Day 5 - Governor Newsom imposes new restrictions
Wine tasting tour today…
Friday. 11/20/20
7:00 - Two classes this morning. My alarm goes off at 7:00 and I lay in bed until 7:30. Then, I take a shower. Covid-19 uniform. Light make-up. Fake eyelashes today, because why not?
8:15 - 11:00 - Downstairs and I take the dog out. She pooped on the patio, again. She goes potty and we go back inside for her treat - bacon for her, coffee for me. I go to work.
The students are taking a chapter review quiz, watching a video, and then taking a video quiz, which means they’re busy. I email a student two make-up quizzes then work on compiling Socratic Seminar participation points for Specialty Class No. 1 from Monday’s Discussion Board. This means going through the Discussion Board and counting the number of times students responded to fellow students, as well as the number of words in their responses. This takes some time and I work on it until 10:30, then touch up my make-up.
11:00 - 11:45 - B. picks me up at 11:00 and we head to the Agua Dulce Winery to redeem my wine tasting Groupon. My ex-husband bought B. and I this gift for Xmas and just when I was going to redeem it, Covid-19 happened and wine tasting tours stopped in California. Currently, wine tasting tours are running again so I booked it last month.
12:00 - 2:00 - I’ve never been to this winery before, but I like it - peaceful. Their wine is from “grape to bottle” and I learn some interesting things about the kegs in that each keg has it’s own paperwork, is ‘certified’, and is very expensive. The winery also boards alpacas, llamas, and miniature horses. There are 7 other couples on this tour and everyone is masked and practicing social distancing. It’s hard to hear the tour guide, partly because we’re spaced out and partly because they booked the tour on “trash day” so there is clamoring from the trash truck as it flips the industrial dumpsters. Poor planning on the winery’s part.
The tour guide pulls his mask away from his face when he’s talking loudly (read: shouting) which I don’t like. He’s not pulling it over his mouth…just pulling it away from his mouth. Additionally, part of the tour is indoors, which is somewhat shocking to me, although it is a huge warehouse where all the kegs are stored. It’s also freezing, but I brought my jacket.
Lunch is included in the wine tour package - turkey sandwiches, potato salad, and a cookie - as well as 5 samples of wine per person to include a white, a rose, a Zinfandel, and two reds. One of the things I like about Covid-19 is that you’re not expected to socialize or sit near each other. The winery has bagged all of the food and put our names on it. Next to each bag are the 10 samples of wine on a tray. All B. and I have to do is pick up the bag and the tray of samples and walk to one of the many picnic benches on the grounds. I love it. The Sauvignon sample is surprisingly good. B. and I eat and drink by ourselves.
We hang out and look at the scenery then leave around 2:30.
2:30-3:15 - Driving.
3:15 - 8:00 - We arrive at B.’s house for HBO TV - I don’t have it - and B. suggests I first watch an interview with Obama from a previous 60-minutes interview. The interview is dreadfully boring and I’m ready for the HBO shows. We watch another episode of Tehran, The Undoing, and an episode of a new show, Murder on Myrtle Beach. I have champagne and at some point B. orders a pepperoni and sausage pizza - very tasty.
8:00-8:30 - B. drives me home
9:00-10:00 - Home and I talk to L. off-and-on for awhile.
10:00 - 10:30 - Night time routine. Bed.