FROG AND TOAD Tentatively Go Outside After Months In Self-Quarantine

Recently, my friend Marla shared a "Frog and Toad Adventure" that was written about the pandemic. It made me laugh. And my daughters. Hard, at parts. Music to my ears. This pandemic hasn't taken away our joy, but some day it seems that laughter is lacking.

Frog and Toad are great — we remembered fondly, my daughters and I, when they each wrote a "Frog and Toad" adventure of their own for an assignment in middle school. Lighter days then.

In many ways, this time reminds me of the younger days of homeschooling. Our days were structured with medical, school, and household regimes. I planned out the meals and did the shopping alone to minimize germ exposure. Now, I plan out the meals, place my orders online, and utilize curbside pickup, grateful for those who shop for me. No more "last minute" trips to the store; with little impulse buying it is good for the budget.

I'm not teaching my girls, anymore — they are responsible for their own learning, for communicating with their college professors. My husband and I are both working from home, so the four of us are spread out in our different "work" zones. Our dog, Oliver, invades most of the zones, when he is not sleeping, happy to have options. Last fall, he dropped in our empty house and then followed me everywhere. Now we has four of us to follow. He is always a bright spot in our day.

Reading "Frog and Toad", hearing the girls' laughs during this serious time of uncertainty, and Oliver's frequent wags, made my day.

Here is a link for anyone interested in reading a light-hearted view of venturing out, cautiously.

READ FROG AND TOAD