At this point, starting our 921st day in isolation, we, like all families, are getting creative with how to shake things up while not leaving home. Fortunately, the weather has cooperated and allowed us to spend time in the yard. Last week we pulled out the tent, a complete novelty to Benji. (As an aside, clearly we’re not parenting right if he doesn’t know how to set up a tent at age 7.)

Mostly we’ve used it as a reading tent:

Actually, the biggest challenge has been keeping the tent free of sticky pods released by a nearby tree.

Those sticky pods stick to our feet and shoes, and if you sit on one, to your clothes. Then they ride in and get stuck all over the house. They drive us nuts. But it’s worth it to have the pleasant tree shade all summer. I just wish that tree didn’t need to grow its leaves in such sticky, stain-y pods.

It rained yesterday, so we had to take down the tent. But I’m guessing we’ll pull it out again before this all ends.