Week 41 - Socially Distanced Fun

The week started with Cindy not in our morning zoom meeting. I got her on our private zoom as soon as the team one was done and she had just gotten back from a Covid test. OMG! It all ended well (just a cold) but threw a wrench in the works for a few things.

We were supposed to be having wine on Lana's deck on Wednesday after work and Cindy would be giving me the book club books her husband had picked up because he works in the same building as the Library Commission. Well, with her test not due back for 3 days and book club being Thursday night, I had to scramble. They didn't have more of the same books so I did a search on email and found a book I'd wanted to read in 2004, which they did have 8 copies of. Now I just had to make arrangements to get those books.

Well, when our wine on Lana's deck was cancelled, I suggested to Anne that we do dinner on her deck to take advantage of the last of the nice weather. She was fine with that and Rene was too so I asked a favor. Rene is retired so has all the time in the world and was willing to run downtown and pick up the books. Yay! That meant that I didn't have to take vacation time to get to Lincoln before 5:00. Not only that but Rene was getting a taco salad (dinner was bring your own) so I asked her to get one for me too. It's good to have friends! We had a lovely dinner on the deck, which I fear may be the last one until next spring.

I was rocking safe social distanced socializing this week. Masks were now required at the library so we all wore them for knitting on Monday night and then for book club on Thursday. That was 3 social events on weeknights - so fun! And the work week had gone well too. I taught my reporting classes on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons so it flew. On Friday, I ran errands at lunch and picked up Chinese food, which I haven't eaten in ages. Friday afternoon was filled with the final design of a new form for Benefits so didn't drag. And I had more fun to look forward to on Saturday.

It was the weekend that the Estate Dispersal Store was open (only one per month) so Andrea and I were meeting Lori in Fremont Saturday morning. I had requested Bruegger's Bagels because I'd been wanting one and cannot get to a store without taking vacation time. Lori, who lives in Omaha, obliged. Again, it's good to have friends. Andrea and I wanted to hit the Restore before bagels so Lori met us there (it was her first time there) and then we sat in a park and had a lovely bagel breakfast. The weather was perfect and there was even a yard sale across the street, where I found the cutest, nesting snack set from the 70's. Someday I'll be able to have people over and use it. After that, we all found fun stuff at the estate store then went to Goodwill. Lori left us after that and Andrea and I went to Aldi and HyVee for groceries. It had been a gorgeous day full of fun shopping with friends. That's the best part of life, right?

After a dinner of HyVee rotisserie chicken, which totally hit the spot, I decided to head to the farm store to buy the bird seed I needed, which would mean I could stay in on Sunday. Well, they were having a 17% off everything sale that day only (I lucked out by not procrastinating) so I got bird seed, a small galvanized bucket to store it on the deck this winter, a stack of suet cakes and a few other things, including stocking stuffers and yet another pumpkin. Score! It topped off a perfect day.

Alas, I couldn't fall asleep (maybe the caffeinated frapuccino I'd had that afternoon?) so was tired Sunday. I always talk to my sister but also had plans to talk with Carolyn since we didn't get our usual Saturday morning chat. The morning was filled with happy chatting and then I got busy neatizing and doing the bare minimum of chores. That was the plan anyway until I knocked a jar of homemade pickle relish onto the floor, where it shattered and made a sticky mess. Clearly I now had to clean the floor, which desperately needed it anyway. I was on final step of the long process (wiping up relish, sweeping, vacuuming and then washing) when the phone rang. I had been bemoaning the lack of a plan for what to do while the floor dried but now I could chat with Sharyn. Yay! I washed myself out the back door and sat on the deck chatting away. We didn't hang up until 7:00 my time. 

All in all, it had been another lovely day in a week full of lovely other things. During this pandemic, I have been cherishing the safe socializing I manage to do and am fully aware that I have a relatively stress free life when compared to so many. I am grateful for a good job I can do from home and a wonderful support system of friends, both near and far. Despite it all, life is good.

Week 40 - Finally Some Masks!

