Day 33 of the California quarantine
Closed….
4/21/20 - Tuesday
8:45 – the dog starts barking so I go downstairs and let her out. She pooped in the house, so after I take her out to pee and give her cheese, I clean the mess. Then I go upstairs and back to sleep.
11:15 – 12:30: I have a conference call at 2:00 scheduled with a respondent - our in-house consultant will patch in from his home. I’m also supposed to meet with my former trainee to go over some of her cases before the interview. I start getting ready – shower, wash and blow-dry hair (Nexus Color Assure shampoo, Garnier Fructis conditioner, a touch of Vital Care Mega Hold gel, and Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum after my hair is dry); Lubriderm ( I use it on my entire body every day), Alba Botanica moisturizer, and brush teeth. I drink a 16-oz Hydroflask of lemon water in the shower.
All of this takes so long and I marvel at how this used to be my daily routine, a little over a month ago, just so I could sit in my cubicle for several hours. What a waste. I put on a suit, then touch up my gray roots with Joan Rivers dark brown hair powder. I have my hair colored at Super Cuts but they’re closed, so I ordered a box of hair color online a week ago – it should arrive on 5/1/20 and I’ll try it for the first time. I put on under-eye concealer and grab my make-up bag because I’ll do a full face in the car, like I used to do. I listen to The Daily and Skimm This from the day before.
12:30-1:00 – Even with all the prep work from last night, I cannot get out of here. I forgot to add humus and carrot slices to my lunch bag so I do it now. The dog does not want me to leave and follows me into the garage. I can’t open the garage door or she’ll run away so I have to coax her back into the house and reward her bad behavior with cheese. I put a letter in the mailbox and bring in another box of supplies that was delivered. I grab all my bags and put them in my state vehicle, then park my personal vehicle across the street.
Finally, I’m in my state vehicle and can leave, but I need gas. I head to my regular Shell station, but it’s closed!!! Is this due to the plummeting price of oil? I spend 20 minutes driving to a Chevron, which is open, and fill up. It’s expensed so I don’t have to pay for it. It is now 1:00 and I’m going to miss my meeting with my former trainee. I’m very reliable so I’m not pleased about this turn of events. I put my make-up on in the car. I listen to True Crime Garage as I drive.
1:45 – At work and my trainee is leaving because her son has virtual education. I totally understand and we arrange to meet on Thursday, now that getting gas won’t be a problem. The conference call goes as scheduled and my Supervisor helps coordinate the logistics. The respondent and our consultant can actually hear each other and the interview begins. This is great!! Ordinarily, I’m a third wheel during these interviews and try to work surreptitiously while our consultant conducts the interview – I have no idea why I’m there. But now, nobody can see me. I eat my lunch and the rest of my yogurt. I leave the door to the conference room ajar, go back to my desk, and knock out several projects while the respondent and consultant drone on. Unfortunately, my French paper is not one of them as I am actually able to get state work done since my presence is no longer needed during an interview.
6:30-7:15 – I leave and drive home. I listen to Fresh Air: Wilmington’s Lie – the Rise of White Supremacy. I eat my carrot sticks and hummus in the car, followed by a peanut butter cookie. The commute is a quarter of the time it used to be. L. steam-cleaned the carpets while I was gone, per our agreement, for a fee. They look great. She went to Whole Foods and bought sashimi for me at no charge.
7:30 – 10:00 - I ask L. to take a picture of my face for the glassesusa.com website as I’m trying to pick out glasses. I unpack everything, change my clothes, and eat my sashimi. I have a glass of champagne and read two online Money Diaries. I listen to a Marketplace podcast and PBS News Hour segments.
10:30-12:00 – L. and I talk politics and I update her about today’s Covid news – then we watch Surviving R. Kelly. More champagne.
12:00-1:00 – I read 5 poems by Charles Baudelaire in preparation for my short paper due tomorrow for my French literary class. I also chose a short essay by Guy de Maupassant to review tomorrow for my second short paper.
1:00 – 1:30 - I have the last of the macaroni dish – 4 bites – then start my night time routine. I watch Vera while I get ready for bed.
1:30 – 2:00 – I fall asleep watching Vera. I wake up at 2:00 a.m. and go to bed.