Shane and the Dukes faced off against Teal again! It was a fun game!
Last time they met, Teal and Yellow had a hard fought match that ended in a tie just before the whistle. There have been multiple games and a new team name since then.
Shane was back in goal and raring to punt! Teal had some good ball handlers (the only name I know is Mia), so Shane saw action on his side of the field.
This 2 minute clip showcases all the glory and the goofiness of Shane playing soccer.
From awesome to oops! And you know the cycle repeated many, many times.
Shane's head is mostly in the game. In this shot, he's too far off one side and leaning against the goal post, but the picture doesn't show you him shifting back and talking the whole time. Shane talks incessantly about the game. He may have a future as an announcer or commentator. Quips like "Don't let them get too close to you while you dribble!" don't help (and make me cringe), but he's usually positive. "Go team!" "Good job!" and "Let's take that goal back!" are all common....as are comments about his team's and the other team's strategies, etc.
Everything seemed to be clicking for Yellow. Here was an awesome drive and score by Ben.
Peter never stood a chance.
Yellow started to dominate and Shane got a little bored at times. However, Teal brought in a new goalie to liven things up. I think Luke was Teal's coach's son. He was supposedly in the right age bracket, but clearly more developed than the other kids. They stuck him in as Teal's goalie to keep the game more even (and he could punt the ball the length of the whole field!).
Shane and I dispensed snacks after our victory.
Some of the Teal kids wandered over and asked to join in. That gave Shane the idea to run off with the box to pass snacks out to anyone and everyone!
It was a great morning. It had started early with pictures.
I take my own pictures, so I don't see a need to buy any. Still, the league likes you to participate, so we do.
We had to show up an hour early, but that turned into time for Shane to socialize.
He walked off with his friend, Peter. He knew Peter from After-School at Scottsville when he was in 3rd grade. Peter's older and has already gone up to middle school, but Shane may seem him there next year.
The boys hung out and talked for a long while. I hung back a ways to give the kids space to be kids and contented myself with my cell phone and the occasional picture of the team dog (which I didn't realize we even had!).
Some girls on the team came up with baby bunnies while everyone was hanging out before the game!
I let Shane wander off to the field with the other kids while I stayed behind at the gazebo for a bit. However, he ran up to me with a gift for Carrie before he left.
Over the past two weeks there have been 10 days of school. Two of those nights were Parent Teacher Conference nights. I got home from work and hopped on Zoom from 4:45 PM to ~7:20 PM! The first night was a Tuesday, so I sat on a bench while Shane was at soccer practice. When Shane finished, we sat in the car while I had a few more conferences until one finished a few minutes early. I used those minutes to drive us home. Then I started the next conference in the garage while Shane went in!
School did let out early on Wednesday, 10/13, for Division PLC Zoom meetings. That was a nice reprieve! I'd planned to drive out to Costco before going home to hop online for a Division Zoom meeting, but Carrie had a dental emergency. She lost a crown. I had to put off Costco until Friday (when traffic was terrible!), and I worked at home while Shane played on the SNES to keep him out of my camera window.
As full as the work week is, there's still time a little time to unwind each night. I just didn't spend that time on the blog.
Weekends have more free time. Sure, there's soccer, church, and chores, but there's a lot more time in between. Time I spend resting up in between laundry loads! Last weekend, I didn't write. This past Saturday, I did. I sat down and churned out 10 posts.
I managed to make drafts of other posts, too....including this one! I'm adding this last sentences a full week later since Saturdays seem to be my new catch-up days!
Did I mention Carrie completed another surprise project? She checked "Barrel Jump" off her bucket list.
I didn't even know it was on it, but she's apparently been searching for cheap barrels for a long, long time! She finally found a fantastic deal.
"What'd you think?" Carrie asked as I got home from work.
"About what?" I replied (Suddenly feeling very suspicious, because experience.)
"You didn't see?"
"Didn't see what?"
"You didn't see. Come."
And there was a homemade barrel jump in the middle of our front yard. Carrie has big plans to make Lilly jump it.
And surprisingly, Shane likes it, too.
Every now and then we force Shane to go outside with Loki. Normally, he comes back in fairly quickly, but one day he stayed out for a long time (So long that I half worried he'd wandered off!). I looked out the window and he was poking around the barrels while Loki alternated between barking at him and at passing cars.
