Is it possible to social distance on Halloween?

The answer is yes! It's not easy, but it's possible. This was nicely demonstrated by Eli and Amanda, as they hosted their 3rd annual Halloween party last night. It's not a huge event, which helps. Usually, they invite our family, Amanda's family, and a couple friends. Also, the weather fully cooperated last night. I don't know what they would have done had it been a week ago when temperatures dropped to the teens, but last night, it was a balmy 50 degrees, so the party could be fully outside.

They were so understanding of my "COVID anxiety" that they set up separate tables across the yard from each other, one for our family and one for Amanda's. Here we are chillin' and enjoying the evening, safely distanced from others:

They served warm, comfort food: lasagna, pigs in a blanket, mac and cheese, and tons of candy. They even have this cool fire thing, which kept Isaiah (and the rest of us) toasty warm!

The highlight of this event is always the games and the prizes awarded, the favorite being the "mummy wrap," where one person wraps the other in bathroom tissue and crepe paper to create a mummy. Shulamith and I always win this one, and last night was no exception. I'd prove it, but the picture was sucky so I deleted it. Use your imagination. Picture me wrapped from neck to knees in bath tissue. Here are a few other shots of the mummy game:

Then there is the "Best Costume" prize. Shulamith and I always dress as "moms," and I really think we should win; however, these two couples were a close second:

Clark Kent and Wonder Woman

Rapunzel and Flynn Rider

Yes, it's possible to social distance and still enjoy Halloween; you just have to be creative! Thank you, Eli and Amanda, for your creativity and for planning and hosting such a fun celebration.

In Our Family, We Cast our Votes for Decency

I so clearly remember the first time I voted. I was a freshman in college, living away from home for the first time. I had turned 18 on October 20th, just two weeks before the election. I didn't have a car, so a guy from my dorm offered to drive me to the polls. "We have to help out our fellow Democrats," he said. 

I grew up in a political family, so voting for the first time was an important rite of passage; it felt strange to do it for the first time without my parents or grandparents, but that didn't take away from the thrill of finally being old enough to exercise this privilege. Though I'd participated in several political campaigns already, this was the first time I could actually make my voice known, however small it was. I was an adult, and I was voting!

I've had the honor to accompany each of our five children to vote, as one by one, they came of age. This time was Seth's turn. He is 20 already, but he's been in Paraguay for most of the past two years, so this was his first time voting. And he really wanted to do it in person. So Shulamith, Isaiah, and I took him to in-person, early voting yesterday. We had our mail-in ballots filled out just in case the lines were too long, or people weren't wearing masks or social distancing, but it all worked out perfectly. Hardly anyone was there, and the setup was designed to be COVID safe. I was so proud of Seth. Since returning from Paraguay, he has done much to educate himself on the candidates and issues and to become an informed, responsible voter.

Eli, Amanda, and Gerald opted to mail their ballots. The Utah Erichsen-Websters have voted! We cast our votes for families, for education, and for healthcare. We cast our votes for science, for sensible gun legislation, and for the environment. We cast our votes for social and racial justice and BLM, and for the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.

But mostly, we cast our votes for decency, for humanity, for kindness. In our family, we proudly cast our votes for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. 

No pedicures, movies, or massages: Welcome to my COVID birthday!

As birthdays go, this one was definitely atypical. Usually, Shulamith and I take a whole day to celebrate. We always go to at least one movie, sometimes two. We get pedicures and sometimes facials or massages. We go shopping and eat inside restaurants. 

None of that happened this year.

Enter COVID-19. 

No movies. No pedicures. No facials or massages. No inside dining. Utah hit 1,900 new cases yesterday; we're not taking any unnecessary risks. One might argue that it was kinda lame as birthdays go, but that's not true. While I hope and dream that next year, and the next, and all the future years we can go back to our normal day of celebrating, this was still a lovely birthday.

Shulamith and I got takeout from Outback: steaks and loaded baked potatoes; Caesar salad for me, fries for her. We took all this to what we refer to as the "shady park," a nicely shaded park behind Hillcrest High School. We packed forks and steak knives and ate at a picnic table. It was comfortably cool but not too cold. I guess one upside to the serious climate crisis is the warm fall we've had, keeping us outside a little longer.

Then in the afternoon before I went to my evening hybrid class, Eli and Amanda stopped by to surprise me with a yummy peanut butter, chocolate chip cookie from Crumbl. It was so good.

This afternoon we had a family celebration, once again, at the "shady park." Shulamith made me chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and picked up delicious Thai takeout, yellow curry with chicken and potatoes. True comfort food. We talked and laughed and ate and talked and laughed some more.

