By most understandings of the word “optimism,” Dino Spouse is not an optimistic fellow. Nonetheless, in matters of weather and the heart, he retains a capacity for hope (denial? suspension of disbelief?) which is quite beyond me. Every time the temperature dips into the low 80’s, he expresses the certainty that the worst of summer is behind us. Whenever misfortunes befall us, no matter how long-standing their causes or effects, he assures the kids and me that it will be better once (insert name of next season) comes.

I’m not really sure why I started out with this, but fall is almost here and soon it will have been six months since COVID-19 avoidance took over big chunks of our lives. Mouse starts back to school, albeit online, on Tuesday; Dino Spouse and I continue to telework. Bot moved into the dorms at his university about three weeks ago and expects to be sent home before the end of this month to finish out the fall semester. There’s a veneer of normalcy over everything – flour and toilet paper have returned to the stores, and more in-person activities are opening up – but we’re still living with the feeling of reality being on hold. Gotta a whole lotta existential dread goin’ on.

Also, our dog died in July, and we got a new one in August. Dino Spouse is still mourning his best buddy ever but the new dog kind of cheers him up. His name is Courage (after “Courage The Cowardly Dog”) because he is scared of the cat and whimpers to express fear and longing.