I am still keeping up with my daily joys, which tend to be pretty small since covid came to town. I look forward for some sort of return to normalcy but really do wish in the meantime that folks would continue to mask and distance just for the general health of the population. So this is a list of some of the small joys the 16th week of the year offered.
Friday: My Beloved Sister and I "dressed" Mom's house. Empty houses look so sterile, but we did not want to have it staged. Instead we bought plants to put in many of the rooms to give it a little life. After we sell it I will give them all to her. Indoor plants who come live with me have a death wish!
This was also our (TheHub's and mine) typical ( since covid) date night. We thought long and hard about getting food since I was not back on Keto, which limits where we can go. We decided to go to Salvatore's, a small dine in restaurant, which still has a drive in window left from its former incarnation as a burger joint. TheHub got home from work very late and we wound up eating after 9. I don't mind eating then but pasta is a little heavy for late night dining!
Saturday: Son2 came by to take some interior shots of Mom's house. He has both a better camera and better eye than I do. It was very nice to see him, even for a brief time.
I also got a call from a dude who was just driving by Mom's and noticed the sign in the yard. Since I only live 2 minutes away it is pretty easy for me to meet people on the spur of the moment.
Sunday: TheHub and I watched our church service online. Between that our usual Webex Sunday school class, I made pancakes, which I rarely do. I figured as long as I was not doing keto I might as well go ahead and make them. I normally do not like breakfast but I had been awake a long time and they were delicious. Afterward, I read and TheHub napped before he was going to do a little work from home. Unfortunately he had a problem connecting with his computer at the office remotely so he had to run in to the office. Several hours later he came home, we ate a quick dinner and then watched a nature show. He conked out on the couch and I read (which is one of my favorite things to do)
Monday: My Beloved Sister was coming to my house so we could have two sets of eyes as we listed the house on Zillow and Marketplace. Before she left her house I got a call from another couple who had driven by and wanted to see the house. I had to call her back and tell her to put on something decent so we could show it. (Since covid we look like something the dog dragged in unless we are going somewhere) It was a very successful showing even if they don't make an offer. Their feedback was so positive.
Later in the day I had a phone call from a former neighbor who now lives in Nashville. I miss seeing her and always enjoy talking to her.
As soon as I hung up from talking with my friend, my cousin, who lives in San Antonio, called and asked if we could meet in a few days when she would be visiting my uncle. I suggested we meet at another cousin's brand spanking new house. My sister and I had plans to go see her house then anyway, plus it is on the Huntsville side of Birmingham which is where Uncle Bob lives. It is a win./win/win! We will pick up lunch on our way there and have a visit and a meal, plus we can ooh and ahh over the new house!
Tuesday: This was a get things in order at home day and was not particularly joyful, but was not a bad day either. Until__I had a phone call from one of my favorite bloggers, who makes me laugh. I think we need to have some central location meet up for anyone interested in putting a real face and voice with the blogs we read all the time. Shortly after we hung up I had a text from one of my friends ,whose son has a new YouTube channel, asking me if I would look at it and if I were so inclined to subscribe to it. I am putting it here just in case any of you are interested in fishing. I will admit I am not a fisher of anything but I have known Ross since he was hatched and loved seeing it.
Wednesday: This was another stay at home day that was drop dead gorgeous but a little cold (What?) Nothing spectacular happened and I am not positive I said a word to anyone but my sister all day. So I am just saying the joy for the day was riding down to Mom's and being able to look over the valley with all the trees completely leafed out. If you did not know it was a neighborhood with houses you might think you were headed into woods. The green is just lush right now.
Thursday: It was a normal boring day. I am still not leaving the house a lot because I am very covid aware, Especially aware after reading about people ( a small percentage but a percentage nonetheless less)who are fully vaccinated but in blood tests are now testing negative for antibodies.
TheHub got home for work a tiny bit after 7 and I was a little pissy about him being so late. To make amends he suggested several things we could do ( and yes, I was being petty and declined everything). Finally we headed up to the bluff to watch the sunset. A truck was parked backwards in the parking space next to us so their family could sit on the truck tailgate to watch the sunset. They were a young couple with 2 little boys, I am guessing they were 4 and 3, dressed in Batman and Captain America pajamas. I am not sure if I enjoyed the beautiful sunset or watching their adorable kids more.
So go find your joy, however large or small it is. It is there if you look for it.
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The plants were a good idea. The good thing about an empty house is that it looks even bigger than it is.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Mom's living room and den look very big when empty and the multi purpose room in her basement looks gigantic (probably because it is)
DeleteI too kill indoor plants. Slowly. But completely.
ReplyDeleteWatching the sunset sounds pretty damn perfect to me - with extra joy added when a happy (and cute) family shares it with you.
Obviously I must be some sort of house plant sadist. I do not have the intuitive skills for indoor plant ownership other than for a couple of very hardy varieties that mock my lack of attention and thrive in spite of my neglect.
DeleteWatching the kids in the truck reminded me of when our boys were small and thrilled to be doing very simple things.
That's pretty awesome that people are asking to see the house even before it is fully on the market! I hope it sells quickly at the asking price (or higher, as that seems to be happening more and more!) As for those daily small joys, they are definitely out there to be discovered, aren't they? :)
ReplyDeleteTo be honest Bless I just want it to sell quickly, and am not really worried about the price.
DeleteThe joys are always there, even on the bleakest day.
SO your plastic flowers die also/ I am all for meeting up we would have a grand time. In fact if you want to drive to the beach house we are staying at outside of DC. get over there. I will send details if interested.
ReplyDeleteYes! Any plastic flowers I had would be so covered in dust they would die from asphyxiation !
