Hello, friends! Most of my mornings start off with coffee and a walk. Occasionally I have to wait until it warms up a bit. If it’s below 52 degrees then the pup doesn’t want to go. Lately, the mornings have been quite brisk so she has needed a little encouragement to get out the door. We always take a different path. Sometimes up a hill, sometimes around the school. Sometimes wherever her nose takes us. Today it was just around the neighborhood.
I never took advantage of morning walks before the pandemic. Sure, I was physically on-campus and not tooling around the neighborhood but my campus is a pretty pleasant place to get your steps in. I hope to continue my morning walks once we return to campus.
The weeks keep ticking on by, don’t they? I went to the mall for the first time in a year. I had to get my favorite candle and our new coffee maker melted so we had to get another one. I was in and out because I felt so closed-in and overwhelmed. It was right before Valentine’s Day so there were quite a few people shopping. They all looked so normal. Like they didn’t have a care in the world but so many of the shops have gone out of business so there was this dark cloud looming over the place. Every restaurant with outdoor dining was bustling. I am happy for them. I worry about spread but I also want them to stay open and for their employees to be able to make a living.
I got my Capri Blue candle though. Anything to make the day a little more pleasant.
I am currently reading The Midnight Library and then probably Joshilyn Jackson’s new one, Mother May I. My next two book club reads are books I’ve already read so that frees me up to read other books. Doing well with my review copies too. So many good reads coming out.
How are you all doing? There’s talk of schools opening back up again, at least at the K-5 level. I don’t see how that can happen until the teachers and staff are vaccinated but it’s a hot button topic here for sure. I would just like to know if ANY plans will be made for high school graduation. Even if it’s a drive by like last year. With a high school senior and the other one graduating from university, I need to know if there will be any conflicts.
Anyway, that’s it from me. Check in if you can.
Book Chatter 
Yes, they are talking about reopening here as well and the teachers do not have vaccines. But they still are pushing ahead because kids have low transmission rates, according to the CDC. I opted to continue virtual, but I plan to attend the PTA meeting on Zoom tonight since they’ll be discussing Kat’s school’s reopening plans (even though they had nothing to share with me last week).
Our schools are open, though parents have the option of doing school remotely. My kids who are teachers are in their classrooms every day. Two are not vaccinated and one is. So far none of them has gotten Covid, though one of my two police officers son did catch it at work. Thankfully, he has fully recovered, minus his sense of smell.
Walking every day is a lifesaver. I only go into a store if it’s a necessity, as for food. Most everything else we order online. So ready for life to get back to “normal”.
I am reading To Die But One, part of the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline – such a treat!!
Don’t know about where your son is but here, law enforcement didn’t wear masks all through the protests and they are just now starting to after three officers have died from COVID. I am glad your son didn’t get too sick. My friend said her smell and taste returned but three months or so later. Took awhile.
I just realized that you may know a friend of mine at CSUN: Michael Neubauer (math prof and director of the Liberal Studies program).
Our PK-6 students are probably going back March 1 and I wouldn’t be surprised if our secondary returned near the end of March. Hot topic here, too.
Yes!!! I know Michael but he probably doesn’t know me! I’ve been there for so long. 26 years working, 4 years as a student. Unbelievable.
I had to take my computer to the Apple store, and I was a wreck. I was masked, they were masked, there were huge plastic protectors, and everyone was social distancing. Nevertheless, I was in and out in a flash.
I wonder if I will ever get back to normal.
When I made this one trip to the mall, I saw that our Apple store closed. Apple. Every trip feels like a game of Russian Roulette. Even if I feel somewhat safe I get weird with the mask on. My glasses fog up after too long in it and my husband said I get a little confused. Disoriented is probably a better word.
They were not doing any repair work at the Apple store, and that was frustrating (although I do understand) to me.
It’s the change in the restaurant landscape that has me sad. There are even places that had just opened shortly before the shutdown and they are not open anymore. Once we get back to dining in, I’ll have to re-familiarize with what places are there. We have been doing lots of takeout though, but not from places that translate poorly to in-house experience. Like, I’d much rather eat an oozy gooey enchilada at a restaurant rather than from a box, you know what I mean?
I totally get you!! Some meals do not lend themselves to takeout. Like sushi. Totally portable but the experience is lost.
I worry about all my lunch restaurants by my work. I haven’t even been to the office for a year and many of those places were mom and pop type businesses.
Your school and neighborhood look like great places for walking. I like to walk too. The days here in Calif. have been very pretty. Though I’ve been quite stressed getting ready to move my folks to a senior care village place (after 50 years in their home) … so I’m hanging on by a thread at this point. Good grief who knew everything would all be so hard. Plenty of medical appointments for them too. Cross your fingers. I leave on March 5 so much to be done. Let me know if that Midnight Library novel is any good. Enjoy your Sunday.
Hey there. I’m sure I knew you parents were moving into a Senior Village. That is a pretty stressful life change but also, kind of good. My one set of in-laws lived in a Del Webb community and I always felt that they were safe and happy there. So many things to do and so many people to do them with, if they chose to go that route. In-village hair salons, movie theaters, restaurants, etc. I hope the transition goes smoothly for you all.
I need to write up my review for The Midnight Library, my first thought is that it was a tad overhyped. I will write up my thoughts.