Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Virtual Coffee Date Catch-Up

Happy Tuesday! Can you believe it's the last week of July? Usually that would make me sad, but since this summer hasn't been typical with all the COVID precautions we've been taking, I'm not sad that it's going by quickly!

I haven't done a coffee date catch-up in a while! It's a good way to chat about a random assortment of things that are on my mind! So grab your beverage of choice and settle in. I'm writing this while enjoying a hot decaf coffee w/ vanilla creamer - I wish I liked cold coffee and it's not ideal to drink a hot beverage when it's so warm out but I can't stand cold coffee. I don't even like coffee ice cream. It's weird I know.

If we had a coffee date today...

- I'd tell you that our 20 week ultrasound went well last week. Phil was able to come with since we went to a perinatal practice. Perinatal practices tend to encounter issues since they only see high risk or complicated pregnancies, so that is why they allowed a support person. It was really nice to have Phil there. Everything looked good on the ultrasound which is such a relief. There is a slight issue with where the umbilical cord attaches to the placenta, so they'll need to do growth ultrasounds starting at 28 weeks. But so far the baby is measuring ahead so it doesn't seem like it's causing any problems. Hopefully that continues to be the case. I think now we will start to talk more seriously about names. Phil has vetoed all of my suggestions so I told him he needs to come up with some suggestions. He doesn't seem to be in a rush, though. Ha. Granted, we have 4 months but I'd like to get this decision made sooner than later!

- I'd tell you that I've been reading a ton lately! I'll finish my 11th book for the month tonight! Yes, 11! Insane, right? But I've read some light reads/major page-turners like The Bride Test, The School of Essential Ingredients, The Bookshop on the Shore, and Love Lettering. I'm finding myself drawn to more lighter reads right now because life just feels kind of heavy with everything going on with COVID, the fight for racial equality, etc. I am still reading 1-2 antiracist books each month, too. This month I read a young adult novel called "Stamped: Antiracism and You" and "So You Want to Talk About Race." Both were great but the second is as must-read for anyone trying to educate themselves on how to be an antiracist.

- I'd tell you that we just finished "The Last Dance" which is a documentary series about Michael Jordan's seasons with the Chicago Bulls. It was SO GOOD. There is strong language in it, so I probably wouldn't recommend it for young kids. But it was really interesting. That was such an amazing era for basketball. I did not know about all the drama going on between the general manager and owner and the players/coach. The general manager and owner definitely come off as idiotic a-holes. They basically destructed a team that had just won it's 2nd 3-peat within 8 years. It shows you how amazing Phil Jackson was/is. Funny story - my mom went to college with him at UND. She knew the girl who was dating him at the time and he was apparently the big man on campus - both literally and figuratively.

- I'd tell you that I am trying to not wish away summer but DANG it has been hot and humid. Like too hot and humid to be outside in the afternoon. We've had Florida-like humidity with dew points in the 70s and 80s. Luckily the humidity is much lower this week so I am going to try to make the most of this week before the humidity returns. People are often surprised to hear how humid it gets in MN. It's crazy to think it can be -30F with the windchill in the winter and then we can have heat indexes above 100 in the summer! I typically love summer but this year our options are so limited due to COVID so it's not a typical summer at all. Usually we'd be up at my parents lake place for a long weekend once/month and I was planning to hit a bunch of splash pads and wading pools with Paul but that is not happening thanks to COVID. All that said, I'm grateful for air conditioning! And that we have a guest room in the basement - that's pretty much where I sleep every night because it is much cooler down there. Phil has a higher tolerance for heat and prefers to keep our house at 78 which is just too hot for pregnant Lisa!

- I'd end my telling you how excited I am for our visit to my parents in August. I'm just hoping and praying our COVID tests are negative, but I really doubt either of us will be positive. We haven't had any cases at daycare since Memorial Day and we are very cautious about where we go/what we do. I will only see friends in outdoor settings with the exception of our best friends whose kids go to the same daycare. We are all living for that week off at the lake. Hopefully the weather cooperates but no matter what, I know it's going to be an awesome week of time in the water, good food, and lots of card games with my parents. Plus I know my mom is going to help out so much with Paul - or as much as he will let her!

Your turn - if we were getting coffee or tea today, what would you tell me? 

13 comments:

  1. Cheers and happy coffee date! *clinks in aristocracy*

    I feel your pain on the summer heat. My SAD is absolutely raging this year. Last night at 11 pm it was still 86* with 90% humidity. I cannot deal with this, it is not good.

    Good luck with the visit from your parents! I haven't seen my folks since Christmas, it's driving me crazy. So ready for this garbage to get under control so we can move freely and visit again. I don't do much socializing to begin with, but there's only so many more years that my parents are going to be around. I really hate the thought of losing an entire year.

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  2. I am so behind on reading blogs I ended up doing a "mark all as read" in Feedly today! But wanted to come over and catch up on a few of your most recent posts that I have missed reading. I'm so glad everything went well with your ultrasound and Phil was able to join you for it! Hopefully the heat breaks soon for you guys - that has been such a long stretch of hot hot days!!

    Fingers are crossed your COVID tests come back negative (I'm sure they will) and I know you are going to have an awesome week at the lake! I'm glad you were able to figure out a way to go up and visit this summer!

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  3. OMG PHIL. 78 degrees! That's what I leave my apartment at when I'm not going to be home all day, lololol. I keep my AC at 72 at night - I can't sleep unless I'm freezing myself out!

