Editor’s note: Karen Harris Tully is a writer who lives in Raymond and has agreed to keep a journal to share with Daily World readers during the odd and uncertain time we’re all navigating.

Dear Journal:

I have nothing to write about today. Except, well … Jak and Gill (in my upcoming sci-fi Jack and the Beanstalk retelling) still have yet to beat the sadistic Godmother, escape the giant space station, and save their irradiated planet from a mysterious, yet evil scientist. Plus, we all know that “beanstalk” has to come down in the end. Yeah, it’s a lot. My kiddos are off at school, so I have exactly six hours. And, there probably should be some sort of dinner tonight that doesn’t involve frozen pizza. I’ll think about that later.

Maybe I’m being a tad over-dramatic. I’m not sure if this is a normal level of crazy, or if we’re still at yellow-level alert, but I think it’s at least come down from orange-level, bat guano crazy. I am glad not to have political turmoil taking all my attention at the moment. I hope that lasts.

My parents and parents-in-law have all received their first shots of the vaccine, and when they receive their second, I can go back to subbing a couple days a week without worry of bringing them Covid from 10 different classrooms. Of course, it’ll still be a while before my husband and I can get vaccinated, and even longer for our kids, so the precautions and protocols remain in place.

We, like everyone else, can’t wait for this to be over. The kids want to do swim and gymnastics lessons at the Y so bad, they’re practicing their headstands and cartwheels in the living room, and diving into a pile of every pillow and blanket in the house. Which then turns into WWE until someone gets kneed in the nose, and then it’s a fight over who has to clean up. Every. Time! But, it’s fine. We’re fine here. Everything is fine. Who wants brownies?

Baking therapy has worked pretty well for me, on everything except my waistline. And gardening therapy is about to begin. We bought seeds yesterday, I’m looking at The Old Farmer’s Almanac, and mentally calculating the necessary ratio of soil to compost. It’s still winter, but is it just me, or does it feel like spring is coming?

Song of the day: The Future’s So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades), Timbuk 3

Karen Harris Tully is a novelist living in Raymond with her husband and two small children. She writes sci-fi/fantasy for teens and adults and can be found at www.karenharristully.com.