In January, I started yoga with Jennie, learned how to solve a Rubik's Cube, took kids on a train trip to Chicago to eat at the Publican and walked to a number of used bookstores, took Henry to a DePaul basketball game, continued therapy myself and supported therapy with both kids separately. Supported Jennie when her grandfather Tony died and she got a migraine. I made recipes from Nothing Fancy and The High Protein Vegetarian Cookbook. I loved reading Philip Glass's Words Without Music and watching the Netflix documentary Game Changers.
In February, J. and I went to lots of good restaurants: Posto 31; the Heritgae, Elizabeth (for her birthday), Elio Pizza in Addison. We also went to see Dana Hall trio at Parkers and Ricardo Muti conduct Beethoven 2 and 5 at the CSO. C and I went to Camp Sagawau to XC ski. February was also a tough month. I tried and failed new therapy for C (Victoria). C begins staying over (for what will be an 8-month stay) at the apartment and home; K poisoned kids with stories of J and me, leading to turmoil and crisis at the house. I finish Words Without Music and The Topeka School.
In March, things fell apart. Covid happens. I track the numbers as they grow across New York. These numbers (as I write this on December 1) seem miniscule. Schools across Illinois get cancelled. I took a trip with J to St. Louis. I made lots of vegetarian meals from the new cookbook. I started a sourdough. C begins playing Boggle with J and me over the phone. C and I do walks and bike rides. Then J and C meet at Fullersburg. Then J came to UpTown a couple times for dinner. I read True Grit and The Plague. We watch "I am not OK with this" and begin "Tiger King" on Netflix.
In April, the lock down digs in. I do Mariano's curbside order. C and J become more integrated with Boggle and dinners and bike rides and working on J's garden. I got divorced on April 27. J and I put a bid on a house and lose the bidding. We watch "don't F with cats" and "Tiger King."
In May, we bought a house in Western Springs and worked on Jennie's house to get it ready to sell (specifically the bathroom upstairs and the basement wall). C and I ride bikes many times to CH while we play Quixx, frisbee, garden, play basketball; I'm running 2-4 miles 3x/ week; or walking 20K steps.
In June, Jennie and I got engaged in Grant Park. Jennie sold her house. We did several bike rides on the I&M canal trail; BLM protests were happening. Jennie and Charlotte and Henry G began spending more time together, playing pickleball, going for walks in WS, having dinner at the UpTown. C and I biking a lot, often to the Zoo or CH. I am running more - up to 4.5 miles. I read - 10 pages per day - Bloodlands, get back to playing guitar; begin watching Westworld.
In July, we move into Ellington. We do many improvements: mold remediation in attic, add carpet to stairs, move from J's garage to new garage, add pulley system for canoe, build basement shelves, paint all rooms in the house, build some IKEA bookshelves and dresser. J and I do several "bike dates" - to Vistro, to Burger Antics (riding 18 miles). I begin Zoom meetings that continue through the year with Mike and Andy. Henry is kicked out of his mom's house, I walk with him a couple times. There are growing conflicts with Charlotte, increasing frequency. She blows up and we do not go to Peoria for Sam's graduation.
In August, mom and dad host a 50th birthday party and graduation party for Henry. Work/school starts early (10th). I ride my bike 14x this month. We continue moving in - putting cabinets on walls of garage, getting both cars in garage, getting new blinds, getting LR chairs, fix FR bathroom door, finish clean-out of UpTown apartment. CCL behavior getting worse. I reach out to psychs. She spends the night with Karrie when she will not go with us to Milwaukee and refuses therapy. I reach out to old therapists for help. My phone screen breaks; I get it repaired and get new battery.
In September, both J and I doing remote learning; C, too. Together, we go to Morton Arboretum, kayak on salt creek, play boggle, hacky sack, watch Eco Challenge. Jennie and I go to Kettle Moraine, see "zero Cost House" on Zoom, go to Lou Malnati's on a bike date, hang out after school on the patio with a pop tart and soda and take walks in neighborhood. I hang mirror in DR. Things continue to deteriorate with C. She refuses therapy with Brian D (J and I work with him). We ask C to be at her mom's house for 2 days/month. Henry L calls crying from school; we do a short walk; I help him with a paper. I read End of October, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, and I am not your perfect Mexican Daughter. I begin a 100-day blogging challenge.
In October, things get really bad. C ends up moving out after denying therapy from Brain D.; after we do an evaluation at Rogers Mental Health, after J and I talk to Zylstra and Brian for parenting help. I have to find Henry, who is stays out all night and is sleeping in Cicero (2 out of 3 nights). I take him to the ER. I get a root canal. I expose myself to Henry who has Covid. There's lots of drama in getting Henry tested. The month ends with me waiting to hear if Henry is positive. We get the family room finished (cover and paint fireplace and install TV). Living room couches arrive, coffee table, we buy IKEA bookshelf. I read Waiting for the Weekend, End of October, I am Not Your Mexican Daughter. J and I make pot roasts and cinnamon rolls, and this mixture of mushrooms, blue cheese, walnuts, and garlic for steaks and pork chops.
In November, I test positive for Covid. I pass it on to Jennie. Her symptoms start later, but continue longer. Charlotte is stuck at 714 12th for 3 weeks. The fraught 2020 Election between Biden and Trump happens. Water leaks in basement a couple times. Once I'm not lethal, dad comes over and we work on tiling for several days. We have to stop to work on fixing front door threshold and weather striping. C comes back on the 17th, heads back after rudeness on same day. I do a CEL presentation with Ian Schwartz on Zoom. Uncle Larry dies. We watch a lot of The Crown. I read The Hidden Life of Trees and Getting Unstruck by Pema Chodron and Erosion by Terry Tempest Williams and March by John Lewis and The Best of It by Kay Ryan. I continue my run of biking to work. - 68 days by the end of the month. I continue by blogging challenge.
In December, things begin to knit. I get my temporary filling for the root canal replaced. J and I both get cars fixed at Wheeling Auto Center. Dad and I finish the tile project for the entryway. We get estimates for basement drain tile project, and schedule Tim of Wet to Dry. (The basement continues to leak causing the bucket brigade, and we had to get a plumber to snake out the drain from the kitchen.) J and I take a pre-Christmas trip to Door Couty. We have Leo and Anita over for NYE. We learn how to play "Jacks" card game. We go to Matt's house for Xmas morning. I finish 100 blog posts. I read Caste, finish Thoreau bio, finish Art of Noticing. J and I watch Dick Johnson is Dead, Crown Season 3, re-watch Won't You Be My Neighbor. I ride my bike 13x to make a grand total of 81 for the first semester.
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