The number "4" represents the number of days until the presidential election. I feel like there should be all sorts of profound and philosophical things I can say. There are not. I voted early, with my sister. Most of my kids have voted. One of them just arrived in Maine, where he is a resident, so he can vote there. My husband plans to vote in person on election day. I have always done that too. Well, except when we voted absentee when we were posted overseas.
The sentiment among like minded (Democrats) people is that this is the most important election of our lives. It feels like it. It feels like the world has gone crazy. People are stressed by the pandemic. Some are saying it's not a big deal. Some are refusing to wear a mask. Some are staying home almost all of the time. We are practicing "social distancing" something I had never really heard of before March of this year.
I miss my friends. I miss my family. I miss "normal"- which can be something as simple as going to the store and walking up and down the aisles. I am scared, maybe terrified, that I or someone I love is going to get sick.
We are not handing out candy for Halloween this year. We are not having Thanksgiving or Christmas with loved ones this year.
I amazed not sure what we considered "normal" before the pandemic. I cannot imagine we will ever get back to that normal but eventually there will be a new normal. The new normal will be the end of social distancing and wearing masks. I hope.
Live updates: U.S. tops 9 million cases amid surges in every swing state
The total number of infections reported nationwide since February is virtually guaranteed to reach 9 million on Friday, just 15 days after the tally hit 8 million. At least 228,000 deaths have been linked to the coronavirus.
Oct. 30, 2020 at 2:50 p.m. EDT
Add to list
Donald Trump Jr. declared Thursday night that coronavirus deaths had dropped to “almost nothing,” questioning the seriousness of the pandemic on a record-breaking day for new cases in which more than 1,000 Americans died of the virus.
This picture was taken recently as the sun was getting ready to set. I love the golden hues of this time of day at this time of the year.
I am finding myself feeling more and more discombobulated as the coronavirus pandemic goes on and on and people keep getting sick- many of them dying.
The campaign for the 2020 presidential election keeps getting crazier by the day. Trump has always been way over the top, but now he has come completely off the rails. My sister and I voted early. Record numbers of people all over the country are voting early. The though was that by encouraging early voting there would be less contact and more social distancing. I think a lot of us are voting early because we are suspicious of the opposition and what they will do to steal this election. I do fear violence at the polls on election day and I honestly hope I am wrong.
Meanwhile, in my corner of the world, a friend's husband died. It was expected. He was 84 and on hospice care. But the pandemic made it harder for the family to say their goodbyes and hold a larger funeral.
Another friend's father (also in his 80s) is in the ICU on a ventilator with Covid 19. A friend's great aunt is in the hospital with Covid.
Oh, and a friend just revealed that she has Alzheimer's .
I miss my in person La Leche League meetings. I have been trying to hold Zoom, online meetings, but it takes a lot out of me. I have decided to take a break for a while. Another LLL Group has offered to take in "my moms".
I am a moderator on a Facebook group for parents (mostly moms) who are seeking information and support for co-sleeping (sleeping with their babies) safely. I got the support for my mothering, including co-sleeping, from La Leche League. I know that with the pandemic, nobody is going to any in person meetings. But I suspect most of these moms wouldn't go anyway. And it's too bad. They could get real support and meet other moms in the same situation.
I cannot imagine being a new mom right now. The misinformation they get now is as bad as if not worse than what I got almost 43 years ago. Oh well.
It's almost 2:30 in the afternoon, and Nick and I are both still in our pajamas!
We are not handing out Halloween candy this year (covid). Not doing much for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
What a stupid year 2020 has been .
On a happier note, I met my sister at a pet rescue place and she got this wonderful little dog. The dog's name is Princess Leah. I suggested "Lady" we'll see.
Election day is November 3rd. Will we celebrate or cry? I guess we'll see.
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Courtney age 4 months with Great Grandma Burke age 99, in 1978
My mom's cousin had five children. A daughter and four sons. He didn't have any grandchildren even though his kids were all grown and out of the house.
