Elsa came to bed shortly after I did last night. I have no idea what motivates her.
I was wide awake at 4 am after turning out the lights at 11:30 pm. I thought of getting up and getting on with my day, but that would throw Elsa off schedule. I got up shortly after seven. I don't enjoy those extra hours of sleep; they are usually crowded with troubling dreams.
I stuck to the alternate walk this morning, the one running parallel to the ocean instead of perpendicular, and therefore less up and down. While my left thigh still felt weak, the muscles fully contracted this morning when I put on my pants. Now, that is a big step forward.
As I walked, the muscles at my waist on my right side were in mild complaint mode. Those were the muscles that had me flat on my back for a few days months ago. Now those muscles only inform me that I'm doing something different. I choose to think they're telling me I'm doing something right.
Elsa and I meet other people out on walks, several with dogs. We ran into one man with his Schnauzer today. We've seen him before. I know Elsa likes him. I proposed letting them get within sniffing distance. We both had retractable leashes and could create enough space between us. The man said no because he heard that dogs could get be carriers and pass it on to other dogs who pass it on to their humans. He said he hoped I didn't think he was being unfriendly. No, no. I assured him.
I was at 4,000 steps at my driveway, which means that my stride has a constant length, at least for the time being. I was able to pass my driveway this morning without a comment from my bladder and walk to the end of the block and back to reach the 5,000 steps mark. On my way back to the house, a young man on a hoverboard came from the other direction. I have been seeing him frequently of late. I flagged him down and asked if he was hovering for pleasure or he was going to work. He said it was for pleasure today, but he used the board to get to work – 18 miles away. Whoa! He said that he had to stop halfway and recharge the battery on his way there, but he didn't on the way home because the trip was mostly downhill. He was so comfortable on this board; he was hovering and texting. I do hope he doesn't do that when he on the highway.
Dorothy called. She thinks, and her doctor says she may have the virus. She is getting tested today at a drive-in testing station. She has to post her number on her windshield, open her window only four inches, and sit on her hands. That last is to prevent her from reflexively pushing away the tester's hand. I have heard the swabbing process is uncomfortable because they have to go deep into the nasal passage and the throat, but I hadn't heard about having people sit on their hands to make sure the process goes smoothly.
Dorothy contacted her doctor to check if her symptoms could be COVID. He told her he had it and passed it on to his wife, his daughter, and a college roommate of his daughter staying with them. I assume their guest was an international student who couldn't make it home.
When I went to the bathroom, there was Mike's towel on the floor. This only happens when I'm upset about something. No, I swear I do not touch that towel. I stayed calm and tried to remember what I might be upset about. Oh, yes. Dorothy. The prospect of her being desperately ill or even dying. Wow! How's that a punch in the face.
She's alone now. David, her son, moved out to be with his girlfriend. Dorothy thinks he was also concerned about passing the virus to her. I texted her and suggested that she post a sign on her door with David's contact information, so he can come to unlock her door if she needs help. David lives about twenty minutes away in Princeton. It will be a quick drive, particularly with the now empty roadways.
Scott came up and sprayed my vacuum filter with a lubricant. He finally got the filter-free. I had to clean the filter, the part of the vacuum it was attached to, and spray that part with the lubricant. I suspect I didn't do much damage. A vacuum cleaner is a mechanical machine, not an electronic one, with no motherboard to destroy.
I've been seeing that large gecko in my laundry room repeatedly. He has been on my side door screen for the last day and then on the floor right by the screen. At first, I thought he was trying to get out, but I couldn't get him to leave. Then I put out a plate with water and some jam for him. I am now convinced he is dying. I just have to wait it out. Given his size, I assume he is an old animal just coming to the end of his life. When he's gone, I'll sweep him out to the yard.
The taco Tuesday lady gave up on the taco get-together. Yvette said she will do it some other time once she eats all the tacos she prepared herself. I had baked the chicken back and thigh I had defrosted, cut it in half, and returned the back to the freezer. When I cut it in half, I saw pink inside. I believe that means it wasn't thoroughly cooked. I put it back into the toaster oven. The salad was a little slimy. I washed it, lost some of the bits, threw my pumpkin seeds on top, and ate it. I prepared the leftover spaghetti by putting a lump of butter on top and popping it in the microwave. I meant to set it for 30 seconds, but it went on and on. I had set it for 3 minutes. I mixed minced garlic and carrot greens in and ate that. The chicken was in its third round of baking while I was eating the salad and spaghetti. By the time it was done, I was done with dinner.
No comments:
Post a Comment