Day 35 of Phase 3- California Covid spike - bars and wineries are closed!

Monday. 6/29/20

4:00 - …and I’m up. Terrible cramps so I take two Advil, turn on the AC, and try to go back to sleep.

7:00-8:30 - I didn’t sleep well last night, probably because I have to go into work today. There is no way around it. I lie in bed for another 30 minutes listening to The Daily. Downstairs and I take the dog out - she pooped outside on the patio. Back inside and cheese for her. I let the dishes go last night, so I unload and load the dishwasher, clean the kitchen, then pack my lunch and it. is. all. junk. food. I pack a brownie from a batch that L. purchased at Whole Foods, and two pieces of pizza, one from a batch from L. and R. and one that B. gave me from his leftovers. I also throw in a few pieces of chocolate and some of my overnight oats. I will regret my food choices by the end of the day.

A few pkgs. arrived so I open them - postage stamps and an alarm clock - then I email my HOA to repair a sprinkler because my next-door neighbor, who insists on monitoring the exterior of my house and yard, informed me that a sprinkler is broken, on her side, and the grass at curbside is dying. She is watering the grass with a hose as she is telling me this as if I’m supposed to take care of the problem and she is resentful because she’s doing it. Don’t tell me - call the HOA! That’s what I did when a bush died in the same area and the HOA removed it. But (sigh), I take care of the problem and email my HOA - I don’t need any trouble.

8:30-9:30 - Shower. I dress in jeans this time - my scheduled interview is a conference call. No exercise today - I blew it with poor time management.

9:30 - 10:15 - I grab all my bags and drive to work. I do a full face in the car.

10:15 - 11:00 - Arrive at work. As usual, masking is hit-and-miss. Mindless paperwork.

11:00-12:30 - Scheduled conference call. I work on my blog while our Medical Consultant conducts the interview. Although she’s an MD, she says she doesn’t care about masking! We’re social distancing in the conference room, but both doors to the room are closed so there is no ventilation. I mask during most of the interview, except when I’m taking sips of the coffee I brought from home.

12:30-5:30 - More mindless paperwork and I officially clean out my desk. Throughout my entire career, I’ve kept a spartan desk, priding myself on the fact that, if need be, I can leave at a moment’s notice. For fun, I time myself to see how long it takes to clean out my desk and all of my drawers…. 30 minutes. The desk is ready for the next robot (uh, employee) - the last day I am ‘physically’ in the office is 8/1/20. It’s not a moment too soon.

5:30 - 6:10 - Drive home. BC the drive home would have taken me 1 hr and 30 min in rush-hour traffic, but gridlock ended in March. I eat my overnight oats on the way home.

7:00 - 9:00 - It’s funny how exhausted I am, but I’m not used to these work days anymore. I unpack all of my bags and put everything away then check email for College No. 1 and 2 - nothing of import. I check personal email, too - nothing of import.

I log a few June receipts and update my budget spreadsheet and blog, check regular mail, etc. There is not much to do… R. and L. watch Isle of Dogs on the couch while I do some light paperwork.

10:00-11:00 - L. drives R. home then falls asleep on the couch watching Forensic Files. I pick up all the throw pillows and store them in the closet. We only take them out for company - otherwise, the dog will destroy them. We’ve gone through several sets of couch throw pillows because of her. Then, I take the dog out, like I do every night, and lock up the house. I clean the kitchen and get my coffee ready for tomorrow. L. is still on the couch.

11:30-12:30 - I decide to watch Forensic Files upstairs while I do my nighttime routine. Bed. This time, I do not listen to true crime podcasts while I’m sleeping as an experiment to see if I will sleep more soundly…will keep you posted….