I remember (in my judgmental way) wondering what happened? Were they such terrible parents that their children did not want to have children of their own? I was really baffled.
Then my own five kids, one girl and four boys, grew up. And started getting married. As my husband and I got older, as happens if you are lucky.
My daughter made it clear that she never was going to have children. Friends would say "she'll change her mind". Patronizing. But who knows. I was, and am sure she is not going to have children. I love her and respect her and will support her life choices. But, she would have made a cool mom. She is so smart and interesting. Her life her choice.
My boys have pretty much expressed an interest in being parents. But so far it has not happened. The two oldest got married with the express plan to have families. And they both have since been divorced (as has my daughter but that is not relevant to these things I am writing about). And, in retrospect it is a good thing that there were no children involved.
I always knew" that I would be a mother. My ideas of what would happen evolved. My original thought was that I would go to medical school. Have a couple of babies. Take off six weeks for each one and get back to the important work of adulting.
Thing is, I didn't go to medical school. I dropped out of college. I was a terrible student, plus we were so broke that I felt the need to work. For money I mean.
Once Nick finished law school, and started working in the adult world, I was ready to be a mom. I wanted to be pregnant. I wanted to see and feel my belly growing. I was almost consumed by the thought.
We went to a doctor who did a bunch of tests, put me on fertility drugs and said that if they don't work in the first four months, they probably won't work. They didn't work.
Of course, eventually we did end up having our kids. We decided that it would be a good choice for me to stay home and raise our kids ourselves.
I loved the idea of being a stay at home mom. As a feminist I had no problem with the choice because it was a choice.
There were times when being a mother was very hard. Aggravating. Tiring . Hard. Frustrating. I am afraid I was not very good at hiding those feelings.
But, there was the amazing joy too. Holding out your hands to your little one as they take their first steps. Looking down at a milky smile when they are nursing. Seeing them being kind to other people. Playing peek-a-boo and having the wonderful sounds of laughter. Kissing a boo boo and making it better.
There was the frustration when a little voice says "I want Mommy", but there is also the satisfaction in knowing that you really are wanted and needed in that moment.
My greatest regret is how angry I would get. Shouting and the kids. Making them feel bad. It was really not their fault that I was not able to be all things to all people all of the time.
Would I do it over again? In a heartbeat. What would I change? I would be more patient and less annoyed. I would realize how fast the precious moments go and there's no sleeping teen needing to be woken up to catch the bus. No chatter at the dinner table.
I think, I imagine at least, that this is some of what makes being a grandparent so special. You get a part of your child back. You get to relive the joy and wonder. And you don't have the weight of the world on your parental shoulders.
So, will we ever become grandparents? Who knows. If we do, we will have passed the time when we can crawl around the floor with little ones.
I get to see and hold babies a lot anyway. Except for the last seven months or so with the pandemic.
We've done good. We raised five remarkable people. And they all still speak to us and love us. That's so special. I feel very lucky.
When it comes to embarking on the journey of parenthood, lots of millennials are saying, "Meh. No, thanks."
According to data from the Urban Institute, birth rates among 20-something women declined 15% between 2007 and 2012. Additional research
from the Pew Research Center reflects a longer-term trend of women
eschewing parenthood as the number of U.S. women who choose to forego
motherhood altogether has doubled since 1970.
This
trend is fascinating, in part because there's long been a taboo
associated with people (particularly, women) choosing to opt out of
parenthood. Women who choose not to have kids have been referred to as "shallow" and "self-absorbed," and even the pope has said the decision not to procreate is fundamentally "selfish."
In
an effort to find out why so many young people are really deciding
against prenthood, we solicited dozens of responses from our audience
via Tumblr and Google Forms. The responses we received from people of
all sexes and identities reveal that there are myriad reasons why people
are opting out of parenthood — and all of them are equally valid.
