DAY 109 STILL FEELING LIKE I AM HAVING A FLARE

Day 109 since I left the house.

I am having issues with my eyes.  I don't think it is blocked tear ducts, it feels different.  They hurt.  Maybe something is going wrong.  Maybe I need to rest my eyes more.  I stare at computers and TVs all day. 

Until tomorrow...

DAY 108 FLARE AGAIN?

Day 108 since I left the house.

I may be having a flare again.  It is not like I over did it this past weekend.  (that was sarcasm)  I basically laid around and watched four movies.  I am so fatigued.  My eyes are having problems from the Sjogrens syndrome.  I think things are going south again.  I am going to bed.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 107 HAPPY PRIDE!

Day 107 since I left the house.

I woke up and decided to start watching the last two Gay/Lesbian movies from the film festival.  I had my day all planned out.  Movie in the morning, catch W. Kamau Bell speaking virtually at Pride, Book Club first time, movie number 2. Sounds like a full Pride day.  Best laid plans, don't they say?!

The first set of movies was called Boys in Shorts (or something like that) and it is a bunch of shorts like the movies I saw yesterday.  I will tell you what I think without telling you about them:

• Matt and Dan Pics? - it was about texting and I thought it was the funniest of all the shorts.
• When in Rome - was short and I can't say anything without giving it away but it was too funny.
• Go Go Boy! - about a boy wanting to dance. It was cute.
• Pete Can't Play Basketball - I think the title says it all.  It was cute and made more sense after I saw the Q&A section after the movie.
• About A Short Film - this was so odd I am not sure if I liked it or not.
• Blow Job - it is not what you are thinking (get your mind out of the gutter) and the shortest short in this film festival history.
• Island Queen - It stars two famous people (Jesse Tyler Ferguson from Modern Family and Rachel Dratch from SNL) and is okay.  It wasn't as funny as I thought it would be considering who is in it.
• The Dick Appointment - First the sound quality was bad and I couldn't hear all the dialogue with my volume all the way up.  It is about Grinder in a good way.  I thought it was sweet.
• Short Calf Muscle - It was interesting considering the current climate with BLM.  I thought it was good.
• The Shawl - I thought it was good but Stevie Nicks is a weird thing to do a short like this about.

Those were the shorts in the first movie.  Then my friend S called and we caught up since she moved 3 hours from her previous home and got a new job that she loves. 

I turned on to see W. Kamau Bell from CNN talk at Virtual Pride.  He has a show United Shades of America on CNN.  He lives in Oakland and he is seen all over Northern California.  I have never seen him but others have.

Then I tried to log onto the Book Club.  It is an existing book club but I thought I would check it out.  The zoom said 3pm.  It was at 2pm.  The zoom was wrong. Whoever booked the zoom put in the wrong time.  That was a bust.  So I decided to watch the second movie.  I clicked on the link and bamm it didn't work.  It said I was too late.  I thought I had until 7pm.  I sent an email and minutes later I got an email back stating there was a problem and I did have until 11:30 pm. 

So I started watching the movie Summerland.  It was really good.  I expect to see it in the movie theaters (if we ever get back into movie theaters) [Let me take this time to remind folks to wear a mask when you leave your house if you are not.  Stand at least 6 feet apart.  This was a public service announcement.]  It was that good.  It was about Britain during World War II when the kids were sent out of London to the countryside to protect them from the bombing.  This boy is sent out to the country to live with a woman who doesn't want a child in her home.  The story is SO much more than that.  I thought it would be slow and I would hate it (in all honesty I didn't have to pay for it and I got it for free so I thought why not watch it) but it was exactly the opposite!  It moved along quickly and it kept my attention all the way through.  There is a quick cameo by Penelope Wilton who starred in the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  Also Tom Courtenay who starred in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society had a supporting role.  I loved this movie!

Until tomorrow...

DAY 106 PINK SATURDAY AND MOVIE REVIEWS

Day 106 since I left the house.

