Day 12 - LA County Dept .of Public Health mandates indoor masking and OUTDOOR masking at large events

A portion of the bike path goes through Emma Wood Beach…

8/27/21. Friday

8:00-8:30 – I go downstairs to say good morning to the dog. Today, she is awake, which means she probably pooped in the house.  When I check the front door, I see that she did, in fact, poop right in front of the door (sigh). We go outside and I spot check my plants and water those that need it. The dog goes potty and we return inside – pieces of turkey burger for her and coffee for me.

I open my garage door half-way and move my bike directly in front of it.

8:30-9:30 – Shower. Lotion. Biking uniform. Light make-up. While I’m in the shower, B. arrives to pick up my bike and put air in my tires since he is also putting air in his tires.

9:30-10:00 – B. returns and we leave for the bike path at Ventura State Beach.

10:00-11:00 – Driving. I have a few apple slices along the way.

11:00-11:30 – In Ventura and we explore a potential bike route that B.’s neighbor proposed before eventually settling on the bike path that starts at Ventura State Beach.

11:30-1:00 – I like the bike path.  It’s on the cool side, but it starts to warm up…so much so that, eventually, I take off my sweatshirt and ride in my tank top. There are a few uphill sections, but they’re manageable.  Also, I have L.’s bike today and it’s so much easier with gears! My personal bike has no gears and appears to be perpetually stuck at level 5.

This is a scenic route with lots to see…there is a fog/fine mist covering everything for the first hour, but it burns off and I can see the coastline while I’m biking.

The bike path ends up abutting a major highway, where the cars are coming fast and furious. It’s scary but not as frightening as the crazy women who is walking along the bike path, next to a busy freeway, and waving a bag around her head…screaming. I’m terrified she’s going to shove me into oncoming traffic, so I turn back and hide in a parking lot, using the parked cars as a barrier between her and I. Unfortunately, she sees me near one of the parked cars and begins yelling at the top of her lungs, calling me a “fucking bitch” and other names that I can’t make out. I keep using the parked cars as cover, making sure they’re between us at all times, until she’s gone.

B. and I turn back and start biking away from the highway.

1:30-2:30 – We stop at Erik Erickson’s, the restaurant on the Ventura pier, lock up the bikes and have lunch. This restaurant has changed.

First, you order your food at the cash register. Next, you get a number to put on your table and you can eat anywhere in the restaurant. BUT, if you go to the top floor, you’re in the new brewery and only allowed to order draft beer. I typically order Prosecco, but it’s forbidden on the third floor.  In the event I decide to order champagne, I have to go to the first floor, order it there, and drink it there.  I’m not allowed to bring my wine up to the third floor.

B. and I sit at the bar and order a draft beer.  It’s empty up here and all employees are masked. The draft beer is quite good. Within a few minutes, waitstaff arrives with our food – B and I both ordered the fish tacos and clam chowder – but when I ask the bartender for a fork, she says they don’t provide utensils or condiments on the third floor.  These items are located downstairs, although she does give us a couple of napkins.

I find all of this ridiculous.

My fish tacos are delish, but I have leftovers. I ask the bartender if she has any to-go boxes. No. Those are also located two flights down.  B. goes downstairs and gets a to-go box for me.

Shouldn’t the third floor have a sign that says, “Eat your food downstairs” ???  What kind of restaurant is this?

2:30-3:30 – We bike back to the car, put the bikes on the rack, and leave.

3:30-4:30 – Driving

4:30-5:30 – Home and I give B. two cookies and pour him a 7&7 while I check email at both colleges. 

The high school liaison confirmed receipt of the AUDIO Syllabus and Word Syllabus and says that the students are really excited about the first day of class [Wednesday].  I’m relieved!

I respond to a few emails from students and note there is an email from the OSD student I spoke with via telephone the other day.  She basically accuses me of lying when I told her she didn’t have to take notes, saying, “Why did you tell me that?”  “What is the point of the Lectures?” OMG.  The notes are on the Google Slides and the lectures convey class content, of course. Also, I give hints and tips for the Midterm and Final in the lectures.  When I email the student this information, she responds immediately, in an accusatory tone, saying, “It’s just like I thought.  I do have to take notes” to which I explain that the hints and tips I provide in the AUDIO lectures are written on the Google slides.  She responds, “Are the Google slides the pictures with words on them?” Uh…you don’t know what Google slides are? You’re going to have way more problems in this class then I anticipated. I write back, “Yes.”

5:30-8:00 – B. and I watch several episodes of Home Coming. He leaves.

8:00-9:00 - I’ve had to wake up early almost every day this week and tomorrow is no exception so I decide to go to bed. Nightime routine. Bed.