1. Kids aren't always financially feasible — especially if you have student loans.
Whether
it's the medical costs of giving birth or the lifetime financial
commitment that having a child entails, financial reasons were one of
the most popular behind why people didn't want kids. Many respondents
also specifically called out their student loans as a reason for not
being able to afford kids — a trend that doesn't seem to be going
anywhere, if the total student debt of the Class of 2015 is any indication.
"It leaves your body
and it costs $20-30K. I've $40K in student loans already taking up the
rest of my life. And that's best case scenario. If anything goes wrong,
double it."
"I'm pan[sexual] and currently in a relationship with a woman. Having a child biologically would involve a huge medical bill."
"If I can hardly afford to live well now on my income, how can I be expected to give a child the life they
deserve?"
Mic/Getty
2. There's a strong fear of passing down mental health issues.
Those
who have struggled with various mental illnesses reported being
particularly wary of bringing kids into the world, out of a fear that
they would inherit the painful experiences they themselves went through.
"I
made up my mind when I had diagnosed with the same mental illness that
my mother has. Being raised by my mother who has manic depression was
scary. You shouldn't be afraid of your parent."
"I've struggled with depression and
if I passed that pain on I would feel horrid for inflicting that
sadness and numbing on another human. No one deserves to live like this
if it can be prevented."
"I am mentally ill and mental
illnesses than mine run in my family, as do autoimmune disorders. I do
not want to bring a child into the world knowing that there's a strong
chance it will struggle like I have."
Mic/Getty
3. The population is already out of control.
Some concerned citizens cited overcrowding and environmental concerns as reasons to fear a rapidly growing population. While there's some debate as to whether or not overpopulation
is a serious threat to humanity, many millennials see it as a
legitimate reason to avoid adding more humans to the equation.
"There
are too many unwanted kids on the planet as is, so I don't want to
bring more into the world. I'm adopting if I ever decide I want kids.
People don't understand how bad having a large population is."
"I joined [the] zero population growth movement a long time ago for environmental reasons."
"I think we need more do-ers and innovators compared to repopulaters."
Mic/Getty
4. Fertility issues can give a different perspective on the necessity of having kids.
While one might assume that infertility only affects older women, some millennials struggle to naturally conceive as well. In fact, according to 2002 data from the Centers for Disease Control, 11% of
married women under 29 have dealt with fertility issues. For some
women, this can lead them to reconsider whether they even want a kid in
the first place.
"I can't have kids naturally.
It's not a sad thing though. A lot of other women get upset when I tell
them that, but I just say I really have no right to complain about one
gift I didn't receive when I have been given so many to begin with."
5. Pregnancy can take a serious physical toll. Even in the 21st century, childbirth is a strenuous (not to mention potentially dangerous)
physical ordeal. Plenty of women just aren't into the idea of using
their uteruses as an "incubator," as one very honest respondent put it.
"I'm completely squicked out by pregnancy and labor. Full-on body horror."
"The physical changes my body would go through with the pain of birth is not appealing at all to me."
6. With kids comes the pressure to make perfect choices.
Although
people who don't want to have kids are often called "selfish," our
survey showed they're
anything but. If nothing else, our respondents
were well aware that the responsibility to be a good parent means
consistently putting the child first and making healthy choices for
them, and they didn't feel they were up to that challenge.
"It overwhelms me to think that there would be a tiny little person growing inside of me, depending on me to make healthy choices."
7. Not all women are preprogrammed with maternal instincts.
Much like comedian Margaret Cho, who once joked that she "ovulates sand," many women told Mic that they simply didn't feel they were born with motherly urges.
"I
have personally have never felt the 'motherly instinct' that girls my
age who are getting married and pregnant rave about. I have had multiple
encounters with children throughout life and it is always an awkward
and anxious experience for me."
"Children always have
irritated me to no end. The only time I enjoy children is when they are
quiet, humble, intelligent beings. Obviously these conditions are
unreasonable to expect of the tiny humans, so for me, the logical
solution is to not have any of my own."
