Fabulous summer poster checking in

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing, we are DCUM-poor and we both work full time - no flexibility, both must work the same core hours. We can't really afford a vacation right now and I'm not comfortable going anywhere anyway.

For those of you who take off on day trips on the weekends - when do you clean your house and catch up on chores like yard, laundry, meal prep for the week...

Early in the morning or late or night or sporadically during the day when I have two minutes between calls and I can switch a load of laundry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yeah, sorry, OP, you do sound a little insensitive. People have lost jobs, and may have lost loved ones to the pandemic.

I know we're in the DCUM bubble where nothing bad ever happens except MIL monsters, but still...

So are we all supposed to be unhappy all summer?
This is a post crowdsourcing how to do normal things. OP doesn’t strike me as tone deaf, only as trying to make the best of a scary situation.

PP you replied to.

Of course not, but it's a little graceless to word it the way she did (or he did). OP should perhaps have formulated it in the form of a question: "What nice things are you doing for yourself this summer?" and it would have been totally innocuous. Talking about a FABULOUS summer in the middle of a deadly viral surge and worse economic downturn we've had in decades is in poor taste, I hope we can all agree on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:State parks, hiking, sandy beaches, gardens, wineries, breweries, playgrounds adventures, creek splashing, scooter riding - mostly on weekends.

On weekdays, gymnastic camp, science experiments with the baby sitter, swim lessons.

?? where ??

So you have gymnastics open, pools open, playgrounds open, bars open — are you in florida?

No I’m in Arlington. Sandy beaches at Matapeake Beach park in MD and Greenbriar State Park in MD -both are an hour or less drive. Playground adventures locally and also I googled “best playgrounds” and we are checking them out- example at Patapsco State Park in MD (google Tire Playground). Paradise Valley a winery, absolutely no problem for kids, there were many and they were all enjoying themselves on their lawn. Dirt Farm Brewery- same. Little Gym is open for gymnastics camp as of next week. Swim school is open for private lessons as of a week or two ago. We opted for private instead of classes bc the kids are always coughing and sneezing on each other in the pool. I don’t go to bars. We have done outdoor dining but just with our bubble. And yes I know my post had an obnoxious tone-it was in response to OP’s obnoxious tone.

Our family near Matapeake is feeling like they can’t go to the beach with the non local influx. Thanks.

Everything else is closed this summer so more people are going to beaches. It’s not a private beach and it’s not whoever lives closest gets dibs. To think otherwise is...interesting.

Absolutely. Import corona since you need a beach. Excellent humaning.

I live at the beach as well and our public beach is also crowded with people. But you know what? They have every right to be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State parks, hiking, sandy beaches, gardens, wineries, breweries, playgrounds adventures, creek splashing, scooter riding - mostly on weekends.

On weekdays, gymnastic camp, science experiments with the baby sitter, swim lessons.

?? where ??

So you have gymnastics open, pools open, playgrounds open, bars open — are you in florida?

No I’m in Arlington. Sandy beaches at Matapeake Beach park in MD and Greenbriar State Park in MD -both are an hour or less drive. Playground adventures locally and also I googled “best playgrounds” and we are checking them out- example at Patapsco State Park in MD (google Tire Playground). Paradise Valley a winery, absolutely no problem for kids, there were many and they were all enjoying themselves on their lawn. Dirt Farm Brewery- same. Little Gym is open for gymnastics camp as of next week. Swim school is open for private lessons as of a week or two ago. We opted for private instead of classes bc the kids are always coughing and sneezing on each other in the pool. I don’t go to bars. We have done outdoor dining but just with our bubble. And yes I know my post had an obnoxious tone-it was in response to OP’s obnoxious tone.

Our family near Matapeake is feeling like they can’t go to the beach with the non local influx. Thanks.

Everything else is closed this summer so more people are going to beaches. It’s not a private beach and it’s not whoever lives closest gets dibs. To think otherwise is...interesting.

Absolutely. Import corona since you need a beach. Excellent humaning.

I live at the beach as well and our public beach is also crowded with people. But you know what? They have every right to be there.

