Today was unusually warm and nice, after the weeks of snow and cold and rain we’ve had. At my job, I’d gotten past some blockages and felt not under-the-gun for the first time this week. C and I had done our usual Wed mid-morning food shopping, but this time we went to the new grocery store that just opened up where the Walgreens used to be. It’s nice! Wider aisles and some interesting selections. Having blown through the Top Ramen I’d bought on a whim a few weeks ago, I tried some tofu noodle soup I found in one of the refrigerated cases – better for me, I’m sure. But the point being, I had a burst of energy today that seemed to be responding to the spring-like weather.
When we were down in Durham when my mom passed away last year, my Dad found a watch he didn’t want and gave it to me. It needed a new band and battery, so I put it in my project box to deal with later. And it disappeared for over a year, until I found it at the bottom of a tote bag while reorganizing the office closet this weekend. So this afternoon I went out and got a mocha and went to my jewelry/watch guy in the neighborhood and now it’s good to go.
It definitely feels like we’re getting back to normal. Our local pharmacy tells me they should be getting the vaccine soon and C and I are both on the waiting list – but we may move more quickly, because we’re hearing that the Aqueduct Racetrack is a great and easy place to go. C is definitely eligible – I was waffling about whether I was (not old enough) but it turns out I am. So I think we’re going to try to schedule that together.
So… movement! In the right direction! I’m doing some training for work and learning stuff, and I still like my job. Home projects are moving along. I recorded another invention!
Our new government seems to be heading in the right direction, although I’d been looking forward to a shitload of lawsuits dropping on DJT’s head on Jan 21, and that didn’t happen… yet.
Oh, I just used up my Amazon gift certificate from Valentine’s day. Can’t wait to share what I bought.
The amazing bakery where we bought our wedding cake, which had closed my local branch due to pandemic last time I checked, was open last week when I went to get bloodwork at the lab next door. Since I have to fast for the bloodwork, nothing better than heading out that door straight for a cheese danish or whatever. And COFFEE.
Some reviews. We finished Hinterland last night. Oddly enough, for a show that only has 13 episodes total, it got repetitive. Oh, here we are at another decaying Welsh farm. Oh, here’s another dead body in a bed. But we did find out why our hero’s boss, the Chief of Police, has been skulking around all series long with an “I’m a villain” sign practically blinking neon over his head. (spoiler alert: he was) I don’t think there’s going to be any more, which is a shame because DCI Matthias’s life is still a wreck, and he’s still living at a hotel after his trailer burned down, but … well, we’ll see. I think we’re going to fill that time slot with the new season of Last Tango in Halifax that just dropped, and then pick up Bridgerton, with Schitt’s Creek filling up the gaps.
Movies: we watched I Care a Lot, which was disturbing, with a great cast. We also, somewhat on my whim, watched Lady and the Tramp, which we hadn’t seen in ages. What a well-crafted film that is, I must say, tho filled with ethnic stereotypes, nothing really demeaning. (well, maybe the Siamese cats) We also caught large portions of Lilies of the Field and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner on Sidney Poitier’s birthday. C has seen them both many times, but I haven’t really seen either one – they’re both great and I need to plunk down and see them all the way through at some point.
I read some charming M/M books: the entire Bed, Breakfast and Beyond series by Jaime Samms, and The Bookseller’s Boyfriend by Heidi Cullinan. The BBB series involves a haunted B&B, which is a cute concept, but something about these books really hit some emotional stuff, how the characters help each other. (the third one didn’t do a lot for me, but the first two are quality stuff). TBB is set in Cullinan’s ‘Copper Point’ town, and I’d read a bunch of the others, but this stands alone very nicely. Poses the question, what would it be like to have the opportunity to befriend (and date) someone you idolize so much you’re terrified of having reality destroy your idolization? It’s handled really well, it’s adorable.
So… yeah. Good stuff happening, lots of potential, I think.
This post is part of a larger project, #MOC19. Read more about the Mass Observation COVID-19 project here.
The Toast Point Page 