Nuclear Fears

Even though this week has been been rather uneventful I feel drained and depleted. I am trying to disengage from the situation in Ukraine but I must admit that I am struggling. I feel drawn to the coverage, even though I know it isn't good for me. Although the news is no longer constantly streaming, I am staying connected enough to trip my anxiety. 

Although I haven't been able to make a clean break for myself, I have been able to keep Timmy away from the news. He seems secure knowing that we have our "safe corner" set up in the basement. His nuclear fears have faded and his little life is returning to normal.I wish I could follow his lead!

Whenever I think about the war I feel scared and utterly helpless. I have a newfound reverence for my friends who are military spouses. I honestly do not know how they manage to get through "Breaking News" alerts with their sanity!

 

Hole

 It is chilly but the sun is shining so I am counting it as a win. After hiding from the rain much of yesterday it will be nice to again play outside. Both Friend and Timmy have become accustomed to our lengthy recesses. When the playtime is limited, both tend to become mischievous. Friend shredded two cardboard boxes while Timmy opted to "help clean," which is code for playing in the sink. 

I'm looking forward to surveying the yard to assess the storm damage. The high winds and heavy rain brought have several branches down with several striking the house. Branches hitting the house has become commonplace and usually we don't give it much thought. Unfortunately, this branch struck at an unlucky angle and punched a small hole in our roof. 

Water started dripping into the middle of our bedroom, alerting us to the problem. We ended up putting a pitcher in a box to catch the dripping, but I know that we are going to need a new roof. Hopefully insurance will cover the damage, although I'm not terribly optimistic. After my experiences with my adjuster, I have lost all faith in the insurance industry.

Miserable

The past few days have been unseasonably warm. I have grown spoiled walking outside without a jacket, and judging by his hours long walks, Friend is enjoying the weather as well. Even our flowers and trees have been tricked into blooming early. 

Unfortunately, this morning our temperatures slapped of reality. I was immediately hit with icy air and cold rain when I took Friend outside. After a week of nearly perfect weather, we are back to the misery of mid-March. Wild temperatures, unpredictable precipitation and high winds are all in the forecast for the coming days. I'm glad that I was able to enjoy so much time outside because I have a feeling we will be inside for the majority of our days to come.

Birthday Fun

The boys' interests in our birthdays ebbs and flows. Some years they are all in and invest a lot of time into creating a special celebration. Other years it feels as if they only participate for the cake. This year they were determined to make Scott's birthday special.

Timmy and Robby worked in the computer room, thoroughly Spring Cleaning the entire area. This is a task that has been overlooked for several years. Because the room is only used for Scott's video games, I refuse to clean it. I worried that the boys bit off more than they could chew with their idea, but I figured that even half-clean was better than nothing. 

They worked for several hours, but the space has been transformed. It is lighter, cleaner and smells better. Scott was thrilled with the results and delighted by their efforts.

After the big room reveal, he unwrapped my present (a new camera) and tinkered with it until dinner. We had a nice meal and enjoyed a delicious cake. I puttered around the house while he went to play a video game in his newly cleaned room. In spite of being a Monday, I think he had a nice birthday.

Distractions

Because of his growing fears, I vowed to avoid watching or discussing the news in the presence of Timmy. I was marginally successful in my goal. The weather was absolutely gorgeous which allowed us to spend a lot of time playing in the fresh air. The distractions of sunshine, bicycles and scooters were enough to push away his anxiety.

The weather is again beautiful today. Despite being disappointed that we didn't have a mammoth snowstorm, even I have to admit that the Spring temperatures feel fantastic. I suspect that our school day will be filled with some extra long recesses. 

This evening, the focus will be on Scott. Today is his birthday, and the boys are hoping to make it especially special. I can't post the plans yet, but stay tuned!