Day 18 - Los Angeles lifts its vaccine mandate. A vax card is no longer required.

At AOC Restaurant, in Brentwood, for Bookclub Brunch today…

4/17/22. Sunday. Easter

L. made reservations for Bookclub Brunch at AOC’s today.

9:00-9:30 - I’m up, but I lie in bed for transition time.

9:30-9:45 - I finally get out of bed and go downstairs to greet the animal. She’s awake and waiting for me, so we go outside ASAP. I survey my yard while I wait for the dog to go potty and its in need of some TLC. Return inside and coffee for me; cheese for her. I go upstairs.

9:45-11:00 - Shower. I sit in the shower, drink my coffee, and ice my eyes. Lotion. Light make-up. I listen to What Next and Today Explained.

11:00-1:30 - Mom arrives and L. drives us to AOCs, in Brentwood, where a scary crime wave is currently underway. I’m afraid to have brunch at this location, but L. could care less. Nobody masks here - not even the staff - because the new buzz-phrase is “return to normal” even though BA2, the sub-variant, is on the rise and cases are spiking throughout LA. In fact, for the five days preceding our Bookclub Brunch, the LA Dept. of Public Health reported 4,632 new Covid cases; 1030 hospitalizations; and 43 deaths. All from Covid/Omicron/BA2. Nobody bothered to read the LA Dept. of Public Health press release or even report on their findings.

On 4/13/22, the CDC extended its mask mandate on planes, trains, and other forms of transportation until 5/3/22. It’s Easter and people are “gathering”, churches are holding services, people forgot what social distancing means, “flatten the curve” went out of style a year ago... Nobody cares.

The restaurant is wonderful and I have the best brunch: Spanish fried chicken and cornmeal waffle with two mimosas. Mom and L. have…something??? Everything tastes so good and we discuss the Invisible Corset while we’re eating. Although the book was a profound read for me, it was just ‘meh’ for L. and Mom. Oh well. We leave.

1:30-2:30 - Driving. The holiday traffic is…not bad.

2:30-3:00 - Home and Mom leaves. L. makes a coffee run and returns with an iced coffee for me with a pump of chai. This is the first time I’ve had iced coffee - it’s good!

3:30-4:45-I take a nap.

4:45-6:45-bullet journal; and

6:45-10:15-it’s time for yardwork. I sweep the patio, clean the beds, and trim dead leaves. Then, I water all of my plants. I drink cold coffee and listen to several Dateline episodes.

10:15-11:30-Kitchen duty and I clean out the refrigerator, pack the food that is starting to turn, and add to my lunch bag. I ready my coffee for tomorrow.

11:30-12:15-I take this time to fix the Velcro on the stair runner and take the dog out.

12:35-2:00-Blog posts.

2:00-2:30-Nighttime routine. Bed.