I really like this layout. Its practical, but not too unusual. You could have four people using this space at one time.

This. You can respect their wish by packing them away, but destroying them is not their decision alone. They're your memories too.

There is no postal delivery where we live. We have a postbox in town. Online orders are all delivered via courier services anyway as our postal service is abysmal.

That, and also temperature and health screening of each child at the door every morning (they have staggered start times from 7am to 9am), sanitising hands when entering a classroom, wearing of masks all day and social distancing of 1.5m. The kids are spaced outside in the playground when they want to eat their packed lunches - we have freezing nights during winter, but the days warm up, so it was doable. I do believe these actions have contributed to having no teachers or children testing positive in our school in the four months they have been open during mid-winter and our Covid peak.

That's true, but our experience and for the other schools in the area, it seems to indicate that if protocols are followed, they are effective.

Anecdotally - My daughter has been back in person for four months in a school of 500 students. They get screened on arrival, mask all day, sanitize and maintain social distancing. There have been no students or teachers infected. They have had parents getting ill and then the family has had to isolate (but no children diagnosed positive in those cases either).

We're allowed to try on in most stores here now. Sanitizing hands upon entering and masking in the stores is mandatory (according to state of disaster regulations). I did go into a changing room once to try on a pair of jeans, as I didn't want to drive all the way back to return it if it doesn't fit. I made sure to sanitize my hands again upon leaving. The clothes themselves are apparently steamed before being returned to the racks and shelves.

Its spring here and the curve on our first wave is flattening. We've been in a state of national disaster since mid-March with various levels of lockdown - which have included severe limitations on movement, economic activity, social gatherings, alcohol bans, cigarette bans, etc. Masking, sanitizing and social distancing in all public spaces have been mandatory all along. We are now at level 1 (the lowest level) which limits international travel (no tourists from high risk countries including the USA), there is a midnight to 4am curfew, limits to numbers at gatherings (ie no spectators at sporting events, <100 people at funerals, etc), alcohol sales limited to weekdays from 9am to 5pm, etc. I expect that my younger daughter will continue going to school as she does now - they have strict screening protocols upon arrival, wear masks all day and have to follow social distancing rules. They have been back since the beginning of July (so 4 months) and there have been no infections of staff or students. There have been positive parents who then immediately isolated their family. My older daughter's university has switched to online classes. Much as she is longing to go back to campus for the new year which starts in February, I don't know that it will be allowed. At the moment the university is allowing only students who need practical experience (ie medical faculty who work in state hospitals) and laboratory experience on campus. We are holding off finding accommodation for next year, which is risky, but I don't want to pay another contract that we don't use for a year. We hope that they will make announcements in this regard soon. Dh and I have been working from home since March. The current plan is to return to the office in January, but I think this will be extended as well. It will all depend on the 2nd wave numbers. We are planning to visit my parents in December, but are driving instead of risking flying and are staying mostly with family. They live about 12 hours drive from us.

The first WTM was published in 1999 - the same year that my eldest was born. I don't know when the boards started, but I'm another who's been a fairly quiet member for nearly 20 years - I was on the old boards and remember waiting for the boards to flip to be the first to post, which was helped by the difference in time zones. I read the educational boards daily, devouring the pro's and con's of different curriculum. We had to import everything, so good research was key. I've probably popped in at least once a week for all this time. Over the years what homeschooling looks like has changed a lot. I always worked part time and had an au pair to help with the schooling in the mornings. I'd do the planning and preparation and she went through it with the kids. In high school we outsourced some subjects. In the primary years I remember being told that I could call myself anything else, but we weren't real 'homeschoolers' as I did not do all of the teaching myself and we weren't living the 'lifestyle'. I think the community has become more tolerant of different ways of doing things and also different worldviews. What I've always liked about these boards is that educational rigor has remained important.

If you do make a games area, I'd suggest an armoire rather than open shelves - our game shelves always looked untidy to me, regardless of how carefully I stack the boxes. Replacing them with a built in with doors has been the best. Books are less 'messy' looking.

I grew up near Cape Town, South Africa. Living 20 min drive from the ocean Mountains all around with fynbos vegetation Vineyards Winter rain (but I do remember student days with all of my shoes in a row, drying in front of the heater) Public transport (bus stop across the road, with a bus to school and the train station - although I don't know how safe the trains are any more) and of course, family and lifelong friends.

