THE GERBER GAZETTE
2021
Here we are in year two of life as we now know it: masks, quarantines, distancing from friends and family. All things considered, we have done pretty well. We are vaccinated and Ron and I have had our boosters as well. Boosters for the girls should be due soon and we are waiting to see what will be available for Zanaya in the near furture. We have masks of all sorts of textures and patterns everywhere. As far a we know, none of us has been exposed to the virus and are relatively healthy. Ron continues experiencing the forgetfulness that comes with vascular dementia, but manages to get from day to day fairly well. I do all the driving, so he has to be content with passenger status now, but that doesn't seem to bother him. Both Ron and I are nearing the end of our 70's, amazingly! Lots of aches and pains, but all in all, we are still getting around, although a bit more slowly!
Lots has happened with the girls this year. Amielia had decided to end her online computer college project. I'm not sure her "college", although accredited, was all on the up and up. There was always something else, and at an added expense, which also change in amount each time. Some computer research unearthed a legal issue brought last year for just these things. So now, she is temporarily doing the Doordash (food delivery service) while filling out applications for a full time job. She also is transporting Zanaya to and from school daily.
Zach still hasn't decided on the direction he will go. He is interesting in trying college again, but hasn't made the move to see what is available. For now, he is a dog walker for a neighborhood friend, and that provides a bit of spending money.
Skylar is still our "wild child". She completed her high school requirements a year early by enrolling in the computer academy program and graduating after her 11th grade year. She also turned 18 in September, and was no longer considered our legal ward. Off she went with her boyfriend and his mother to spend 3 months in Georgia. She tried to find work but did not and found life as a "housewife" way to boring. So, home she came! She is in the process of getting her learner's permit and applying for a job. This one just can't sit still. She also is doing the Doordash thing with her current "friend" which affords her some spending money too.
Zanaya is in Kindergarten and is in the building fulltime this year. All students are masked, but this doesn't seem to present a problem at all. The very young seem to be way more adaptive than their older kin! She seems to doing well academically, but sitting still and paying attention are not her strong points. We are watching to see if we have yet another ADHD kid.
I keep busy. As duty driver, I am often on the road traveling to doctors, dentists, the Humane Society, and (as often as I can), out to dinner! This summer brought a multitude of MRI, CT, and X-rays to pin down the cause of my shoulder pain, now in both shoulders. It seems left shoulder is rotator cuff related, right shoulder may be arthritis. Either way, it makes things a bit more difficult since I rely heavily on arm strength to help out with my walker or using the hand rail going up stairs.
I continue to raise foster kitten bottle babies for the Humane Society. They are my calming influence. When things get crazy around here, cuddling a soft, fluffy kitten works wonders to make the world seem right.
We do very little traveling these days, even without pandemic restrictions. So, we are really looking forward to hearing from all of you and catching up with your news. Until then...
MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
