Couch 234: Ready, Set, Go!

Wow, Artley, for sure no jury duty in the state youre in! Sorry you didnt get to see your dad.

Cant wait til the new year i am going to buy myself a battery operated lawn mower instead of nearly killing myself pushing the big 2 stroke mower around that my ex left me with. Also all the hard sork i have put into throwing lawn food around and trying to water regularly, we are only allowed to water for 6 hours a day for 2 days of the week, because now my lawn is about 60% lawn grass and 40% weed instead of the other way around. I am feeling quite proud because when it is the dry season the grass tends to die back and it loooks hopeless. Now the rains are here the grass is powering along. I felt a bit overwhelmed with the garden for a bit this year and didnt do a lot of caring for plants i am surprised they are still alive.

H decided he's not going to work this week, since he often does medical-type deliveries into people's homes, if he's got covid and doesn't know it yet, he doesn't want to infect someone who's already sick (he delivers dialysis equipment, medications, sometimes even takes transplants to operating rooms, etc) so I certainly don't blame him for not wanting to work. It's their slow time of year, so they may not have had much work this week anyway. We got tests last night so we'll both test on Friday, 5 days from when we were both exposed.

I hope those affected by Covid keep well.

If I can turn matters towards materialistic consideration for a moment, do any of you Americano fashionistas know of any shops which sell Otz shoes? I used to have a pair but they are no longer available to buy in the UK. I am wondering if I get them posted to the UK. This is the brand but not the particular shoe I am interested in: Brand New Otz Shoes Brown Nubuck Suede Cork Insole Wide Fit Boho Booties 42 | eBay

I have never heard of Otz shoes. I see them on Amazon, but maybe there's a different Amazon website for the UK? I don't know.

My son texted earlier and isn't feeling any worse today, but he asked me to bring him some fruit and gatorade, so I'm going to go pick up some stuff for him and take it over on my lunch break. I'm glad I can be useful to him, it's good to be needed again. He's so independent he hasn't needed his mama in a long time.

Also, I learned a new word yesterday. I'm reading a book "The Ten Thousand Doors of January" which I'm really enjoying. The word is "temerarious" - which means reckless; rash. I find it to be a rather delicious word which I shall begin using forthwith.
I knew the word temerity but had never heard temerarious before.

The spawn were out making a snow guy and a snow penguin just before midnight last night. I have been invited to take a snowperson building break in the untouched front yard snow later today. If they ever wake up. Heh.

Artie and Artley, hope everyone stays well on the covid front.

Might just be easier to learn Latin (it is originally Latin), since that's where most of our more pretentious English words originate. Including "pretentious."

That book has been on my to-read list, glad to hear you like it.

My daughter-in-law's company just put them on remote while the omicron surge runs its course.

I will be back in school in 10 days with 90 kids in a classroom in a building with 3000 students.

We never learn.

Yes, UK Amazon has different sellers. Thank you, Artie. Otz are anatomically shaped (based on Otzi the ice man's shoes) shoes which when worn without the cork insoles are also barefoot shoes. The idea is that they allow your feet to move and bend naturally as you walk. I have been wearing barefoot shoes for years now and regular shoes feel very uncomfortable these days. I need room for my peri menopause feet to spread out and about!

My son's grocery list has grown over about 6 texts haha. Heading out to the store now to pick up the stuff they want and drop it off, then will finish out my 8 hour shift plus an hour OT when I get back.

He better be tipping you.

Ugh. Our county is doing similarly with returning in person on Jan. 3. A neighboring county is doing virtual until mid-January. But a bunch of parents in my (liberal, Democratic) county freaked out when they just tried to take extracurricular events (including sports) away for a couple weeks due to the surge. The school board--who is elected by county residents--reversed the decision except for the highest-hit schools (which includes my daughter's).

And the governor (Republican with higher political aspirations, despite this being a mostly blue state) scolded that school system for going virtual, saying other schools shouldn't do that except under very extreme circumstances (I'd think the highest rates of the pandemic--or at least close--might qualify). And said no state mask mandate either (though they are required in schools). At least my county exec finally put one back in place (of course, people are all upset about that, too...).


I just hate how politicized it all is. I'm saying all this as someone whose daughter really struggled with virtual school. But I think it might be better right now to do a few weeks virtual, let the numbers (hopefully) calm down--or at least give a bit of time after people's holiday travel and gatherings--then resume in-person. Ideally with testing, too, as another local county is doing (I think).

Had a good Christmas. BIL mostly behaved himself although it felt like he was putting on a show for us. He is never particularly helpful but my sister is recovering from surgery and having another surgery tomorrow. So he was more helpful than usual. Though other times he was a pain in the rear end, like he normally is. My T sent me a Christmas card which was really nice and touched my heart. I texted her on Christmas and wished her a Merry Christmas and she texted back and said something like she hoped I had a good day. I don't know when we will talk again but that's okay. I know she was saying something about the second week in January.

I went home sick with a sore throat, runny nose and cough. Hard to believe a few years ago I wouldn't have thought much about it. I'm trying to find a place to get a PCR test and the soonest available seems to be Thursday. I went to a walk-in urgent care my boss suggested but they had a 3-4 hour wait and there was no way I was going to wait that long. I've decided to try and go back to the clinic tomorrow first thing in the morning.

Hope you feel better soon, Polibeth and that it isn't Covid.

Today i learned that there was a ChiucK Cunningham in the first couple of episodes of Happy Days apparently he just walks up the stairs and is never seen nor heard from again.

Things I never thought I'd do, so they didn't make my bucket list, but now I can check them off:

Submit a Freedom of Information Act request to get copies of the records my employer is required to submit to the Department of Labor on how many disabled faculty and staff they employ and what they are doing to boost those numbers (they are supposed to aim for 7% of their workforce self-identifying as disabled).

I'm just looking for ammunition.

I made another batch of grilled veggies after I got off work... onions, red bell pepper, and cauliflower. Man they are delicious! Next time I'll add some mushrooms maybe. I'm a big ball of energy today and wish I could go to the gym but I'm not going to til I know I don't have stupid covid. I can test on Friday. So I just went for a walk instead.


Hopefully the home test kits I bought are accurate; the nurse I talked to through my health insurance said it should be fine but who knows anything right now....

I never thought of Happy Days as a horror movie.

Oh wait - yes i did!

You are my hero!

I have been having like 2 big servings of veg every day. Its like i dont even CONSIDER eating without a a veg anymore. They have pretty much replaced cookies in my life.

I microwaved a bag of fresh already cut up broccoli yesterday, and they were just the most beautiful bright green. I dipped them into refried beans with a serving bag of walden farms honey dijon salad dressing.

Mmmm that sounds good!!