Day 24 - CDC recommends all J&J patients get a booster after 2 months

California Scrub Blue Jay…

11/13/21. Saturday 

6:00-7:00 – My alarm goes off at 6:00 but I need transition time so I stay in bed until 6:30. Then, I go downstairs to wake up the dog. I have to coax her to go outside because she does not want to wake up. Finally, she jumps off the couch, grabs her toy, and we go outside.  She poops twice, but will NOT go POTTY.  I take her in and out of the house FIVE times with the cue, “Lets go outside and go potty!” She won’t go potty when I know she needs to go. On the 5th time, I give up, put on the doggie door cover, and lock her outside.  Why does this happen when I have some place to go? 

7:00-7:30 – Wash face. Brush teeth. Light make-up. Dress in Cargo pants, T-shirt, and sweatshirt (layers). I bring my jacket and ski cap. I let the dog back in the house and leave.

7:30-8:00 – Driving. 

8:00-10:45 – Arrive at Placerita Canyon for Bird Watching. I present as “extrovert me”, but in retrospect I read “the room” wrong. To explain, in my state gig, I was used as an “Undercover” (UC) in several operations and I learned to invent alter-egos and identities in order to score drugs from doctors. I was a good UC and the operations where I was the lead undercover were successful. By nature, I’m an introvert, but I don’t have to be.

For the Bird Watching hike, after quickly surveying the  group who were there, I determined that an extrovert persona would be best in this situation so converted to “bubbly” me and told everyone, “Hey guys!  I’ve never done bird watching before and I thought I’d try it!” The group just stared at me. One man (later identified as Gary), holding a telescopic camera, suggested binos but I don’t have any. One of the docents said there were some binos in the office if I was interested, but I said no, I wanted to see what bird watching was like, first. 

There are two docents – a married couple identified as Rosemary and Don; another docent – Judy, whom I hate (see last week’s blog post);  two males who identify as friends and said their wives wouldn’t come; and Marlo, a teacher.  None of us are masking because we’re outside.

It seems that Bird Watching has a few rules: 1) If you actually see the bird, you can write it down; 2) Identifying the bird via sound doesn’t count; and 3) Walk the path quietly. If anyone sees a bird, everyone must stop. Everyone has binos and the Ipro bird app except me. At first, all of this is awkward and weird and I think, “These guys are geeks”, but the trail we take through the canyon is so beautiful. Everyone is vey nice and I learn several fun facts about birds, particularly from Gary.  By the end of the bird walk, I learn that everyone is new here - why did they look at me so strangely? This is only the second time for the two male friends and it is Marlo’s first time. It’s unclear why they looked at me as if I didn’t belong when all of them just started. I think it was the “extrovert” persona that I tried on.

By the end of the bird walk, I’m hooked. I love it! It’s super fun trying to identify the birds and walking in the canyon, this early in the morning, is invigorating. Everyone is very kind and they provide suggestions for next time (the Ipro bird app is huge, apparently). I make a friend: Marlo is a first-grade teacher who has taught at the Newhall School District for the last 20 years. She used to bird watch but fell out of it until her grown children bought her a pair of binos and some bird watching accessories as gifts so she felt compelled to go. We agree to return for the next bird watching hike which is in December [the first two Saturdays of every month]. Note: I never see Marlo again. 

We see the following birds (half of them are spotted from the parking lot before we even begin the hike): 

Acorn Woodpecker

Spotted Towee

Rufus Towee

Scrub Blue Jay

Tit Mouse

Phanopepia

House Finch

Golden Crown Sparrow

Band Tail

Red Tail Hawk 

10:45-11:00 – Bird watching is over. I eat some trail mix in the car then drive to Home Depot. On the way, I pass the Newhall Farmers Market. I try to park but there are no spaces available so I leave. 

11:00-12:00 – At Home Depot. As mentioned in a previous blog post, I’ve been looking for a beaded divider for the garage, but the dividers I found were too expensive, especially since I’m officially over-budget with this garage reno project. So, I’m going to have to create a divider DIY style.  I came up with the idea of purchasing a reel of chain, cutting it to size, and hanging it from the soffit in the garage.  I look at several reels and pick the best one.  I listen to Fresh Air.

12:00-12:30 – Home and I discover that my limited tool box does not contain any tools needed to cut chain. I think I need bolt cutters.

12:30-1:00 – I take the dog for a walk. I listen to Air Talk.

1:00-2:00 – I read The Paper Solution. 

2:00-3:30 – I take a nap. 

3:30-5:30 – I continue working on my Self-Eval. 

5:30-6:30 – I go to CVS for the last few toiletries I need to purchase for my 2022 inventory.  I listen to The Productive Woman.

6:30-7:00 – Return to Home Depot. While I’m looking for bolt cutters, an older male employee asks me if I need help. When I explain the project, he knows just the bolt cutters I need, but is unable to locate them. In the meantime, he gives me a huge, unwieldy pair, but I figure that’s good enough for me. He directs me to another aisle where there might be an alternative, so I report to that aisle. I’m there for several minutes when the employee returns with the perfect set of bolt cutters! I am struck by his kindness. When I comment that I’m going to return the big set to the previous aisle, he takes it from me and says he’ll do it. It’s such a small exchange, but it meant a lot to me. 

I also pick up some stick-on lights for L.’s closet cubbies, per our discussion yesterday. 

7:00-7:45 – Home and I try out the bolt cutters on the chain reel I bought earlier today. They work!

-L. returns from work and spends the next two hours making a wonderful, gourmet potato soup. 

8:15-9:30 - -I watch the next 30-minute Insanity workout because I’m still on Month No. 2 and still intimidated. After watching the work out, I give it a try. I do a 30-minute, Insanity – Strength workout and make it through. 

10:00-11:00 – The potato soup is done and L. and I eat it at the barstools with her watching TV on her phone and me reading The Paper Solution. The potato soup is excellent. 

11:00-1:30 – Gardening. I rake and sweep the patio, then water all of my plants. I continue listening to The Productive Woman.

1:30-2:30 – Kitchen duty and I ready my coffee for tomorrow. 

2:30-3:00 – Nighttime routine. Bed.