The Weekly Digest

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.

Some more links… 

The situation in Kabul is changing by the hour. I’m so sorry for the families and loved ones who are grieving losses from Thursday’s attack. (Background: A massive military operation is underway to get thousands of Americans, foreign nationals and Afghan civilians to the airport, secure the airfield and get them out of Kabul.)

An explainer of the situation in Afghanistan and a look at how the war began, 20 years ago. How to help Afghan refugees arriving in the U.S. Also, a wonderful resource from A Cup of Jo on the situation for women in Afghanistan.

One of Skyler’s 1st-grade classmates is dying of cancer. It’s devastating. I don’t want to imagine the loss of a child. Another parent, whose baby died years ago, shared some resources from Still Standing Magazine. This article was helpful as to what not to say to grieving parents.

“My COVID Parenting Has Reached Peak Inconsistency. Honestly, I have no idea what I’m OK letting my kids do anymore.”

Beyoncé at 40

Food for thought. Deborah Copaken’s memoir excerpted: “Gather friends and feed them, laugh in the face of calamity, and cut out all the things––people, jobs, body parts––that no longer serve you.”

Jenna Lyons’ very minimal kitchen makeover is so good! The matte built-in fridge… the multiple, single outlets… the stone edging… Can’t believe it’s the same space.

Bangin’ bang stylin’.

A dupe for Clinique Black Honey? (The latter of which one tube sells every minute.)

In my cart: Washable cosmetic cloths

Very into woven accessories (like this or this) right now.

Loved seeing Diana in The Crown storylines. Looking forward to more in Spencer.

Finally, a friend shared this last week. Sometimes these mindful carpe-diem-parenting memes find me at the wrong moment and make me want to raise an “easy for you to say”-finger… but other times they’re just what I need to hear and help me to really re-focus on what matters. In case you’re in that place and need a reminder to go hug those loved ones tight, here it is. (If not, I get that too.)

Hope everyone is well. xo

[Photo from Barcelona travelogue]

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