Day 104

Going to the dentist is a whole different experience than it was pre-COVID.
I parked outside the office, called the office to ask for permission to enter, and was told that  we could come in with masks and sit on the bench in the hall outside the office, because the lobby was full (meaning there were already two people in there).

Sarah got called almost immediately, but by the time I got called 30 minutes later,

 the lobby was empty. 

Instead of the old man dentist I've been seeing for years, I got a new young cute one.  He peered into my mouth and said, "I wish I could replicate you."  Nobody has ever said that to me before!  He said he wished I would give some of his other patients tips on brushing and flossing.  I said, "They wouldn't listen.  My own children don't.  You'll see my son at 4:00."  He said, "Oh, you can bring him in sooner than that."   I thought that was weird and said, "Well, he's bringing himself, and it's already 3:15..."  He said, "Oooohhhh, you mean he has an appointment at 4:00?  I thought you meant you were going to bring him in when he turned 4 years old."  

There's some debate about whether we're going on the Epic Road Trip.  Mike said he doesn't want to go if only half of Glacier National Park is open, but I have a bad feeling that things are going to get worse, especially around election time, and who knows if we'll ever be able to go anywhere again?  So I just want to go and see whatever we can see.  They can't shut down the beauty of the entire West. Surely we'll see something.

Day 103

Today I wasted a lot of time on the phone with the dentist's office, learning the new protocol for getting our regularly-scheduled checkups and cleanings.  She asked me a bunch of questions that I had to answer for each of us about symptoms, contact with infected people, recent travel, etc.  Then she told me that we have to call from the parking lot at our appointment time, and someone will come out and get us when it's our turn to come inside, and we have to wear masks.  I assume we can take the masks off during the cleaning, or that would be a real trick. Then she emailed me a slew of forms that I had to fill out for each person, which literally took me an entire hour to complete. 

I found out today that marching band season is going to start on time for Sarah.  Yay!  That girl seriously needs something to do. Her first rehearsal is in a week.  They can only rehearse in small groups, not as a complete band.  I wasted another 20 minutes transferring all the rehearsals and competitions to the calendar.  It's good to have that done. 

Now I'm going to clean the bathroom, go to my appointed pool time, get groceries for us and the in-laws, and deliver them. That should take the rest of this ridiculously hot, humid day.  Poor Noah is out there working in it all day, and I see he forgot his water at home.  I resisted the urge to fire up the helicopter and deliver it to him.

Day 102

Nothing to say today. Too hot and humid.

Day 101

Friday, June 26, Illinois finally hit "Phase 4" of the reopening plan.  We can now eat in restaurants again. We didn't though. We can also gather in groups of 50 or less.  We didn't do that either.

I gathered with Sarah and the 2 cats and 1 dog she's pet-setting for, but that's it.  I took my first full feature-length caption job for a movie, so that is taking all my time.

Mom told me that she just found out that Colorado is still in Phase 2 of reopening, so the pool at their condo is not open.  Hopefully that will change in the next 2 months.  There is some question as to whether hotels, and even rest stop bathrooms will be open, so we are prepared to sleep in the van and pee in the great outdoors on our trip if necessary. It's very difficult to plan anything anymore.

Day 100

I volunteered Sarah for a car detailing job.  This was the filthiest car I've ever seen, and she made it look like new!  I was impressed.  I helped her a little because it was a big job and I got her into it, but she did most of it herself.  She got paid $15/hour, and it took her 6 hours.

When I wasn't working on that, I was working with my friend Denise, who actually likes trimming bushes and trees.  She asked if she could come over and trim ours.  Of course I said yes.  I didn't feel right about sitting inside while she worked like a slave, so I went out and picked up debris, hauled branches, held the ladder, etc.  

Then Mike and I walked 7500 steps, because he said it's time for "Operation Glacier" where we get in shape for our huge hiking trip.  I did so much physical activity yesterday that I actually only ate one meal, and it was a healthy one, so that was a good jump-start to Operation Glacier too.  Doubtful that I can maintain it for 2 more months, but I do have a good motivating inspiration.  

Day 99

Such a perfect morning to work the garden.

 Rhubarb.  I already harvested it down to nothing this spring, but it's coming back. 

 The blueberry bush I planted 2 years ago is getting bigger.

  I'm hoping maybe it will bear fruit next year.

 The wrens have been remodeling this house for weeks.  I saw them having sex in our tree today, and they've been flitting in and out of the box several times, so we should have babies soon.

 Lots of tomatoes coming.

 Cantaloupe.

 Arugula.

 Beets.

Always plenty of catnip for the babies.  I started it in that pot, and the huge bush started itself last year and returned this year.

Mike and I have a swanky date at a vineyard tonight.  Fancy gourmet meal, but we have to listen to some spiel from someone who wants us to buy something.
It was a beautiful evening at the vineyard.  We tried several times, without success, to take a decent selfie.

 Sarah told me I looked like Susan B. Anthony.  I had no idea what Susan looked like, so I looked her up.

Day 98

Mike found out that he's going to get an extra 2 weeks of vacation this year, because he has worked in the office since the beginning of the pandemic, while many of his coworkers had paid time off.  So we decided that this is the year we're taking our epic road trip west.  We're planning to take a couple weeks to visit several landmarks, including Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Grand Tetons, and the ultimate goal...Glacier National Park.  My parents will be in Winter Park, Colorado, during that time, and I invited ourselves to stay with them a couple days and take them to Rocky Mountain National Park with us.  We're planning to leave in about two months.  So exciting!

I decided I should try to lose a few pounds before we go, because we'll be doing some serious hiking, and that would be a lot easier if I didn't have to haul all this fat along with me.  I did pretty well for a few hours, but then I fell off the wagon already and pigged out.  I'll start tomorrow.

I saw our wren couple flitting in and out of the birdhouse several times yesterday.  Hoping to see babies before we leave.

I had a bad brain day today.  On the way to the gym, I realized I forgot to bring underwear and a shirt to wear home.  This would have been a problem, because I wear my swimsuit there and would have had to wear a towel home. I came back and got those items and was pleased with myself for remembering.  Standing by the pool about to get in, I had a feeling that I was forgetting something, but I decided to think about it while I was swimming, to give my mind something to do.  I got in and immediately realized what it was.  I was still wearing my shorts, complete with tissues and gum in the pockets.  I fished those out of the pool and wrung and hung my shorts, because those are the ones I had to wear home.

It has been a very strange year.  The pandemic, the shutdown, the murder hornets, the race riots, people are tearing down statues because they're offensive to them.  There's a black bear roaming through central Illinois, and now I just heard there's a giant plume of sand heading for us from Africa that is going to lower our air quality and make the sky look milky.

Noah is working in Princeville, building an entire house.  What great experience for him!