05/07/2020, Thursday

Bonnie, I posted some of my favorite garden have to-s on FB TT site. All shots were off Amazon, although pre-Covid I found things like my rolling seat and scraper/pick in smaller hardware stores/garden centers. For the first time, this year I want with artificial hanging baskets on the front porch. It is so shaded and cool most of the day, but gets intense afternoon sun. My selection of plants I could keep hardy and thriving in those conditions was too limited, and it crushed me to work so hard and lose them mid-August. I did get starter morning glories for the two trellises behind the wine barrel, which are already climbing. I've had to cover them in heavy plastic and a flannel sheet at night, as we've been at freezing overnight, with SNOW overnight tonight.

Full disclosure.... I love, love, love reading each and every one of your posts. They are NEVER mundane or irrelevant to me !! The little snippets of real people living real lives are just as valuable as the personal insights and monumental moments. Don't ever shortchange your contributions. You make me think, you challenge me to grow, and you touch my heart !

Weight 122.2, WW Bluepoints 12. WW meeting this morning, then I think beach? The weather is supposed to be showery next week off and on so this week may be the last time we can go to the beach here (we won?t go on the weekend).

I think we learn so much from one another no matter what we are going through or where we are on our life journeys. I value your stories and your advice always!

Speaking of which there was something I wanted to tell you yesterday, but I forgot! I need to keep notes.

One thing I did forget to mention is that DS now has no job to go back to as the restaurant has gone under. They thought that with a loan and at least a partial opening in early May that they could survive, but since there is no opening in sight they decided they can't hang on. So DS is truly unemployed and anyone who booked weddings or other functions at the restaurant won't have a place to go to even if it is post-pandemic. And of course LOTS of other chefs are going to be looking for jobs because so many restaurants are going to be lost through this.

That's all until (if) I remember what I was going to tell you. Stay safe, stay healthy.

I'm sorry to hear about your son's job. The restaurant bar economy is going to be decimated, isn't it. So sad. Even if they could reopen, would enough customers show up to keep them all going? Probably not.

Weight: 138.0
Veggies/Fruits: 12
Macronutrients: Cals - 1,621, Carbs - 174, Fats - 38, Proteins - 112, Fiber - 34
Fitbit Recorded Sleep: 8'16"
Exercise: 8,617 steps and 2 hours mowing/weeding

I slept well, but am still a bit tired. And very sore! All this activity (and rebuilding muscles) after two weeks of being prone is taking a painful toll.

Yesterday was frustrating at times, but ultimately very productive. I successfully negotiated with American Express a way to avoid paying (without incurring interest) some large credit card charges for 2020 cruises I've canceled but that the cruise line hasn't yet refunded. BTW, I'm giving a big shout-out to Amex for having the most intelligent, empathetic representatives I have EVER encountered! I also finished going through all my old mail and organizing all the paperwork I need to complete some financial to-dos (bank deposits, new car license, property taxes, etc.) that have to be done in person today and tomorrow.

BTW, the gubmint sent me TWO pandemic stimulus checks. Apparently, they think my husband is still alive. Just one more thing to sort out.

I also mowed/weeded for a couple of hours. A repair dude came out and replaced the battery in one of my lawn mowers, which worked for only 5 minutes, then quit ... jeez! So now neither of my lawn mowers are working. Consequently, I made arrangements with another dude to come out today and brush-hog the rest of my fields (the grass is three feet high!) while my lawn mowers are being repaired. While those repairs are happening I'm going to rent a monster mower to stay on top of things. More new equipment to learn how to operate ... jeez!

On the "Actually Not a ******g Hassle" front, my yoga teacher confirmed that me she's saved a spot for me in the (much smaller, socially distanced) yoga class that starts May 18.

My new Roomba is running this morning and doing a bang-up job! Much easier than vacuuming. That sucker can get places my vacuum and I neither would attempt nor could accomplish! What's really freaky is how much crap was in the filter when I emptied it!

I'm off to Walmart this morning for curbside pickup. I've realized that although it's no biggie for me to run into Walmart for a thing or two, but as long as they continue this curbside pickup thing I'm going to take complete advantage of it. It's so much more efficient than wandering around the monster store looking for stuff I can't find.

Cheers!

What model Roomba did you get? BTW, the Walmart here did curbside pick up before the pandemic, so maybe yours will continue it afterwards.

I got the cheapest one--the Roomba 675. It seems plenty sufficient for my needs. As you probably know, Roombas come in some pretty fancy models--some even mop for you. I joked this morning to a friend that there's probably even a Tesla version.

I also learned this morning at Walmart curbside pickup that they'd been offering the service for some time pre-pandemic. They sound like it's here to stay! :)

I realize that for "city folk" this isn't anything unusual, i.e., Whole Foods and everybody else will deliver your groceries to your front door. But we just don't have many services like that around here. I LOVE it.

I'm still looking for that car that will drive me around. :)

Thanks on the Roomba - every time I have looked at them I feel overwhelmed by too many choices.

I need a robo-duster (maybe a drone?)...

Good morning! Ocean Diane, I hear you on the weather, I'm going to either need to bring in my baskets and pots, or cover them for the weekend. Temps 25 degrees below normal, with frost warnings, and maybe even a hard frost. I know I jumped the gun buying flowers before May 15, but they have been so cheerful and pretty, I don't mind the extra work protecting them.

Liz I cannot tell you what I would do to sit in some hot sand in front of the ocean. Enjoy!

This screen teaching is so hard. Every day I am so exhausted, yet I've accomplished so much less than a normal day in school. Yesterday I took a 3 hour nap after work. 3 hours! , woke up covered in drool. In a normal school year, I can function if I'm a little sleep deprived, because the noise and energy of the students pull me forward. But if I don't sleep well in this scenario, it's kind of a miserable day ...

My online diet/health program is going okay. There is tracking, but it doesn't calculate calories or macros. I may need to use fitness pal again, to know for sure what I'm getting enough protein. After the heady rush of the initial water weight woosh last week, this week feels slow. Slow going down is better than the other direction.

Some weeks I am so busy with life, cooking, working, yard work, housework, the reality of the pandemic stays on the periphery of my thoughts. This week, some grief has intruded again, as I miss my former life. Perhaps even more, I miss anticipation of upcoming events. We have a vacation in June. We were going to go to Miami for a few days, so I could have my heart's desire of heat and beach. Then return for my baby cousin's wedding June 20. Her wedding is postponed until August 29, and of course, we're not going to Miami. I fretfully roll over in my mind ways we could travel that would be safe for us, and responsible towards the people living at our destination. I don't see a clear answer.

I had a socially distanced walk and picnic last night with two of my good friends. It was 92 yesterday, so it was still blazing at 6pm. But had a lovely time together. It's awkward to try to stay separated as I would slow down to put space between us and another would slow down too. Better than nothing though.

Yesterday I forgot to take a Zyrtec and woke at 4am with hives all over my scars again. After 8 weeks of them I don't think they'll ever stop without daily medication. Frustrating and depressing. Plastic surgery - the gift that keeps on giving...

Therapist today and zoom knitting group tonight. Another hot one today. I also need to go grocery shopping, but I have no interest. Not much interest in anything to be honest.

I understand the loss of interest in doing things. My motivation is tanking. I feel like I'm running a marathon I didn't train for.