Is This the End of a Dream?

I am open but I am struggling to make payroll with the new ratios they want us to implement.  I have 50 DHS parents and they don’t have to pay if they don’t bring their child yet I have to have a space for them if they do. I’m doing everything that I can do to try to make sure my essential clients can get to work and I don’t have the basic necessities I need.  I fight for groceries I fight to get cleaning supplies.  I think if we are an essential business that is making many people available to continue working allowing our front liners to be at work we should have a little bit of not only recognition but also help.  Wishing someone would step up.

Ghost Town

Brick town while OKC was on lock down.  Once the NBA said they were canceling the rest of the games, Shit got real.  

Work Force

Where are the adults of the work place?  Where are the bread winners and the mature parents of the work force?  They sure are not in the hiring pool for daycare workers.  That's for sure.  I have some great staff members.  I also have some shitty ones.  And then I have the ones that walk around with a sour puss face cause we don't kiss thier ass.

My Wish for this Boy.

You are such a sweet little boy.  You are wild and rough and watchful.  You are smart and happy and your open mouth smile transforms your entire face and emulates pure joy whenever you see someone that you love. 

You love your siblings very much and I think very soon you and Benji will plot things together that will make your dad laugh and your momma pray.  You and Evelyn will have fist fights where you will walk away the hurt one... and you will worship the ground Joanie walks on.  I bet you will protect the little brother you are fixing to have, but make sure he never forgets you are the big brother!  I believe you will be the biggest, tallest boy in the family and that you will be more handsome then you should be.

Over the last week you are trying to walk, cutting 3 teeth and you have a double ear infection!  You aren't sleeping well and neither is anyone else.  Your mommy and daddy bought a house and have been moving all your things from one place to another not only during a pandemic, but also during a deluge of rain....and tonight, you will spend your first night in your new house!  (update) you did great!

You're 1st first birthday is right in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic so there is no celebration party planned. You didn't get to go to the donut shop with your family and have that special breakfast and I can't take you shopping and get you fun stuff and spend time with just you, as is the tradition.  But I did get you some things I thought you’d like. 

My wish for you is that you are a person of fortitude.  Knowing that there is going to be lot of adjustments to be made throughout your life.  Lots of times you will have to just keep going even if it's hard, and I hope you always find the silver lining in things you can't control ... Like the fact that you basically got a new house for you birthday ...  And that you have a family that loves you no matter what and a Lolly that loves you even more!

Happy Birthday sweet boy!

Pandemic

We are having a Pandemic right now.  It started in China in November and they kept it from the rest of the world until Dec 31.  It's a little scary and very stressful.  California and New York are both on lock down.  Watching the world web cams, I see empty streets.  Oklahoma is also pretty quiet.  Most are working from home or they are just taking off work and staying isolated.
The daycare is open, but I really want to close.  I don't want any of my family subjected to this virus and I really don't want to get it either!

I have been keeping up with it.  The stock market is crashing over and over.  Businesses are closing. Gas is like .99 a gallon and people are buying out stores!  Meat, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, lysol cleaner are hot commodities!  Facebook has a whole page dedicated to it. 

I am still open because childcare is considered essential.  I really want to close.  I'm a nervous wreck about it all. 

Here are today's numbers:

World wide:    784,413
Total deaths:     37,638

Us Cases:        163.253
Total deaths:       3,167
Recovered:         5,507

Oklahoma:             481
Total deaths:            17
Counties:                 47

I'm gonna need a Shot for this!

Katie and Ben bought a new house.  So of course we watched the kids so they could move.  I reminded Dennis

Me:  Don't forget we have the grandbabies tonight after work.

Dennis:  I thought they were coming tomorrow.

Me:  They are coming tomorrow too.  We will have them today from 6 to after they fall asleep. and then again tomorrow.

Dennis:  For how long?

Me:  Probably all day.  Dinner, bath and then they will go home ...

Dennis:  Can you tell Katie when she brings the kids, to also bring me a bottle of whiskey

Poor Choice of an Adjective

Man!!  I can hardly sit cross legged anymore. Every time I get up I feel like I’m gonna fall right over, and I have to walk all hunched over for a good minute to wait for different parts of my body to remember what it's job is.  My thighs hurt... my hips hurt ...my feet are numb.

It’s really weird!  I’ve been sitting like this for 55 years and all of a sudden I can’t do it?

Why is there such a crazy health crisis going on after the age of 50?  Menopause hits... osteoporosis hits... vertigo hits... digestion issues start... high blood pressure... thyroid..... My eyes are worse, my memory is worse, my allergies got worse my shoulders are hurting my feet are swelling I got wrinkles on my face, my boobs are looking sad, my hair is looking sad, even my toe nails looks sad.

