I've been aware of this for a long time. Dh is 13 years older than I am. He's 67 now and has developed some health issues in the past year. My parents are both still alive, my mother is 78 and my dad is 87-ish, but my stepfather passed away about 5 years ago and my dad lost his second wife to breast cancer. He has another wife now but she's quite a bit younger than he is.

I thought this was going to be one of those -give a slight eyeroll at someone who doesn't want dishes in their sink for even an hour- things since I tend to have WAY lower standards than many on here. But 5-7 days is a lot. We have a single sink and only about 2 1/2 feet of counter space next to the sink that is between the sink and the stove. The other side of the sink is a wall. My kids do the dishes every day except Sunday but don't do the handwash stuff, Sundays I do the dishes (usually, dh sometimes does) and the handwash stuff, but dh will wash the handwash stuff if he needs one (he does all the cooking). Our handwash is basically limited to decent, non stick cookware so really isn't hard to wash and aren't the things that need to soak. So we almost always have dishes in the sink during the day since the kids don't do them until after dinner (8pm). I tried encouraging them to empty it earlier so things could be put in directly but that didn't work. The handwash pots/pans are generally left on the stove until they get washed. Things that need to soak are left at most overnight before being stuck in the dishwasher, but usually only soak until the kids do the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. We may have things sit a day or two if the kids can't fit them in the dishwasher (then dh will usually "assist" with getting bigger items in). Dh doesn't have huge standards for housework, neither do I, but the one thing he wants is the dishes washed before he cooks dinner. He's okay with the few dishes from breakfast/lunch being in the sink when he's cooking dinner. Would telling your husband you need the dishes washed before you cook help at all? Or maybe another posters suggestion to switch another job so that you do the dishes and he does something that won't cause so many issues.

Morning, Happy Saturday. I don't remember the last time I posted here. It's been a long, busy week. Tomorrow we're doing a Trunk or Treat with 4H. Other than that things are as normal. Dh and I's 19th anniversary is the 26th of this month.

As far as we know, older dd is the only one in our immediate family who has had it. She's had it a few times but she works retail and her ex-boyfriend had a very public facing job as well and she seems to have caught it from him each time. We've tested when anyone was sick but not when feeling well so it is possible somebody has had an asymptomatic case. Ds is attending CC and was there 3 days a week last school year, only once a week this semester. I teach classes five days a week but have air purifiers going and good ventilation. Dh works with a few people who have had confirmed covid but seems to have escaped despite being the highest risk of all of us (over 65, obese). We have all had three or four vaccines. I do have allergies but I can usually tell when it's my allergies and when it's an illness. They feel very different to me.

I read a lot of ebooks but it's because I have the Kindle app on my phone, my home laptop, my work laptop, and my kindle fire tablet. So wherever I am, if I have a few moments to read I can open the book I'm currently reading. I don't usually read multiple books at once so having access to it in multiple places is wonderful. I also don't understand the whole mommy wine thing. It's really over the top. No coffee but tea.

We raining so no eclipse. We weren't in the full path anyway.

Morning, Happy Friday. The start of my weekend. My brother is coming to dinner tomorrow before he heads back to Florida. I'll have to clean house and do some laundry tomorrow morning. Today I HAVE to go into work and do some cleaning and organizing of our upstairs space. I know I say that all the time but it is a disaster. I still haven't gotten it all back together after summer camps. The teachers didn't put anything away and I had to get stuff from storage for fall classes which just added to the mess. We're thinking of changing things around over our first break in three weeks. It would give us less waiting/lobby space for parents, but more storage/usable space for us. And I think that's more important right now.

I definitely appreciated how lucky we were in the early days of the pandemic. My business had to close temporarily but compared to what many others dealt with, that was pretty minor. My kids have never been in school so not too much changed there - a good thing when one has anxiety and one is on the spectrum. Dh could work from home and mask mandates came early here so I was less worried about when he did go out, or when older dd was working. I love reading dystopian literature (love Alas Babylon) and it does lead to thoughts about what if? We do have enough food to last at least a few weeks, dh cooks from scratch and can do a lot with little. Until recently none of us had complex medical needs or regular medication. That changed in the past year and dh now has daily medication that he needs to live. Key does seem to be reacting early, being somewhat prepared, paying attention and don't waste time being in denial.

I love wearing oversized hoodies. I probably have around 20 of them. Some plain, some from places we visit or organizations we belong to. I love them and used to wear them year round because dh likes air conditioning and I would get chilled easily. Now I'm having hot flashes or at least running warm so I don't get to wear them as often. I'm super looking forward to winter so I can wear them again. I do wear them over a tshirt (especially these days) and I have no problem wearing them out of the house. I don't care if they make me look bigger than I already am. I do almost always get men's hoodies because I hate sleeves that come too short and I want them big.

I read all the time. I mostly read books through Kindle right now, either Kindle Unlimited or borrowed from Libby or ones I own. I have the Kindle app on my home computer, my work computer, my phone, and my kindle fire so I can pick up my book and read whenever I have the time. In the morning I get up and have breakfast and tea while on my computer. I usually check emails, Facebook and the WTM boards. If I have time after that, I'll read some of whatever book I'm currently reading. At work (I teach at a science center I run), I'll read if I get in early and am waiting for classes to start, between classes while I eat lunch, and maybe for brief other times if I don't have set-up or clean up to do. It's not super common for me to read at work. In the evenings, I may read while eating dinner and after dinner while dh is watching tv. There are only a few shows I'll watch, plus it's currently football season so I have a lot of time to read this time of year. I generally will read right up until shortly before bedtime. I do kakuro puzzles before bed to have some time off screens. I don't read in bed. Our bedroom doesn't have good heat/ac so it's often not comfortable in there temperature wise and I don't find it comfortable to read in bed. I'm doing a book challenge this year and I've read about 145 books so far this year. But reading is pretty much my first choice of free time activity and my house is aways a mess.

