The novelty of pet ownership, pandemic dreams, fireworks, and an anniversary (7 Quick Takes)

~1~

We are in a sweet honeymoon period with our new pet birds. Everything they do is fascinating. I can’t walk past them without stopping to talk to them. And I love watching our children interact with them. They woke up this morning and took care of everything for the birds before I even got out of bed.

It’s all just so cute.

And it’s going to be this way forever.

One of the birds is my favorite to photograph, and the other is my favorite to talk to. Am I allowed to have favorites? Probably not. Let’s pretend I didn’t mention it.

~2~

Our younger son made a little swing for the birds and figured out how to get it into the cage without opening the door. I was struck by his creativity and his determination in figuring it out.

It’s incredible what a child can accomplish in a day when he has no actual academic work to complete. I find myself looking for joy and expectation at a long summer of nothingness and time with birds.

~3~

The other night I had a pandemic anxiety dream. I was sitting down to eat inside in a restaurant even though I kept telling the person I was with that I am still not eating indoors in restaurants. But he wasn’t listening to me.

During our discussion, a lady came over with a clipboard, and I realized she had to be a contact tracer. She was taking notes as she talked to me, and as she turned away to go to the next table, she was writing and said to herself, “…has body odor.”

I never even knew I had anxiety over that. But I really haven’t thought much about that during this time of distancing.

~4~

Last Saturday we woke up to no electricity.

“No video games for a while!” I said cheerfully the way mothers do before reality sets in.

Then my husband mentioned coffee. No coffee? I knew we weren’t going to make it.

I ordered breakfast and coffee from Towson Hot Bagels, and just as I pressed, “Place order,” the power came back on.

That is a true gift.

~5~

We had people in our neighborhood launching fireworks last weekend.

We enjoyed watching them from our house, though it was hard to figure out why someone would be setting off fireworks. Flag Day? A safe-distancing graduation party?

Maybe it was a really dedicated remote-learning mother doing extra credit for the science assignment.

~6~

We made it through the school year. Six months ago, who would have thought that on the last day of school I would be typing furiously at my dining room table, listening to my new pet birds chirping and watching my children play unlimited video games in the living room while my husband worked in the basement? Yet here we are. And I’m grateful that we are happy and healthy and home.

Hooray for summer vacation!

~7~

Today is my parents’ 49^th anniversary! I should have sent them 49 of something—or at least a card. Instead, some of their favorite children and grandchildren Zoomed with them to sing, “Happy Anniversary to You!” If you haven’t Zoomed to sing, “Happy Anniversary to You” you might not appreciate how tricky it can be to do it in unison.

Have I told you about parents—mine.

They’ve been married for years—49.

On the day that they wed,

I suspect someone said,

“They’ll have children who are mighty fine.”

Hmm. I sure hope I can top that next year.

Read more quick takes on Kelly’s blog, This Ain’t the Lyceum, and have a wonderful weekend. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers. I’ll be praying for those for whom it’s a difficult day.

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