After half an hour, Carrie and I went outside to join him. He wanted to show us what he and Loki "had been working on."
So I set up my phone at a fun angle.
It took a few tries, but Shane and Loki put on their show and I got my shot!
Carrie's long since posted the pictures and even some video on the farm's Facebook page.
Carrie sent me a pic while I was at work: A supply drop.
We received some new gate handles in the mail during the week, too. I saw Carrie install those.
So what was going on, you ask? For once, I'm not lost in the fog.
Look! Over there! Do you see it? It's a structure!
Carrie got quotes to build a new lean-to a little over a month ago. She wanted to have a separate baby shelter for Eowyn and little guy when he was born.
Work started on Tuesday. Carrie put the horses up, opened the new gates, and the two contractors drove their truck and Bobcat right on site.
The construction happened while I was at work, but I went out to take a peek each day. They used a large augur to drill the post holes.
The first day was putting up the frame. The second day there were slats laid to hold the roof and they started going up on the sides.
I went onsite while doing some horse chores.
Unfortunately, the boys and the ponies being in for all the work has lead to some messy stalls.
The work was finished Thursday. Carrie already had the new gate handles up, so Maddie and Lilly each got their own private dry lots.
The contractors used up our gravel dust pile. Shane will miss playing on it, but Carrie won't miss telling him NOT to play on it.
And the finished product!
Maddy will be happier than Lilly about the new lot. Lilly's been enjoying part of Maddy's share of their hay for a while!
Next summer, Eowyn and her foal will move in. Carrie was originally thinking of putting the shelter in the front yard to give them a separate space, but I liked this plan much, much better, because we can use it now and after.
"How fast will COVID spread once we're back in school?" and "Will school's be safe?" have been two big questions this year.
While some teachers told their classes they "didn't think we'd last the quarter," I told my classes I was cautiously optimistic. "As long as people follow protocol and wear masks I think we'll make it."
"Plus," I added, "I don't want to go back to virtual school!"
So far, I've been right.
The county emails whenever there's a positive case in a school. They contact everyone who's considered a close contact and (eventually) update a graph on the county homepage. The first time I got an email from the nurse to verify my class followed protocols and the seating chart was a little surreal. It's happened several times since.
For the first four weeks of school, cases were on the rise.
There are roughly 13,500 kids in the county and 40 weeks in the school year. We were looking at linear slopes in class, so I used the numbers in a problem or two.
"If cases remained constant, the schools' infection rates would look something like:
Week 1: 19 student cases * 40 weeks = 760 students infected or ~5.6% of the total population.
Week 2: 38 student cases * 40 weeks = 1520 students infected or ~11.3% of the total population.
Week 4: 67 student cases * 40 weeks = 2680 students infected or ~19.9% of the total population.
So stop complaining and wear your masks!"
If cases continued to creep upward, I could see the county calling a "two week virtual break" or the like.
Thankfully, there was a big drop in cases Week 5.
The numbers changed daily, so I got in the habit of taking a screenshot every couple of days for my own records.
The numbers are probably the minimum. When students test positive, they're given an attendance code of QUA-P (Quarantine-Present). But that's only if they test (or report the results to the school). I've had students who were out for a week or two who are marked UNV (Which is the standard "Unverified" for if a student is out and a parent never checks in).
This is the screenshot I took on 10/23 as I write:
I don't know what the county would've done or when they would have done it if the numbers continued to go up. Week 5 was the week we had a rain day in the middle of the week and I suspect the growing numbers were a reason schools were closed.
While families are probably focused on the student numbers, staff cases are more problematic for the schools. Only about half the county staff are classroom teachers, but each one who is put into quarantine leaves a classroom full of kids that someone has to watch. And what if a bus driver is put on quarantine? We're already critically short on those!
Supposedly, over three quarters of the high school population has been vaccinated. Those numbers aren't even across the high schools, though. I don't know exact numbers, but I'd bet (and win) a large sum of money that Western has a higher percentage of students vaccinated than Albemarle or Monticello. I'd love to know the number of unvaccinated vs vaccinated positive cases, but I'm not sure that will ever be reported for the sake of student privacy.
