Thursday, February 4, 2021

Life Goes On

With all of the news and various orders coming out of the Federal and local government regarding CoronaVirus, it’s been busy around here. Actually it has been pretty much status quo here at Hillbilly Holler. That is the name neighbors down the road call this little corner of the dead end road

We now have 8 extra people living with us the past month. Our son, daughter-in-law and 6 kids moved into the downstairs about a month ago. They had been in North Carolina the past 3 plus years.

You would think that life would be full of changes with the kids and getting them adjusted to their new life in Minnesota. Here in Minnesota, all the K-12 schools have been closed, for at least another week, but some are predicting much longer. But it has been an easy transition as they are homeschooled and nothing has changed with schools being closed. Their days continue to be well organized full of the curriculum they are all working on for their grade. The kids are age 5-15 so it is a wide range. Their parents and my other grandkids’ parents do a great job at homeschooling and staying on top of their studies. 

Reading the news and seeing FB posts from parents forced into having their kids home during the school days, with the shutdowns, has been interesting to say the least. Some seem to have a mighty itinerary they plan to get thru and others seem to be as lost and worried as a horse in a wildfire. To all of you, I say, take a breath. You will be doing the best job you can and your kids will be OK, no matter what. Just be available to them and talk to them. This is a perfect chance to really get to know your kids and their individual personalities.

I am by no means an expert, but I have raised 4 great humans, have 15 grandkids that I am very close to. Your best made plans may collapse in a heap. In that case, just visit with your kids. Making a double batch of cookies and having the kids do the math for doubling fractions, counting the cookies, dividing them into the number for each person in the house has always been a good standby for the young ones. Also Spring is coming, start some seeds indoors and see how big they get by the time we can resume our normal lives again. For the older ones, I suggest making journals to write in about the pandemic with the intention of keeping it for their children. Sort of a diary of what it was like.

I am pretty much a person who loves being home doing stuff around the house. This social isolation is not a new concept. But this could all change in the coming days, weeks, or months we are all being asked to hunker down in place. This is what we are being asked and called to do, minimize physical contact with others. This is one thing we each can do for the cause of health for others, keep a physical distance from others. 

But in doing this, let’s not forget our family, friends, neighbors and people we may not even know, that might be having a harder time isolating themselves. Remember to wave from a distance, call, message, text, email or write a letter to those that may be scared, or having a hard time, or maybe all alone. Whatever you can do to make distant contact, please do it for one another. We are all in this together for the duration. 

If you or someone you know is in need of a friendly contact and check-in, feel free to email us at solidrockminnesota@gmail.com. We will gladly be in contact.


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