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.