So, it was back to reality after a nice time with Connie. You would think that the glow of getting away and out of my house would have left me with some residual good vibes but no. The vibes didn't even last through the 8.5 hour drive home. Oh well. At least I had Chubby's truffles to share at knitting.

I went to Mocha C's on Tuesday ready to tell them off for not wearing masks and inform them that I wouldn't be returning until they did. Well, knock me over with a feather! Every person behind the counter was wearing a mask, at which I heaved a big sigh of relief. I so look forward to the little things these days and my Tuesday grab and go lunch is one of them. More masks in Wahoo is the one good thing that came out of the super spreader wedding that lead to so many cases in town. How's that for cup half full?

After the debate from hell, which left me struggling to fall asleep, I was tired on Thursday. I'd been messaging back and forth with the owner of Hoot & Sadie's about the cutest little bookcase/hutch that was only 21" wide but tall. It was the perfect thing to organize my knitting supplies and I'd moved furniture to make room for it. But when I called to say I'd be picking it up later, she said she'd sold it when the store opened at 1:00. I never did formally tell her to hold it so it was my bad but I was very disappointed. She seemed to feel bad too. I went in after work to pick up some lamps that Lori had bought  At least I'd get some fun from that.

Lori came to get the lamps at lunch on Friday and we walked at the lake with her dog. It was a lovely interlude in the day and got me outside. Despite the weather being cooler, I've continued to hole up in the house, which is not good. There's no reason I can't get outside at lunch or right after work. I just don't. Clearly it's time to rethink that.

And despite being holed up, my house was a pit. I'd been tired all week after being at Connie's so had done the bare minimum to get through the week. I spent the weekend getting my house back in order. I started in the back room and kitchen on Saturday, finishing in the late afternoon. I really needed some groceries and wanted to head south to Lincoln but was trying to figure out a route that would include going to Anne's, which wasn't really working. I gave up but at 4:30 realized that there was no requirement that I visit Anne just because I'd be in Lincoln. I left the house at 4:30, did some thrifting then got groceries at Aldi and was back home by 7:00. Nice. After a supper of chips, dip and beer, I headed to bed. I had more to do Sunday.

My front room was especially getting me down, with the table piled high with stocking stuffers and various crap from as far back as my Rhode Island trip. There was also yarn EVERYWHERE! I got the table cleared, the stocking stuffers organized in baskets (I'm doing fine for my sisters but Carolyn's is looking skimpy) and then sorted yarn. I pulled yarn to donate to Project Warm that we're doing at spinning and swatched a bunch of yarns that I suspected might be non-superwash wool and would shrink. Those went into the laundry basket to go in with my next hot load. 

With that done, I called it a good weekend. My house was neat but not clean but I'd deal with that later. And the week had been fine, with work just the right amount of busy, so it was all good. Just another week during the pandemic. I have it easier than many so am thankful to be happy and healthy. I hope you are too.

Week 39 - Hangin' with Connie

It was a short work week because I was heading to Connie's. I couldn't wait to see her new house and just hang out but first had to get through 2 work days. I'm happy to say they were uneventful. And I ended Tuesday watching a lecture by Doris Kearns Goodwin via zoom.

I loaded up the car and left my house on schedule at 8:00. I was taking the scenic route but was proud that I'd resisted going via Scottsbluff to hit Brown Sheep's factory store. So Goodwill in Norfolk was as fun as it got. I stopped there then hit DQ in O'Neill for a Mocha MooLatte. After a stop for gas, I powered through and with gaining an hour, I was at Connie's by supper time. After a tour of her house, we ate the sausage and peppers I'd brought and chatted the night away. It was great to see her and her new house is wonderful.

We had no specific plans beyond Connie's birthday dinner on her friend's patio on Friday so headed to Spearfish. After the grocery store, we had a nice Italian lunch outside at Nonna's on the main drag and hit the health food store. After we put the groceries away and had some tea, we headed to Belle Valley Ancient Grains - a local organic flour miller. We waited while they milled our flour then went home for a salmon supper and watching Greyhound. Tom Hanks was great, as usual, but a war movie? What was I thinking?

