Sorry for disappearing for a while! The news was feeling all too grim for a links list and I needed a break. (This cartoon was my mood.)
But California survived the recall, the Caldor Fire is getting increasingly contained, and vaccines for kids under 12 might be available in the next couple of weeks! I’m feeling hopeful and re-energized to focus on more fun things like my favorite new nail polish and confessing the too-many-hours I’ve spent recently watching reality television.
It has been a big week around here. We’ve come back from vacation and the kids are off to school. In person! Looking giant, all smiles under their masks. What a ride.
Nerves were, of course, high with the new variant. And on day one the entire junior high and multiple classes in an elementary already had notice of an exposure that may mean quarantines. As of today, one of the private elementary schools in town has already closed for a few days as the principal isolates for ten. Man, it’s a bumpy ride.
Still, some reassuring news: 99 percent of Davis teachers are fully vaccinated as are 95 percent of classified staff and more than 80 percent of secondary students ages 12 and up. So I’m looking at this graph about how Covid vaccines are saving lives (in spite of breakthrough cases) and feeling hopeful.
There’s a ton going on personally, but also top of my mind? I’m so worried about this recall. Our sun is glowing red from fires across the state and residents around Lake Tahoe are evacuating. We cannot let California into the hands of a climate-change-denier. Our youngest children are unvaccinated and dependent on us to protect them. Our hospitals’ beds are full. We cannot let anyone who doesn’t take the virus seriously into office. Just to start…
This strategy should be worrisome for everyone: “How do Republican politics play out when the party’s candidates can win by simply revving up the base for a low-turnout election, rather than appealing to a majority of voters? Here’s California’s preview: The state Republican Party strongly backs the recall, but pointedly declined to endorse a candidate.” Not even putting forward a candidate?! It’s nefarious. Right now, the leading one appears to be a Trumpian extremist with under 20% support. It could happen too easily!
Please, California friends: Find your ballots (anyone registered to vote should have gotten one in the mail), and Vote No on the Newsom recall. This is not the time to sit it out. And even if you don’t like Newsom, this is not the way to tell him. Please.
I’ve got lots of summer catch-up to do, but we’re most excited because our family is coming into town from Germany on Sunday! Aron’s sister and our nephews arrive first, followed by our brother-in-law shortly thereafter. We’re so looking foward to seeing them in person after so much time apart. We’re going to sneak in a couple of babysittting nights this weekend before they arrive and then do our best to make up for lost time. Hope you have a great weekend! Be safe, be well, get vaccinated…
