I was at church, and my phone and Fitbit had SOS alarms going off. Loud, repetitive, chirping, SOS alarms. Clearly they were automatically set up to notify local emergency response crews, as I could hear sirens in the background, growing closer to church. I frantically hurried through the hallways, looking for somewhere to sit down […]
On Getting COVID at the Beginning of its Junior Year.
I had become convinced that the Callahans had superpower genes. None of us, and only a mere single one of our extended relations on either side of our family, had contracted Covid. This felt very promising that we were part of The Chosen Remnant of people that simply seemed not able to catch this world-rocking […]
The Curse of the Learner’s Permit.
When I turned 15, I went to the DMV on my birthday, my anticipation too high to wait another day for the pleasure of being a licensed (learning) driver. But I failed the written test on my first try. I was mortified. Embarrassed. Humiliated. I made my mom swear not to tell my older brother, […]
The Bank of Tiny Withdrawals.
In the midst of crazy times, sometimes the little moments stand out as rays of sunshine. The week after we got back from an epic family trip to Montana, Chris’ Dad passed away. He had been diagnosed with cancer several years ago, but this was much more sudden than we had expected. So there was […]
A Snake’s Official Response.
Sometimes, after listening to your pastor’s sermon, you feel a need to respond. Other times, your beloved family pet feels that need.
Birdlet, The Overly Friendly Woodland Animal.
Yesterday as we were leaving a hike at Ross Bridge, there was an extraordinarily tiny bird hopping after Luke, one of my kid’s friends, as he got in the car to leave. I found the bird’s actions strange, and Ross Bridge Parkway is a busy place for a strange bird, so we got out of […]
The First Day of School and the Unclaimed Tooth.
Monday was our first day of school. Except that it wasn’t actually our first day of school because Friday was our first day of school. But we started school with a field trip day, as one does, therefore making Monday the first day we sat down with textbooks. So we’ll go with Monday. As with […]
The COVID Diaries Part One: The Lockdown Months.
We’ve now been in this new state of reality for circa 150 days. Remember when we thought it would be two weeks? How we reassured ourselves it wouldn’t affect the fall?? How your husband planned to celebrate all the holidays we missed (Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, birthdays, etc.) with a big cookout on the […]
Break to the Future.
It’s 1985. Doc Brown has just arrived back from the future, steps out of his DeLorean, and tells me, “Great Scott! Whatever you do, DO NOT go to 2020!” Why not, Doc? “There’s a global pandemic! The world gets shut down, you won’t go into a store for 53 days, you’ll have 3 trips cancelled, you’ll forget […]