Today is Pink Saturday, the day before Gay Pride.  Usually there is a big celebration with people in the streets.  Not this year.  My friends party is obviously cancelled in person but turned virtual.  It starts in a few hours and I will report on it later.  I just wanted to get my movie reviews written while they were fresh in my mind: (if you are not interested in these movies, skip down a bit)

I watched two Gay/Lesbian film festival selections this morning.  Since I have the virtual party this afternoon I wanted to knock out two of the four movies I paid for first thing today.  Last night I had to watch RuPaul's Allstars Drag race to kick off the weekend.  Okay here are my impressions of the movies:

First I watched the what is called Girl's in Shorts; which is a collection of short films.  Some are really short like 3-5 minutes.

• Break In - It is about sending a text to a person by mistake.  I really thought it was funny.
• Dinette - It was so weird I am not even sure I can explain it.
• The Secret Gardener - It was about straight women and it was stupid.
  
• CC Dances the GoGo - It was about a gogo dancer and I thought it was really well shot and interesting.
• I Know Her - It was super short so I can't say anything about it without giving it all away but it was FUNNY!
• Were You Gay In High School? - It was about high school crushes and I thought it was well done.
• 6:23 AM - It was about forgetting someone's name.  I thought it was good.
• Peach - It was about a date or not.  I found it frustrating.

Then I watched a regular length film called Stage Mother.  There was a lot of hype about this movie in the "booklet" online so I decided to view it.  I am SO glad I did.  It was laugh out loud funny  and it made me cry.  It was SO well acted.  I think it should go to theaters.  It stars Jackie Weaver who received Academy Award Nominations for Best Supporting Actress for both Animal Kingdom and Silver Lining Playbook and Lucy Lui who you know from Ally McBeal and Elementary.  It also stars Adrian Grenier from Entourage.  A great cast!  It is a movie about a drag queen who passes away and leaves his drag club to his estranged Southern mother.  I highly recommend it. 

I went to my friend's virtual Pink Saturday to hear a drag queen sing.  It was a 30 minute concert.  It was very nice and she sang one of my favorite songs The Rainbow Connection by Paul Williams.  She does a lovely version of it.  I like The Carpenters version too.  It was a great way to celebrate Pink Saturday.  It is such a cold and windy day, I am find staying inside today!

Until tomorrow...

DAY 105 THREE BEAN SALAD AND PRIDE WEEKEND

Day 105 since I left the house.

Happy Pride Weekend!  It doesn't really feel like Pride Weekend.  Normally I would be getting ready to either walk in the parade or watch the parade.  Tomorrow is Pink Saturday and there would be a big party.  I would be meeting friends for ice cream or a drink.  The restaurants and bars would be super crazy.  The energy would be exciting.  The Gay/Lesbian film festival is this weekend too.  I would be going to see a movie or two.  You will read about the events I participate in.  Last night I was supposed to zoom with a lesbian author but the zoom link didn't work.  Tonight I watched RuPaul's Allstar's Dragrace to kick off the weekend.

I made a Three Bean Salad today.  I have been craving a three bean salad for weeks but I have not been able to get waxed beans delivered.  Today I decided to use garbanzo beans instead. I used green beans, kidney beans and garbanzo beans.  It has to sit for 12 hours before it is ready to eat.  I am so excited to eat it tomorrow.  It looks delicious.  I can't wait to eat it.

This weekend I will make a burger and eat it with the salad.  It will make a good lunch or dinner.  I hope the weather cooperates for Pride Weekend.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 104 RODENTS DEALT WITH

Day 104 since I left the house.

