Gorgeous home!

My mom asked me if I was coming home from the holidays today. In the same conversation, it was revealed that 1) my aunt's boyfriend has COVID-19 and she's waiting on a test to see if she has it, too 2) several school bus drivers that she knows were exposed and are quarantining, so my mom probably will be picking up my niece from middle school since they're packing kids on buses with longer routes while those drivers are in quarantine.

I very much have not made up my mind about the holidays, but I am leaning toward staying put.

I am going to make the traditional holiday fruitcake in about a week (I just dumped a bunch of blackstrap rum on the raisins). After that, I'm going to send out a sad mail saying, "Will do drive-by gifting and fruitcaking!" to my various family members.

I'm cool with missing Thanksgiving. Christmas, though. Man, that's gonna suck.

I keep seeing this commercial that asks, "Do you have a box of old video tapes that are degrading?" and my first thought was bad pornos, not damage over time. I think you guys have been a bad influence on me.

I keep seeing this commercial that asks, "Do you have a box of old video tapes that are degrading?" and my first thought was bad pornos, not damage over time. I think you guys have been a bad influence on me.

Ahahahaha!

I love how much the outdoor space becomes part of the home, msbelle.

Who's got doughnuts? I do!

I mean, not anymore. They're long gone because I woke up at 5.

waking up at 5am = BOO Donuts though = YUM

I want a cheesy breakfast quesadilla BUTTT I am supposed to go get cholesterol tested soon. Oatmeal needs to become a habit. bleargh.

Also today is lunchtime boob squish and I DO NOT WANNA.

Also Also - quick trip to NYC for friend with cancer's birthday dinner that led to bad GPSing on my part coming home yesterday (see video on FB) - woke up today with sinus drainage and soreish throat. 99.5% sure that is allergy and general FALL tep drop nonsense that I get every year. post nasal drip at night = soreish throat in morning. STILL. everything is tinged with COVID panic.

Firefighters are good for that kind of thing IME, as long as you open the door for them so they don't attack it with axes.

First, good that roomie got helped, and ouch. This did remind me of waking to the sound of firefighters outside my window discussing whether they should break in to check on me. I was living in an apartment outside Philly and someone in the building had called that they smelled gas. The firefighters had knocked on my door and I hadn't heard the since I was asleep in the bedroom. It was on the first floor and they could see me lying in bed and were discussing breaking the window. Fortunately the knocking on the window woke me and there was no gas leak. I did appreciate their concern.

That sounds beneficial all the way around, Zenkitty. I hope her flight goes well.

Yes. Very good idea for all.

So, I skimmed. The very long 3 day drive from NY is finished. Now to get settled in at home again.

It was hard leaving NY in many ways. I stopped to see my sister at a wide distance as she probably has bronchitis. High fever. Coughing, sinus issues, gastric issues. Her son made her go to urgent care and get tested. She wouldn't let him drive her because she didn't want to share a car even masked. It is so different in NY than FL. I have left an area where the numbers are extremely low and everyone is wearing masks and being careful and have entered the surging state where people are non-compliant with common sense. Not so bad in my county and city, but where my son and DIL live people don't care, and her parents go out to hear live music in crowded bars a couple times a week at least. I am really uncomfortable. DH did talk to my son and let him know how concerned I was about the risks in coming home.

Trip was just long. Didn't sleep the night before we left. Didn't sleep the first night in Harrisburg because the pets were anxious. Second night one cat escaped out the motel door and we spent 20 minutes trooping through brush and trees and finally captured her. Twice because the first time I grabbed her she wriggled and scratched so much I dropped her. The second time I snagged her from a tree I handed her off to DH immediately because he wouldn't drop her for nothing! This resulted in my getting a dozen or more bug bites, maybe spider bites, anyway I am bit the hell up and have much itchiness and scabs and oozing and all manner of discomfort. Slept well in Santee at least and got up at 5:30 AM to head the last leg of the trip. I did snooze some on my charging stops and one rest stop. Just 20-30 minute naps, but sound asleep! So that added to the time.

I'm cautiously optimistic about leaving eldest son and gf in NY. They have a cute apartment. He makes decent money. It is a new adventure. He is looking forward to making snow angels, but I know snow isn't all fun and games. Keep telling myself that I lived through it, as have millions of others, and he can survive it too.

Hi! Feel like I have been gone forever.

I had the 5 something wake up part, but no donuts. Can't do it either as I have done more than the Covid 15 and have to turn things around.

everything is tinged with COVID panic.

True. It is such a stress overload. Sorry about the required boob squish too. May the day improve for you.