Connor’s BFF came over to play this morning. They are both having such an awesome time. It’s fun to watch.
Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day: July 2020
Blooms always seem to be scarce in the heat of mid-July — especially when deer have eaten the lilies. I think some deer-resistant, drought-loving native plants are in my future.
As always, many thanks to Carol of May Dreams Gardens for hosting Bloom Day on the 15th of every month!
Tails of the Office
When I dropped Connor off at camp this morning, he requested that I bring Tails to work with me. Of course, I was concerned that Tails wasn’t masked, but Connor seemed to think that was fine.
We certainly can’t have Tails setting a bad example, though….
One Of Those Weeks
Work has me burned out, the weather’s been miserably hot, and I’m not looking forward to returning to the office as much as I’d expected.
Add to that the general stress of the global pandemic, getting used to the “new normal,” wrestling with wanting to stay home and safe but also venture out and do the few things I and my family enjoy, and trying to explain to my son why he’ll need to wear a mask at science camp and at school…
At this moment, I’m content to be relaxing in my sunroom, listening to the rain, feeling the breeze, drinking a cider, and watching darkness fall.
Just breathing.
Return To Worksite
Today was the day.
After 17 weeks of working from home, I drove in to the office for my first half-day on-site since the pandemic forced us all to quarantine.
I was one of three people present today in my team of nine total. To maintain appropriate distancing, we’re all rotating days in the office. I’m planning to be in the office on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, and more often when I can.
When the Stay-At-Home order was enacted in Ohio, and my department started working from home full-time, I wasn’t sure how I was going to take to it. Even after the first four or five weeks, when I finally got myself into a proper routine, I was chomping at the bit to get back into the office. It would have been quite a stretch for me to believe I’d get to a point where I prefer working from home… yet, here I am.
For one thing, I find that I’m more productive in the afternoons when I don’t have to plan around my evening commute. Working from home gives me as much time as I need to finish the last task of the day without needing to wrap up all the loose ends and prepare myself to come back to it later. I can’t just stay late in the actual office downtown, even though I might like to, because I need to get home and be the responsible parent to my almost-nine-year-old once his Dad leaves for work.
I’ve really been enjoying the extra sleep I get every morning from not having to get up in time to wrangle my son and then drive to work. My internal clock has gotten surprisingly good at waking me up around 7:10am.
Alas, that’s now when I wake on weekends, too.
Having the option to work in any spot in my house is a luxury I’ve taken for granted. I’ve gotten used to being able to choose my setting: the sunroom, the home office, the kitchen table. I found myself wishing for a change of scenery this afternoon, and for some fresh produce to snack on.
I go back in tomorrow, then work from home Thursday-Friday, then I’m in the office all next week while Connor’s at science camp. It’s going to be weird.
Everything is weird now. Even the things that used to be normal.