Our family is on the extra cautious end of the pandemic care spectrum. It's mid-October and our school district in California is only just now talking about planning when the schools may open for in-person. We already decided though, back in July, that our kids (grades 5 & 6) will remain with the distance learning through the school year. Given the information at the time we just couldn't see how things could improve quickly and safely enough.

The kids haven't gone back to their sports teams. We have socially distanced play dates in the park, but not in our house. We visit my parents in their backyard, sitting 6 feet away. We disinfect the groceries whether they are delivered or one of us goes to the store. The kids have no problem wearing a mask while we're out. They know it's to keep their grandparents, and other people's grandparents, safe.

I've been reading stories from people in the US and around the world that makes it seem like they're back to pre-COVID times. We're not there yet. Social media has the tendency to highlight the extra. The filtered, posed, and curated life. Well, sure, we all like to showcase the best parts of our days, but I hope that doing that doesn't perpetuate the fact that things are not back to how they were in the earliest days of 2020. Oh, but how I wish they were. There are so many little things I miss that I didn't think I would. I see friends and family in other parts of the US, in other parts of California even, who are 'back to normal'. When it's safe, I'm jealous. When it's really not and they are disregarding their safety and that of others I just shake my head.

So, if you're also on the extra cautious path know that I'm there with you. Still doing the things. We'll get through it.