STAY AT HOME!!! The Quarantined Days

Since my last update things have really gotten "REAL".  I would have NEVER in a MILLION YEARS believed we would be in a "Stay At Home" order missing the entire last quarter of school!

Prior to the "Stay at Home" order, we celebrated Ryan's Birthday and Valentine's Day in February.  (Hearing on the news of the virus in China causing sickness and death - it seemed so far away and not something we needed to worry about in Ole' Illinois!!!!)

We started hearing "rumors" that we may have to cancel school for "a couple weeks" and use e-learning days as we planned for "snow days".  On March 13th - FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH, we got official word that we would not be returning to school through Spring Break with a projected return date of April 6th.  We packed up student belongings and technology and sent them on their way that Friday afternoon with the thought we would see them again soon........

The date was extended by a couple days -  April 8th and then came the news we would not return through the month of April!  We then went to Remote Learning days due to the time frame and uncertainty of our return to school this year!  Last week it was announced that all Illinois schools would remain closed through the remainder of the school year!

I officially put my name badge in "storage"!  It usually hangs from my rearview mirror so I can slip it around my neck when pulling into the parking lot...and since it will not be needed for at least FIVE MONTHS - when we return Mid-August it was time to put it away!

NOW, we are hearing there may be a second wave of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the fall - bringing even more speculation on how the next school year will look!

I am extremely lucky to be still receiving full salary and benefits during this remote learning time!

It's fun to connect with staff and students via Zoom!  Bill and Ryan are in essential jobs and continue to work - making the days seem very long with all my favorite shopping places CLOSED!!!

Right after school closed was St. Patrick's Day - Not much to do but stay at home at look at my 

Rae Dunn St. Patrick's Day decorations!

Then came Easter and my Mother's birthday......Unfortunately, we were unable to get together as a family to celebrate either event.  Glad I was able to purchase all my Easter decorations early!

Ryan's Easter Basket

During my "extra" time at home I decided I wanted to try to make faux whipped topping for my 

Rae Dunn Mugs.  Luckily, the hardware stores are still open and I purchased lightweight drywall and made several toppers.

 It takes several days to dry, but I was happy with the finished product!

Prior to the quarantine, my brother and sister-in-law shared they were expecting their first baby!  

Bill and I were sworn to secrecy and it was revealed to my parents on my mom's birthday! We should know within the next month if it will be a boy or girl! 

We were able to get our deck furniture and yard ready a little earlier this year.

This week we are hoping to get our flowers, as they are opening up garden centers! 

We all need some color and happiness during this time!

I am so grateful I had bought A LOT of extra solar lighting and had a stash in the shed!

Anxiously waiting for the stores to reopen to replace my "extras" and add some more decor to our existing yard decorations!

Prior to the stores being closed (this is a HUGE thing for me - as I hit the stores 

EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!  I need my retail therapy!!!)

I purchased some new boots and a couple pairs of Skechers

I also got a new phone case - I always purchase an Otterbox to insure protection - love this version with the pop socket build right in!

Last week the Illinois Governor extended our "Stay At Home" order until the end of May now.  This seems so unreal.  Stores remain closed (only essential stores remain open).  Even IF or WHEN the order is lifted there will be phases in reopening the state.  I look forward to the day I can walk into a "fun" store and do some serious shopping!!!!!   WITHOUT A FACE COVERING - WHICH BECOMES MANDATORY THIS FRIDAY!!!

I also pray that no one in my family contracts the virus (especially my son who is on the frontline as he works in an essential grocery store.)  We hear how Illinois is "bending the curve", Peaking, etc..... but the number of people getting the virus and the number of people dying is scary!  Many summer activities have already been canceled and the talk of a reoccurrence is depressing and frankly, after being off work for five months - it will be extremely hard returning to work! 

August - How is this Possible?????

The summer seems to go by faster and faster each year!  My freedom will be ending in less than 2 weeks - soooooo sad!

This summer has revolved around making some improvements outside and replacing our shed. It's been a long drawn out process and took most of the summer to get everything done!

The side of our house gets no sunlight and we've tried to grow grass and place walking stones for several years - it was a muddy mess.  We decided it was time to put a walkway that would lead to our new shed!

This is what it looked like before the paving stones were placed:

Gravel  layer:

Laying of the stone pavers over the sand: 

After mulching under the (neighbors) trees I placed disk lights between each tree.   

This was our old, deteriorating shed.  The wood was rotted and the flooring was weak.

Coming down on the Fourth of July 

Wood being taken away in a trailer 

Then a shed pad for the foundation of the new shed was the next phase!

The old shed was 8 x 5 1/2  - New shed 8 x 8

The new shed arrived (in the pouring rain).

Base 

One by one each wall was placed on the foundation (in the rain!) 

The rain finally let up and they were able to start roofing the shed

Yes - they forgot to pre-paint the door!  There were so many hiccups with the shed that I would not recommend Tuff Shed to anyone!  Even though the structure is solid - we encountered so many issues that took weeks to resolve.  

These are some of the issues we had with the shed!

We provided the stain for the shed and paid to have it pre-painted - The entire back of the shed had strap marks across the entire face:

The shelve face was so muddy - I had to scrub and bleach to get it presentable: 

As stated, the door was never painted and then when painting it used the wrong paint on the trim

The top edge of the shelves are rough and have wood splinters 

The blue paint was slopped onto the white trim  

The floor that we paid to upgrade was left with grounded in mud (just like the shelf face you see in the picture).

Exposed nail heads never covered up

New handle scratched and scuffed and gouged 

There were other issues like the nameplate with the serial number was never placed on the shed - We were promised someone would come out with it and replace the handle on the door - They showed up without the plate!  It took the General Manager and two separate mailings to receive the plate and screws.......over a week later!  We were also promised a credit for all problems and aggravation we had (along with the lost gallon of stain).  After a week and half, I contacted the GM and come to find the credit wasn't ever processed.  The credit did finally arrive on the credit card 2 weeks later - but only because I called and inquired!

Bill fixed the paint and gave it a second coat - I scrubbed and cleaned the interior to make it presentable:

Added lights to the eves

Clean floor  and shelve faces

We also added a stainless steel threshold plate to protect the floor edge.

We also had the landscaper put our gutters undergound!

This summer had also been the summer of losing power!  Right after I purchased a decorative fence to cover the electric box that's in our backyard  - We saw these guys several times throughout the summer!

Added more decorations to the deck 

And also had the railing fixed - it was crooked and not under the railing.....

Walah.....

This year we decided to bypass the hanging flower baskets and just invest into five braided hibiscus tri-color trees - They always look so pretty and are usually healthy throughout the entire summer!

Views of our outside decorations and plants:

Love my 1848 Paddington Ave Pillow on the bench!

I purchased a TON of lighting  (someone might be able to land a plane in our yard this year!)

I evening we took a walk up to Oberweis and I asked Ryan to pose for a couple pictures on our way there:  LOVE how these gazebo pictures turned out - one will definitely appear in our Christmas Card!

Ryan is due to graduate from Lewis University on August 25th  with his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business Administration!!!!!!  So Proud of him!

We took a couple "early" graduation pictures since he won't be participating in a ceremony until December (when it's cold and yucky outside)

I was able to convince Herff and Jones to print announcements for an August Graduation!

Three short weeks and they will be mailed:

Where has the time gone?????  It may have taken a little longer than the traditional four years - but he completed his degree with ZERO debt!

2013

2016

2019

New Skechers Update!

(It's summer - I've been living in my Crocs!)

Time to soak up the last two weeks before the "reality" hits!