This is the current screenshot of confirmed cases by location.
One elementary school was harder hit early on. Baker-Butler has a population of 677 students and 117 full time staff according to their website, but the same number of cases as Albemarle High School which has "more than 1,8500 students" and "more than 200 staff" according to their website.
Still, those numbers put Baker-Butler's student infection rate at about 3.7%. First quarter is nearly done, so if the infection rate maintained the rest of the school year ~14.8% would catch COVID by the end of the year.
But what rate of infection is too much? I certainly couldn't tell you. I'm happy I'm not the one making that decision, either.
So far, most of my students who have been out have come back fine. There was one senior on the football team I teach who told me "This is the best I've ever done in math," who then got knocked out of class for three weeks. He came back this week and said he ended up in the hospital and "slept till 6 PM every day," and the highest his temperature got was "107."
Ouch.
So in the end, school COVID numbers haven't looked exactly like either of the extremes people screamed about before the year started. There have not been rampant breakthrough infections proving we shouldn't have returned. And on the other hand there have been infections and I personally know a student who got put into the hospital. Our county has a much higher vaccination rate than others and I know a more rural county an hour south of us that did temporarily shut down (Amherst County).
How much are masks, seating arrangements, and other precautions helping? I don't know. Personally, I don't like wearing a mask, but I feel better knowing we're doing something that might help rather than doing nothing and seeing what would happen. At worst, the masks are mildly annoying, hide my smiles, and are a weird fashion statement. At best, they could be preventing COVID, influenza, and a return to virtual school. I haven't caught any bad bugs since pre-COVID, so I lean toward thinking masks help.
So I found it discouraging when my district's congressman went on record for speaking against masks at a high school elsewhere in the state. From here:“If nobody in Rappahannock complies [with the mask mandate], they can’t stop everyone,” Good said to a government class of 20 students Thursday, Rappahannock News reported. “If I was ya'll, I’d say none of ya'll wear a mask. What are they gonna do? They’re still going to have school.”
And that's the interesting, highly divided climate we're in if you look at the media! Most of the kids I interact with seem fine wearing the masks. There are the kids who don't like to cover their nose, but those are largely for personal reasons like "It's uncomfortable," or "it fogs my glasses" instead of "I hate masks and think they're worthless." But even that could be because the students who feel masks are worthless don't want to say it out loud when everyone around them is masked...or they skip school. There are definitely attendance issues this year!
My last dentist check-in was scheduled for May 2020. Schools closed down in March 2020, so when the dentist cancelled I wasn't surprised.
Unfortunately, I waited too long to schedule a new appointment. I called in August 2021 and the earliest opening they had was from April 2022! I asked to be put on a call list if anyone cancelled and started shopping around for a new dentist office. I was able to make an appointment for December 2021, but that was a ways off, too.
So when I got the call in October, "Can you come next Tuesday at 1:00?" I said, "Yes!" My planning period that day stared at, wait for it..., 1:00! A co-worker was nice enough to cover the end of my class before and it all worked out.
The results: No new cavities! I passed my dental exam!
There are a few teeth on the watch list including an old filling, but I was happy my studying paid off.
I made it back to school well before my next class. It wasn't the most productive planning wise, but the ability to fit in the appointment without needing a sub was a Godsend.
Soccer season started off with a whisper. Shane missed his first practice. He'd complained of a sore throat, so Carrie kept him home from school. No school meant no practice.
The second practice I didn't know where to sit. I sat near some other parents, but when Shane's coach arrived she took the kids a world away. This was the view zoomed in.
This was the view zoomed out!
I couldn't see or hear anything! I thought about moving closer, but I'm trying not to be too involved. I want Shane to function without me there.
I did move closer the next practice. There were some benches in the trees. The branches were the perfect height to block photographs.
So it's not my favorite practice spot. I like to try to snap pictures innocuously, because if Shane notices, he's likely to try and put on a show!
We arrived barely in time for the first game. Shane got his wish granted to play goalie! To differentiate him from the other players, he kept on his t-shirt instead of the team shirt.
The first game went well. Shane's team looked strong compared to the other. There's one short kid on Shane's team, Gabe, who's on an entirely different level than everyone else. Shane's coach rotated him to defense to keep things competitive.
