I got my free tests, so I hope everyone’s come soon!

Ugh—had a dog sitter for Rory who was cheap (local college student) but she’s not available. Reached out to another couple who sat him a few times, but previously we were communicating off Instagram, and it was $30/night. I didn’t look at what they were charging on rover because I wasn’t sure they were still sitting (they took down the insta)…and it’s $48/night! Yikes. I’d rather have him stay with people he’s met but that’s a stiff price hike.

I’m trying to sweet talk my brother into coming out from DC to stay with the dogs for a week. It might be working? He loves the dogs and the cabin. And what else is he doing? I have miles for his flight.

Otherwise I know someone I really trust who goes boarding but it will be spendy. She usually charges $80 for 2 though she said she would cut me a break.

HED IS PASTEDE ON YAY will never be forgotten.

Here there is close and often sketch but not super expensive pet sitting or down in the Palm Springs area and spendy but trustworthy. Although I did realize that when I was boarding two dogs I was paying for a larger kennel TWICE (apart from a $5 'multipet' discount). I am repressing that knowledge because otherwise I would never use them again. However I should just move to Seattle, those prices are way better.

Yeah boarding at an actual dog facility like with where I send him to daycare or something would be like $65 a day. It’s much cheaper on Rover but there’s probably more danger. BUT they messaged me back and sent me their actual insta and so we are on for the previous price! He’s stayed with them a few times so that’s really good, I’d feel bad sending him somewhere super new.

Yes, I too remember. Good times. Also, -t, I would like to applaud you for the use of 'young'uns', as all the younger folk these days insist on 'youngins' which just makes me think of funyuns. Funyons? Anyway, thanks.

Beverly, I thought long and hard about how that should be spelled, so I’m very pleased you approve!

A little Parental Braggadocio:

The Yearbook votes are in, and....

Matilda was voted Most Likely To Bring A Smile To Your Face. (As a Sophomore!)

and...

Most Likely to Brighten Your Day (which seems similar, but I guess the top one includes humor)

Anyway, our daughter has not only an Emotional Intelligence that JZ and I could not have hoped to attain at age 15, she also has Humor, Kindness and Emotional Generosity.

She's just a very good human being.

Or as we like to say (quoting Raising Arizona): "We got the best one!"

(Of course, everybody got the best one, but we truly feel it.)

You did indeed get the best one! After such a fraught year that is so encouraging that she doesn't seem to be hurting from it as much as was possible. I feel so for the parents, teachers, and school age children negotiating this recent reality. Also, my parenting advice: Take full parental credit for all the wonderful accomplishments of your children. The bad stuff, totally on them, not you. (Something I joke with the kids about, as in my observation parents seem to have very little to do with the core human of our children.)

I feel so for the parents, teachers, and school age children negotiating this recent reality.

My friend Claudine was just up visiting. She's a progressive Democrat who's been on the School Board for several years in a deeply conservative district near San Diego. She's been stalked and harassed this year by right wing nutbags, even as she's been doing extraordinary work to make their schools safe for reopening last year before the vaccines.

She'd even gone to the extra effort to get certification in the complexities of school and state budgeting. Now she's done. When weirdos are coming up to your door dressed like FedEx delivery only to start screaming in your face when you open the door, then it's not worth it.

I think about the harassment that election officials faced, the burnout of nurses and healthcare providers. Who's going to want to do these jobs which are the foundation of a functioning democracy, the nuts and bolts civic level stuff, after all this?

I'm looking at the right wing push to control school districts to the point that they are legally mandating all lesson plans be subject to review before the school year begins and they want to video monitor each teacher in the classroom. Aside from the utter bullshit of that - who's going to teach in that environment? Nobody. Teachers have already been leaving the profession in droves, but you're just not going to have any teachers in districts or states that enact those authoritarian measures.

Aw, Matilda is great! So nice that her peers think so, too.

The raspberry mocha I got at Dunkin' this morning is not as delicious as I had hoped. My expectations were pretty high, though. Raspberry + chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combos.