Welcome to my COVID birthday. Some may say it was kinda lame compared to other years, but they would be wrong. It was different for sure. But when you have these four amazing humans by your side, your closest friends, nothing else really matters. 

Once Upon a Pumpkin Patch

No matter how you slice it, 2020 has been challenging for everyone. A year ago, I don't think any of us ever dreamed this set of circumstances could occur, and once it did, we surely didn't expect it to go on this long.

The other day when I was kinda at the end of my proverbial rope, I said audibly to myself, "I am so tired of this stupid virus!"

But only a second later, I also thought, "...but not nearly as tired of it as those who have it, or those who have lost loved ones to its deadly grasp."

Indeed, we have been lucky so far, and while it's okay to express frustration for the many missed events and opportunities, it's equally important to acknowledge our good fortune and to remember those who have been afflicted.

All those thoughts and more swirled through my mind yesterday, as part of my family and I participated in a "normal" Halloween activity: We visited a little pumpkin patch. We had been there before at least once, so it felt familiar; it felt "pre-virus." It isn't one of those huge, crowded places. It's just a small farm with a few goats and a couple sheep, pumpkins on the vine on sale for $8, $5, or $3 depending on size, and $1.00 hay rides. Such a bargain, really, and even better, social distancing is no problem because there is hardly anyone there. 

We petted the animals (well, some of us did), circled the farm on bails of hay, and each selected our own pumpkin. Seth had to work, so I found the biggest one I could for him to carve. He has missed the last two Halloweens; I think this year's "Seth pumpkin" is gonna be epic!

Eli pushed Shulamith's children in a wheelbarrow. 

Shulamith and I showed up dressed identically, something that happens all too frequently, and all you can do is laugh.

We reminisced on the last time we were there, bundled up in big coats, shivering, but yesterday's warm, fall weather was delightful. 

COVID-19 is not over, not by a long shot. Cases in Utah continue to rise as many people are complacent and in come cases, in total denial. After the pumpkin patch yesterday, I drove to Bluffdale to meet the contractor who will finish our basement once we close on our new home. While I was there, our head builder happened to walk past. He approached me, not wearing a mask, and once he was about to come too close, I backed away and said, "Sorry, I'm COVID cautious."

"What?" he questioned.

"The virus. I'm cautions about not spreading the virus," I responded, to which he replied, 

"What virus?"

We obviously have far to go as we care for others by wearing protective masks and social distancing, and as we pray for those who suffer and for those who work tirelessly to develop a safe vaccine.

But meanwhile, it was sure lovely to take a break from it all,

...and go to a little pumpkin patch, 

...and feel normal.

I'm okay with awkward.

Last week, Shulamith and I stopped briefly at Harmon's to pick up a couple of items we forgot on our individual weekly grocery orders. As I stood in one aisle, trying to make a quick but informed choice, another shopper came up behind me, her mask worn way down under her nose. I immediately stepped away from her and hurried the other way (without the grocery item I needed), as she shouted after me, "Oh, you're good!" Apparently she thought I was leaving because she was in my way. Nope! And I'm not "good" either. I'm not good with people frequenting public establishments with their masks down under their noses. I get that they are significantly more comfortable worn that way, but they're also completely ineffective!

Then today, we were getting Mod Pizza to eat in the outside dining area, and the employee who was checking us out also had her lovely mask way down below her nose. Are you kidding? This is a restaurant. I distanced myself way back from her, reaching awkwardly to insert my debit card into the reader, and then hurried outside. 

Unfortunately, this casual response to a global pandemic that has now killed over a million people worldwide is promoted by some of our country's most influential people, including the current POTUS, who mocked his opponent in the debate (debacle?) Tuesday night, saying, "He could be speaking 200 feet away and he shows up with the biggest mask I've ever seen." Is it any wonder so many people refuse to comply with mask mandates designed to protect us when the nation's leader is this complacent? 

But I guess from a guy who can't even speak the four simple words "I condemn white supremacy," what can we expect? When you don't care about anyone but yourself, mask-wearing becomes inconsequential. And if you're smarter than the most skilled and educated scientists who tell you masks drastically slow the spread of this virus, and therefore, save lives, why would you wear one? And if that same scientific community tells you we are in a climate crisis, why would you listen?

But I digress.

Back to masks.

Wear your masks properly, people, and stay 6 ft. away from me. Otherwise, you and I will experience "awkward." And I don't much care. 

I'm okay with awkward.