At some point in October, life mysteriously returned to “normal”. The kids went back to school. We got our booster shots, and even scheduled the first vaccine for Gwen! Speaking of Gwen, she joined the middle school basketball team. And work got intense for both Tim and me.
Suddenly we’re all juggling full schedules. People expect us to be places at specific times; places that *aren’t* a Zoom call, I should say. We’re eating way more McDonald’s than usual.
Suffice it to say, this has not been the gentle easing-into-normalcy I’d hoped for. We’re in zero-to-sixty mode and I was not built for these speeds. I’ve been so drained and nappy that thought my anemia might have reared its ugly head, but my last checkup suggests not. I’m just not used to all this life stuff after a year and a half of being quiet.
I am spending a lot more time in the car now that the kids have places to be. The other day, even my car decided it was too much, and I ended up with a flat tire in the school parking lot. (OK, that might have had more to do with the roofers we hired this summer leaving screws all over the driveway, but still.) Though I technically know how to change a tire (I even remembered how to use the jack!) I didn’t have to put my knowledge to the test; Tim drove in to help.
Gwen’s schedule is especially busy, with practices and games almost every afternoon. Basketball is the sport of choice in our area, so it’s kind of a big deal, but Gwen is rising to the challenge. She hasn’t complained once about having to stay after school for practice, and I’ve noticed improvements in her technique after a couple games. And after so many months of staying at home, it’s a thrill for her to be able to play with other kids.
When we’re not shuttling kids to and fro, there is work to contend with. I’m in the process of role switching, which is stressful, and I’m still project managing for a small team of engineers through the end of the year. I also started a part-time schedule this month, so I no longer work on Fridays. Theoretically this will provide some stress relief, but I’ve only had one Friday off so far, and it was hella busy, so we’ll see.