November 2020

 

November ... besides birthdays and Thanksgiving, what else was going on with the Blackham Bunch?

• Advancing Electricians: Callahan passed his test and is now an official residential journeyman. Keaton wasn't sold on sticking around as an apprentice, working during the cold winter, but when he mentioned his possible leaving to his bosses, they countered with a raise, made him a team leader (so there is a work van in our driveway again) and even offered to let him work just finishes (when the houses are closer to being done, closed up and a bit warmer). So ... Keaton decided to stick it out. He spent quite a bit of time cleaning out and organizing his tools and the van.
• Food Phases: Little Caesar's pizza is a staple at our house ... it's just such a quick and easy leftover for the kids. Jen loves the Italian Cheese Bread. Coop watched a food video about a french toast sandwich which he's been making for breakfast fairly often ... sometimes it sticks. Gray's latest new thing is a grill (in the garage) and he made some fried rice that was close to that of Tepanyaki (which is a family favorite).
• Eating Out: We went out to Tepanyaki with the whole crew to celebrate the November birthdays. We got it in right before the Govorner's announcement recommending contact only within households.
• Fishing and Fields of Geese: Gray's work buddies took him fishing for a birthday getaway, and we had to stop and grab a picture when we saw a field full of geese (at the old corn maze by our house). Gray loves geese. He doesn't really like fish (he's allergic).
• Skin Issues and Annual Exams: As mentioned last month, we've been having some skin issues. Keaton's cleared up, and I used the same medication on Cooper and that seemed to help. He's still got some shadows of spots on his arms and legs, they might be scars ... I'm so glad that the ones on his face cleared up completely (he had a LOT). Colton then developed a strange infection around a scratch on his thigh. It has cleared up, but again ... you can still see where it was. I got both boys in to the doctor for their annual exams, and to just double-check the skin stuff. 
• Pickleball and Ping Pong: Cal and Kate have been enjoying pickleball. There is a court quite close, and I happened to be driving by when I saw them arriving to play one day! At our house, ping pong has made a complete comeback (after no one playing for months). One day Cooper and I played for an hour, and he plays with Keaton and Colton too. And Joy - she likes to jump up on the table and bat the ball. 
• Other Games: Landon still comes over, for lunch and games. Some of the favorites are: Secret Hitler, Exploding Kittens, CTM, The Great Dalmudi, Sorry and of course Jackbox games!
• Plant Momma: Sol is a plant mommy, with a bunch of babies that she cares for at her house. She noticed one of my plants had outgrown its pot, and she had to come back the next day and repot it into something bigger so the roots had room to grow. The basket I received just over a year ago from the folks (at Pammy's funeral) is still looking large and lovely.
• Maga's House: After a year to let the girls settle, the guys felt it was time for some closure. There was a lot of work in the past month and more getting the house ready to sell, and it was only on the market for a day or so. Ana's family moved into a little townhome nearby and Olivia got a condo in Daybreak. The estate was divided and distributed. 
• Covid: Colton got the "quarantine" call and did school from home for two weeks. He went back for two whole days before the whole school shifted to online learning for two weeks. Gray had another possible exposure at work and did a self-quarantine for a couple days, working from home. 
• Jen's Exercise/Eating: I recommitted to attempting to lose the Covid 15 (and what was gained before that) and am back on IMF (intermittent fasting), counting calories, and upping the exercise. And down that first 15 ... Too cold for outdoor Zumba anymore. One small Zumba class still had permission to use the church gym (our Mon class, and we added Wednesdays) but we did stop for a couple weeks after the Governor's and the Church's announcements - But, we've been allowed back in! I'm lucky as I have a complete home gym anyway, but it's nice to get in a solid hour, keep up my memory of the routines and see friends (even if we don't ever get that close).  
• Basketball: Tryouts had to be postponed (they were going to happen Monday, November 9, but then there was the Governor's announcement). They were allowed back in the schools at the end of the month, so tryouts were the 24/25 and Colton made the team. He'll be playing sophomore, JV and dressing for Varsity if they need him there. Colton will have to have the rapid Covid test every two weeks (he has his first one this morning). Unlike October, there were NO games in November. The first game is Monday, and there is a good chance they are streaming all the games this year (only parents allowed to attend in person). 

As mentioned ... there were birthdays and Thanksgiving. We did gather with Clay's family, but they just had Covid last month, so it should have been pretty safe ;)  And that's what's up with The Blackham Bunch! In National news ... there was election day and Biden topped Trump in the count.