Saturday, March 21, 2019
Hola muchachos!
It’s me, your Auntie Kim! How are you all hanging in there with this nightmare of a bad movie we’ve all ended up in? Can you believe this?! I know it’s nice to not have school, but it stinks you can’t get together with friends, no sports, none of the usual social things you are used to doing. Little did you know you’d be doing blizzard bags when there was no snow! Do they have you guys set up on Google Classroom? My friend, Chris, that I used to live with when I was 23 is still teaching 5th grade in Medford. She only has about 11 kids, but they are all from different countries with different levels of English- speaking ability. She had only one day to prepare lessons for kids to do at home, catering to each of their different abilities. She says she has to work more now, than when she was at school because parents are constantly texting her with questions about school work. Also, she has to text them and remind them to do certain things, remind the parents to tell little Billy to do his project, etc. She said it’s a pain in the royal arse.
Uncle Joe and I are doing just fine at home. We are used to hanging out here and not doing too much out in the world anyway. As long as Uncle Joe has his computer and the news, he is happy. And my life is the same except now I can’t go out for lunch dates with friends, no more bridge games or tournaments and no more dog therapy visits to Anna Jacques Hospital or Avita. I might do a virtual visit by filming myself and the dogs, saying and doing the same things I would usually do at a visit to the psych unit, talking about them, how I got them, etc and having them do whatever tricks they can. And then I can put it on Youtube and send a link to the hospital so they can show it to patients in the living room. It must be hard to keep people 6’ apart there. I can’t even imagine. Everyone has their own room and I think there are about 20 rooms, so not a huge group, but these people are there because they are depressed already (before this all happened even) or trying to recover from drug or alcohol abuse. The recovery involves group therapy, talking, sharing, being with each other for emotional support, learning how to reach out to each other for that too, so having to be kept apart must be a challenge. Maybe they still meet for group therapy and just have the chairs be 6’ apart from each other. I miss going there the most of all. It’s actually social for me, too! I enjoy talking with the people there and making them laugh with the dogs. I don’t do magic tricks, however, like Grandpa Kudym. Maybe I should learn some! One time, the security guard was playing Apples to Apples with a bunch of people there. I wanted to play, too! Ha ha! Hey, maybe we can play Apples to Apples or some similar game we can figure out over Zoom or Skype?
This weekend, if I can light a fire under Uncle Joe’s arse, he is going to get my new book uploaded to Amazon. I hope you will read it, and like it! There are many references to farts and diarrhea to hold your interest. It is really my life story from age 20 to 27 but centered around meeting Alejandro in Mexico, when I lived there for a year and then he came back to the US and was a real jerk. There’s lots of stories about me, your dad and uncle Don from those years, too, some funny, some sad, but mostly funny, like Uncle Don kicking your dad in the wee. He was such a brat, it was unbelievable. Your dad was no angel but Uncle Don was a force to be reckoned with. Did you ever read my first book? Maybe it will be more interesting when you are a little older.
Well, I’m glad Uncle Joe is retired and is home with me. I wouldn’t want to be alone during this crisis. He loves being retired, but I think he misses Mike Sweeney. That goes without saying! I hope Mike Sweeney doesn’t get coronavirus. We went to the North Shore Cancer Center in Danvers where I get my treatment this week. It was eerie because they have everyone sit 6’ apart and take your temperature before you even go to the front desk. It was also empty since they are only seeing patients that need treatment. Followup appointments are by phone or video conferencing. Right now, I am still in remission. My last chemotherapy was in December and now they give me a drug to help keep me in remission longer. That is called Avastin. It has some side effects but not as bad a chemotherapy. But your tough aunt has gone through having cancer four times now, in four years, pretty freaking incredible, and I’m still walking and talking. And beating people’s ass in bridge, writing books and enjoying life! Hopefully, the monster stays away for a few more months. Ovarian Cancer is almost impossible to cure unfortunately, so it just keeps coming back, like a fire that never completely goes out. It makes me appreciate how wonderful everything and everyone is in my life, that’s for sure, especially you two and your dad! I hope things will calm down with the virus and we can all go to Bailey Island in July. Aunt Betty is supposed to fly out from Colorado and Grandma Chris and Uncle Don both rented rooms or cottages also.
Well, this letter is long enough. Have a fun weekend with your dad. At least it’s not rainy but sounds a bit windy out there. Uncle Joe and Frida are still sleeping (not together) and I’m in the loft with Katie and Carlos. Woke up early and thought I’d watch the sun rise up here. I wanted to walk on the beach but maybe too cold today. I feel so bad for all the little kids that are used to playing with their friends, at playgrounds, etc that can’t even do that now. I saw this little peanut yesterday in my neighborhood just standing in the driveway, kicking the dirt when I walked by with Katie. He wanted to know why she had a black head and a white body. I said she was born that way. He said he thought they cut off the black part and made it white. At least you guys weren’t that dum when you were in pre-school! LOL. Don’t worry, I didn’t call him a dummy, I just said “You silly!” Usually, I stop so kids can pat the dog but that’s another way for the virus to spread so I don’t do that now. It stinks! But, we all have roofs over our head, TVs and computers for entertainment, books, plenty of food, so far, at least! Uncle Joe and I have stocked up enough for a few weeks at least. He made a root cellar where we keep vegetables that can last longer, like turnips, parsnips, butternut squash. People have hogged all the frozen vegetables in the supermarkets. And at least we have electricity too! And it’s getting warmer outside!
Love you not so little anymore twinkies,
Auntie Kim
