Key rollover; Delaware ties; progress; aging wastes time

I was fortunate enough last week to be lying next to my son Elijah when he rolled from his back to his belly for the first time. He was 3 and a half months old. He elevated his left arm and twisted his hips simultaneously to make the maneuver happen. He rolled from his belly to back a while ago after I placed him on his belly, but maybe that was just luck. He's only done it a few times since. Maybe he doesn't need to -- he prefers being on his stomach and would sleep that way if we let him. We don't. My wife took him to a baby spa this week, and he spent time in a jacuzzi, was stretched, and got an oil rubdown from a young staffer. Our neighbor jokingly tried to persuade me to get the same treatment, but I correctly pointed out that my weight was too much for the massage table.
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With coronavirus, stifling heat and monsoon season strongly influencing our lives here, watching U.S. politics and news on TV has become our No. 1 prime-time and morning activity. I'm a lifelong Democrat born into a family of Democrats in Wilmington, Delaware. It so happens that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is a Delaware guy. In fact, he was my cousin's teammate on Archmere Academy's undefeated high school football team. Archmere is in Claymont, Delaware. My cousin was quite a player. Anyway, what's happening in the U.S. is upsetting me and my wife as we consider moving to Yellow Springs, Ohio, next year with two young children. Coronavirus and racial injustice shake our confidence. So does the current leadership.  I will get my ballot for the November election around Sept. 18, and I'll Fed-ex my vote the next day. My daughter Joanna wants to go to Yellow Springs -- she's heard me talk about it and knows I have a house there. Phuong has taken many virtual walks around town using Google maps and giggles at my tiny house. Joanna also mentions going to Africa since we watch a lot of nature shows on TV and video. That could happen if the election goes the wrong way for me.
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Despite language issues, teachers remain patient and committed to making Joanna's school experience positive and enjoyable. I know Joanna can be supremely stubborn, she'll test the limits every chance she gets, and following direction isn't her strong suit. (These are just some of the reasons I love her so much.) But teachers have adapted somewhat to her style and the results are very noticeable, especially at home. Her interactions are more sophisticated, her wit is sharper, and she's more responsive to my requests. She loves dancing, and that's being encouraged at school -- clap clap ... cha cha cha ... shake your booty. She'll dance to YouTube alphabet videos and the ubiquitous Baby Shark videos. And it's not just silly jumping around. This girl takes her dancing seriously. Most important, she's a wonderful and respectful big sister to Elijah.
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One of the inconveniences of aging is the amount of time spent on body maintenance and repair work just to live at a reasonable level. Back stretching is needed to cope with sciatica; constant cleaning is necessary so keys and wallet aren't misplaced; lots of short walks enable arthritic ankles and a balky left knee to function at a ... well ... functional level. There's also nightly eye drops to stave off glaucoma and a conservative diet and no booze to help deal with no gall bladder (and other issues). As my aunt who lived to be 96 once said, constantly seeing a doctor and taking medicine isn't great, but it beats the alternative. Regardless of health issues, two small children leave little time to whine except in a blog.
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Good streaks: I have read (almost exclusively Jack Vance books) the past 266 days in a row; I haven't had a drink of alcohol for 9 months; and I haven't had a cigarette for a little more than four-and-a-half years.