Friday was Connie's birthday so we drove back to Spearfish to get Connie's free birthday coffee at Starbuck's and pick up some eggs from her friend. With that done, after a stop at the little craft shop, we drove up the canyon. It's my happy place and was even prettier with all the fall foliage. And while we weren't prepared for wading, we still put our feet in the water at Roughlock Falls. It was breathtakingly cold but worth it. We went over the mountain to Lead and had fun in a couple of shops. I finally bought some stocking stuffers, which took some of the heat off Christmas. After a quick stop for truffles at The Chubby Chipmunk, we went home to do the last supper prep.

Dinner was at Francie's but we were bringing the food. She was providing the grill and patio. We had steaks, caprese salad and naan with ice cream for dessert. I'd heard a lot about Francie and she didn't disappoint. Connie broke out some special whisky and we had wine with dinner. It was all lovely.

Between the canyon and dinner, we had a bit of time to kill so I suggested we start moving rocks. The woman who Connie bought the house from had torn out all her plants and rocked all the beds. Ick! So we started with the front bed and schlepped 3 wheel barrow's full of rocks to her alley. After her son delivered a desk he'd refinished on Saturday morning, we went right back outside and moved some more. We then planted some bulbs and set up a little harvest display with pumpkins and gourds we'd bought. After our good start, Connie vowed to keep moving rocks until that bed was done. Exhausted from all that, we had a little Mary Poppins fest with Saving Mr. Banks, dinner (I made carbonara) then the original Mary Poppins. My visit was pretty much over. It had been quick but so wonderful. We laughed and laughed. I was sorry to be leaving.

As I usually do, I got up early and had the car loaded before Connie was even awake. We had breakfast and I hit the road. I lose an hour going home so took the speedy route - driving 80 mph all the way across South Dakota on I-90. It's boring but quick. The last 2 hours is a slog on a 2 lane highway from Sioux City to Wahoo but it somehow feels faster. It actually took the same amount of time - 8.5 hours - and I was home by 6:00.

It had been a great trip and I fear it was the last one for a LONG time. I pondered that as I unpacked and did the bare minimum to get ready for the work week. I'll do my best to savor the fun we had. I wish Connie lived closer but at least we get quality time when I visit and she lives in a gorgeous area that I never would have gotten to know had she not moved there. Lucky me to have such a good friend, even if she is far away.

Week 38 - Enjoying Responsible Fun

The week started with not being able to remote into my work computer. Come to find out, someone had unplugged it when they swiped the power strip. Allan moved it to a less obvious spot and I was back in business. While this may not have been an auspicious start, the work week went fine. Is it a bad thing that the highlights of my work week were a spider scaring the crap out of me when it ran across my desk and the zoom tea break I had with Lana and Cindy on Wednesday? At least nothing blew up work wise.

Thursday night was dinner in Ashland with Amanda. We got take out from BW's (tot-chos!) and ate on her deck. I'd made pineapple upside down cake for Amanda's birthday It was a lovely evening. Helen came over for lunch on my deck on Friday. All this socializing outside with friends felt great.

Saturday was spinning at Nan's cabin on the Platte River. Her cabin is on stilts so we sat underneath it spread apart in chairs and I pulled up a zoom so a few people could participate remotely. It was a lot of fun. From there, Andrea and I went to Omaha for some shopping and dinner at Lori's. I brought eggplant parm that I'd made with eggplant from my garden. Friends and food - does it get better than that?

Sunday was chores and my cousin Kelley's wedding. The zoom was scheduled for 7:00 our time (the wedding was in California) so I figured I'd be done by 8:00. Nope. After the ceremony, Kelley and Gabe went out to take pictures and said they'd be back in an hour so all the cousins stayed on the zoom and caught up. When they were done with pictures, I thought they'd come back to chat but they did cake and their first dance. I was surprised but I guess they were trying to have as normal a weeding as they could. I never got to chat with Kelley at all and said goodnight after 10:00 and went to bed.

So in our covid world, this was a banner week. I saw so many people (safely) and got to enjoy time outside. I fell like I need to do all the visiting while the weather allows it to store up some fun for when it's too cold to be outside. It's coming so store up some of your own fun for the lean times ahead. : )