Monday, March 4, 2024

March Fo(u)rth!

Dancer on his New Blankie

I took all the covers off my daughter's bed to wash them and Dancer was looking very sad and forlorn on the bed without a blanket to keep him warm.  I took another blanket from the linen closet for him to use, but he doesn't look very happy about it, does he?  The blanket was a gift from a work colleague to my daughter when she was born.

Today was a mostly sunny day.  I didn't fall asleep until 6:00 a.m., but, I woke up once at 9:00 a.m. to feed the cats, then, slept until 10:30 a.m.  I could have slept a bit longer, but, I forced myself to get up and get going.  Maybe I'll be able to sleep at a more reasonable time, tonight!

The library had auto renewed the two books that were due today, but, I decided that I will return them, today, especially since I was going to the library to drop off my ballot, anyway.  I dropped off the ballot in the designated box and then, went into the library to return my books.

The library was not at all crowded, today; there were two other people using the computers and the printer and three library staff.  So, for the first time since the pandemic, on March fourth, more than seven months after I first went inside the library to collect a book from the hold shelves, I marched forth right into the library stacks to peruse the shelves and selected three books to check out!  

Two Non-Fiction and One Fiction

I was also able to take two more boxes of Covid test kits (each box contains two test kits) from the basket at the check out counter.  If I am going to start venturing out more, I might be needing them!  

After I came home, I had my brunch: a slice of the frozen pizza, that I had bought and baked, last week.  I warmed it up in the toaster oven and ate most of it.  There's a tiny piece leftover, to have as a snack, later, if I feel like it.

Then, I washed the last quilt that was on my daughter's bed and dried it in the dryer.  I took the trash cans to the curb and set them up in front of my driveway because there were vehicles parked on both sides along the curb and there was no room for the trash cans.  I did a little paperwork (there's no end to the paperwork!), watered the houseplants, read and commented on a few blogs, and watched the evening news.

For dinner, I cooked some rice with the last serving of the ham and split pea soup that was in the freezer.  Then, I heated up some of the ground beef mixture that I had cooked yesterday and I added some of the rice to it and had a bowl of what I'm calling rice casserole or a version of dirty rice.  It was very filling!

Now I have a rice cooker full of leftover rice cooked in ham and split pea soup, the rest of the container of ground beef mixture, the two Italian sausages that I didn't eat last week, and leftover pasta from Sunday night's dinner, to form the basis for the rest of this week's meals!  Plus four more banana-blueberry muffins for brunches!  I'm not going to make a meal plan as such, except to have chicken curry (from the freezer) and rice or baked salmon (from the freezer) and rice on the night my daughter comes home, depending on what she would like.   

Today, I'm grateful for:
- A mostly sunny day
- Being able to vote
- The library handing out free Covid test kits
- A safe drive to the library and back
- Working appliances

Today's joyful activity was actually going inside the library to browse in the bookstacks and selecting a few books to read!

Plans for tomorrow include more paperwork, some housework, and some reading!  Oh, and lots of crocheting while I watch the coverage of the Super Tuesday election results!

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday? 

16 comments:

  1. I do think Dancer is not happy with a blankie he is not familiar with but wondering if his other Mummy is about to visit again seeing as you are washing the bedding. I'm going to think of you as a night owl now but I am definitely an early bird :) Wise to have a couple of Covid test kits on hand especially as they are given out for free. The only test I ever had was in hospital while I was having treatment and it turned out to be positive and I must have caught the dreaded Covid in hospital while I was having the treatment. My only regret was that I passed the germ on to my husband who became much more ill than I was but anyway it's in the past now. Enjoy reading your library books, the Island of Sea Women looks very interesting.

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    1. I think Dancer preferred the other blanket because it was on top of quilts and therefore, more padded! I tend to wash daughter's bedding after she leaves and again, before she visits, just to make sure there's little dust and cat fur and dander on them. She has asthma and it takes her a couple of days to get used to being around a cat again!
      Well you know what they say about the early bird getting the worm! :D But, yes, I'm definitely a night owl!
      That must have been very difficult for you to get Covid while you were having your treatments and then, having your husband get it, too. Thank goodness you are both well, again. They are saying that Covid is here to stay, like the flu. I will continue to be cautious, but, I will be venturing out a little bit as I can't spend the rest of my life hiding in the house! I did enjoy visiting the library today and look forward to reading the books I picked. :)

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    2. What fun to go inside the library! Libraries are my happy places too. I have been checking out digital books the past couple of years with only one visit inside. I think it’s time for me to return to proper books. There’s nothing like the feeling of standing in front of shelves of books, knowing that something will catch your eye.
      Your meals sound inviting. Sometimes, especially with leftovers, the meal plan writes itself.
      Dancer is photogenic on the pretty blanket, even if he’s less than pleased. 😊

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    3. It was a big step for me to actually go and visit the bookstacks. Last year, I started requesting books and placing a hold on them, then, just going in to collect them from the holding shelf and check them out. It took me 7 months to go from that to actually visit the stacks.
      Thank you, some of my leftovers are actually "planned-overs" and they make it easy to meal plan! :D
      Dancer seems to have accepted the new blanket. :D

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  2. Like Eileen I caught covid and passed it on to my husband, and he was REALLY ill. But he's not had long term effects, whereas my sense of smell is still unreliable. The test kits are not available in so many places now.

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    1. I'm glad you are both recovered even if there might be some lingering long term effects. :)

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  3. We pass COVID test kits out at our library, too. But we're out right now much to the disappointment of many people. But we're still giving out masks. You are indeed a night owl! You could go get a nighttime job and not change your sleep schedule much. :)

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    1. I hope you get a new supply of test kits, soon. I don't know if our library hands out masks, though, because hardly anyone wears them around here. I could have worked the graveyard shift without any problems! :D

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  4. That’s wonderful that you could go inside and enjoy looking for books in the library! I haven’t been to ours in ages and I really do need to pop in soon. Might be a trip for next week! Always love seeing pictures of Dancer! And yay for your daughter coming home soon! 😊

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    1. Thank you, Mandy. I'm trying to get out and about a little more, this year. One baby step at a time! :)

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  5. That's a lovely blanket but Dancer is exercising his right to be a grumpy old cat by the look of him! That's good that you have some prepared food to keep you going. It will give you time for a nap!

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    1. Thank you, Bushlady. The person who made the blanket received a ribbon for it at the L.A. County Fair, that year. :) Having prepared food in the fridge and freezer is a real help; I'm not tempted to buy fast food when I am out and about, because I know that I have food at home. :)

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  6. What a lovely blanket. Looks like Dancer is keeping it warm!

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    1. Thank you, Sharon. The blanket has a lovely color combination.

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  7. I'm sure you enjoyed browsing the library shelves after a long absence. It looks like you found a few good books.
    You had your food all worked out for last week. I wonder if you stuck with it and got it all eaten?
    That's a pretty substitute blanket, Dancer. Your mommy was nice to get it for you to help you achieve your required coziness quota.

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    1. It was fun to browse the library shelves for a change.
      I sort of stuck to the meal plan, Debra. But, I didn't finish everything and I still have some leftovers! Then, I cooked salmon and rice for Friday night's dinner, and we got Japanese food for dinner, last night, so we have new leftovers for this week!
      Dancer says he is entitled to be a grumpy old cat! :D

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