Day 15 - BA2.12.1 is the current variant

My Strider’s group met at Iron Horse Trailhead tonight…

5/26/22. Thursday

5:15-5:30-My alarm goes off, but I need transition time so I lie in bed for the next 15 minutes.

5:30-6:20-I go downstairs to say good morning to the animal, but she doesn’t want to wake up. When I put my coffee in the microwave, she staggers overs and jumps on my legs for “good morning” pats. We go outside and she goes potty. Unfortunately, she pooped on the patio earlier so I clean it up. great. I grab a bag of ice and coffee and go upstairs.

I have difficulty downloading The Daily from my Ipad before jumping in the shower and this cuts into my getting ready time. I sit in the shower, drink my coffee, and ice my eyes. Lotion. Sexy Librarian attire in accordance with my Curated Closet project. I wear army-green dress pants and open-toed shoes, but the dress pants are the last vestiges of my wardrobe before I started the Curated Closet project - they need to go.

6:25-7:35-Traffic is somewhat lighter because most colleges have already closed for summer break, but I’m still in the car pool lane. My high school, however, has NOT closed for the summer yet. I have overnight oats for breakfast and put my make-up on in the car. I listen to What Next and Be Wealthy and Smart.

7:35-7:45-I pull into the parking lot and finish applying the last of my make-up, then walk to the classroom. Moving my legs is difficult - it feels like I’m moving through quicksand.

8:00-9:30-As usual, the classroom door is locked and the teacher across the hall has to let me in. Mr. G stopped reporting to the classroom months ago - he goes straight to the Teachers’ Lounge for his prep time. We still mask at this school, although I stopped pausing in front of the standing thermometer last month. I quit signing in at the office, too.

Class is in session, but it’s just a documentary today, followed by a video quiz. I update my bullet journal while the documentary runs.

9:30-9:45-Class dismissed. I drop off Attendance.

9:45-10:45-Driving. Traffic is horrible - what’s new? I listen to Burnout, More Happier, and PBS News Segments, while I eat my fish and beans in the car.

11:00-12:00-Home and I unpack all of my bags, unload the dishwasher, and then review the fly trap I purchased last night and the directions for assembly. I thought wire, string, or rope were included - anything - but there’s nothing so I search for what I have on hand and settle on green, trellis wire. After reading this blog and all the things I’ve done to my house, I’m still not mechanically inclined and assembly for such a simple project as a fly trap takes some time.

Assembly complete and I hang it from my gazebo. It starts working immediately. The flies enter and they can’t get out! It sounds pathetic, but this is the high point of my day.

-Upstairs and I try on the new bras that I exchanged for a bigger size yesterday. They fit and are so comfortable!

12:00-2:00 - I put on yoga pants and a tank top and go back to bed.

2:30-3:30-Up and I go through the online gradebook to check on my high school students. Two of them have yet to complete several outstanding assignments even though the semester is over next week. I send personal emails asking them to submit their assignments ASAP.

3:30-4:30 - L. surfaces and we compare our days:

She went to Blick for art supplies and then tried out a new coffee place, before coming across a cool, designer clothing store, manned by two armed security guards on account of the rampant crime West Hollywood has been experiencing over the past year.

I installed a fly trap.

-Since I have L. captive, I force her to select from three versions of a neon sign that I’m ordering for her studio. The sign is hot pink and says The Studio - L. needs to pick which type of lettering she wants.

-L. leaves for TJs and I ask her to pick up some apples.

4:30-5:30-I need Clearcare contact solution - travel size - for my upcoming vacation to Italy/Greece. I couldn’t find the travel size bottles anywhere so was forced to purchase them through Amazon, which I hate doing. I also order nausea travel bands and a new K-cup container for coffee grounds because the one I originally ordered doesn’t fit my current Kurig model. I just discovered the size discrepancy which means it’s too late to return.

-I also go through my Canvas shells and digital files at College No. 1 to see if the content for the shells is on my thumb drive or in my home computer. Unfortunately, the majority of my course content is in the Canvas shells which could, theoretically, be removed at any time. This actually happened at College No. 2 and I had to recreate all of the lost content. It was a total bitch. In the near future, I need to move all of my course content to my personal computer, especially the Chapter Review and Video/Podcast quizzes, for all of the classes that I teach.

5:30-6:10-I have a carrot cake Lara bar for a snack, then change into my walking uniform - black leggings, tank top, t-back sports bra [Athletic Housewife attire]. I listen to the Political Gabfest and freshen my make-up.

6:10-6:30-I drive to Iron Trail Road for my Striders group.

6:30-7:30-I’m still sore from my Asylum workout so I walk alone, at the back of the first loop, which I prefer. At the 8-month mark of these social activities, I’ve discovered something about myself: it’s enough for me to simply show up at a group activity where people know me and greet me. I’m fine being by myself within the group setting, even though I’m super friendly whenever ANYONE reaches out and makes contact. I’m happy to walk and talk with someone, but, ultimately, I find making conversation stressful. When left alone, this is the only time I’m able to unplug and just be with my own thoughts… no podcasts, no music, nothing…I like it this way.

7:30-8:30-Home and L. has made an awesome pasta salad, with grilled artichoke hearts. I can’t eat the pasta salad because #carbs and it’s too late in the day but I do have the artichoke hearts and they are amazing! This is a gourmet meal and although L. did the majority of her dishes, the kitchen still looks like a bomb went off. T. arrives and L. and T. go out for Boba. Kitchen duty and I ready my coffee for tomorrow.

8:30-9:30 -L. told me yesterday that our neighbors walked by the studio and offered to buy one of her paintings, which happened to be on the floor, leaning against the wall. B. and Reynaldo, the gardener, were also ogling the same piece on Tuesday - it’s of a beautiful red-head, wearing a furry green boa - so I hang the piece, front and center, so that it’s the first item to catch the eye of anyone walking past the studio. There’s a lot of foot traffic in our neighborhood. I rehang another piece of L.’s art for even greater impact. The neighbors also wanted to know where I purchased my black doors [the ones that lead to the kitchen and the backyard].

This strategic placement of L.’s art seems to have worked. A female neighbor walks by and says the studio looks incredible, adding that L. Is very talented. I appreciate her comments so much.

-I move our cars, unfold a tarp, then spray paint a terra-cotta pot that B. gave me so I can plant the last of the succulents received from my neighbor. I set the pot outside to dry.

9:30-10:00-I take the dog for a walk.

10:00-11:00-I water all of my plants and listen to The Fall Line.

11:00-12:00-My body hurts and I’m really stiffening up. I put on workout attire and, in a Herculean effort, do a 15-minute Insanity Ab workout. I planned on doing a 15-minute Insanity HIIT workout but I cannot muster the energy.

-I paint my toenails

12:00-1:00-I go downstairs and upload a blog post. I have Organized Money videos playing in the background.

1:00-1:45-Nightime routine and I listen to Citations Needed. Bed