I had the Pest Guy come today and spend over an hour working on the rodent issue.  Here is the low down (and I mean low down):

It seems that the rats/mice are coming from the neighbor's house next door through the wall.  They dug through the wall and entered my house under my front stairs.  They couldn't find anything to eat in my garage (you only have to learn that lesson once in a life time!) and then burrowed through my wall to get to my hallway and then chewed the stripping off my door to get out.  They are not the smartest because if they had gone a few feet down, the door doesn't meet the floor and they could have casually walked/crawled right under the door instead of burrowing through a solid wall.  It would have cost me less too! 

So the guy took cement and filled the holes going to the neighbor's house.  Then he took metal plates and covered the holes made in the sheet rock.  I still need someone to come and fix the stripping on my door but that is an issue for another day.  He then took three traps and put them in places where he saw droppings just in case Marvin the Mouse or Randy the Rat is still lurking about.  Lucky is now banned from the garage for the foreseeable future.  She loves peanut butter almost as much as rodents. 

It wasn't from the chickens after all.  Although the Pest Guy said they were probably looking for food and they got a whiff of the chickens and took off to go find them.  We shall see how this all plays out.  I was super surprised to hear they entered from the neighbors and not from the chickens.  But he is right.  The outside of the door was not chewed at all.  Only the inside.  So they were trying to get out to the chickens.  Doesn't mean they won't try and come back.  Time will tell.  But for the moment I won't have rodent filled nightmares and Lucky won't be sniffing at the door.  Ah, city living.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 103 RODENTS IN MY WALKWAY

Day 103 since I left the house.

Two days ago I noticed that some rodents had chewed a hole in my wall.  It seemed concerning but not an emergency.  Then yesterday I saw that another wall had the paint chewed off and the rubber around my door chewed off.  This was SUPER concerning.  I called the Pest Guy but it was the end of the work day so I had to leave a message.  The message was an urgent one like "HELP".  Today I must have called four times and kept getting voicemail.  My assumption was he is really busy after being locked down.  He called me in the afternoon and he is coming tomorrow.  I told him he has to distance himself and he said no problem.  I don't need to tell him what to do and I plan to put signs up just in case.  He is going to text me when he gets close so I can unlock the door.  He can call me from downstairs.  We don't have to have any contact at all.  When he is done, I can go down and disinfect the area. 

I think my neighbor with the chickens and I will need to have a conversation.  This is the 4th time I have had a problem with rodents since they got the chickens.  I asked them to move them and they have not.  I think this is the last straw.  The chickens are too close per the city ordinance and we gave it a chance and it is not working out.  They are going to have to move them or get rid of them.   I feel bad because they like those chickens but I think I have been patient. 

We shall see what the pest guy says tomorrow.  I have taken photos for evidence.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 102 STONEWALL AUTHOR TALK

Day 102 since I left the house.

I have been trying to keep myself busy.  I have signed myself up for zoom author talks, zoom movie festivals, video webinars for work, and an online bookclub.  I figure these are just up my alley.  I like to go to things but I hate to commit.  I like to learn things but I hate to actually attend seminars/classes.  So zoom or online is perfect!  I can sign up and if I change my mind, I can not log on or just cancel and no one will ever know.  I can leave a webinar early and there is no shame.  No getting up out of the chair and slinking to the door while the speaker is speaking or waiting for a break to quickly run out of the room.  I just click the LEAVE button.  Bye! 

Tonight I listened to a speaker who talked about Gay and Lesbian life before the Stonewall Riots.  It was a bit dry but interesting.  I learned some history.  It also made me think of ways to make his presentation more interesting and how to spice it up.  Plus I did some work while he spoke.  I have a hard time doing one thing especially when the one thing is not holding my full attention. 

Until tomorrow...

DAY 101 STAYCATION?

Day 101 since I left the house.

My presentation went well today.  I stayed up late last night and worked on it.  Sharing documents on Zoom can be wonky. 

The cases in the west coast are going up and our governor has said that anyone 65 or older or if you have a pre-existing condition, you should stay inside.  I was actually thinking of maybe taking Lucky for walks while people were at work but forget that now.  There have been 47 deaths in my area.  It is a small amount considering and in my state there have been many thousands but not in my area.  My area was quick to shut down and quick to wear masks.  It is uncommon to see someone mask-less.  Not like what I see on the news in other areas. 

