Sometimes Plans Change

 As I wrote previously, we were going to celebrate grandson Isaac's 19th birthday with a family dinner here on Saturday evening. 

On Friday morning Jill called to say she and Irene had tested positive to COVID, the omnicron variant. Irene is fine but Jill was sick with a headache, sore throat, fever, and fatigue. The dinner had to be called off.

That made us sad, especially Jill, so we did what we could to make it better. We had a little outside party in their driveway.

I went to the grocery store early Saturday morning, before the crowds, bought a little cake and candles. I pulled some birthday decorations out of a box in the computer room closet. We arranged a time, arrived with a card table, cloth, plates, forks, and napkins. 

We lit the candles, which I had to do several times, it being outside. Thankfully it was not rainy or windy.

I got them lighted long enough for Isaac to blow them out.  We all sang "Happy Birthday". 

Jill watched from her bedroom window over the garage.

Irene watched from the yard and Facetimed Aunt Jan on the phone.

Then Isaac, who had tested negative just before our party, opened his gifts. I called Jake to fill him in and let him wish Isaac a happy birthday. 

Isaac was pleased with his gifts and his little party. He will return to Bellingham and college Sunday. They had remote learning this past week. 

Jill was even more pleased that her boy got to have a party. Her fever broke and she is a bit better, just very, very tired.

If Irene gets negative results from her last COVID test she will be able to go back to high school Monday. 

Jill figures either she or Irene caught it from school. Jill will be on vacation this week. She has been isolating in their house. It's not the best way to get time off, but she will have the rest she needs to get better.

Jake came over after we got home. He has been packing for his move to Friday Harbor and he had a couple of tubs of things he is not yet ready to part with to store in our attic. Tom was just finishing putting away the outside Christmas lights that he had just taken down from the eves. We got to see Jake too before he moves on Tuesday. 

It seems like we covered a lot of ground on Saturday.

Catching this variant seems to be as easy as catching a cold, very transmittable. Tom and I are back to hunkering down, knowing our dear ones are doing OK. 

Be careful out there.