Pippy Joins the Family

We headed to Tahoe this weekend to take care of a few things in the cabin.   My dad joined--and we had planned nice day hike--but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate, making it too cold and windy to enjoy a real hike.  

The true objective of the trip, however was to pick up a new bunny in Sacramento on the way home.

Jason found this bunny a few weeks ago for a "bargain" price.   Allegedly a purebred holland lop.   The breeders also claimed that the bunny was 10 weeks old, but she is incredibly tiny.   So either younger or extremely malnourished.   Perhaps both.   Nothing like a "deal" on Craig's list.

Though the kids originally planned to name her Marshmallow, we found the name Pipsqueak much more fitting.   So Pipsqueak, or 'Pippy' for short.   She did fine in the car, and has been introduced to her new home, which has been fortified with an external cage that Jason built.   

Hopefully this will prevent her from the same fate as Dot.   I am, however, a bit concerned that she may die from other causes, as she certainly does not seem robust.  Let's hope that the kids can nurse her back to health.

School

Another thing that COVID has canceled is the annual school 'open houses'.   During these events, we would get to see the inside of the kids' classrooms, chat with their teachers, and see various projects that they had been doing over the school year.

But of course now no parents can come into the classrooms, and for the second year in a row, we have had no open house.

The kids did bring home to projects, which probably would have normally been hung up for open house, so I will share here.   First Alaina's poem:

And second, Ethan's letter to us:

Meanwhile, our district announced last night that they would not be extending the school day to the pre-covid normal day until perhaps next fall, which is quite irritating.   The kids are all back every day, but for 2/3 time.   Full-time pay however, is going to the teachers.  I am not sure how the educational deficit will every be made whole.   

Easter and Spring Break

This past week was the kids' spring break.   We spent the week up at the cabin.   There was still a fair amount of snow on the ground, so we did some spring skiing most mornings (until it was too slushy). Highs were in the 50s most days, so over the course of the week we certainly watched the snow melt!   At night the temps dropped down below freezing though, so skiing on the snow each morning was more like skiing on refrozen ice cream--until it warmed up each day.    We were lucky to have bluebird skies though--it sure was beautiful!

Sadly, Jason broke his toe a few weeks ago, so unfortunately, he could not cross-country ski, but the kids and I did that too.

  

The Easter bunny managed to find the kids in Tahoe, so the week was fueled by jelly beans and peeps.   We did some repairs around the cabin, and got a bit more organized.  

  

One afternoon we went down to the lake and it was even warm enough for the kids to take off their socks and shoes and play in the sand!