https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/1-5-us-retail-milk-samples-test-positive-h5n1-avian-flu-fragments 1 in 5 US milk samples is testing positive for h5n1 fragments. I feel like this is not a huge issue and won’t be infectious, but it does indicate how widespread the disease is. If I had someone in my life who was super dependent on a milk based product (e.g. baby formula) I think I would try to have some extra stock in hand in case of supply disruptions, after seeing how Covid impacted things.

Wow that’s not so good!

https://www.mamamia.com.au/how-to-wear-double-denim/ it’s a thing!

My DS injured his thumb when we were away on holidays and it got quite swollen. If we’d been home I would have taken him to get it looked at but it was complicated at the time and the swelling seemed to go down so we did nothing. Fast forward six months and we realised he couldn’t give a thumbs up properly on that side because thumb won’t fully straighten. Eventually it did with a kind of popping sound every time - so it’s possible it’s trigger thumb not injury related but I feel horribly guilty for not checking it at the time.

Is it? Double denim seems to be a fashion trend semi-regularly. And you look great in it.

This makes me think of the Lumosity game

I don’t really limit screen time but she seems to be in a hole as far as having any games or movies she wants to do. Thankfully she’s got into painting so yay!

That’s funny because that’s exactly what we did! Thanks for reminding me that it’s ok to be bored. He has Lego, snap circuits, nerf. He had a friend over for two days, went to a friend’s yesterday, had one tennis lesson, church, and we did an art class. But yeah… I do feel like I’ve never quite figured out any teen friendly outdoor stuff for here. Most farm kids get into motor bikes etc but mine don’t seem that interested. (Oldest has outgrown it and youngest is scared of it which is fine).

Dd went to school for the first time this year. It’s now holidays and she’s had three days of friend catch ups, a couple of shopping trips etc and today is pretty much the first day we’ve totally stayed home. She wanted to go out and shop and drop some resumes but I asked if we could delay it until Friday because I just want one day at home to clean and catch up on jobs. We don’t have public transport so if I don’t take my kids places they are stuck at home. We do have a farm and pets but it feels like they’ve really outgrown that stuff. Ds has been on Minecraft too much and is now taking an enforced screen break. He’s also bored (he’s still homeschooling). Oldest is still working as he’s in the last year of school and needs to. I feel like everyone here is in a kind of holding pattern… just passing time. I need some ideas for keeping teens busy and engaged with life and need to figure out what I’m doing with myself next. DD does have stuff on every day of the rest of the holidays. She doesn’t really want to play any sports except horse riding which is out of the budget or football which doesn’t work because training is on my work night and matches are on during church. I find it hard to figure out what to do with her. When I was her age I just read books or played with the dog if I was bored. My mom died early in my teens. I think because of that those years were kind of a blur. Plus we didn’t do typical stuff anyway due to religion etc. so I feel kind of clueless about what to do or how to get the kids engaged with something meaningful.

It sounds trite but sometimes yoga helps me turn off the tap for a bit… Do you think you’re dealing with intrusive thoughts or just an overly busy brain?

I think this kind of thing is quite common at this age… kids see other kids do stuff that’s a bit out there or unexpected and get positive attention and laughs for it, so then they want to try it themselves but don’t understand what behaviour is a little bit funny or quirky and what’s a solid boundary. And context matters a lot. One of my tutor kids got in trouble for something like this recently. She did get a couple of days of reflection but because it was atypical behaviour for her and they were able to discuss and she understood why it was wrong and apologised it didn’t go further than that. She does have a diagnosis though which helps.

Thanks for sharing, much love to her and her family

😞 praying

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-16/nsw-sydney-church-stabbing-police-and-paramedics/103729960

ABC is reporting that he was very outspoken about anti lockdown, anti vaccination, anti Covid measures. It makes more sense that his supporters were willing to attack police and seek vigilante style justice. (Not saying all of his followers are like that but if there were enough in the crowd it makes sense) Paramedics were trapped in the building unable to leave for several hours. I’m tired of every kind of extremism right now!!