Day 3 - the WHO names Omicron a “variant of concern”

At Piccola Trattoria tonight…

11/27/21. Saturday

 8:00 – L. leaves for the Art Studio. 

10:00-10:30 – I’m up so I go downstairs to say good morning to the animal. She must have some pent up frustration about some imagined slight from either myself or L. because she keeps pooping next to the front door.  This is one of the ways the dog acts out when she’s upset with us (sigh)…maybe L. made her mad when she left abruptly for work.  Right now, the dog is lying on the couch, but when she sees me, she rolls over on her back so I can pet her tummy. I sit next to her and she climbs into my lap for kisses and cuddles until we eventually make it outside to the backyard, where I stand around until she goes potty. Return inside and coffee for me; cheese for her. I go upstairs. 

10:30-12:30 – A new batch of Socratic Seminar papers came in so I spend this block of time grading them. 

12:30-1:30 – I report to my office, post the scores to the online gradebook, then scan and email the papers (with my edits) to the students. I listen to The Productive Woman. 

1:30-2:30 – Life Admin. 

-I order a flocked, artificial Xmas tree for the “converted art studio” aka garage, since this is where we’ll be  having Xmas dinner. 

-I also order two portable space heaters in case we need to strategically arrange them around the table. 

-I order Santa wrapping paper with a black background because it’s interesting and I plan on cutting the wrapping paper to size to fit the individual panels in the master garage door. 

-I have a great idea for the tablescape!  I’m going to create a floating centerpiece by attaching ornaments to various links of chain and hanging them from the garage ceiling at various lengths so they’re “floating” right above the center of the table. I find the perfect ornaments for my DIY “centerpiece project” and order them. This is going to look amazing… 

2:30-3:00 – I have a piece of gluten-free toast with cinnamon almond butter and raspberry jam. 

3:00-5:00 – Spa day. I pack my overnight bag. 

5:00-5:30 – L. returns from the Art Studio and we talk about her day.  Then, I leave for Whole Foods and buy Prosecco-in-a-can. 

5:30-6:00 – Driving to B.’s house. 

6:00-6:45 – Cocktail hour and B. shows me his Ireland pictures.  We leave for our reservations at Piccola Trattoria. 

7:00-8:30 – It is packed here and the tables are on top of each other. I don’t like being inside, especially in light of the WHO naming Omicron as a “variant of concern” yesterday. There doesn’t appear to be outdoor seating…maybe Omicron really isn’t in the US yet??? although I doubt it. I have the Spinach Ravioli and it’s very good.  B. gets something??? As we’re leaving, B. shows me the outdoor seating that he knew was available the entire time. This section is not easily seen as customers enter the restaurant, but it’s expansive – I didn’t know it was there, but B. did.  B. said it was too cold to sit outside and eating indoors was the only option…I notice that there are gas heaters set up in the outdoor area and everyone seems perfectly comfortable…why didn’t we eat outside?  

8:30-10:30 – Return to B.’s house and we watch the new HBO series, Black and Missing. 

10:30-11:00 – Nighttime routine. Bed.