No one is saying they don’t have the right to be there. It’s that it’s getting crowded and less safe because people are leaving their home area.

[Anonymous]

Also, god forbid anyone have a non waspy opinion around here.

[Anonymous]

Who are you trying to impress? Ok, you win summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State parks, hiking, sandy beaches, gardens, wineries, breweries, playgrounds adventures, creek splashing, scooter riding - mostly on weekends.

On weekdays, gymnastic camp, science experiments with the baby sitter, swim lessons.

?? where ??

So you have gymnastics open, pools open, playgrounds open, bars open — are you in florida?

No I’m in Arlington. Sandy beaches at Matapeake Beach park in MD and Greenbriar State Park in MD -both are an hour or less drive. Playground adventures locally and also I googled “best playgrounds” and we are checking them out- example at Patapsco State Park in MD (google Tire Playground). Paradise Valley a winery, absolutely no problem for kids, there were many and they were all enjoying themselves on their lawn. Dirt Farm Brewery- same. Little Gym is open for gymnastics camp as of next week. Swim school is open for private lessons as of a week or two ago. We opted for private instead of classes bc the kids are always coughing and sneezing on each other in the pool. I don’t go to bars. We have done outdoor dining but just with our bubble. And yes I know my post had an obnoxious tone-it was in response to OP’s obnoxious tone.

Our family near Matapeake is feeling like they can’t go to the beach with the non local influx. Thanks.

Why would anyone buy near a beach and not have private beach property? The point of being on a beach is to be able to relax without other random people around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi!

Just seeing what fun things everyone found to do with their kids.

We have been busy swimming in the lake, camping in the yard, going to the drive in and just wrapped up two nights at a hotel with a pool.

What are yo u doing to help your kids have a great summer?

Teaching my kids to cook, play instruments, connect with far-away family over FaceTime, etc. Turning the "stuck at home" into an opportunity to focus on the type of stuff we'd never get to do with our usual busy camp schedules and traveling. It's actually been fun, once we got into the right mindset. Especially when it came to learning. I was surprised to see how much my kids didn't know that I knew at their ages. In some respects, I feel really fortunate that these stay-at-home orders came when they did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State parks, hiking, sandy beaches, gardens, wineries, breweries, playgrounds adventures, creek splashing, scooter riding - mostly on weekends.

On weekdays, gymnastic camp, science experiments with the baby sitter, swim lessons.

?? where ??

So you have gymnastics open, pools open, playgrounds open, bars open — are you in florida?

No I’m in Arlington. Sandy beaches at Matapeake Beach park in MD and Greenbriar State Park in MD -both are an hour or less drive. Playground adventures locally and also I googled “best playgrounds” and we are checking them out- example at Patapsco State Park in MD (google Tire Playground). Paradise Valley a winery, absolutely no problem for kids, there were many and they were all enjoying themselves on their lawn. Dirt Farm Brewery- same. Little Gym is open for gymnastics camp as of next week. Swim school is open for private lessons as of a week or two ago. We opted for private instead of classes bc the kids are always coughing and sneezing on each other in the pool. I don’t go to bars. We have done outdoor dining but just with our bubble. And yes I know my post had an obnoxious tone-it was in response to OP’s obnoxious tone.

Our family near Matapeake is feeling like they can’t go to the beach with the non local influx. Thanks.

Everything else is closed this summer so more people are going to beaches. It’s not a private beach and it’s not whoever lives closest gets dibs. To think otherwise is...interesting.

Absolutely. Import corona since you need a beach. Excellent humaning.

I live at the beach as well and our public beach is also crowded with people. But you know what? They have every right to be there.

No one is saying they don’t have the right to be there. It’s that it’s getting crowded and less safe because people are leaving their home area.

So what’s the radius that you deem appropriate for beach use? Have to live within 10 miles? 15? More or less?

It’s not crowded or less safe if the people that live close are there? Only if it’s people that travel half an hour? Because again, with pools and splash pads and sports and everything else extremely limited this summer, more people will access the beach. Even if it’s just more of the deserving ones that live closer to it, it will be busier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people on this thread seem nice, but OP is so smug. Sorry I can't have a "fabulous summer" when I'm barely hanging onto my job, my husband's lost his, and I'm trying to take care of children while on constant Zoom calls.

