Venturing

Went to a restaurant Monday to meet my peripatetic brother and his partner. We stayed out on the patio which was hot but shaded. I'm surprised at how long they were willing to visit with me there considering the temp and humidity. It was really good to see them. I still have free floating socializing virus anxiety because I don't have a way to control all the factors and still see people. This is a problem and I know I have lots of company - my feeble monkey brain is not equipped for these types of decisions. 

OD (oldest daughter) was at a protest last Friday night in the big city. She got tested for Covid today just in case. She's weighing whether she wants to attend her first freshman quarters on-campus in a single-occupancy room or do remote classes. I don't think I want YD to attend high school in person this fall. But am worried about her social network needs. There sure won't be any group singing this fall and that is super sad. 

Graduation party happening in a friend's backyard on Saturday for the kids' friends to come and go. I have a list of things to do: get a guest book, drinks, assemble a photo for each of K's 18 years and get it printed as a poster (that's do-able, right?!). 

I am resisting the impulse to correct sloppy writing in the last post. It is probably indicative of my mental state and can stay that way. Yesterday was a doom and dread day. I always hope those moods are caused by hormones/weather because they're hard to shift. It felt like I was behind on everything in all aspects of my life and there was no way to get a good outcome. Today is better. 

Learned that the wasp I killed yesterday was probably a great black wasp and I should have let it go on its pollen and grasshopper eating ways. It was the largest insect I've encountered in a while and I was horrified to see it bumping the light bulb directly overhead while I was cleaning the cat pan. After making many undignified sounds I squashed it. I hope the next one I see is outdoors and if so I pledge not to kill it.  

I mowed the backyard on Sunday and noticed teeny grasshopper nymphs for the first time. They aren't around in the spring but come later in their very definite developmental waves.