Mic/Getty
8. The world isn't always a nice place.
Sometimes
the decision to not be a parent is as simple as wanting to spare
a child from having to live in a world of jerks. Citing factors like
global inequality, bullying or a general discontent with society, many readers don't want their offspring to have to deal with the world's problems.
"I
feel we have too many issues recently with law enforcement and
government that I do not feel comfortable upbringing kids into this
society."
"I was bullied a lot as
a child. I know what children are capable of and it scares me. I see
all children as a potential future threat, simply because about 70% of
people in my year group were bullies, and most of them still are. I
wouldn't want a child to have to live in a world where they'll either be
bullied, or be the bully. I don't think I could handle seeing my child
cry from being made fun of, or being told my own child had made someone
else cry for fun."
"Honestly our society is kind of fucked up; I don't need to send someone out into that."
Mic/Getty
9. Sometimes, career ambitions take priority.
There is research suggesting
that the idea of "having it all"—both a family and a kickass career—is
something of an unattainable myth. So it's not surprising that a number
of our respondents reported they see parenthood vs. career success as an
impossible choice to make. Many said they would only view children as possible hindrances to their lofty career goals.
"I
don't want to have kids because I am studying to be a surgeon and I
don't think I could give them the attention they need with such a
demanding job."
"When I imagine my future, I just don't
see any [kids]. I love what I'm studying and I want to get the most out
of my career. Whether that includes endless overtime, sleepless nights,
relocating, and/or travel."
I
have noted from quite a young age that when a man and a women get
married and have children — it almost always means the women becomes a
housewife (unless the parents both have to work). I have worked hard in
school and would love to get married some day, but the idea that I would
quite my job that I have worked my whole life to stay home for the next
18+ years does not appeal to me."
Mic/Getty
10. Children don't fit into every lifestyle.
Even
when career goals weren't the primary reason behind the decision, many
respondents cited a desire to preserve their already-fulfilling
lifestyles as an equally compelling reason why they didn't want kids.
These respondents felt that their lives were full (and busy) enough as is, without the added responsibilities that come with having children.
"My
dream is to visit all 195 countries in the world (been to 23 so far)
and I really don't feel like a child fits into the nomad lifestyle I
want to live."
"With the way I want to live my life, kids would get in the way."
"I don't want kids because they're a fuckton of work."
11. Ultimately, a reason shouldn't even be necessary.
While the Mic
survey illuminated just how varied some of our reasons for not wanting
to have kids are, one reason stood out among all the others: not needing
a reason at all. After all, our personal choice as to what we want to
do with our bodies are just that, personal. Many respondents felt they
didn't need to provide an explanation one way or the other.
"Sometimes I think that "I just don't want to" isn't enough of a reason
to explain the lack of progeny. Then I think, why the hell should the
reason matter to anyone other than myself? And I am content with that."
"I don't want kids because I just don't. I shouldn't have to explain my reasoning, or even have a reason at all: my body, my choice."
Mic/Getty
This article was originally published on Jul 30, 2015
I was poking around looking at click bait on my computer and came across an article, with pictures, of things people found by surprise, in their newly purchased old houses.
I was surprised at how many of the old houses listed had wells in them that the owners had not known about. In one house a cellar with canning jars was found. Some of the jars were just old dusty jars while some of them has fruit in them that had been canned by someone's unknown family member how many years ago.
It made my mind wander all over the place. First made me think of my Grandma Thompsen's house. It was a funky old house. There was a tiny "shoe closet" with a tiny door in Grandma's bedroom. I think all of us, the cousins, played in that little cubby of a shoe closet. There was the bathtub with the claw feet. The string along the stairs that you had to pull to get the upstairs, stairway light to turn on.
And, yes, Grandma had a well. Off of the kitchen, at the back of the house there was a back porch. Grandma's wringer washing machine was there. And off of that porch was a canning room. I guess that's what I would call it. Grandma canned fruit every year and kept the glass jars with their paraffin wax tops in that room, on the shelves. On the floor was a "hatch" door that covered the well. I remember Grandma opening the hatch so we could look down at the deep well. One time she dropped a stone down the well so we could hear how far down it would go.