DeleteNormally I would be in like Flint for a road trip, but with the house on the market I have to stay around here. Drats!
I'm a plant killer too lol. Sounds like a very nice week and I'm glad all is set and ready to go at your mom's house. It will be sold before you know it. Have a fantastic weekend Anne!
ReplyDeleteThere is no plant I can't kill, except veggies in a garden and they seem to do just fine as long as I water then. I am going to start being a better plant mommy. (I hear my houseplants laughing as I type this)
DeleteI am intrigued by your sunset spot. All I can think of is a makeout spot like you see in the movies. Is it ever used that way?
ReplyDeleteI will have to take some pictures of it. It is actually an old gas station that has found an updated life as a burger joint. It sits on a very busy 2 lane road that runs along the crest of what we call a mountain (both others might just call a really big hill
DeleteWhy did he throw back that big bass? My mouth was watering thinking about cooking that one!lolz
ReplyDeleteI guess he is a sport fisherman, not an eating fisherman
DeleteNo fishing for compliments? I had no reaction at all to the vaccine, both times. So I worried it didn't work and was considering antibody testing. But according to the CDC,the tests are very inaccurate and return false negatives often, so no point in doing one. I hope your mom's house sells quickly. Celie
ReplyDeleteThey are still gathering data and there is so much still unknown that I will continue to mask and remain distant. Our Broadway series is supposed to be starting back before long and I will go to it wearing a mask. Our numbers locally of covid cases are rising this week, so I will continue being as careful as I can.
DeleteOh, I won't go anywhere without a mask. The large chain (and cheapest) grocery here has stopped requiring masks. So now I shop only at the more expensive local grocery. And this is a state where cases are increasing again! Argh.
DeleteHow lovely that those two little kids were dressed up! I remember when my youngest was about 4 I took his Batman outfit on holiday with us and he was such a success! And I loved Marvin Gaye (in the day). I think I'll go surfing for a few of his (and Al Green's) songs to download to my Prime account!
ReplyDeleteThe kids in the truck were adorable. We figure Mom and Dad had bathed them and put them in their pj's before heading out to see the sunset, then bedtime.
DeleteOh my gosh-pissy is the best descriptor of my mood. My husband has just snnoted me, but I realize its envy as he gets to (has to) leave the house. More rain and cold. Finding pleasures since Monday will be hard.
ReplyDeleteI really do not like being pissy, but sometimes I am. I am tired of the excessive work load TheHub has been in the middle of since January. It has gotten to the point where it has taken over all of his waking hours.
DeleteIt must be in the air. Yesterday, Youngest accompanied DH to his second COVID shot, and then they said they would grab a bite. As it was late in the day, I said I'd move the planned dinner (baked stuffed pork chops) to tonight, and told them to bring me back a sandwich. They wound up eating Mexican food, on premises, and because they don't "sell sandwiches," neither brought me back anything, or thought to call and ask what I would like. (In all fairness, Youngest would have, had he known I had asked--he only tagged along because all the siblings were gone.) They didn't get home until after 5 p.m. because there was an accident on the bridge. I was really hurt that they wouldn't have thought that I hadn't eaten, and wouldn't have thought to call to see what else I'd like so, even though they both offered several times to run to our local supermarket to pick something up from the deli. Even though I hadn't eaten all day, and was starving, I declined, and continued my quilting project in a quiet snit, finally making a tuna salad sandwich for myself just before Jeopardy. It's the next morning, and I'm still hurt by it, actually!
ReplyDeleteAnd you should still feel hurt by it!
DeleteI suspect the house won't be on the market long. That will definitely be a joy for you with a tinge of sadness too.
ReplyDeleteAs I read about your trips to the bluff to watch the sunset and other blogs where the folks have gone driving to see the spring flowers and trees, I think myself that I ought to get of the house too. Driving the few minutes to the grocery store and such isn't cutting it.
Have a great week!
I finally decided I have to at least see life, even if I am not yet fully (or at all, except fora quick grocery shopping trip every 10 days or so) participating in it yet. I have taken a cup of coffee and parked at a small lake nearby just to watch kids feed the geese and see a few people passing by.
ReplyDeletewishing you all the best in these hard covid days. things are pretty good here in australia i have to say (except for our government messing up the whole vaccination rollout). take care.
ReplyDeleteI am glad it is not impacting lives there terribly! Hope the vaccine rollout is relatively smooth
DeleteI wish you an easy sale of the house. Placing plants is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I read an article today about the new wave of Covid there. Hopefully the vaccine will be available to everyone soon.
DeleteI too wish people would continue to mask up. My teens aren't old enough to be vaccinated, and are still at risk. In addition to all of those who are medically unable to be vaccinated. As you've said, there's still so much to learn about the spread.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful that Sam got to have a high school soccer experience this year, even though it was cut short due to COVID. He met a lot of great kids & loved the coach.
We went to a different store across town the other day and it was like we were in a different world. We were in a very small minority of masked people, so we were in and out in just a very short time. Around us, I occasionally see one of two people unmasked, and they are the ones getting the death stares form everyone else.
DeleteI am glad your son was able to have an experience on the soccer team and hopefully at least by next year some of the covid confusion and data will be in and we will live in a safer place.
I got a snide comment from my MIL for seperating a bit when we were on restaurant. She just didn't need to say a thing. We didn't getva say in the date, andvI was hurt that his sister decided since they were now two weeks past, and they were taking more precautions than us, we all should be good. To her credit, she suggested the slightly seperated space away from the unvaccinated. My MIL is a real b to me, and outloud to everyone like I was being ridiculous.
Delete