Sunday - COVID260

I woke up a little late but not too much so.  I needed some alfalfa and goat feed, so called ahead after chores and headed down to Santa Rosa for curbside pickup.

On my way back, I received a text from my neighbor that she'd seen a coyote below her house and it was headed down the driveway toward my place.  I thanked her (thankful for talk-to-text) and called Bex to let her know so she could check on the goats.  We didn't see it and the goats were undisturbed.  Oliver wasn't happy that we kept him in for a while.

I worked on projects this afternoon.  

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Saturday - COVID259

This was one of those days I had to keep checking to remember what day it was.  When my alarm didn't go off, I knew it was the weekend but couldn't remember which day.  One of they side effects of COVID and working at home, exacerbated by a holiday week.

I was low energy again but did get some things done around the house.  I'm working on making what I hope will be Christmas gifts if they work out okay.  I spent a lot of time expanding our family tree online and discovered that one of my maternal ancestors came over as a cooper on the Mayflower.  It was fascinating to read more about him and his wife and how they came to be together.  Apparently Longfellow wrote a poem about how my ancestor's friend asked him to propose to a woman for him, and she asked my ancestor how HE felt - so he proposed to her and she became my ancestor too.

It was an interesting realization for me and Bex and something that we talked about and researched quite a bit.  I'd been working on expanding her family tree when that came up and the bizarre realization that so close to a Thanksgiving holiday filled with mythology hiding the truth, she discovers she is descended from both sides.  A different indigenous nation and our Mayflower ancestor was not religious (it was a job) but still.

It's been a day and there's more to try to tackle tomorrow.  It feels like there's so much that needs to be done and a limited amount of time, energy, focus, and money.  But we'll get there.

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Friday - COVID258

Today was a work day but I spent part of it with my girls, picking up some things from Jess's house she was keeping during the biggest part of the wildfire threat, and playing some Mille Bournes with the kids.  

My hip is bothering me more today.  I'm still trying to figure that out.

Bex made dinner and I was ready for bed earlier than I have been for a while.  There's things to do this weekend and I hope it's a productive couple of days, though all I want to do is rest and forget about stress.

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Thursday - COVID257 and Thanksgiving

I got up on time today with plenty to do.  After coffee and chores, I started cooking and was in the kitchen for three hours finishing up pie and sweet potato casserole and yeast rolls and Bex made her corn casserole.  We shared dinner with the kids and grands, all contributing delicious food and good conversation.  We left stuffed with food and memories and love, though also an ache missing my parents.  What a weird year this has been.

We are staying safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Wednesday - COVID256

I slept in a little but got up when I received a phone call this morning.  I've been pretty tired.

I worked on some Christmas gifts, some things around the house, and got a head start on cooking for Thanksgiving.  I will see the kids tomorrow but we have rolled back contact to March/April levels and will stay outside, distant, and masked.  Luckily, Jess has a good setup for staying outside.

I snoozed a few times on the couch while watching TV with Bex tonight.  She's working on some fun pet items that I hope she'll share some photos of.

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Tuesday - COVID255

I slept well enough and got up okay.  The nights are colder and colder, and it's much more tempting to stay in bed until it warms up outside.

It was a work day, with work things, and nothing really noteworthy.

I did some work on selling the old Equinox.  I have one disappointing quote, no response from another yet, and an appointment to bring it for inspection and quote in the morning, though I am not thrilled about driving it.  I may go for the bird in hand that will tow the car than drive to Petaluma for an unknown.  I'll decide in the morning.

I made a new sweet bread recipe today but it turned out to be a disappointment.  We might try using it for French toast.

I'm hoping to stay off work tomorrow and focus on cooking and baking for the most part.  It's harder to do that when working from home.

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Monday - COVID254

I'm sleeping better, though later, and my hip is still hurting more than usual.  I'm trying to figure out the next step and trying to take it easy.

