Getting things started.

It’s Monday- and I hope that everyone had a lovely weekend. Someday I’ll talk more about where we visited, but this is more about today.

I woke up at 5 am when my in-laws’ cat started eating my cat’s food. Zorro’s pretty quiet when he’s eating, but Woogie is loud. So I woke up, and without my glasses on, saw red flashes of light reflected over my computer desk and thought that something really weird must be going on with my computer. Realizing that there would be no way for the light to be coming from my computer tower under the desk, I turned my attention out the window to see that there was an ambulance, fire engine and paramedic truck out in front of the neighbor’s house. They left a bit later, without loading anyone in the ambulance, so I’m guessing she’s alright.

It’s a lovely gray day- one that reminds me of Ventura. Where it may or may not be sprinkling (right now it is), but mostly it’s just heavy drizzle. Fo rizzle. (Sorry, but after typing drizzle all morning long, I couldn’t help myself) The boys are thrilled. Both love the rain, so they’ve been having fun running and sliding in the grass to the car. But why does it remind me of Ventura? This is what 75% of mornings in Ventura are like.

It was maddening growing up in Ventura. Every morning started off with fog. But you never really knew what the weather would be like if the fog burned off. I became very good at layering clothes, I just had to get used to carrying around plenty of extra clothes when it warmed up. My poor locker was always filled with sweatshirts or long-sleeved shirts that I’d shed.

Thankfully, the oldest kid only has to deal with being away at school for a few hours. If I’ve misjudged the weather badly enough, I can always bring him shorts to wear home (or a hoodie if that’s how I need to correct it). However, I’m glad that I knew that today would be dreary when Weather.com said “cloudy.” Even now, it says it’s just cloudy. 90% humidity, but it’s just cloudy. Oh well.

Things I promise to blog about this week: eating at local restaurants, art projects, and why bullying is suddenly a big deal.

Originally published at American Whitney. You can comment here or there.

It’s that time again: vaccinations

It’s that time again: flu season. I know that a lot of people want to shy away from vaccinations- because they’ve heard a lot of conspiracy theories about vaccinations.

First, there is no conclusive evidence that vaccines cause autism in children. Second, some people say that you shouldn’t get vaccinated because these diseases don’t exist. Wrong! In areas where people have reduced vaccination rates, you see these diseases that we thought were ancient history popping up. Like the epidemic in CA right now, where whooping cough is spreading through the country- and killing babies who were too young to have been vaccinated.

Flu season is important. Every year, it takes its toll on children, pregnant mothers and the elderly. Please, take a moment to get your flu shot and get your flu shot. They’re available at nearly every drugstore these days, as well as at your doctor.

Please talk to your doctor about the whooping cough vaccine as well. While you could probably fight it off yourself, you could infect someone who can’t.

Be safe! Get vaccinated.

Originally published at American Whitney. You can comment here or there.