A Whole Lotta Nothing!

Feb 16, 2021: 

There will be a fiery, bright ball in the sky for much of today. This is normal. It is the Sun, the star our planet orbits around at a distance of about 93 million miles. It will provide warmth and could enhance mood.

Warning: Do not stare directly at it.

Finally, a sunny, warmer (60s) day. Much of the neighborhood was out and about enjoying the wonderful change of pace. It was so nice that for her afternoon walk, I took Rosie to Frazier Park for something different. Now today (2/17), it's back to gray and cold.

A Cautionary Tale: You can see from the photo the condition of my nails. The thumbnails are splitting while all of my other nails are peeling off in layers. This is the result of having my nails dipped in the last three months of 2019. I should never have done it because it is not the type of thing I would maintain for very long; although, they looked great and held up well. I did ask beforehand and was assured that the process would not harm my nails, etc. Well, not so! Anyway, I have ordered some type of “wrap" that I hope to use on the tip of the nail to hold it together long enough for it to grow out. With that, I’m using some type of magic oil to nourish the nail and encourage growth. It is one of those situations where you don’t appreciate your nails until you don’t have them. I’m amazed at how they contribute to my dexterity, and with my thumbnails, every single day I do something to split them even more. I am hoping my new plan works! Lesson: Don’t have your nails dipped!! 

When the Pan Pals got together at Chris’s house on the 19^th, we were in search of human warmth since the sun was scarce again. Friday itself was rainy and cold but Lynn and Tom brightened our day by bringing sunflowers for us both. There was no way to really arrange them as they seemed to have a mind of their own, but they do brighten my spirits, rain or shine.

When things were so bleak here, I touched base with Ana, my friend, and former neighbor. She and Lou moved from here to San Antonio, and while I heard a lot about what was happening in Houston, and Dallas, nothing was said about SA. They seemed to have everything Houston had but not on such a severe scale. She mentioned being without heat, rolling brownouts, etc. It didn’t sound much fun!

(2/25) I feel like this is a running weather report but we’ve finally had a whole week of sunny, warm days. David came over on Monday for some Rosie time and we decided that it would be a good opportunity for Drinking Liberally to meet in person again. We gathered on our usual porch at Frazier Park on a lovely Wednesday afternoon. About 13-14 of the usual suspects attend and everyone was so happy to be able to meet up again! We may not be able to do so next time but we made the most of our nice weather while we have it.

After Mr. Welzant passed away, Reyna decided to go to Mexico for a short break. She got to the airport and discovered that her passport had expired! Since then, I have been meaning to check mine as I had no idea when it expired. Sure enough, it expires this April. There is no panic since I won’t be going anyplace soon, but had that not happened to Reyna, I never would have thought to check it. Needless to say, I’m in the process of renewing it.

I was consistent in adding recipes to the recipe page of the blog right up until I stopped, at which time I removed the page. However, I have added the page again along with three new recipes. My two additions were Spinach and Artichoke Enchiladas (with a red sauce) and Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas (using salsa verde). Jan sent a recipe for Bolognese with Mushrooms and Walnuts. I haven’t tried it yet but it’s next on my list. It sounds delicious and I’ve added it, too. If you have any vegetarian favorites, send them along and I’ll be happy to include them, and I will make more of an effort to add. I'm always happy to try new things.

I hope everyone is safe, well, and vaccinated!!

I get my second shot on Saturday.

Excitement!

 

This winter has been colder and darker than usual and we have now added FOG to the repertoire!. We have had weeks of that and I find myself sleeping in later and later because the sun is not blasting through the blinds to awaken me. With the pandemic, there is also not much to get up and rush to, so I guess it doesn’t matter. Even when I sleep late and go to the kitchen for my coffee, I have to turn on the kitchen light. Too dark for me! I know I shouldn't complain as there has been snow in parts of the UK, even in Seattle....but, this is South Carolina!

Saturday, Feb. 6 – Today I got the Covid vaccine (Moderna). I wanted to take Rosie with me to get her more accustomed to riding greater distances, but I wasn’t sure of the setup. It turned out to be a drive-thru and I could have taken her. Anyway, it went very smoothly. The check-in was easy (with the printout I had) and the National Guard kept things moving. The nurse who administered my shot had been there since 7 AM and it was cold and drizzly. She put her hands to the heat vent of my car to warm up a bit before going to draw the injection for my shot, In the meantime, I ramped up the heat and had the car toasty warm when she came back to give me the vaccine.  I invited her to warm her hands for a bit before moving on to the next car. After that, we were observed for 15 minutes and instructed to blow our horns if we had negative reactions. During that time, we were scheduled for our second injection (3/6/2021). When I go for that, I’ll take Rosie along for the ride.

