Day 47 - Governor Newsom imposes new restrictions

Kelly Kensington Suite and bedroom at the Mission Inn…

1/1/21. Friday.

Last night B. came over and we watched Underwater, featuring Kristen Stewart, as we rang in the New Year.  I was pretty irritated with myself over not planning anything special for New Years Eve 2020, especially since it was a monumental year, in a bad way, and everyone was so happy to leave it behind.  Why do they think 2021 will be any better?  Unclear.

9:30- I wake up with what feels like a head cold – stuffy, can’t breathe, I’m hot and cold, slight nausea. Here’s where most people automatically suspect the worse and whisper, “Covid!”  I take the dog out, give her a treat [disgusting, old pieces of chicken], then go back upstairs and lie down. I. don’t. feel. well. Even so, I drag myself to the computer and log on to the Arboretum website in an attempt to score tickets for “Free Ticket Tuesday”, which is 1/19/21 and non-negotiable. Today, 1/1/21, the bidding – j/k, it’s not an auction – starts at 9:00 and this is the only day you can sign up for the free tickets, supplies are limited.  I’m a little late to the website, but, mission accomplished…I get the tickets.

10:00 – 12:00 - B. wants to get up so I guess we have to get out of bed. B. is taking my Specialty Class No. 1, so I set him up with a documentary called Bebes, featuring the development of four babies in San Francisco; Mongolia; Japan; and the African Sahara.  B. is on Chapter 3 and Bebes is assigned for that module.  While he is watching, I prepare instant oatmeal and plate the tray, adding small metal cups of brown sugar and raisins. Then, I make coffee in my Keurig for B. and  add that to his tray. Just coffee for me.

I take a shower and get ready while B. has breakfast and watches the documentary. I sit in the shower, lean against the tile, and drink my coffee.  Not feeling well.

12:00 – 12:30 - There are a few minutes left in the movie so we watch the rest of it together. 

B. leaves, but invites me over to his house later, so we can watch The Wilds.  He says he will pay for take-out if I pick it up.  I’m on the fence about everything because I have a head cold and feel terrible.  Is it allergies? What if I have Covid?  But, I can still smell my coffee…In the end, I agree to B’s plan, thinking I will probably feel better as the day unfolds.

12:30 – 3:30 – I have a frozen burrito and read Unraveling Oliver.

3:30-4:30 – I lie down for the next hour.

4:30-5:15 – I decide on Chipotle and B. texts me his order.  I phone it in to an automated robot and pay over the phone.

5:15 – 6:00 - When I arrive at Chipotle, my food is in a bag at the back of the restaurant. I don’t have to interact with anyone as I grab my bag and leave.  I call this a “Covid perk.”  Unfortunately, all restaurants have shut down and are only available for take-out – that part sucks.

I listen to 365 Organize as I drive to B.’s house.

6:00-9:30 – Arrive at B.’s and we plate and eat our food while watching two more episodes of The Wilds.  I’m feeling better.

9:30-10:00 – B. and I get our planners out and calendar activities for the month of January.

10:30-12:00 a.m. – Home and L. has returned from her New Years Eve getaway with R. at the Mission Inn. We sit together so she can tell me all about it – I can’t wait to hear how it went!  Read on:

L. and R. stayed at the Kelly Kensington Suite, aka “Rm 339”, which was beautifully decorated for Xmas.  L. took a video of the room and showed it to me - the Xmas tree was synthetic white and covered in pink decorations – it was so beautiful.  They arrived on 12/30/20 and L arranged for a cheese plate to be waiting in the room.  Later, L. and R. ordered take-out from Mario’s Place and watched Forensic Files.  One of the TVs wasn’t working – did you catch that?  “One?”  They had two TVs in the suite – but this was quickly remedied once L. called for maintenance. The power of money is amazing. L. said it was a ghost town on this day and everybody was masking. R. loved The Mission Inn and “The Festival of Lights.”  Together, they explored the entire hotel.

The next morning, L. and R. went to a local donut shop, where L. had the best donut ever.  Then, they went to the coffee shop that’s connected to the antique store we always visit.  R. had a really good “flat white”; L. had a matcha-something???  They explored the antique shop, which takes up two blocks, and R. saw a couple of used guitars he liked but didn’t buy. L. said she was impressed that R. could just pick up a guitar and start playing.  Cool.  Later, the two went to Nordstrom’s Rack  - L. bought a dress and R. bought some shirts???.

Everything was going well until L. discovered that the couples massage she booked at Kellys Spa were canceled as Kelly’s Spa was shut down due to the Governor’s Order closing everything except “retail” at the beginning of the month. This was a true blow, but was largely rectified by the en suite tea L. arranged weeks ago. The tea was brought to their room in standard “three-tier-plate” fashion and was actually the first tea L. has had in 10 months as all “teas” collapsed in March.  She said it was wonderful.

Guests started arriving to the hotel and by the end of the day – “New Years Eve” – the hotel was packed.  L. tried to order dinner from the Mission Inn Restaurant, but kept getting transferred.  Finally, she called the Front Desk to complain, adding that she was staying in “Rm 339.” L. said all staff know that Rm 339 is the Kelly Kensington Suite. Within minutes, the restaurant personally called L. back and she was able to place her order just in time so they wouldn’t starve.  L. said the food was really good. They stayed awake, watching New Years Eve with Ryan Seacrest in New York, then rang in 2021 with sparkling apple cider – L. had the foresight to bring our champagne flutes to the hotel.

It sounds like they had a great time!!

12:00-1:00 – I shut everything down, take the dog out, and unplug the Xmas lights. Nighttime ritual and bed. Feeling much better.