Since Shane didn't wear it, he forgot his shirt until the next week! We played the same team twice in a row with similar results. After losing everything last season, Shane's on a winning team this one! The kids play real soccer with passing, keeping space, and some ball handling skills.Gabe's the best, but there are multiple other kids on Shane's team who clearly know what to do and can score (Chloe, Wyatt, Gracie, Liza, Jayden....should I name other people's kids here? Maybe?).
The third game was the first real challenge. There are four teams in the league, so we'll end up playing each team three times.
Gabe on display
Having an offense really helps out the goalie. Shots come Shane's way, but the ball spends over half the game on the other side of the field.
And Shane wants some shots to come his way. His favorite thing has to be punting the ball! He cackles and whoops! A few times, he got so excited he made the mistake of punting from the back of the goal box.
Usually, he holds on to it for a little and laughs as everyone watches and reacts to his next move. Sometimes, he tries to 'trick' the other team by quickly changing directions, but trips up his own team and/or flubs the punt.
Shane does listen and pay attention. The coach has been reminding him to "walk it out." I don't think he's punting from the back post since.
There's room to grow, but I'm thrilled with how Shane's play has improved. He's more tenacious and willing to jump at the ball before and it's paid off.
He's not fearless, though. He's gotten in trouble for trying to slide tackle the ball to avoid too much contact (In all fairness, it wasn't a true slide tackle. It was more Shane trying to lean his whole body back while kicking forward!).
But overall, Shane moves to reposition himself based on where the ball is and makes plays on shots. He'll run up to grab balls that come too far forward, but not recklessly so. When he gets the ball, he's normally able to punt it up to the midline.
And sometimes his aim is prefect and the ball sails right over Gabe, so that he can collect it on the run and score!
All sorts of exciting things happened in the game. There was even an accidental face punt.
The girl was fine, but Jayden was mortified!
The game ended in a tie 5-5. I thought it was a great game to watch. Shane was a little salty when he came off the field, because he said a girl on the other team stomped on his leg once in the goal box. The girl's in his class. He said the ref didn't see it, but a teammate did. It didn't faze him long. He was happy with a tie!
And for some reason he became a frog at the next practice.
The stinker looks at everyone (including me) to see who's looking at him and whatever goofy thing he's doing.
I try to make it look like I'm reading my book or in my phone when he's too goofy. I'm all for a little playing around, but Shane keeps at it way too long.
And while Shane is insistent that he only wants to play goalie he has to give it up at times. There have been a couple of halves someone else has been in the goal box. When that happens, Shane refuses to play offense. He only wants to play defense (and "coach" the goalie....).
These shots are from the fourth game. Cameron was in goal and Shane was on defense with a scarf headband.
He had a few good plays on defense before Shane got his wish to play goalie in the 2nd half. He kept the scarf headband, too (Though I don't think the refs have any trouble recognizing him in the goal box at this point!).
Game #5 took place in the rain.
Every kid should play a game in the rain. They're fun! It teaches character, too! I was so happy there wasn't any lightning, so that Shane could have the experience.
I've had the experience, so I watched from the car. I pulled it right up to the fence line to imitate the other smart people who had the idea before me.
I definitely got out of the car when there was penalty kick. Shane learned the hard way he can't pick up a pass from a teammate. But then he face down the PK with a midair block!
It was awesome. Shane roared! I wish I'd kept filming, but I was busy laughing and cheering myself!
Shane ran up to Carrie and gave her a wet hug when we got home!
The rain game was the game of the year, in my opinion! It's why I want Shane to play sports!
He was right back to being goofy at practice the following week.
I used to yell directions and encouragement all the time at Shane's games. I've done my best to fade back as he's gotten older, so that I'm mostly quiet on the sidelines save cheering. Then I try not to sit too close at practice, because I don't want to instinctively yell, "KNOCK IT OFF!"
In the end, Shane's having a good time! I asked him about winter sports and he said, "How about more soccer?" Sadly, there's no SOKS in Spring, but I may sign him up for SOCA in Charlottesville and put up with the drive instead. I've looked up goalie training and camps for Shane, too, but I think that's more my excitement than his (but if he asks or shows an interest I've already got some research done!).
