I'm again pondering Thanksgiving, because my nephew's kids are both too young to get vaxes and both in school again. Actually, now that I think about it, I wonder whether my nephew and his wife are vaccinated?

Can't tell how that all plays out WRT to the odds. I did get the Pfizer vax, so if it's the first one to allow boosters, I'd sure love to get one before I go up. We'll see, I guess.

In non-Covid related news, I signed up for my first 5k! The Sunday before Thanksgiving. My goal is pure: run the whole thing without needing to walk. Don't care about time. That'll be for later goals.

The one true cider donut comes from Goodale Orchards in Ipswich, MA, and every fall I get really sad that I can't go there and get one. (They are significantly better when hot and fresh, so it wouldn't be the same even if I could get them through the mail. Sigh.)

Huh. So my nephew and his wife are not vaxxed. He offered to test before Thanksgiving, though. I'll add that to my calculus. Interestingly, I texted my sister/his mother to ask first -- she has not asked ON PURPOSE in case they gave the wrong answer. I... don't know what to do with that. Head scratcher, that is.

Anyway, he was fine with my asking and offered to get tested. It is far from perfect, but I love the kid beyond all measure, so what am I gonna do? (He's not a kid; he's almost forty. Good lord.)

I am still going to Florida in October. I need to for my mental health, both to be at the beach and sink my toes in the sand and feel the water at my feet and just be restored. But this will probably be the last time I can see my grandmother-she just turned 101. She's been vaccinated and my aunt she lives with and my dad. The plan is M and I will go down, take food to eat at rest stop (to eliminate eating in a restaurant), do Wal Mart grocery pick up for food, not eat out and just spend time with my dad, aunt, grandma, and the outdoors.

It's been noticeably cooler here so that should mean I can go back to taking walks on my days off, or at least walk to the library.

My Cymbalta was increased, that was a suggestion to try for the rejection sensitivity dysphoria. I think it's helped me overall but hard to tell since it's only been a week since I did that. I also think I'm dealing with pandemic fatigue.

My therapy goal for next appointment is to do 2 creative things but it has to be things I haven't done in the past several months.

Ugh, JenP, now that you know, ask him to get vaccinated?

An old childhood friend of Bob's committed suicide last week. He had a history of mental health issues but it sounds like his mental health declined precipitously recently as he dealt with the effects of the long COVID he contracted last year. So fucking sad and scary.

Oh, lisah, I'm so sorry. That is awful.

Yes, as meara said, having unvaxxed kids at home is a problem.

I was reading one of those "Is the pandemic already over? Will it be 5 more years? Experts disagree." articles, and I'm entirely over any one having even semi-official versions of this conversation and not spending half of it talking about kids under 12. This isn't aimed at the people here, as, yeah, that demographic isn't part of everyone's lives, but that article Teppy was talking about feels about right, and that's my entire life. Work is kids and home is a kid whose preschool keeps closing. I have very little patience for things reopening right now, with TPTB insisting that schools are safe while I have kids out constantly, a quarter of our cases are kids, and our hospitals are full.

It's a nightmare, Debet. I'm sorry.

How awful, lisah! I am also sad for you guys.

Timelies all!

Yeah, I hope that vaccines for the under-12 group will be available soon so Mr. S can get the shots. Not just for his health, but also so we can do more things as a family. There are 3 cons we have been regulars at that are happening in person this fall, but all are requiring proof of vaccination. WorldCon is following the same rules. We can't do any of them unless we got someone to watch Mr. S for the weekend, which is unlikely.

I'm so sorry, lisah, that's just awful.

I hope the med increase helps, askye.

And I don't think I said it in the box here, but no cancer -ma for Pix.