Day 3 - LA County Dept. of Health MANDATES indoor masking

Harbor Cove, Ventura…

7/19/21. Monday

7:30 –8:15 - My alarm goes off, but I don’t get out of bed until 7:45. I’m at 100.5 pounds today! I knew that Mari Chicken would do me in. Downstairs and I say good morning to the dog.  She’s asleep on the couch and can’t figure out what’s going on. I rub her tummy three times and she reluctantly sits up and slowly jumps off the couch. This is a 3-year-old dog and she’s acting like an old woman!  So spoiled! The dog grabs her tennis ball and we go outside.  Unfortunately, I have to wait because she is sauntering around the backyard, sniffing every leaf – OMG, is she punishing me for making her wake up early?  Finally, she goes potty and we return inside.  Cheese for her; coffee for me.  I go upstairs.

8:15-9:15 – Spa Day. Lotion. Light make-up. I listen to The Daily and What a Day. I bought 2 bathing suits, off season (I think it was last December??) and so far I’m really happy with my orange 1-piece. Today, it’s time to break out my “shimmering bronze” bathing suit! Too bad I weigh 100.5 today – oh well. I put my bathing suit on and shorts and a T-shirt over it, then check my beach bag to make sure I have everything. I go downstairs.

9:15-9:30 – I add a few items to my insulated lunch bag.

9:30-10:00 - I ‘publish’ today’s content for my summer class and respond to a few emails. So far, the majority of the students have been “radio silent” this semester.

10:00 – 5:00 – B. arrives. We drive to Harbor Cove, in Ventura, and spend the day at the beach. It’s our first beach trip for 2021!  I’ve said it before, but we have beach days down to a science. I spread my beach/picnic blanket out to ‘stake our claim’, then we put B.’s Tommy Bahama beach chairs down, and he hammers the umbrella into the sand. I bring a cooler of food for me – B. usually walks across the street to get something for himself at one of the restaurants – and we both bring alcohol. It’s 78 degrees today and not a cloud in the sky!  In the Covid era, the beach is one of the safest places you can be. I eat a few apple slices with almond butter.

A woman walks by our “campsite” and says, “I like your swimsuit!”  Thank you!!!!  That made my day.

I read, lay out, take a nap…at some point I briefly go in the water, but it’s really cold. B. goes swimming then walks across the street for…something??? It might have been a hamburger. I break for lunch and have last night’s Mari chicken and Prosecco in a can(s). B. has some canned tequila concoction that is actually pretty good.

Oops – my back is sunburned. I fell asleep on my stomach and I guess I didn’t put enough sunscreen on.

B. and I call it and leave around 4:00.

5:00 – Right before we get to my house, B. and I stop at our neighborhood Marriott so I can run in and see what their restaurant is like [remember B.’s $50 gift card from the time share presentation?]. I ask the concierge where their restaurant is located and he says, pleasantly, “Right behind you.”  When I turn, there is nothing there except  a tiny bar with ONE counter for patrons. I see a couple of elevated bar tables, but that’s it. Surprisingly, they have a menu…with 5 items on it. I will say the grilled cheese sandwich looks…good..??

I run back to the car and show B. the menu.  Then, I urge him to go inside, too, so he can see what we’re dealing with.  He does the same and when he returns, we both start laughing.  I wonder if the $50 gift card will cover drinks?  That might be an option…

5:30 - Home and I definitely had too much sun today and need to lie down. B. drops me off and I leave my beach bag in the garage – I don’t bother unpacking it because I’m so tired right now – go upstairs, and crash for the next 3 hours.

9:00 – 9:30 – L. materializes and we talk about her day.

9:30-12:00 – I clean the kitchen, unpack my beach bag, fold my picnic blanket [it folds into a tiny briefcase…cute, huh?], clean out my insulated lunch bag, and start a load of laundry. I listen to Southern Fried Crime.

12:00-2:00 – Blog posts. I hang my laundry.

2:00-3:00 – Nighttime routine. My skin feels hot and itchy. Bed.