Tag Archives: COVID-19

Life

Whatnot – Week 12

12 Comments

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.

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.

CSUN
Cal State Northridge

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.

 

Life

Whatnot – Week 11

14 Comments

When I started these “What Not” posts, I did so because my reading was spotty and you can’t manage a book blog effectively when you aren’t reading. I am reading like a machine now, but I’ve come to enjoy this mid-week post so I shall continue! Can’t believe I am eleven weeks into this.

Last weekend we drove to the coast. We loaded up the pup and her blanket and took off. My daughter wasn’t feeling it so she went to a coffee shop instead. We drove to Ventura so we could walk around the harbor. A lot of people skipped their masks that morning. What didn’t sit right with me is how they looked at ME wearing one. If it’s just you and your friend walking around the harbor then yeah, whatever but when you pass others or hit a crowd, you pull it up. No?  I do.

As we were walking on this clear, beautiful morning, a fog rolled in. You can see it inching its way into the harbor. It’s so beautiful there. After walking around a bit we picked up pizza and ate it in the car!

Ventura Harbor

Oddly enough, we have had our own foggy mornings these past couple of days. I like it. The pup does not. She must have sun or she creeps around the house scowling. I will wait for it to burn off before we go for our walk.

I am currently reading The Distant Dead. A math teacher shows up dead. He’s murdered actually but he’s fairly new to the town and people don’t know much about him so there’s a bit of mystery surrounding his death. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it when I started it but now I am totally into it. I should finish it soon and have the review up next week.

In other random news I am back to being uninspired by meal planning and food in general. I am a good cook but I just feel like it’s too much effort these days. I am happy with PB toast with a drizzle of honey or a nice slice of avocado toast sprinkled with Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning. My family doesn’t feel the same way though.

Hey, it’s Valentine’s Day this weekend. Any plans? I think we had planned to pick up Chinese takeout but I just remembered that I think we still have youth group that night. Hmmm.