If this is still wave #1 and it is increasing, I have gotten my mindset ready that this is going to go on much longer than I was hoping for.  Getting out in December is a dream.  I need to get my head around being in here through next June and just hope it is sooner.  I need to work out a plan and organize myself.  Do a little more organizing of Lucky and Sunny.  Finish my emergency plan.  Really get serious about this.  It is not going to be a short term stay at home.

I have been thinking of having a Staycation.  I have heard of people having Staycations before and thought they were interesting but not for me.  Well, maybe they are for me.  If you don't know what a Staycation is, it is a vacation where you stay home.  I am home.  I want a vacation.  Here is how I was going to plan it:

1. Pick a time when the weather is great!  Now is not the best time, it is too windy and cool.
2. Maybe send Lucky away.  At least for the day so I don't have to deal with her and she gets lots of exercise. Today she was away all day and she is knocked out.
   
3. Blow up my baby pool and fill with water in the backyard.
4. Clear out the backyard so I can relax.  Put out my folding relaxing chairs.
5. Put a vacation message on my work email.
6. Pick a good book.
7. Order in food and no cooking except for barbecuing.
8. Make some good mock-tails.
9. Sleep late.
10. Take long baths.
11. Watch movies.
12. Zoom a few museums.
    

Doesn't that sound wonderful!  I have to plan this, I think. 

Until tomorrow....

DAY 100 LANDMARK

Day 100 since I left the house.

Day 100.  I feel like I hit a landmark.  100 days.  There is an ad here that keeps playing.  It says "Count all of the the hugs you haven't given, all the hands you haven't held, all the dinners you haven't shared with friends, and the trips you haven't taken. Keep track of them. Each one means one less person vulnerable, one less person exposed, and one step closer to a healthy community."   I have started thinking of all the times I would have gone to help a friend in need and I can't.  Or gone to a family function and can't.  Or made a decision to do something but couldn't.  I don't have a list but I am definitely thinking about it.

But I am also thinking of all the people who are helping me by bringing me groceries, buying things at Home Depot and getting them to me, collecting my mail, walking up my steps (when they do not have to) to pick up my mail, taking my dog to the vet, and helping me in so many ways!  How I appreciate them in ways they will never understand. 

I got to talk to some family for Father's Day and some friends for my weekly chat.  I also hung some photos of Happi. 

Until tomorrow...

DAY 99 BELMONT STAKES

Day 99 since I left the house.

Today was the Belmont Stakes.  If you have been following me for very long you know I am a follower of the Triple Crown.  This year the races have been cancelled due to Covid-19.  They decided to run the Belmont Stakes with no spectators and with social distancing. The winner was Tiz the Law, Dr Post and Max Player.  I wanted Tiz the Law and Max Player.  Max Player had a woman trainer so I wanted her to be one of the top finishers but I knew Tiz the Law was going to win.  He was heavily favored.  The best part of the afternoon was hearing them play "New York, New York".  Love that song! 

The other races have been postponed: the Preakness Stakes will be October 3, 2020 and the Kentucky Derby will be September 5, 2020.

I video chatted with my niece today.  We are making it an every other week event.  She just carried me around on her phone while she sang, played the piano, showed me things, and raided the pantry.  We talk and catch up.  It is fun and interesting.  We sang Happy Birthday to Sunny bird.  It is his 11th birthday.  We gave him two things: a cuttle bone to chew on and a seeded snack to eat.  He seems disinterested and almost mad at both.  I am sure he will come to terms with them.

I got my chips today!!!  Five bags of chips.  I got three bags of Lay's potato chips and two bags of corn chips.  I am SO excited.  Not as excited as I would be if I got Ruffles but still excited.  I ate my sandwich with some chips today.  I am not a huge chip eater but I appreciate a few chips with a sandwich or a burger.  Now I have some!!

