Not Quite Independence Day 2020
Nobody looks forward to the dentist, but last week was an exception for me. Crazy as it sounds, I was eager to have my teeth cleaned. Has the pandemic driven me totally nuts? Not exactly. Tooth cleaning was an opportunity to take care of MYSELF! I know a few other...
read moreReopening New York City During the Coronavirus – Are We Safe?
As Phase 2 began this week, I felt like a bird being (slowly) released from my East 73rd Street cage. On Monday, my daughter and I went for a haircut. We both prefer our hair long, but Samantha was beginning to resemble Rapunzel, and I looked as though a litter of...
read moreAutism and Covid19: Questions Without Answers
As the coronavirus drags on, and New York continues to be (mostly) shut down, my daughter on the spectrum is asking more and more questions I can’t answer. The onslaught of her curiosity and sincere desire to understand adds to our daily household stress. I have my...
read moreAutism, Racism and the Coronavirus
How does a privileged white mother explain to her autistic daughter about racism in America? How can I help her to understand the horrifying on-camera murder of a black man by a white police officer? These would be difficult questions to address with a neurotypical...
read moreAutism, Memorial Day and Covid19
Another so-called holiday is about to bite the dust. Actually, I’d prefer the holiday to EAT the dust, so that Samantha and I don’t have to vacuum this weekend. Already in need of repair, my Miele vacuum is 10 years old and sounds weaker and more exhausted than I...
read more26 Lessons Learned by an Autism Mom During the Coronavirus
As we approach the end of two months of “sheltering in place” and social distancing, some aspects of life have changed dramatically while others have stayed (stubbornly!) the same. Here is a sampling of the good, the bad and the ugly as experienced by one autism...
read moreZooming Daily and Going Nowhere
During my six weeks (and counting!) confinement to our NYC apartment, I’ve been online and Zooming every day. Each morning I roll back my living room carpet halfway to create a mini-dance floor. I’m taking wonderful dance and Zumba classes online with my favorite...
read moreMy Mother’s 93rd Birthday During the Coronavirus
My mom turned 93 last week. No celebration of any kind was possible. My mother doesn’t own a cell phone or a computer so there is no Zoom, FaceTime or opportunity to celebrate virtually. The good news is that my mother doesn’t live in a nursing home or assisted...
read moreRevelations During Coronavirus Confinement
After spending more than three hours cleaning and disinfecting our apartment, I have a new appreciation for my housekeeper. My back is killing me and I didn’t even finish the job. After cleaning three bedrooms and three bathrooms (with my daughter’s help!) I had to...
read moreCoronavirus: Searching for the New Normal
The city that “never sleeps” is currently comatose. New York City Streets are empty; most stores and restaurants are shuttered. White hospital tents are springing up in Central Park. I’m thinking it’s not safe to take a power walk anywhere near those tents,...
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