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| Painting by Daughter |
My daughter had wanted to go to the library, this afternoon, to browse, because it has been so long since she has been to the library. But, I was a little hesitant because the number of new Covid cases are going up in Los Angeles county (1,821 new cases, today; 8,500 over the past five days) and we are hearing about more and more fully vaccinated people testing positive or getting Covid. I felt that, even with our N95 masks, we were risking exposure each time we went out. Yesterday's visit to the Japanese store was a bit of an exception because, even though we browsed, daughter had a list of items she wanted to buy from there. I told daughter to browse the library's online catalog instead and put in a request for any book she wanted; we could go to the library when the book was ready to be picked up, which would limit our risk of exposure. But, browsing the catalog online didn't have the same appeal as going to the library to browse in person! She decided to do a little painting, instead, and spent the afternoon painting this landscape picture!
I've had a fairly quiet day, today. I had put some of the pinto beans that A had given us to soak last night. This morning, I boiled them and then, cooked them with onions, curry leaves, crushed red chili pieces, etc. for brunch. It's what I do with garbanzo beans, too, except, I did it with pinto beans, instead.
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| Pinto Beans for Brunch |
I hadn't received my usual Sunday phone call from neighbor T and she didn't call me yesterday, either, so I called her today to see if she was OK. Apparently, she has been having a bad week and forgot to call. She thanked me for calling and checking on her. I asked her if she needed anything, but, she said she didn't. We chatted briefly and I said I'll call her back, later in the week, just to see if things were better.
I also hadn't heard from cousin P in several days, so I called her, too, to check on her. She said she had gone to spend a few days with one of her friends, which explains why I didn't hear from her!
Later in the evening, I called Aunt C to find out how today's burial of the cat went. She said it was a bit emotional, but, they got through it OK.
In between phone calls, I replied to blog comments, read and commented on other blogs, swept and mopped my bathroom and cleaned Dancer's litter box, did a little embroidery, watched some news, watered the front garden (watched by one of the small white bunnies - it was nibbling the grass when I went to water, then ran and hid under a parked truck; the minute I finished watering one section of the garden and moved to the other side, it came out and started to nibble the grass, again, keeping a watchful eye on me and my movements), walked around the back garden and picked two more zucchini, brought in the trash cans, washed the pots and pans by hand, and ran the dishwasher! We had leftover rice and curry for dinner.
We also ordered more canning jars for the next batch of chutney and two bags of Dancer's cat food. Daughter and I will go to pick them up (curbside pick up) from the store, tomorrow.
Today, I am grateful for:
- The stove is still working (I have not shopped for a new stove, yet)
- Being able to water the garden (although M will continue to visit twice a week for the time being)
- More zucchini from the garden!
- Keeping in touch with family and friends
- What I was able to accomplish today
- Being able to water the garden (although M will continue to visit twice a week for the time being)
- More zucchini from the garden!
- Keeping in touch with family and friends
- What I was able to accomplish today
Today's joyful activities included being out in the garden and embroidering.
Plans for tomorrow include M's visit to tend to the garden and going to pick up the canning jars and Dancer's cat food.
How was your Tuesday? What are your plans for Wednesday?
What a lovely painting. Your daughter is very talented. Has she taken art courses?
ReplyDeletePlease tell her how much I like the picture she created.
You are nice to check on your neighbor T. I hope she feels better as the week goes on.
I'm so concerned about the virus. Just when we were starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel
I do hope more people will get the vaccine.
I'm most afraid of giving the virus more time for it to mutate in a way that the vaccines don't protect against.
Thank you, Debra. No, she hasn't taken any formal art courses other than what she did at school, but, she based this particular painting on an online painting tutorial, except the painter used oils, she used acrylics which are what she had on hand, and she modified the actual scene! :D
DeleteI will check on T again on Friday. We usually check on each other once a week or so. :)
Yes; what I find is sad is that, in some other countries, people are begging for the vaccine and it's not available, while here, the vaccines are available and people refuse to take them! I don't understand it, at all. :(
Your daughter's artist abilities/gifts shine in this landscape painting. I know only too well the joys of just browsing & wandering the library shelves & I miss it. I am still very nervous about being in large or small public places even though our new cases of infection are dropping & the numbers of doubled vaccinated people is rising. Thank goodness masks are still mandated everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary-Lou.