Those memories of my grandmother's house brought scents to mind. The soapy smell of the back porch with the washing machine. The musty smell of the well and canning room. And the smell of old shoes in the shoe closet.
My grandmother had five sons and 14 grandchildren. I think that there are 12 of us now though I am not 100% sure. My brother is gone and my cousin Patsy. We keep loosely in touch. All of us at one time or another spent time in that old house, playing in the shoe closet.
That took my mind off in another direction. One of the things in the article about things found in old houses was a pile of old letters. I have piles of old letters , many of which I have blogged about here before. But old is a relative thing. Most of the letters I have worked on filing were written in my lifetime. There are some older letters between my in laws written during WWII. I plan to organize them one of these days.
And then my mind wandered off even further to things I can only imagine. I was wondering about my grandparents. I only knew my Grandma Thompsen. I never knew my grandfather. He had died before I was born. I believe even before any of my cousins were born. At any rate, he had left America and returned to Norway where he die and is buried.
Nobody in the family, the five Thompsen sons, would ever speak about their father. Were there any letters between my grandparents after he went back to Norway? Did he correspond with my dad or his brothers? And what would they have said.
How did my grandparents meet? I know that they were not from the same parts of Norway . I know that they did not arrive in America together. How did they end up knowing each other. Getting married. Raising a family?
I have photographs and genealogy. I have been to the farm where my grandfather was born and lived as a child. He was only 17 when he came to the US, still a child, but a man on his own.
I have visited my grandfather's grave several times. I have met relatives who knew him- all of whom are dead now. I wish I could conjure him up and talk to him. Or even see him.
I used to sit in my father's lap a lot when I was little. And I used to comb my dad's hair too. I remember the scent of him. I wonder if his father had a distinctive smell? I am sure that sounds funny to some folks, but I am tuned into smells.
I had a weird thing happened with my vision on Sunday. I had what seemed like a window shade obstruct my vision in my right eye. I told Nick that I thought it needed to be checked out. So we went to Reston Hospital. I had a lot of tests done. I spent the night and had an MRI early Monday afternoon. Then I can home.
I was scheduled for a steroid shot in my knee tomorrow but I cancelled it for now. I just don't feel safe getting steroids in my body at the moment. Next week I will.
I am seeing the eye doctor on Thursday (today is Tuesday). I don't expect her to see anything unusual but I want to be sure.
I am feeling fairly lighthearted about it all. Maybe because I feel alright. Maybe I am scared and laughing makes it easier to deal with. Who knows.
Here's what I posted on Facebook on Sunday-I got so many responses!
Guess where I am. I am at Reston Hospital. I had a temporary loss of vision in one eye. My husband brought me to the emergency room. There's a possibility that I had a TIA (mini stroke). I feel fine. Getting an MRI in the morning. Ct scan was normal. I'm here overnight for observation
What it looks like happened is this:
Amaurosis fugax is a condition in which a person cannot see out of one or both eyes due to a lack of blood flow
to the eye(s). The condition is a symptom of an underlying problem, such as a blood clot or insufficient blood flow to the blood vessels that supply the eye. Other names for amaurosis fugax include transient monocular blindness, transient monocular visual loss, or temporary visual loss.
What are the symptoms of amaurosis fugax?
When a person experiences amaurosis fugax, their vision may suddenly appear to cloud over. This is typically a temporary effect that can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. Some people have described the occurrence of amaurosis fugax as feeling as if someone has pulled a shade over their eye.
In many instances, amaurosis fugax is a symptom of a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A TIA is a precursor to a stroke. TIAs cause stroke-like symptoms that are temporary. In addition to temporary blindness, other symptoms associated with TIAs include difficulty speaking, a facial droop on one side of the face, and sudden weakness on one side of the body.
^Mic/Getty