How come they call these golden years?   Should be the Black Plague years.  Who the hell decided to use the word GOLDEN for age 50? I want to go throat punch them!

Yoga Lesson 101

My ribs are hurting and stretching seems to help.  I tell Dennis that I need to do Yoga because stretching feels good for my muscles.

Dennis:  So do Yoga!

Me:  I don't know how to do it!

Dennis:  All you do is put your face on the ground and stick your butt up in the air!

*Sigh*

 

Middle age

At what point do we start wearing classes that hang around our neck?  Underwear that go above the belly button, shoes for comfort and stretchy jeans?  When did we decide it was okay to go to the store in pajama pants or open the door with rollers in your hair?  I am not there yet... But I fear it is closer then it should me!

Think about it

Learned behavior

I have slept for 55 years, that's 20,075 nights of sleeping. that I woke up just fine. Slept on my right, on my left... on my back and on my stomach...  But ONE time I wake up with Vertigo thats originates from my left ear,  and I vow to never sleep on my left side again! But I sleep so good on my left side!

And no, I don't have vertigo.. but PTSD keeps me sleeping on my right!

RIding in the Truck with Dennis

Dennis and I went to the daycare today to put together a climber for the toddler classroom.  We had to wait until they were done laying the carpet and we had to cut off the doors so they would shut.  I start to get into my car and Dennis motions to his truck

Dennis: No we can go together.

Me: But what if I a ready to leave and you aren't.  What if you are ready to go and I'm not!   

Dennis: Then we do what I want to do.

No Baby Boom in 2021

I heard it say that with everyone being secluded in their homes we would see a rash of new babies born early next year.  After thinking about that I have to disagree. 

People are buying up all the toilet paper, germX, cleaning supplies, can goods and meat they can get their hands on.  I was surprised that list didn't include Fake nails, fake eye lashes, and box hair color kits!  These men aren't going to recognize their wives in a month and I predict the divorce rate will go up!  Noone wants to be married to an ugly woman!

Peak... Can this be over then?

They are predicting we will reach “peak” in 4 weeks.... this is when you will start seeing cases close to home, friends, family, self. You need to have nessessary things. YOU and your family needs to be able to stay at home for a month.  

I am putting together a panel of medical professionals from our client base to keep us informed of factual information and that have our centers best interests at heart.  I do not want to close but they feel that it may be inevitable at some point.  Question is when and for how long.  I am a business.  It will be very hard to close and stay closed for a long duration.  So we need to be diligent in personal hygiene  and cleanliness of the classroom.  

There may be a time when you need to only go to work and home..... to try and keep exposure down.  If I have several teachers out then we can’t stay open.  So that is one of my concerns..... having teachers get this and just not able to meet radios.  Things we will start doing on Monday.... Wellness check upon arrival.  Anyone with a fever will not be able to stay.  Anyone that looks like they aren’t feeling good or acts sleepy and coughs a lot or seems to be wheezing... They can not return until they don’t have a fever without medicine for 23 hours and are otherwise symptom free.  Everyone wash their hands upon arrival.  

Make ages 2 and up use a squirt of hand sanitizer about every hour.  Clean toddlers hand after every diaper use as well as before and after they eat.  LOTS OF HAND WASHING.  Have the kids wipe their own noses and clean their hands afterwards, or you be sure and clean your hands after wiping a nose.  Clean door Nobs and spray with disinfectant during a lot of action of opening and closing of the doors.  Especially during pick up and drop off.  Clean surfaces in your classroom often... open all hall doors in the mornings for drop offs and we will be opening all hallway doors at 3 every day so please keep you kids playing and entertained so they aren’t screaming and crying when parents are picking up.  Our supply office will be locked and we will be keeping count of what you get and when.  Use things you need but don’t waste.  There may be a time we can’t replace them.  I am staying i too of this story and educating myself daily so that I can make good decisions.  We will all get through this .....   3/13/20

Pouty McPout Face

What is the deal with grown woman who pout.  Let's forget what a weird looking face it is especially on a grown up, but it's going to give you wrinkles!  I think they are use to using this weapon against their husbands.  And it must work because this has quickly become their "Go to" thing to do with others.  I ignore it and wonder how long it will take for them to stop it, and deal with life like a grown person.  I should sell tickets to the show though... cause it's funny to watch them have the realization that it's not working on everyone else  like they wanted it to.  Husbands do us all a favor and teach your wives how to deal with their feelings in a real world setting. She may be queen of your castle, but the kingdom is full of castles. 

My EYE has the Coronavirus

I was walking out of the bathroom today after I got ready to go somewhere and all of a sudden something landed in my eye!  Out of instinct, I blinked and wiped at it.  As I started to rub it trying not to smear my mascara I remembered we are NOT suppose to touch our eyes!  Then ... I suddenly wondered  Oh My gosh!  What if  the coronavirus has landed in my eye!!   I’m gonna die!! 

