“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.“ — John Muir

Dear Family,

I spent this weekend on a project: setting up a small-time Prepper Stash. You might say that we transferred some of our savings account into Food Assets, specifically 160 pounds of rice, 50 pounds of rolled oats, 75 pounds of steel cut oats, 25 pounds each of chickpeas, black turtle and pinto beans, 50 pounds of red beans, and 25 pounds of brown rice flour.

Dear Family,

Lately I am doing very good/bad. I continue to live a privileged life, with a wonderful husband and five sweet, growing children who gradually increase in health and cuteness and skills every day. We have good food to eat, a gorgeous house to live in. It’s hard to complain! Especially because it’s so much worse for so many people - my gripes with the insanity in the world should be kept to myself, shouldn’t they?

Maybe.

Since I’m a homeschooling parent, many people have helpfully “checked in” over the years with advice: I must not to be overprotective, and should ensure that my children have many experiences out in the world! It’s a terrible idea to plug my kids into video games or devices in an effort to keep them indoors and “safe” - kids must interact with others, especially peers! They need physical activity! They must learn to take risks in order to fly! They need to learn from many teachers! Hovering over my children, I have been told, can lead to psychological harm and all sorts of other maladies.

“In all things purely social we can be as separate as the five fingers, and yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.”
—W. E. B. Du Bois

Dear Family,

Mom noted today that I’m not doing anyone any favors by spewing anger concerning the COVID lockdowns. She said it more nicely than that, but I kinda got her drift. Love is better than hate and Little Pitchers Have Big Ears and all that.