DeleteWe had been looking forward to being able to browse the library shelves once the library opened up for in-person browsing in June; we were waiting until I felt well enough to do so after the sciatica flare up and we received the N95 masks we had ordered (they were not available for non-medical persons for the longest time). But, now, the new case numbers are climbing, and even with the indoor mask mandate back in effect, I am reluctant to go to the library! It's sad, isn't it?
I think you made a wise decision about the library. I 'get' the enjoyment of browsing the shelves but it simply isn't worth the risk with the rising numbers and the possibility of contamination through others handling the books. Our library has resumed 'normal' service but I have no plans to be borrowing books just yet, although I am tempted to pop in to take a photo for this month's challenge!
ReplyDeleteI like your daughter's painting. I get the impression that she is a creative person and she is certainly a talented artist.
You had another productive day but it sounds like a good balance between chores, social, and entertainment, so well done.
Thank you, Eileen. I was wondering if I was being too careful and a bit paranoid about not going to the library (after all, I had just been to a store the previous day), but, "better safe than sorry", I guess.
DeleteDaughter followed an online tutorial, this time, although she changed the scene a bit. She is a creative person and likes to do crafts projects. :)
Yes, I'm trying to achieve a good balance between housework, being social, doing fun things, etc. Some days things work out well; other days leave some room for improvement! :D
I hope you've had a good day, today. I am a bit behind with my blog reading, today!
I thought about your neighbor's bunnies when I talked with my sister the other day. Her neighbor's 2 bunnies got out last fall and they couldn't find them. They though they wouldn't survive the winter, but they did and now the neighborhood is over run with rabbits. Rabbit wranglers came the other day and captured dozens and dozens of them. I'm surprised you aren't seeing more rabbits.
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness! Rabbit wranglers! We are not quite there, yet, with our local rabbit population, but, maybe it's early days, still?
DeleteYour daughter's painting is beautiful! It sounds like another very nice day Bless. Here's to another good day today. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. For someone who used to cry and say she couldn't draw, she manages to produce some nice paintings! :) She's working on another one, today; I was persuaded to try my hand at painting, too, but, I had to stop half way to cook dinner!
DeleteYou daughter has quite the gift for painting.
ReplyDeleteWant to trade some green beans for the zucchini? I have seen multiple rabbits in my garden and am pretty sure little bunny foo foo invited all her friends.
Thank you, Anne.
DeleteYes, please! We picked 3 more zucchini today and not a single green bean!
Oh, dear! Maybe we should all set snares for the little darlings and have us a rabbit stew!
Hahahaha__that thought has actually crossed my mind, not in a serious way though.
DeleteI don't think I could do it, either; too much of a softie! :)
DeleteThat is a lovely painting! Your daughter is very talented. I went to the library yesterday for the first time since the pandemic started. I wanted a specific book which the online catalog said was available, but it is missing. The librarian thought either miss-shelved or lost. Now I will have to buy it. I didn't browse, I'm still nervous to stay too long in public also, and always wear a mask although not required here. Best, Celie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Celie. Too bad about the book you wanted! I think I'd be OK with going in for a short time to pick up a book. We were both looking forward to going to the library, too, but, not right now! Not with the new case numbers climbing up! According to the county health department, there has been a 20-fold increase in new numbers in one month (more than 2,500 new cases in one month). Of course, we used to get that many and more new cases a day at the height of the pandemic, but, still, that's a lot of new cases! Stay safe, Celie!
Delete(Hope your sister is doing well.)
Oops! I made a mistake with the new Covid case numbers; we actually had 2,551 new cases reported TODAY (7/21), not in one month!