Until tomorrow...

DAY 98 "I CAN'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS"

Day 98 since I left the house.

I spent the evening talking to my friend.  We decided to make it a phone call because she was burned out on doing video chats.  We talked for over an hour.   It was nice to catch up and find out how she was doing.  I have a few friends, some who are far away, who I speak to or text on a daily basis.  It is nice to once in a while have a good sit down and chat.  I think a number of my friends are having a really tough time being socially isolated.  I am not sure they have the social interactions I have to keep me okay.

I worry that some of my friends who are not used to being socially distanced for so long are having a really hard time.  I try to help by sending funny texts or pictures.  I call it the Funny of the Day.  For a while I sent inspirational quotes but that got old after the 50th one.  I try to explain to them when they ask me why I am not depressed or going crazy; that I am doing the right thing for me and saving my life by doing this is the right thing for me.  So, I can choose to be down about it or I can choose to be okay with it.  I choose to be okay with it.  I think my mental attitude is important that this is not forever and I can do this as long as it is not forever.  I am healthy and happy.  That is what is important.

I plan for when I get out.  I do everything I can to make my stay here comfortable.  I am blessed that I am in a spacious location with a backyard.  I can be in an outdoor space when the weather permits.  I have a workout space where I can workout.  I have space to buy large quantities of food to store up so I don't have to go to the store for long periods of time.  I am in an area where I can get almost anything delivered if I want to pay for it.  I am super lucky.  I know that.  I am able to work from home.  I know if I was still in my small, dark apartment and my old job from 30 years ago, I would not probably have this same outlook.   I keep all that in the back of my mind when I speak to my friends who are having a hard time.  I don't know what they are going through, I only know what they are telling me and they may be struggling with some hardships.  I just try to be upbeat and positive.  This will not last forever.  Like my niece said "I can't wait for Christmas!"  Of course, she said it because she wants presents.  I want it because we will be that closer to an end to this thing.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 97 PET EMERGENCY CARD

Day 97 since I left the house.

I finally got something I ordered in the mail.  I saw this on Facebook and thought it would be useful.  Of course I ordered it a while ago when I was thinking what if I got in a car accident.  The situation has changed and it is more important than it once was.  It is a tab you put on your key chain that says "My pets are home alone".  In your wallet there is a card that states what type of pet and an emergency contact. 

I got it from a company www.ourpetcard.com  A portion of each card you purchase goes to help a no kill shelter. 

I thought is so important especially during this time of Covid-19 and of course after this passes.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 96 GETTING UP AND MOVING

Day 96 since I left the house.

I decided today to exercise.  Some people might think this is counter intuitive since I am having a flare but experts say that moving can sometimes make a flare better.  I am not talking about when I am in the middle of a flare but once I am feeling somewhat better.  I have been told that once I am feeling a bit better, sometimes it is good to start moving a bit.  I am not talking about running a marathon but doing some light exercise.  Today I rode my stationary bike for 33 minutes and went 6 miles.  I may have gone too fast but I was feeling good.  I am very tired right now so maybe I pushed it a bit.  But it is good to move those muscles and joints.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 95 APPROVED TO TAKE ORENCIA

Day 95 since I left the house.

 My primary doctor got back to me and he says to start taking Orencia again.  He says the risk is lower then what damage I am doing to my joints during this flare.  So I will start Orencia soon.  I have a bunch sitting around.  I am still nervous but I will start it up and just be even more careful than I already am.

I am super tired so I am heading off to sleep.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 94 CONTINUED FLARE

Day 94 since I left the house.

My flare is continuing but today I had so much to do that I pushed through.  I have a client who is ending my contract on Thursday so they are panicking and video conferencing with me two to three times a day.  It is exhausting.  I did take time to order some food.  I mostly got bread, muffins and ice cream.  Those were the items I am running out of.  Oh, I forgot to get those crackers.  They were good. Oh, well.  Next time. 