I prefer stainless steel bowls with a silicone base, handle and spout like this. Even when I do want to keep something I decant into a flat, square glass container with lid as the mixing bowls take up too much space in the fridge.

If your'e using charity you don't need it may be taking from someone else who is truly in trouble and does need it. That angers me.

Yup, in the far corner of the garden, or behind the shed 🙂

Same here in South Africa.

Check in: 9th day without coffee. Day 3-4 I had a dull headache and was feeling sluggish, but my energy levels are back to normal now. I drink rooibos tea (nothing added) or hot water instead. Cooked Oatmeal for breakfast, a fruit for morning and afternoon snacks, and the majority of my plate for lunch and dinner has been vegetables. This is the path I took on my walk this morning. It's a wide fire break through the bush. We get frost in winter, so the veld is completely dry and the trees are bare. In a few weeks the summer rains will start and everything will be transformed to a lush green.

Thanks for the welcome Everyone. Apologies for the delayed response, we've had power outages. I'm glad I was warned about the caffeine withdrawal 'flu'. I"m feeling it today - day 3 of cold turkey and I have a dull headache and feel rather lethargic. Hopefully it passes quickly. My morning walk was great. We normally have a last cold spell in Spring and this is probably it. I enjoy walking when the air is crisp.

Joining in for the first time. We have been working from home since March, and have now been told we'll only go back to the office in January, so the excuse that all the bad habits formed are only temporary no longer holds. My goals are 1) a half-hour daily walk - it works best for me if I do this first thing before starting work in the morning 2) no coffee at home - I went cold turkey yesterday, down from 6-8 cups per day. Drinking hot water or rooibos tea instead. 3) no refined carbs

I think hamburger is the same as minced beef? Next time you can try a South African recipe, called Bobotie. Ingredients 500g lean minced beef (about a pound) 2 onions, finely chopped 1 large clove garlic, crushed 1 carrot, grated 30ml (2T) oil 2 slices bread 250ml (1cup) milk 2 eggs 15ml (1T) mild curry powder 5ml (1t) turmeric 5ml (1t) ground cinnamon 2,5ml (1/2t) ground coriander 10ml (2t) salt 2,5ml (1/2t) pepper 30ml (2T) wine or vinegar or lemon juice 125ml (1/2cup) seedless raisins 45ml (3T) chutney Cooking method Preheat the oven to 180oC (350°F) Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions, garlic and carrot. Set aside. Brown the minced beef and break up lumps with a fork. Soak the bread in milk. Add all the dry ingredients and the onions, garlic and carrots and mix well. Squeeze the milk from the bread and reserve it. Mash the bread and add to the mixture. Add 125ml (1/2cup) of the milk and reserve the rest. Add 1 egg and mix well. Spoon the mixture into a greased oven dish and spread the mixture. Mix the remaining egg and milk and pour over the mixture. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the egg and milk mixture on top is firm. Serve with rice and chutney. T=Table spoon t=teaspoon You can make a vegetarian bobotie by adding 1 cup of grated butternut to the mixture and substituting 2 cups of cooked brown lentils for the mince.

You're having a healthy response to disappointment. It's completely OK to feel that and good that you can name and acknowledge it.

Such happy news - enjoy being Mimi!

I'm glad you could find a compromise that worked for you.

That must have been the hardest thing ever. Well done for speaking the truth and doing the right thing.

My daughter's university started in February and mid-March they were all sent home. The 2nd semester was delayed and is now also virtual. Only a handful of students are allowed back on campus and in residences - medical students doing practicals in State hospitals (they need them!), final year students that need laboratory access, etc - and then under very strict conditions. My daughter moved into an apartment with a friend and since we have a contract for the year, we're still paying for an empty place. They'll only go back for the new academic year starting in February (hopefully!)

Add a bottle of Delheim wine from South Africa 🙂 We had bans on the sale of alcohol which has just been lifted - it has been brutal on the wine and restaurant industries. The rationale was that alcohol related injuries and disease takes up hospital beds. There was also a completely nonsensical ban on tobacco sales.