A Baker's Dozen

People that make excuses are idiots.  Just admit you have no idea what you're doing... you didn't even try, or you don't give a flying shit! lol

Explain how everyone else can do the same thing that your trying to do and it works for everyone else but you yet it's not your fault.  Bitch please.  Learn how to swipe your damn credit card.. It ain't hard!  If you just DO IT!!

Boy... you didn't even try!

The "excuse"  people are a dime a dozen and sometimes you get that extra lazy ass person to throw in the mix to make a Baker's Dozen!  But what really gets me is they honestly think you are buying it.  That you believe what they are saying is gospel.  STOP.  I know your lying.  I'm old... I've been around the block. (And I know how to use my credit card)

The sweetest part is when they try it again in front of you and VIOLA' ... miracles upon miracles it works!!!  Then they have to eat crow... but instead they act like it FINALLY worked!

You aren't fooling anyone.
YOU SIR, ARE AN IDIOT!

I Want My Hour Back!

Weekends are so boring ... why do I look forward to them so much!  This weekend I went had had brunch with Lisa and Katie and then I met Dennis at the soccer fields to watch Sammi in her first soccer game. She was so little on that field and not interested in the slightest.  She got kicked and cried and she got pushed and cried.  It's funny how little kids don't have the hard shells adults have thanks to life!  The wind was bad and the pollen was high and I got dizzy and spent the rest of the day at home with netflix and then today I have don't nothing but change sheets and vacuum one room.  I think my stress level from Friday attacked my system on the sly.  And what is with the time change!  Use too I was cool with it, but I feel like I got cheated out of an hour of my personal time!

Wait... IT DID!

Only a white man would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket and sew it to the bottom of a blanket and have a longer blanket!

More Toilet paper!

Whoa to the Coronavirus!   It's not just a beer anymore...  It's a scary thing and all the toilet paper and hand sanitizer is gone. What is going to happen when I need to take my daily shit!??   I have been reading about it off and on...not cause I am paranoid or going to start (or join)  pandemonium .. but just trying to stay ahead of it mainly cause I have staff.  I will take my mom some hand sanitizer when I go there again.  Seems like the older generation is suffering with this and I worry for my mom.  It's basically a pneumonia and she can't get that!  I have always been careful not to take her anything I might have caught while being at a daycare... but this is something I don't want either!  Right now I think a lot of it might be more scare then facts, but I still don't want any part of it!  I saw some interesting things and wonder if any of it is true....

Grow up!

Gone are the days of quietness and drear.  The last two weeks have been challenging to say the lease and I am also to the point of no return.  Weekends can't get here soon enough our last long enough. Why are grown ass women still able to throw such tantrums.  I wear a lot of hats , but I don’t wear a ref uniform. How do you tell someone to act their age in a professional way?  I guess I could just call her mom and tattle!  Sheesh!  At least we would be on the same playing field!

It's Your Job

Why do women post mean things about men when they break up.  Even if they are assholes....
When picking a man... women need to take responsibility for the bad ones too. He might have snuck in the door and fooled you at first... but its you that accepted that first date, and then the second date.

You're suppose to do your PI work and talk to friends, and coworkers and family.  IF not to protect yourself, to protect your children.

Does he treat his mother well?
Does he treat his children well?
How does he talk about his ex? 
Does he pay child support or make a phone call to his own kids, and not just on the special occasions?

It's you that decides to introduce him to your family.  To your friends.  And to your children.  It's you that notices when things aren't quite right,  but choose to ignore it anyway and still move in with him thinking that you two will become a family even though it's you that continue to do most all things alone.

Still working full time to only split the bills and doing the house work with little to no help from him, and running the kids to places he never wants to go or participate in.  Why are you not seeing these signs?

It could literally save you years of heartbreak and self confidence.

It's you that allow this man to discipline for your children or notice there is no bonding happening or family trips.

And it's on you if you're allowing it for days, weeks, months or years, thinking it would get better or he would change.

Yeah he may be a jerk, but it's your responsibility to know the limits not just for you , but for your children.  It's your job to make better decisions.  And if you think it's all his fault... you have already failed your job.

Learning more then a Tablet can Teach

I got to hang out with my little grandbabies last night. Sammi and Danny came over so thier mommy and daddy could go out to eat.  They are such little joys to be with. I’m impressed with how smart they are.  I have a tablet here that has games for them on it and she was breezing through it!  She even let Danny have a turn.  They are kind to each other even while learning to share.  I didn’t learn this being ‘like’ an only child.  They learn not to be selfish and that the world doesn’t revolve around them when they grow up with each other.  Hopefully they will always be this sweet, smart and kind to each other.