Today was a wonderful day with the Supreme Court ruling.  Although it doesn't really effect us on the West Coast, it is super important for the rest of the country.  The Supreme Court ruled that gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals and transgenders have equal rights in the workplace.  They can no longer be discriminated against or fired for being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender.   There was a big celebration in my area but I, unfortunately, was not able to attend.  I just don't want to risk it.

Due to some concern by family members, I contacted my RA doctor today.  I didn't get a very clear response.  I wanted to know if it was safe to get back on Orencia.  He didn't say yes or no.  I contacted my primary to see if he can give me a clearer answer or talk to my RA doctor.  I don't want to go on if it is going to make me more susceptible to Covid -19. 

I am heading off to bed.  I am quite fatigued.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 93 FLARE CONTINUES

Day 93 since I left the house.

I am still not feeling up to much today. I spent the majority of the day in my bed. I watched a few movies between napping. I watched Abominable and Catfish. Abominable was really cute. I have always wanted to watch the movie Catfish. The movie that started the series Catfish on MTV. I am hooked on the series.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 92 FLARE IS WORSE

Day 92 since I left the house.

My flare has gotten worse. It’s effecting my wrists, back, neck, shoulders and legs. I have horrible fatigue. I lay on the couch most of the day. I treated myself with takeout pizza so I didn’t have to cook.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 91 INTERVIEW

Day 91 since I left the house.

I had an interview for a new gig today. I was a little nervous earlier but I had a friend who was going to call someone for a reference if I needed it. I also had another person who was a member who was happy to give me a reference. Then I called my cousin to give me a pep talk.  I was ready.

An hour later I was offered a part of the project to start. If it goes well, I will get the whole project.  I am very excited.

I am still suffering from my flare. After my interview I took an hour long nap. I am still super sore and fatigued.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 90 INTERVIEW FOR GIG

Day 90 since I left the house.

I am a bit nervous.  Tomorrow I have an interview for a new gig.  It is at a place I have not really heard of before and tonight I did some research.  I have friend who knows someone on the board of directors who is ready to give me a good reference if it gets that far and another person is a member of the organization who is happy to give me a good reference too.  So if I get that far, I have the references covered.  I just have to ace the interview.

I am not usually nervous about these types of interviews.  I am not sure why I am this time.  Maybe because with Covid-19 I feel a little out of practice?  Maybe I feel a bit not as much on my game being in my home for 90 days continuously?  I don't know.  I think I need to spend more time out in my yard and see the sky more.  It just has been so windy that even though it is sunny, the wind makes it hard to work out there and makes it cooler than I really want it to be. If it is too cool, I can't wait to get inside.  I am not a cold weather person.

Tomorrow will be the day of reckoning.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 89 LOST POSTCARD

Day 89 since I left the house.

I sent one of my photo postcards to someone and they never received it.  My photo postcards are a fun treat.  I get a print of a photo.  I take these postcards that have the "postcard" part on one side and sticky stuff on the other side and I stick the photo to the sticky side.  Then the postcard is my photo on one side and the "postcard" part on the other side.  People love them when they get them.  Only this person never got theirs. 

I got a copy of the photo and put it in a card and mailed it to them today.  It is not as fancy but they still got the photo and I will be more assured they get it.

The USPS is really having problems during Covid-19.  I think with all the postpeople being out sick and some retiring. Then some quitting and some taking time off it has caused them to get backlogged.  Then there is all the people like me transferring their mail.  All the businesses getting their mail delivered somewhere else since their businesses are closed.  It must be madness at the USPS.  Plus the increased Amazon deliveries.  I know I am cutting them a break.  I wasn't at first but now I see all the mess they are dealing with.  My postpeople are the kindest guys (so far all guys) and they stop to pick up my outgoing mail when I have some.  In fact today I started putting the mail on the steps with a rock on top so it won't blow away.  That way I don't have to touch it in front of them or hand my mail to them. 