I did have a good workshop. Two boys (unrelated) that had both done summer camps, and three sisters that were completely new to the center. Everyone had a great time, and I had inquiries about other programs we do.

I did get another reply from the meaner of the two moms involved in my drama, but I just had to laugh. Her whole response basically boiled down to "no I didn't" and "you're wrong" with no proof, evidence or anything to support her statements except that. One thing she accused me of lying about, you can clearly see ON A PICTURE I SENT HER that she is the one lying. People are crazy.

Morning, Happy Saturday. I have a robotics workshop I'm running this afternoon, then at some point this weekend I have to go to BJs, and we're going to my mother's house for dinner tomorrow. I sent out my emails to the two problem parents and I actually feel pretty good about it. Based on the videos, and their behavior around the issue, they are definitely in the wrong. There's no real subtleties around it. (I tend to second guess things a lot and get a tad obsessive worrying about things so having this mostly settled is a relief). I'm still not sure if they will be back or not.

Adding more to the fun, in watching the lobby video and talking to my other teacher that teaches in a room that's open to the lobby, the mom that was really mean has a toddler (maybe 2 years old but probably a little bit younger) that she's not keeping a good eye on because she's on her phone/laptop. The kid walked into the classroom and was pulling out t-pins (sharp!) that we had holding a curtain in place and the teacher had to stop class to return her to the lobby. Then the mom pulled a folding chair over by a set of shelves where we had tanks (we have madagascar hissing cockroaches, a scorpion and fish) and let her toddler climb up to stand on the folding chair while she returned to sitting down looking at her phone. So if they do stay to see out the session, I have to ask the mom to keep a better eye on her toddler so she doesn't wander into the other class while they are doing something truly dangerous (it is possible for small magnets or button batteries, not to mention various liquids and sharp objects to be out), and to not allow her to climb on folding chairs that could collapse underneath her if she puts her weight on the wrong side. Ugh.

Morning, I was hoping to really sleep in today but instead I was up by 7:30am (EST). I'm just relaxing with my tea and oatmeal. I have to compose a couple emails to a couple of moms who have a problem with the teacher for their class. Which would be fine, we won't be right for everyone, except they were downright nasty and making accusations that were baseless. They basically said that she was on her phone too much and ignoring the class. I watched 2 hours of class time (and 1 hour of lobby time because I was curious about their behavior during classes) to see if there was any basis for it and there's not but despite telling them that and offering to allow them to watch the video they just continue to be nasty and repeat their "concerns". Even dh, who doesn't have the emotional reaction I do to this kind of thing, was shocked at how downright mean they were about it. My teacher is young (20 years old) with tattoos, piercings and colored hair. She has a bunch of experience working with kids, more than some of my other teachers, is background checked and does working with minors training because she's a junior 4h leader, and is really good with the kids (she teaches 4-6/7 year olds). IMO, these moms took one look at her and decided it wasn't going to work. None of this would be an issue, except they have kids in other classes that they want to continue. I don't particularly want them around given how nasty they were. But if I "kick them out" I would have to give them a refund for the remaining portion of the session. We are half-way through so there's 4 weeks left. It might be better to just finish out the session and ask them to not register for the next session. Our classes don't work for everyone so we definitely have people decide not to continue after one session, but it's rare that we get someone this nasty and I always hate dealing with it. It's happened to this extent one other time but it was over and done quickly. I may have to continue dealing with these people for 4 more weeks.

Why is the grim reaper holding a trident?

When ds decided to go to college, we needed a photo id. I originally tried to get him a passport because it's actually easier here in NJ to get a passport than it is to get a driver's license or non-driver id. The passport rules are different for 16/17 year olds and my local post office that I went to had no idea what to do, despite the fact that I brought a copy of the page printed from the website to our appointment. An extremely long amount of time on the phone for them to not get an answer and I gave up. For the non-driver's license, I made and laminated a school photo id, then made a high school transcript to match. I ended up getting non-driver ids for both kids so we wouldn't run into the same problem for dd. Ds now has his driver's license which was a lot easier to get since he had the non-driver id.

I'm so sick of people this week. Mean people suck.

68 seems really old to start a program like that. Starting younger would mean people could stay more active and be healthier when they hit 68. Our Y is in a pretty $$$ area and their rates are pretty high in general.

Our local Y's "older adult" program doesn't start until 68 years old!

I want a senior center with rowing machines and Tai Chi and maybe crafts and tea and book clubs and yoga.

I did a quick google and it looks like both the towns on either side of me have senior centers offering stuff like bingo, pie and ice cream, trivia, book clubs. The other has bingo and casino trips, and women's and men's clubs. I get the feeling they may be more for dh age seniors and not 55 year old "seniors". Neither is in my town and I figure they probably don't let my town people participate, like we aren't allowed to use their libraries.

I'm only one year away from being 55. I think we have some activities around here for "seniors" but not as much as Susan seems to have. I tease dh that I'm still not old enough to live in a 55 and older community. He's 67.

The KC/NYJ game seems to be more about Taylor Swift than the football game. That's also weird.

I woke up early(ish) today because I figured if I stayed in bed as long as I wanted to, I would have trouble sleeping tonight and it's back to work tomorrow. While dh has been watching sportsball, I've been setting up and printing math lessons and homework, figuring out flyers for up-coming activities, laundry. I did take a walk on my river side path. It's 1/4 mile one way and I did the round trip 4 times so I walked 2 miles. It was nice along the river even though temperatures were in the 80's today.