Why Are My Humans Home Today?

Have you ever wondered what our pets were thinking when we suddenly had to shelter in place?

This story begins with the family pet Schnauzer, waking up to utter silence on the day of the NYC COVID-19 shutdown. He is in complete confusion as the minutes and hours go by, disrupting his daily schedule.

"Why Are My Humans Home Today?" was inspired by the shutdown of the pandemic of 2020, when families (and their pets), friends, and neighbors drew closer together, and learned to appreciate each other and the more important things in life.

For the past 23 years, I have had the great experience of working in an elementary school in New Jersey USA. I began this journey as a Pre-School and Kindergarten Certified Paraprofessional. At present I now serve as a school secretary. The experiences have left me with several stories, which are still jumping around in my head. Writing stories for grades K-2 is what I enjoy the most. I have been able to combine my passion for poems with my love for both children and teaching. Words that rhyme are not only fun, but have been proven to be a very important part of reading success.I am a mother of three and "Yaya" to four amazing grandchildren. Reading to my children in their early years brought me immeasurable joy. Now, as I read to my grandchildren, I experience the most precious moments a grandmother can ever hope to have. Watching their expressions and building anticipation with each turn of the page reminds me of my own love for reading.I remember being an avid reader at a very young age; always making my mother take out the maximum number of books allowed from the library... It was never enough! Throughout my adolescence I discovered a passion for writing poems and song lyrics. This however was short lived. My poems were criticized by my peers who insisted they were plagiarized. As an adult I realized it was a great compliment. My first short story was inspired by my youngest daughter's school anxiety. When I read her the story her eyes watered and she said with excitement, "This is about ME!" We discussed the issue and how I would always protect her even when she wasn't in my immediate sight. Right then and there I knew I wanted to write for children, and in some way touch their little hearts.

Diane Abrahamsen was born in Brooklyn, New York. She is a freehand artist who majored in advertising art and graduated from The High School of Art & Design in NY. She also attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, New York. When creating, she mostly draws with graphite and colored pencils using "old school" techniques, but welcomes on many of her projects the technical assistance and graphic art support from her husband Joseph Abrahamsen. Joseph majored in Fine Arts and Architecture at Brooklyn College, NYC.