DeleteSuch a lovely picture your daughter painted! We can go into our library but I ordered a book on-line and DH, who was desperate to browse, went inside yesterday and also picked up my book. I can't quite get used to the idea of "normal" life even though our area is fairly Covid free, but a lot of people seem to be out and about all the time, planning trips and so on. I guess we all have our own risk tolerance levels. At least we have more possibilities to meet friends now.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bushlady. I think, if the new case numbers had been down, I would have been happy to have gone into the library to browse. In fact, we had been looking forward to being able to do so, once they opened up and I recovered from my sciatica and we had received our N95 masks (they were unavailable to non-medical persons for a long time in my area). Unfortunately, our timing was off and I am just not willing to take unnecessary risks. But, that was very kind of your DH to pick up the book you requested. I'd be fine with going in to the library to pick up a book, but, not to browse, at this time, anyway. :)
DeleteSo nice that you're that person that calls and checks in on your friends, relatives and neighbors. I know they appreciate that. Yeah, online browsing isn't quite the same as actually being in a library or bookstore. But I don't blame you if LA county's cases are up. I have a huge box of practically new books, already read, if we lived closer I'd definitely leave some for your daughter. That picture she painted is so peaceful. Makes you want to walk up those steps and have a look inside that little barn. Denise
ReplyDeleteThank you, Denise. :)
DeleteDaughter has plenty of books to choose from at home among my bookshelves (or she could re-read some of her books), but, it was just the idea of revisiting the library that was appealing. We have always gone to the library, ever since she was a toddler. She received her first library card when she was 5 and weekly visits to the library were a regular activity. Later, when she was in high school, she volunteered at our local branch library to get in her community service hours. When I was in college, I used to work in the college library. We just like going to the library to spend an hour or so just browsing and checking out an armful of books to read. :) Trips to the bookstore used to be another fun activity. But, Covid cases are up (2,551 new cases, today). I think we will continue to stay home for the next few days, at least.
I like the painting! Will it have a spot on the wall? And I don't think you are being paranoid about the library. I received a message that the craft group was restarting this week, in a pub garden, so I went but found no-one there. After 20 minutes I left. Mailed one of the ladies when I got in, and she said they had decided to go inside the pub instead. That is fine, they can do what they like, but I won't be joining them in that case. I was cross that they changed the plans and didn't bother to let me know, but hey ho.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, it is hanging on the family room wall, along with the paintings she did today! Oh, that was very inconsiderate, not to mention rude, of the craft group to go inside the pub without letting you know! Even if it was a last minute decision (you might not have gone if you'd known it was going to be indoors), the least they could have done was send a text or email! I'm sorry you wasted a trip there and back and waited in vain. :(
DeleteThanks. I only went because they specified it was outdoors. I was 3 mins late as there was nowhere to park, so I had to walk from a distance. Therefore I'm sure that the decision was instant. I wondered whether they were inside but didn't bother to check because if so, I wasn't staying anyway and did not want a debate on the matter. It was rather thoughtless, but not an entirely wasted journey, as on the way home I stopped at a supermarket which I hadn't been to for over a year, and was able to find some things for my parents, which they like, at a good price. Mum was pretty happy to have her stock replenished after so long.
DeleteIn that case, going a bit late probably worked out for the best! Especially since it meant you didn't have to engage in a debate about going indoors! Stopping at the grocery store and finding some items for your parents would have been a bonus! :)
DeleteHa. If I'd been there, there would have been no debate. I'd just have said I'm not coming in and goodbye. They knew I had no intention of it, so no great surprise to them. It's not the first time something similar has happened so I don't think I will bother any more.
DeleteSounds like the right decision, Lady Ella. Time to move on! (((HUGS)))
DeleteWow! That's a really beautiful painting.
ReplyDeleteI skipped a lunch with several colleagues last Friday. Though vaccinated, I'm still hesitant to go out in crowds unnecessarily.
Thank you, Nil. :)
DeleteYes, better be safe than sorry; even those who have been fully vaccinated can still get Covid, even if they don't experience severe symptoms.
Your daughter's painting is beautiful. She is very talented.
ReplyDeleteI think you are wise to do what you feel most comfortable with. This virus won't be going away anytime soon. X
Thank you, Jules. You are right - this virus will be with us for longer than we'd like!
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