Day 3 of rollback - California Covid spike - governor shuts us down
Community pool to reopen on 7/20/20…
Wednesday. 7/15/20
Our community pool is reopening on 7/20/20, just as the summer is ending (kidding). Here are the rules:
No more than 20 people at the pool. The pool is open Mon-Thur, from 6:00 am to 7:00 am for early morning lap swimming; then it closes. It reopens at 12:00 pm and closes again at 6:00 pm. From Fri-Sun, the pool is open from 12:00 to 8:00 pm (no lap swimming on these days). You can’t go unless you reserve your ONE-HOUR time slot online, so all residents have to go to the HOA website and sign up to receive email. But, you can’t sign up until the HOA sends an email blast saying “You can sign up” and we don’t know when that will be, how long the sign-up period will last, etc. More than likely, all spots for the rest of July and the early part of August will be filled in 15 minutes before the website crashes. Walk-ups to the COMMUNITY pool are not allowed. You can’t bring a guest and you have to sign a release form. A “pool guard” (sounds ominous) will meet you at the gate for your approved time in order to let you in. You can’t bring food or drink, other than water, AND you have to bring YOUR OWN portable chairs. The HOA removed ALL pool furniture, even the patio tables and umbrellas.
6:30 - the dog barked but I deliberately ignored her and went back to sleep.
8:30 - 10:30 - She starts barking again, so I take her out and give her cheese. No accidents! I make my coffee and read Notes on a Silencing. Ever on the quest to develop a retirement schedule, I’m going to try reading in the morning to help wake-up my brain as I am NOT a morning person. Lets see how the new routine goes.
L. goes to work at the art studio.
10:30 - 2:30 - I go downstairs and have some of my yogurt, apple, walnut mixture. Then, I check my state job email. Still nothing from Ting regarding the health insurance forms I need to complete for L. upon my retirement or the snafu that occurred when I tried to add L. to my legal plan last March (sigh). I send more emails. I listen to Air Talk and Today Explained.
-I try to sign up for emails on my HOA website so L. and I will be notified when we can reserve pool time, but I need my “Account Number” to do this. What’s that? I’m instructed to email the HOA accounting dept. to find out, so I send an email.
-Still trying to find out how to unload the multiple paint cans my ex left in my garage. I call Sherwin Williams in my area to see if they have a paint disposal program - they don’t, but recommend Dunn Edwards. I call Dunn and they tell me to call back tomorrow, at 10:00 a.m, to see if they have space in their dumpster.
-I complete the Retiree Vision Insurance form for L. and I.
-I read the Retiree Dental Plan carefully (30 pages) and try to figure out which dental plan to pick for L. and I. It takes some time, but I finally make my selection. I’m too overwhelmed to complete the form, though. Tomorrow…
-There is a retiree “Lump-Sum Selection form” that is continuously referenced. What is it? I do some research online and figure it out. After all that, it doesn’t apply to me.
-I change my tax deductions to accommodate my new salary (pension) and retirement status.
-I go down the rabbit hole of online news.
2:30-4:00 - I have a salad, with spinach, zucchini, cheese, and tomatoes and read more Notes on a Silencing.
4:00-5:00 - Shower. Dress in work-out clothes.
5:30-6:30 - I do a HIIT 30-min. app and a 30-min lower body toning app.
L. returns from work.
7:00-9:30 - I saved the rest of the tuna macaroni for L. as I know she likes it and think she might be hungry after work. I make Cheesy Bean Casserole for the week, then ‘spiralize’ the last zucchini in the refrigerator. I have a couple bites of my cheesy bean casserole for dinner. I listen to True Crime Garage.
On days like this, I feel entirely unproductive, like I was getting more done when I was actually working; however, I think this needs to be reassessed. Yes, I could pack a lot of meaningless, work-related tasks in a 6 to 8-hour period, which was representative of my productivity - this is true. BUT, I’m still productive, just in a different way. I’m doing a lot of reading now (I’m on page 310 of my book, currently) and reading a book doesn’t feel productive…does it have to be, though? I wanted to have more time for reading when I retired; now I do and I’m taking advantage of that. Last month (June), I read 1378 pages and finished 5 books. Last year, in June 2019, I read 185 pages and finished ONE book. So, I really am still productive….
Last year, I didn’t exercise at all, to include NO outdoor, physical activity. I wanted to have more time for exercise when I retired so now I do and, like reading, I’m also taking advantage of the extra time. I work out or I’m outdoors doing some sort of physical activity, almost every day (well, at least every other day). As a result, I’ve been slowly substituting previous work time with reading and exercise time. Journaling also falls under retirement activities I wanted to pursue.
It doesn’t mean that I’m not doing anything - I’m simply doing different things.
10:00 - 11:30 - L. and I watch Love After Lock-up and scream at the TV.