trapezius and rhomboids before she went upstairs to the attic to work.
Once the kids dressed themselves and made their beds we started homeschool. As a fourth grader, Ella is good on her own, but I was still able to help her with her math and proofread her report on the re-introduced wild horses of the Eastern Rhodope mountains in south Bulgaria — or as they’re better known… the Koniks, which are a restoration of the Tarpan (Equus ferus ferus). #themoreyouknow (LOL!)
Kyle needs a bit more supervision so after getting him on to his morning Zoom with his class, I made sure I had all the correct urls, logins, passwords, and QR codes to begin remote learning.
(Note to self: create remote learning folder.)
(Note to self: create remote learning app.)
(Note to self: contact local school admins.)
(Note to self: contact national education associations.)
Kyle nailed reading today. Nailed it. Not gonna lie — it was rough getting out of the gate a couple months ago, but we’ve already advanced two grades in fluency and comprehension. I want to say it’s because I’m his teacher (LOL!), but Kyle’s focus, dedication, and attention to detail really blow me away. He’s a hungry hungry sponge.
Speaking of hunger, I made the kids lightly toasted PBJ triangles with homemade applesauce and rose cut carrots for lunch. Although I made Phoebe a grilled tomato, chèvre, and thyme baguette instead because she had mentioned something about grilled cheese the other day.
(Note: You MUST crush the peppercorns in a mortar — you can’t just ‘grind’ them.)
After lunch I took the kids outside to the side of the house (on a field trip — LOL!) so we could tend our butterfly garden. (Most of it’s blooming already — so glad we got an early start!) We even had some visitors…
“Oh, hello there Common-checkered skipper, Red Admiral, and Silver-spotted skipper!”
(Sorry, no pictures. As you know, I try to put my phone away when I’m with my kids, especially when we’re learning.)
As Ella was done with her homeschooling, I had her practice her viola. It’s amazing how much I can remember from when I took violin. I was actually able to help her with her fingering. (It made a real difference — believe my ears!) (LOL!)
Kyle and I did math in the afternoon. For a first grader, he has a LOT of the multiplication tables down. Long division is still a problem — but it won’t be for LONG. (LOL!)
I shut down Kyle’s homeschool around 2:30 because I have my own work to do — so he got an hour of iPad, but in addition to self-interactive play he also has to do independent reading. Same with Ella, but she has other electives she can do.
I’m still working on my Dadlife book, but I’m also thinking this diary may be the start of a pandemic memoir.
Note to self: call it ‘Q Life’.
Note to self: or maybe just ‘Q’.
Of course, I may also just switch things up completely and learn to make masks with socks. (I still have that sock rope.)
Anyway, since I had marinated the chicken the night before, I just had to throw it in the oven. Still had to blanche the asparagus and prepare the lemon basil fruit salad, but dinner was DELICIOUS. I thought for sure we’d have leftovers, but everyone ate EVERY BITE.
Note to self: the trick to the chicken is smoked paprika AND brown sugar.
Note to self: the trick to the asparagus is a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to finish — but it MUST be from Modena.)
After dinner (and Ella and Kyle cleared their plates) Phoebe and I put the kids down early. (They were so tired anyway — probably from the calisthenics and yoga before lunch.) She and I had a nice glass of wine and binged some of our shows. We were in bed by 9:30 and I think we were both out by 9:35. It’s amazing how much gets done at home when you’re at home ALL day — LOL!
Anyway, pretty awesome day today. Can’t wait to get started on tomorrow.
OMG — I totally forgot to mention the pie. The sour cream blueberry filling wasn’t quite sweet enough — a little tart actually — but you could hardly notice with the delicate and flaky lattice crust. SO BUTTERY GOOD!
Anyway, good night, QD! See you tomorrow!
Full disclosure: No, none of this happened.
Fuller disclosure: None. Of. It.
Fullest disclosure: We’re thinking we may pivot from homeschool to anger management.