I know. I'm letting down the team by not being "sunny" and "positive."

I'm "smug" because I'm trying -- hard -- to find fun things to do for my kids? Making the best of things?

Point out exactly what is smug. Because I use the word fabulous?

No you are smug because you are saying that you are going to make the best of things for your kids despite the pandemic without realizing that many people would be doing those exact same things if they didn't have to work full-time while taking care of kids, or didn't have spouses providing medical care or other essential services. You see to not understand that other people have constraints on making their summer fabulous (no boat, no childcare, no access to a lake). You are privileged to have these options, do not realize your privilege, seem to think that other people don't have your experiences because they don't want it enough or are scared of the pandemic, and you have started two separate threads bragging about all this. All of that makes you smug. Got it pumpkin?

We are all working too. But the housework and laundry can wait and we can carve out time for our kids. There are plenty of ways to be creative.

You can't even devote Saturday and Sunday to them? Sad.

LOL, yes I agree it is sad that my husband has to work weekends at the hospital and I have to do work in order to keep my job. Nowhere in my PP did I say that I was doing housework and laundry on the weekends instead of working or taking care of my kids. My job is demanding enough that I cannot drive "only an hour" (so two hours round trip and then spend an hour or two with my kids at the beach etc. Other people have more demanding jobs than you do; not sure why you don't seem to understand that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State parks, hiking, sandy beaches, gardens, wineries, breweries, playgrounds adventures, creek splashing, scooter riding - mostly on weekends.

On weekdays, gymnastic camp, science experiments with the baby sitter, swim lessons.

?? where ??

So you have gymnastics open, pools open, playgrounds open, bars open — are you in florida?

No I’m in Arlington. Sandy beaches at Matapeake Beach park in MD and Greenbriar State Park in MD -both are an hour or less drive. Playground adventures locally and also I googled “best playgrounds” and we are checking them out- example at Patapsco State Park in MD (google Tire Playground). Paradise Valley a winery, absolutely no problem for kids, there were many and they were all enjoying themselves on their lawn. Dirt Farm Brewery- same. Little Gym is open for gymnastics camp as of next week. Swim school is open for private lessons as of a week or two ago. We opted for private instead of classes bc the kids are always coughing and sneezing on each other in the pool. I don’t go to bars. We have done outdoor dining but just with our bubble. And yes I know my post had an obnoxious tone-it was in response to OP’s obnoxious tone.

Our family near Matapeake is feeling like they can’t go to the beach with the non local influx. Thanks.

Everything else is closed this summer so more people are going to beaches. It’s not a private beach and it’s not whoever lives closest gets dibs. To think otherwise is...interesting.

Absolutely. Import corona since you need a beach. Excellent humaning.

I live at the beach as well and our public beach is also crowded with people. But you know what? They have every right to be there.

No one is saying they don’t have the right to be there. It’s that it’s getting crowded and less safe because people are leaving their home area.

So what’s the radius that you deem appropriate for beach use? Have to live within 10 miles? 15? More or less?

It’s not crowded or less safe if the people that live close are there? Only if it’s people that travel half an hour? Because again, with pools and splash pads and sports and everything else extremely limited this summer, more people will access the beach. Even if it’s just more of the deserving ones that live closer to it, it will be busier.

You have issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yeah, sorry, OP, you do sound a little insensitive. People have lost jobs, and may have lost loved ones to the pandemic.

I know we're in the DCUM bubble where nothing bad ever happens except MIL monsters, but still...

So are we all supposed to be unhappy all summer?
This is a post crowdsourcing how to do normal things. OP doesn’t strike me as tone deaf, only as trying to make the best of a scary situation.

Than she is a poor writer because it came off insulting. And the fact that other posters agree with me that she is "tone" deaf should give yo both pause and not argue with us that we are wrong.

Way to wallow in your misery.

Summer is everyone's best chance to have a great time with all the outside opportunities and some things opening up.

Come January you and your kids will wish you hadn't squandered July being a sorehead.