I had some computer issues that gave me fits this morning.  Then I headed down to pick up some things from the office for the first time in months.  That included a care package from my boss with pesto, fig and ginger jam, lemon curd, and apple pie.  

I worked more in the afternoon and Bex made dinner using the pesto.  

I snoozed on the couch again and when I woke was too awake to go to bed right away, so another late night with nap.  The fox set off the Ring a couple times and appeared to be headed toward the front steps.  It left a pile on the back deck last night, so I had set up one of the cameras in that area tonight.  I regretted not setting one up on the front deck.  I think we need more cameras to cover all of the angles.

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Sunday - COVID253

The weekend flew by.   I slept well again but sleeping in during the week is harder and that seems to be what helps the most.

I thought about adding fire to the title again because veg fires keep popping up, but I'll leave it be for now.  Walbridge is quiet.

I finished cleaning out and vacuuming the old Equinox and jump started it maybe for the last time. I'll make calls tomorrow to find out its new home. If I could smog it, I'd sell it. The car has more miles left but I can't help with that. I learned a lot from that car and from clearing it out.

I unloaded some of the evacuation packed items in the new Equinox.  I still need to pick up more from Jess.

I pulled the old fridge out to see if I could figure out what made it quit, and I couldn't figure it out.  I'll call and see what it will cost to get someone to look at it this week.

I was going to bake today but didn't get that done.  

I ordered groceries and picked them up, the regular stuff (sans my coffee, which they were out of) and Thanksgiving food. I'm planning a day "off" Wednesday so I can cook.  It may be just the afternoon, depending on how work goes the first two days of the week.

Jess used my fruit press tonight for her pomegranates and was so thrilled at how much easier it was to juice them for her jelly.  It makes me happy to help ease some of the work for her.  I know she enjoys it but juicing pomegranate by hand is no picnic, and using the press is actually fun.

The extra walking and carrying and work made for sore muscles so it's a couple of Tylenol before bed.  I was too tired to remember to grab the cameras when I started chores and they're taking a day off.

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Saturday - COVID252

I sleep dialed Mandi at 4:50 this morning. I grabbed my phone, went to the bathroom (since hurting my hip I am scared that I will not be able to get up without assistance), then sat on the bed and noticed an open call with her. I said hello and she asked if everything was okay and said she had been staying on the line just in case I was in trouble. Oops.  We both went back to sleep and I slept until 9am!

I noted this morning that I forgot to close the inside door to the chickens last night.  I remembered starting to, then noticing that Blue was still out.  She ignored my instructions to go in, so I set an alarm to check on them later.  When the alarm went off, I remembered opening the main door and figured I'd completed the task.  Oops.  Thankfully, coop activity has been nonexistent lately.  The fox isn't even running back and forth as often.

I ordered dog food from the feed store.  While I was placing the order, I decided to add a bale of pine shavings.  When Bex and I went to the car to pick everything up, I still had the stuff from Tammy's in the back.  We discussed taking some of it out, but I said I was just getting dog food and there was plenty of room.  No need to mess with it.  

We dropped off some small crocheted blankets for the animals at the shelter on our way into town.  We picked up Starbucks and headed for the feed store.  And when we were almost there, I remembered the pine shavings.  Thankfully, it was a smaller bale than I'm used to getting, and we were able to shift things around so it would fit easily.  Bex picked up a game she'd ordered using her birthday gift card, and we headed home.

I started chicken for dinner and decided to use it for tomorrow's dinner.  I'm pretty wiped out today.

Another quiet night with a snooze on the couch before bed.

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.

Friday - COVID251

 I went to bed so late last night and got up too early, with 3-4 hours of sleep.  It was a foggy work day for sure.

I was able to talk with a friend in need for a little bit, though our conversation was incomplete due to lots going on for her.  I'm hoping to be able to continue our talk over the weekend if she has the time and stamina to do so.

I was snoozing while watching a show with Bex so decided to get some sleep.

We are safe and well.  I hope you are too.