l1. How would you define ‘old’? At what age is someone old? 

Obviously we do go on looks but I always thought that if you had a young mindset
(and I don’t mean immature), then you’d stay a young soul. For example, one of my mom’s friend’s moms when I was a little girl was in her late 60s and could still do back handsprings and I always thought that was so awesome.

I don’t know if you can put a number on ‘old’ but again, once you’ve gone into curmudgeonly land and give into the depression of being an old geezer, then you are old, officially.

2. A place you’ve been that’s old? Tell us something about your visit there. 

The very first place that came to mind (surprisingly not Paris or London) was Hacienda Ochil outside Merida, Mexico. I think it was built in the 1600s and it was so cool to see! Below are a couple pics from our trip there. We also did a special thing where they had a buffet of traditional foods that were so good!

3. Something you miss about the ‘good old days’? When were they anyway? 

Oh gee, let’s see, maybe when people didn’t hate on one another for political affiliation? Maybe they disliked it but they didn’t completely cancel anyone for it. I also miss how we banded together as Americans. We’re all Americans first, then our own individual selves. Everything is so damned divided now and I don’t understand the purpose. Why do people WANT to be that way? Why do they want to be so miserable and live with so much hate?

4. In what way are you a ‘chip off the old block’? Or if you’d rather, in what way is your child a ‘chip off the old block’? 

From my mom, I got reason and ration, believe it or not. Or let’s say, groundedness. From my dad, I got quick to anger and easily exasperated. My oldest and my youngest like to cry ‘it’s not fair!’ and that is totally me. My middle boy is like me in that he bottles everything up, is stoic. I see myself in him more than the others.

5. Old fashioned, Old Testament, old timer, same old same old, old glory, good old boy, old wives tale…choose an ‘old’ phrase that relates to something in your life or the wider world currently and explain. 

I’ll go with old-fashioned because I’d like to say that we are trying to raise kids in a more old-fashioned way, with common sense values and a sense of American pride and patriotism. It’s hard, given how the world is now.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I keep trying to blog on other days but I just… don’t. This week is busy for multiple reasons:

I‘m having Zoom one on one conferences with my students from the community college this week so that is time-consuming. While I cancel class and they only have to meet me for 10 minutes, I’m tied to my computer almost all week long. It’s not too hard and I do it in hour increments but it feels harried and crazy at times. Add onto that the internet has been really slow and it’s frustrating as heck.

So yes, it’s been pretty busy lately, especially this last week. Between kids and their activities (Isaac literally went to school Thursday, then to cross country then to soccer, back to back to back), and the start of the NFL season, it was very hectic. Throw in there that Isaac had his first soccer game Saturday afternoon and it’s no wonder we’re all tired. His game went well though. The team has only had 3 practices together and he was only able to attend one due to other activities but they played well as a team. Isaac was exceptionally good at the position coach put him in and he had about four assists for goals. It will be interesting going forward to see how they play but for this one, they won 8-1.

I did fill in my calendar for the next few weeks so that settles my nerves quite a bit. If I can visualize how to organize things, I am capable. Just like Ash and I planned our meals this week. When you only eat once a day it is not too difficult. (Granted, I am also planning what the kids will eat; they need more than one meal!) Tonight we’re having salads, tomorrow we go to Nagoya for hibachi lunch, then Thursday we’re doing burgers and I am attempting to make keto fries. I have not figured out Friday yet. Probably will be keto because on Saturday we’re going back to our friends’ lake house because it’s their son’s 7th birthday. So we’ll eat and drink literally all day. And jet ski and boat and it’ll be a blast!

This morning, my oldest doesn’t feel well but it seems like an abundance of mucus (he’s always been the snotty kid) and it’s in his empty stomach, making him nauseous. Referring back to the question about chip off the ol’ block, that was me as a kid for sure. All the dang time. Obviously in covid times we can’t send a kid to school with minor afflictions or they banish them home for days and days at a time so I let him stay here and he’s doing online work. I told him, like they did to kids in the 80s, “Oh, you want to stay home today? Well you can sit in bed all day and do schoolwork. You aren’t playing video games!” Welcome to old-fashioned parenting, son!