Day 12 - Mask mandate is rescinded in California

Dinner at B.’s house…

6/26/21. Saturday

8:00 – L. leaves for tea with N., J., and someone??? After, they will spend the day at the Century City Mall.

8:30 -9:00 – I’m up so I go downstairs to say good morning to the dog.  She’s awake because L. just left, although I don’t think L. took her out. I rub her tummy three times, she grabs her tennis ball, and we go outside. This time, she goes potty right away and we return inside: cheese for her; coffee for me.

I go to work.

9:00-11:00 – Well, technically it’s not really ‘work’ because I’m not getting paid for it, but the ‘re-curating project’ continues.

11:00-11:45 – Shower. Lotion. Covid-19 uniform.

11:45 – 12:00 –My contacts arrived so I drive to the ‘Eye Center’ to pick them up before they close at 12:00. Masking is required here – patients AND staff – and hardly anyone is here because they close in 15 minutes. I read that doctors’ offices can continue to require masks and this is a one-stop, ophthalmologist/optometrist, all in one, center so I guess that’s why masks are required.  I pick up my contacts and for ONCE, I don’t pay anything – it’s a miracle as this place has absolutely gouged me the five other times I was in. I don’t plan on buying glasses or contacts here ever again. I’ll keep coming here for my glaucoma exams, however.

12:15-12:30 –Home and I make scrambled eggs with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

12:30-1:00- I leave for the dogs grooming appointment. Last week, I asked L. to make the appointment. After several days passed, I asked L. if she had made the appointment. In fact, she had. For today, at 1:00. BTW Mom, L. said, I’m out of town for the day so you’ll have to take the dog to the groomers. What if I would have been out of town for the day?

1:00-2:30 – Return home and finish packing for my Santa Monica beach trip in my “duffel-bag on wheels” suitcase. Then, I pack an overnight bag for tonight.

2:30-5:00 – Continue with the ‘Ipad re-curating project.’  Although tedious, this has turned out to be an interesting endeavor.  I’m not just allocating media sources to one of four files…instead, I google every media source [film, TV, books, podcasts, websites], read a brief bio of the source, and note the year it was produced. If I’m still interested in the item, I assign it to the appropriate category.  I’ve come across so many interesting things that I logged and promptly forgot about. Now that I’m retired, I hope to make time to view some of the media I’ve notated.

5:00-5:30 – The dog is still not ready. Get this – the groomer, who does an excellent job, refuses to log L. or my telephone number as a contact in her phone. We’ve asked and sent numerous texts but she continues to flake…the only number she has is my ex-husband’s number which means she will only text my ex, who now lives in the deep South. My ex actually made this appointment.

I text my ex-husband and ask him to text the groomer to find out when the dog will be ready. He texts back immediately and says the groomer texted that the dog will be done in 30 minutes.

I hate being the middleman…

I do a 20-min Insanity Cardio-Abs workout while I wait.

5:30 – Leave for the groomers.

Driving.

6:00 – I pick up the dog and she looks incredible, albeit stressed.  Two little Chihuahuas were stalking her when I arrived and they wouldn’t leave her alone. The groomer said she took before-and-after pictures because the transformation is so incredible – I’m just glad she didn’t call Animal Control. We never make it to the groomers in a timely manner and by the time my ex-husband finally scores the appointment, the dog is a filthy mess and it looks like we leave her outside all day – she’s no longer white, she’s gray.  I shared my concerns with the groomer before, saying that the dog is incredibly pampered, even though she looks homeless. The groomer said, “Oh, I know she’s loved.”  Thank god. 

6:00-6:20 – Home and the dog is relieved and in good spirits.

6:15-6:45 – I put on make-up, grab my pillow and overnight bag, and leave for B.’s house.

7:15 – 9:00 - At B.’s for cocktail hour.

9:00-11:00 – Tonight’s dinner is salad, salmon, and rice.

11:00-12:00 – I read Places I’ve Taken My Body, but this book is not doing it for me.

12:00-1:00 – Nighttime routine. Bed.