While I was being observed for 15 minutes, I called Herban Market and ordered and B (tempeh) LT wrap. The timing was perfect and I picked it up and parked with a nice view of the waterfront to have lunch. It was delicious. I can’t remember the last time I was in Beaufort so I just took the time to drive around the town for a while. It seemed like a treat! When things really open again, I will appreciate being able to come and go as I like….and explore old haunts.

The rest of the weekend was spent watching After Life with/by Ricky Gervais. I’d heard a lot about it and my only complaint was the language. Sometimes, once they’ve used the F-word (not Falafel!) within the first 10 minutes, things settle down. Not in this case, which I felt was a shame. It had delightfully quirky characters and some poignant moments. I think he discredits himself with the language and I hope he will move away from that….IMHO.

Monday, Feb. 8 – My excursion into Beaufort AND an upcoming special event motivated me to go shopping! You know that I’m not a shopper, and the pandemic adds to the reticence, but I needed something presentable for Saturday. I was looking for something to nicely cover the pounds I’ve put on. To justify that, I’d been through my winter clothes with a heavy hand and have 6 bags of clothing on the floor of my closet. My plan is to have noticeably fewer clothes but things that fit and feel comfortable. I went to Chico’s, Belk’s, and Aiden Lane. Chico’s had a top that I liked but not in my size. Belk’s is bankrupt and everything was on sale but I found only one thing that I liked. Then, Aiden Lane worked – there was no one else in the shop the entire time I was there, the young sales lady was wonderful, AND the dressing rooms were open (with no one around). I came away with four pieces that I really like, AND I enjoyed the experience, which isn’t often the case. So, I’m set through the rest of the pandemic!

The Excitement! On Saturday, February 13, after 24 years together, Tippy and Kieran got married. It all happened very suddenly. Several weeks ago, Tippy had an appointment in Bluffton and asked if she could stop by....she had some good news she wanted to share. I actually thought that they might be getting married. Needless to say, when she confirmed that I was delighted, as have been all of their friends. At that time, she didn’t mention a date and I didn’t think to ask. When I saw her about a week later, I did ask if they had set a date. Her response was, “Saturday!” It all happened that quickly. It was a lovely gathering. Due to Covid-19, it was held outside on their front porch with about 10-12 family and friends in attendance. Even though it was a very rainy day, the sky held until the ceremony was over and a champagne toast was made. They wrote their own vows which were both serious and humorous (you know Tippy!).  The house was full of flowers and the table was set beautifully. Before going inside, everyone masked up and filled their plates before finding a socially distanced spot to enjoy the food. I ate out on the porch with Annie and Ivan, Tippy’s friends from Asheville. It was all topped off by the cutting of the cake, which was as delicious as it looked. It really was a joyous occasion that brightened the year of the pandemic.

The Birthday Continued!

Monday, Jan. 25 - The birthday celebration goes on!  Tippy and I were to get together for lunch but she got an appointment for a Doppler scan at 1 PM. That definitely took priority, but she came by afterward. The scan showed no other clots!! She had also spoken with her nephew who is an ER nurse and got encouraging information. Together, that is all good news.  In addition to that good news, she gave me a beautifully illustrated book titled "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse."  In addition to the charming animal characters, it is filled with wonderful messages. I am thankful for the book and Tippy’s good health information, and not necessarily in that order!

Shortly after Tippy left, I took Rosie for a walk. As we were nearing home, I saw this little van pass. I waved, as I always do, and lo and behold it turned into my driveway. Rosie, knowing that people get out of cars, picked up the pace so as to get some attention ASAP. Little did I expect that it would be flowers for me from Jim and Anthony! They are absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for thinking of me. That made my day!

Also, after my birthday post, I received birthday wishes from Pam, whom I hadn’t heard from in ages. She does follow my blog (Thank you, Pam) and I’m so glad she got in touch. In her first email, she talked about seeing the video of our protest at the local republican gathering. With her permission, I’m sharing it with you. You have heard so much from me other the years and I think Pam’s reaction confirms how many of us are affected by all that has transpired over the last four years, as well as the craziness that continues. You can read it HERE.

Thursday, Feb. 4 – I’m happy to report that I just scheduled my vaccine injection for Saturday at noon in Beaufort. Over the last few days, I’ve applied at several websites and finally received a confirmation email from VAMS (Vaccine Application Management System, or something like that) which allowed me to register and select a date and time. The first few locations within 10 miles didn’t have anything until April. I searched further away (20 miles) and went down the list, finally finding a clinic in Burton (near Beaufort) for Saturday! I figured I couldn’t do much better than that. It will also allow me to pick up lunch at Herban Market, one of my favorite vegan restaurants. I’m happy to have this scheduled and I hope they will schedule my second one before I leave the clinic. Am hoping that all goes well!

Have you had your vaccine yet? I’d love to know how things are going in other areas. I think I read of FB that Jean (and Doug, I assume) in the UK had theirs some time ago. In any case, I hope everyone is safe and well and that we will all be through this soon.