Ha! I personally am having a fabulous summer but I dont gloat and I'm not telling you what I am doing.

Just know it is awesome.

[Anonymous]

I just came on here to see I’m having a fabulous summer too OP on my yacht. Let the haters hate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State parks, hiking, sandy beaches, gardens, wineries, breweries, playgrounds adventures, creek splashing, scooter riding - mostly on weekends.

On weekdays, gymnastic camp, science experiments with the baby sitter, swim lessons.

?? where ??

So you have gymnastics open, pools open, playgrounds open, bars open — are you in florida?

No I’m in Arlington. Sandy beaches at Matapeake Beach park in MD and Greenbriar State Park in MD -both are an hour or less drive. Playground adventures locally and also I googled “best playgrounds” and we are checking them out- example at Patapsco State Park in MD (google Tire Playground). Paradise Valley a winery, absolutely no problem for kids, there were many and they were all enjoying themselves on their lawn. Dirt Farm Brewery- same. Little Gym is open for gymnastics camp as of next week. Swim school is open for private lessons as of a week or two ago. We opted for private instead of classes bc the kids are always coughing and sneezing on each other in the pool. I don’t go to bars. We have done outdoor dining but just with our bubble. And yes I know my post had an obnoxious tone-it was in response to OP’s obnoxious tone.

Our family near Matapeake is feeling like they can’t go to the beach with the non local influx. Thanks.

Everything else is closed this summer so more people are going to beaches. It’s not a private beach and it’s not whoever lives closest gets dibs. To think otherwise is...interesting.

Absolutely. Import corona since you need a beach. Excellent humaning.

I live at the beach as well and our public beach is also crowded with people. But you know what? They have every right to be there.

No one is saying they don’t have the right to be there. It’s that it’s getting crowded and less safe because people are leaving their home area.

So what’s the radius that you deem appropriate for beach use? Have to live within 10 miles? 15? More or less?

It’s not crowded or less safe if the people that live close are there? Only if it’s people that travel half an hour? Because again, with pools and splash pads and sports and everything else extremely limited this summer, more people will access the beach. Even if it’s just more of the deserving ones that live closer to it, it will be busier.

You have issues.

Well, thanks for clearing that up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people on this thread seem nice, but OP is so smug. Sorry I can't have a "fabulous summer" when I'm barely hanging onto my job, my husband's lost his, and I'm trying to take care of children while on constant Zoom calls.

I know. I'm letting down the team by not being "sunny" and "positive."

I'm "smug" because I'm trying -- hard -- to find fun things to do for my kids? Making the best of things?

Point out exactly what is smug. Because I use the word fabulous?

No you are smug because you are saying that you are going to make the best of things for your kids despite the pandemic without realizing that many people would be doing those exact same things if they didn't have to work full-time while taking care of kids, or didn't have spouses providing medical care or other essential services. You see to not understand that other people have constraints on making their summer fabulous (no boat, no childcare, no access to a lake). You are privileged to have these options, do not realize your privilege, seem to think that other people don't have your experiences because they don't want it enough or are scared of the pandemic, and you have started two separate threads bragging about all this. All of that makes you smug. Got it pumpkin?

We are all working too. But the housework and laundry can wait and we can carve out time for our kids. There are plenty of ways to be creative.

You can't even devote Saturday and Sunday to them? Sad.

LOL, yes I agree it is sad that my husband has to work weekends at the hospital and I have to do work in order to keep my job. Nowhere in my PP did I say that I was doing housework and laundry on the weekends instead of working or taking care of my kids. My job is demanding enough that I cannot drive "only an hour" (so two hours round trip and then spend an hour or two with my kids at the beach etc. Other people have more demanding jobs than you do; not sure why you don't seem to understand that.

I mean, come on. You can’t do an hour drive with your kids on a weekend? That’s a little much. I’ve spent an hour in traffic getting to and from my workplace in DC which is maybe 5 miles from my home. You are just making excuses. That’s a lame excuse. Just stay home and be miserable then and watch other people make easy day trips. We have been taking advantage of the lighter traffic on the roads, too.