January 21, 2023 - Saturday

We decided to do a screen free Saturday today. The morning started with some ups and downs. Down: Ollie came into my bed at 6am (or earlier? It seemed really early). Up: Ben and I had some fun alone time. Down: Ollie had an hour-long tantrum about no TV that was infuriating. The big kids took the screen-free mandate in stride, literally just didn't care, but Ollie. She is wild. Once the tantrum was over, she did a lot better and we did let the kids watch a family movie after dinner. The idea behind it isn't really that TV is a monster, but that we spend too much time entranced by screens and not really being present in our actual lives. I don't think a movie together really takes away from that? But maybe it did. I don't know. 

We spent a little time out front and brought the Solo stove out with us. We burned some branches, sat around the fire, and I took down all of the Christmas decorations, finally. I saw one of our new neighbors outside for the first time ever! I've seen them pull out of their garage a couple of times, but that's it. SO. I walk over there as fast as I can to introduce myself before the lady goes back inside. I tell her my name is Josie; she tells me her name is Fati. Then she tells me she doesn't speak English. She says some other stuff I don't understand about someone else in the house, but I didn't really respond because she wouldn't understand me anyway. I waved goodbye and went back to my driveway. Ten minutes later, a younger woman comes out of the house and introduces herself! She speaks English and tells me that they're from Iran. She and her husband came over a few years ago, but her mother just came to be with them a few months ago (that is who I spoke to first). She tells me that she is very sociable, but hasn't made friends in the area yet and then tells me her husband is not sociable at all, but makes him get out of his car and introduce himself anyway. 😅 He was obviously uncomfortable and annoyed. Oh well! It was a really nice intro conversation. Her mom loves to sew and was a well-known dress maker at home, before she retired. Nazee works at Chase and loves to cook. She asked if she could make some snacks for the kids to try that are typical snacks for kids in Iran. She is probably 45/50ish and she said she and her husband have no children of their own. She's trying to convince her mom to stay in America, but isn't sure if she will. She'll stay through the summer, at least. I hope I get to spend some time with both of them!