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.