Seriously, not much has changed. We’re still locked down and kids, at least in the GTA, aren’t back at school yet. Though most of Ontario will be back next week (some already are!), Toronto, Peel and York Region won’t be going until after the long weekend. Restaurants and stores (save for pharmacies and grocery stores) are only open for takeout/delivery and curbside pickup. I’m still buying groceries online and getting them delivered. I DO make one or two to one or two close by on weekends, however. I honestly feel badly for parents, many of whom have to juggle working from home while making sure their kids are behaving while in virtual school. I’m definitely a fan of in-person learning, even if some people, especially from my cultural community don’t think it’s appropriate. Seeing peers in person is very important for development (and not to mention, mental well-being), especially for younger kids (including toddlers). I hope school won’t be “cancelled” again in the fall when my son starts preschool.
My weekends are still involve making kefir soda bread, having delivered brunch with my husband and son, sometimes errands, and of course, playing with Jr. Mintz. He’s grown up a lot in the past few weeks. His vocabulary is still low for his age, but he definitely understands EVERYTHING. You ask him to point to an object or colour and he will do that. He shows you what something or someone is doing, even if he doesn’t express it verbally. I have no doubts that if there was no pandemic, his vocabulary would be much, much bigger.
Another bit of craziness recently: The stock market has been basically crazy over the past couple of weeks. People on Wall Street Bets, a Reddit group, went crazy buying shorted stocks, especially GameStop, a brick-and-mortar store selling video games and related products. The place is basically a relic of the past, and will likely close. This sent their shares skyrocketing – up to $350+ (from barely $5 or 6) US (it’s since gone back down…way down, trading in the double digit figures). It was a way to get back at hedge funds, so that they’d lose money. These retail traders felt that they deserved a larger share of the stock market. However, what they didn’t realize, and probably STILL don’t realize, is that no one is really winning. Some of these day traders have been BORROWING money to bet and aren’t even looking at the long term, which is what retail investors SHOULD be doing. Some might even have bet their kids’ future tuition away! Really? You want to do that? I have to admit that I was freaking out at one point, but really, my portfolio is for the long term. It’s been getting better, so I guess when you can’t actually go to Vegas, you let Vegas come to you. I really apologize if I come across as some kind of snob. But to be honest, this is my reality. Everyone has a different reality. The only REAL good thing that came out of this is more people are becoming interested in investing.
What else? Groundhog Day was earlier this week, and Ontario’s albino groundhog, Wiarton Willie DID NOT see his shadow. This means it’ll be an early spring (I hope)!!