    I need to watch The Last Dance! It's on Netflix now, right? I've heard nothing but amazing things and I love sports documentaries, so I need to give it a go.

    Hooray for an excellent ultrasound, lots of reading, and an upcoming lake trip. That must be fueling your soul right now!

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  4. Wasn't the Last Dance good? Very well done!

    I would tell you I'm at the lake, still isolating, painting and writing and reading (not as much as you!) and I finished my family history book! YAY!

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  5. Love the updates! Excited for you to be going to your parent's house soon. That will be WONDERFUL!!

    Let's see, if I were having tea with you, I would probably share more about the sadness I've been feeling for more boys about their BFF moving away (which you already read about, on my blog ;) and probably vent a little bit about the frustration with all of the unknowns still regarding the boys returning to school/ disappointments they're facing with sports and stuff cancelled yet again this fall!

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  6. I am thinking good thoughts for the umbilical cord and the future covid results. And totally agree with you, this summer with the hot weather has been challenging! A good friend pointed out that if only movie theaters were open the heat wouldn't be so rough. But I'm all for staying safe and clean. Jeff and I are actually going to go to Door County a week from Monday. We also need the time off to clear our heads, and while I feel guilt about it from a Covid perspective, there are plenty of outdoor activities to be had!

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  7. We keep our t-stat at 72, and feel comfortable at that temp. We have two renters that keep theirs at 65! That is insane and expensive. I’m glad we don’t pay the electricity! And besides it over works the system, so I’m sure glad one renter just moved out and the other is leaving at the end of August. Their systems never shut down!
    We are getting so excited to have you here in a few weeks, less than two now! We’re hoping for great weather, too, as you don’t come very often. COViD has really kept families apart which is sad. I just want things to go back to normal, as everybody does.
    I love hearing about the new little one, and never tire of hearing “Paul stories”!

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  8. We keep our t-stat at 72, and feel comfortable at that temp. We have two renters that keep theirs at 65! That is insane and expensive. I’m glad we don’t pay the electricity! And besides it over works the system, so I’m sure glad one renter just moved out and the other is leaving at the end of August. Their systems never shut down!
    We are getting so excited to have you here in a few weeks, less than two now! We’re hoping for great weather, too, as you don’t come very often. COViD has really kept families apart which is sad. I just want things to go back to normal, as everybody does.
    I love hearing about the new little one, and never tire of hearing “Paul stories”!

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  9. I'm so glad you guys are able to get away to the lakes! Especially with all this hot weather. I am dying for a getaway, but with covid, and so much closed it is so hard to get a last-minute Air B & B right now :(

    78 when it is that hot out sounds brutal ha! We usually keep ours at 78 during the day, and turn it down to 74-75 at night for sleeping b/c it stays in the 90-100's through most of the night. Gross.

    If we were having coffee...I would be drinking tea because I can't even stomach a drink of coffee right now :( I would tell you how excited I am to be in the final week of my current class with my least favorite instructor in this program. I really hope I don't have to encounter him again. He is exceptionally arrogant, and has been a total jerk regarding COVID. I had to do paperwork (like 10 different forms and a paper) for my practicum, and he gave me a ZERO for not getting 1 SINGLE FORM notarized. I explained that we cannot bring a notary into our hospital b/c we are on strict lockdown due to our COVID #'S, and he responded, "I had no idea it was that bad." He ended up changing my grade after I sent him the John Hopkins latest #'s of Covid in AZ :D

    HOW CAN ANY PERSON NOT KNOW THAT COVID IS AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW IN HOSPITALS. Okay. Rant complete.

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  10. I am so happy for you that you will be going to the lake soon! I finally met up with my parents a couple of weeks ago (socially distanced and with masks) and it was so nice to spend time with them. However, my brother and I come from a higher impacted area and we are so worried that we will bring something bad their way. We even pitched a tent in the backyard so we could still spend the night! There are so many things that are just weird/crazy/hard about this whole thing.

    If we were having coffee, I WOULD be drinking a big iced coffee if I was anywhere but where I live (it is about 100+ inland, although at my house it's 78 with a breeze). I would talk to you probably about my frustrations regarding COVID and how I have canceled two flights and one future trip that I had not bought a flight for (Europe, Utah, Nepal) in the last two weeks.

    But then I would move on and tell you that I had a wonderful hiking weekend with my Dad and brother last weekend. As stated above, we still stay away from him (separate tents/cars/buffs etc) but it was still great to have a weekend away and to spend time with my Dad AND to go on a multi-day hiking trip with him, which we have not done in years and may not be able to do for many more (don't get me wrong, he is still strong but you never know). After that, I would probably talk about books and cooking and the annoying cat and my garden, and I am sure we would not run out of things to talk about!

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  11. I loved that documentary so much. Bulls basketball was just such a big part of the '80s and '90s, and the inside look was overdue. So fascinating to see how the team interacted and the impact Jordan had.

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  12. I am so glad you're going to see your family.
    I've seen so many people travel the NPs that I'd have visited with my family this summer and it made me really sad they couldn't come, but I love hearing when other families get together safely.

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  13. It has been really hot here all summer, which I have enjoyed, but I know a lot of people would prefer it a bit milder. If we were having coffee I would tell you about how different life feels since quarantine started. I've really loved slowing down, not having as many obligations or social engagements, not planning meals, and just sitting and reading, etc. and learning to be okay with being still. My mind goes a mile a minute, so I am learning and trying to be more in the moment, and this time away from everything has been helpful. It really puts things into perspective.

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