Last spring I was invited to help teach Kindergarten on Zoom (internet online school) every day and I quite enjoyed it.. After six weeks of Zoom with six year-olds it became more difficult. I taught the fun part which was nursery rhymes and sounding out words.. Kaye Eldredge (my neighbor and retired teacher) taught reading with books. Working with Kaye was great!
Jessie moved in with us for the summer since her marriage didn’t work out.. I’m glad she moved back home where GW and I could help her through her grieving.. It was a difficult time but we decided to let Jessie get a puppy and boy have I learned a lot about dogs. Jessie has also been suffering from depression so her dog Taika has been a life saver and very comforting. She has recently moved in with friends near UVU and hopes to get back into school after the holidays.. Taika also went with her and apparently has other dog friends living at the same place. I hope it all works out, I will miss them both!
Since the middle of August I’ve been helping a young new teacher with Kindergarten.. She is a very good teacher and we are exhausted when school gets out.. (we even get out an hour and a half early). I have been surprised how well the kids have been keeping their masks on.. Thankfully we get to take them off for lunch and recess! Our students have individual desks and every time I help them with their computers or anything on their desk I have to use hand sanitizer. It took a while for me to get used to but I think I’ve got the hang of it!! At the end of school I get to do lots of sanitizing.. Another reason to be tired.
The janitors at our school do a fantastic job keeping everything clean.. I still let my guard down about five weeks ago when I went into the Title 1 room to put my feet up and do some prep work. I worked in room 7 for 8 years helping all the grades with reading.. When I turned sixty I decided to change jobs and help with just Kindergarten. It’s been a nice change in that I get to help with testing and progress monitoring as well. Last month I took my mask off after school to visit with other aides in room 7.. Sure enough a few days later I came down with intense flu like symptoms. I have never missed a day of work since I started back to work eleven years ago.. Ok maybe a few hours to take a missionary to the MTC, or pick up a missionary at the airport but that’s it.. Plus I don’t ever remember having the flu.. So when I called my supervisor to inform him of my illness he knew it was serious.
Three days after calling in sick I tested positive with Covid 19! I was so surprised but also knew my symptoms were not normal.. I didn’t quarantine in time so GW got sick, also Jessie and Jenny!! Jenny’s husband tested negative but didn’t feel that great.. Jenny had to miss two weeks of work and was nauseated at first and then felt weak and tired. Jessie didn’t get any symptoms but still tested positive and had to stay home as well.. Lucky her! My class at school had to be quarantined for a week.. I found out later one of the aides in room 7 also had Covid so I probably got it from her.. I will never go without a mask again!
Having Covid 19 was not fun but we survived.. GW and I were sick together and we were nauseated for almost four days.. No food for an entire week! We didn’t have chest pains or breathing issues but we were very lethargic.. Walking up our stairs was exhausting!! I did have a dry cough that was very annoying and GW couldn’t get rid of his fever.. Jessie kept us loaded with popsicles and crackers.. It probably took us a good three weeks to feel healthy again.. We watched a lot of movies and I finished another Shannon Hale book. Coronavirus is real and I hope I never get it again!
Jenny with teachers at Payson Middle School.
Jessie working with Kids on the Move.
Jen & JJ
(JJ is teaching English for Provo School District)
