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Christmas 2021

Published on December 30, 2021 by harrigantalesLeave a comment

Being that we were still in the midst of a pandemic holidays were a still not back to normal. Although I am not sure any of us remember what normal really is.

I took dad to the emergency room on the Monday before Christmas. Waited six hours and they decided to admit him. We initially thought it was just for the night but turned into four nights. Christmas Eve he was transported to a skilled nursing facility so they can work on his rehab and stability for getting around. Ever day is getting better and better.

So it was just the four of us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It was nice and low key. Rich worked the overnight Christmas Eve so we didn’t have our breakfast until about noon.

I think we are all hoping for a better and brighter 2022. It’s been almost two years since this pandemic started. Flatten the curve they said. It will be about two weeks. I believe the virus is real but I also believe the government is taking advantage of peoples fears and playing into them. The current administration is now saying there is nothing they can do on the federal level and it’s up to the states. Out current governor believes he should keep extending his executive powers. I say it’s an abuse of his position and he needs to be stopped. |If people are nervous about the virus then they should by all means continue to wear a mask. There are so many issues with the way they are running things now. Businesses have suffered tremendous losses and people have lost their jobs because they don’t want to get the vaccine. It should be their choice. It shouldn’t be mandated and the Supreme Court now agrees. It shouldn’t be a prerequisite to continue with your current job. Whether you have been vaccinated or not you can get and pass the virus. Whether you wear a mask or not you can pass the virus.

So here’s to hoping that the next year will bring brighter days as well as more common sense among people.

Sandy Hook Remembrance

Published on December 14, 2021December 30, 2021 by harrigantalesLeave a comment

Some things we will never forget…. this is one of them. Nine years later and the pain these families is still very raw and real.

As with many other times in history we remember where we were and what we were doing. My kids were in 2nd and 5th grade at the local elementary school. Parent teacher conferences were schedule for that afternoon so the kids would be coming home within a few hours.

As the news broke of what was happening here in my home state of Connecticut was mind numbing to say the least. There have been many victims over the years of school shootings but for us this one was different. They were first graders who were still dreaming of what they would wanted when they grew up and still making their lists for Santa. Twenty children and six adults were killed that day.

I remember my kids coming home that day and wondered how I would explain to them what happened to inform them but not scare them. Tears in my eyes and they walked in the door. They had not heard what had happened but I have always been honest with them with the exception of Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. At their age of seven and ten it was hard for them to comprehend but they knew it was something really bad.

Conferences were still scheduled for that afternoon with a few changes. There was now a police presence outside of the school when parents arrived. I am not sure if they made them feel more at ease or scared them a little. We met with our second graders teacher first. Admittedly we were all a little distracted. Christmas break was nearly upon us and she mentioned that she would be coming back to make sure the closet was cleared out for safety reasons. You see if the kids are all in the closet they can’t be seen from the window in the door. This is how the teachers and the administration were now thinking. The safety of the kids have always been a priority but now it was obvious to everyone and why.

Those kids would be freshmen in high school this year. Our hearts go our to their community, friends and family.

This past week there was an incident at our own high school. A kid bragged to other students and told them they shouldn’t come to school the next day or they would be sorry. Kudos to the school, town police and the administration for how quickly they reacted and handled the situation. That kid was arrested and there will be a hearing in a few weeks. I don’t know who this kid is and frankly don’t want to know. The fact that he did this means he has no true understanding how frightening this is for parents. Either that or he simply doesn’t care and just wanted out of an exam. Some kids were scared to even come to school the next day. My junior wasn’t nervous but wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. The school handled so efficiently I had confidence they would be able to keep my child safe. As long as he was okay with going I was sending him to school.

Today and everyday we honor those children and the teachers and administrators for what they endured that frightful day.

This version of this song always gets me….

Prayers to those families and friends that were affected by that tragic day.

Thanksgiving 2021

Published on November 27, 2021November 27, 2021 by harrigantalesLeave a comment

Today and everyday we should give thanks to things we have and how blessed we are.

The day started with the boys getting ready for the Manchester Road Race. Peytons first race and he did fabulous. Beautiful day for a race but I stayed behind to get the feast ready. First year dad didn’t go to the race but listened to it on the radio. Rich went to pick dad up for Thanksgiving knowing he isn’t as mobile as he has been in the past.

This year we are all thankful for the time together and the friends that surround us. This Spring will be two years of COVID. It is never going away despite what some may think. It is under control as the numbers are going down and the states that are open and not requiring masks are doing better than those that are still requiring it. Hoping common sense will prevail soon.

Here’s to another year of counting our blessings.