I am sure some day the postcard will surface all bent up and mangled in one of those plastic bags.  It may be too late for that person who will be moving soon but at least they will have the photo shortly.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 88 ADDICTED TO ELECTRONICS?

Day 88 since I left the house.

 It has been so hot here.  Okay, not Texas hot but hot for this area of the country.  It was 85 degrees today.  That is hot for this time of the year.  It is not pleasant since there is no air conditioning.  Lucky hates it.  Lucky for Lucky she went away today. 

Lucky needed to go to the vet to get her influenza and covinia shots.  Since I could not take her, the dog walker took her.  She still has some infection and since she will not take any medicine willingly, she has to go in for shots.  She was supposed to get her influenza shot about two months ago but then Covid-19 hit.  So today she had both shots.  As a present, the dog walker took her to the park afterward.  She got to walk around the park for two hours.  She seemed to have a good time because she came home and fell sound asleep.

Teenagers and electronics.  When a teenager is on an electronic device, why is it so hard to get them to put it down to talk to them for 10 minutes?  Even if you want to tell them something exciting, it is like pulling teeth.  I think a study needs to be done on how electronics is a drug to their little growing brains.  I have been told I am mean for making them have a conversation for 10 minutes without a computer in front of them.  I am torturing them.  I am mean if I have it taken away.  Were we ever that way about anything?  I can't imagine there was ever anything we were ever that way about.  I know I hated it when my parents made me put my book down for dinner or to do chores.  I guess I was horrible when I had to put my book down.  But can you be addicted to books?? 

Until tomorrow...

DAY 87 GOT MY INVOICING DONE FOR MAY

Day 87 since I left the house.

I am happy because this month I got to my invoicing for May today.  Part of it was because my RA flare and part because I wanted to be more timely.  Invoicing is easier when I am flaring.  This month I was pretty good about keeping track of my time so I didn't have a bunch of work going back in my schedule to make sure I have all my time on my calendar.  It is also conducive to a flare because I can take lots of breaks.  Some of my work is not so conducive to taking breaks.

I took my lunch break out on my deck.  I looked through a cookbook from my family in NJ to find some recipes where I have ingredients in the house.  I found a few that looked pretty good but only if I have raw cashews.  I need to check my cabinets.  I may be able to make an easy Chana Masala or a Tex-mex Casserole. 

When it gets cold, I want to make the African Peanut Stew.  It sounds mouth watering.  It looks like a dish I had when I went to Walt Disney World and went to an African restaurant.  That was a spicy but not too spicy stew that was peanuty and super tasty.  I will see if it tastes similar.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 86 I HAVE SOME TOMATOES!

Day 86 since I left the house.

Today I went down and really looked at my tomato plant.  I wanted to make sure all the branches (is that what you call them?) were in the frame the right way.  I moved a branch to the next level of the frame and there they were; two tomatoes!  one was the size of a really small Cutie and the other was the size of a quarter.  I also saw three teenie tiny  tomatoes that just started.  I also saw about 15-20 tomato flowers.  I am so excited to have tomatoes coming.  I just love fresh tomatoes and when I grow them myself, it is so great.

I think next year I will talk to my gardener about having some other vegetables planted.  It would be nice to plant lettuce or green beans or peppers.  I hear I could plant them in a planter box and don't need ground space.  An elevated container would be perfect.

Something like this would work really well in my backyard.  I could plant the veggies I want and have a drip water system.  I am getting excited for next year already.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 85 POWER OUTAGE

Day 85 since I left the house.

Things were going nicely today. I spoke on the phone with my cousin and my mother. I sat out back and read a book.  Then it happened. A blackout. I was in the garage when the electricity died. I had to feel my way out and get to somewhere with a window so I could see.  I checked my phone and the whole area was out and it was going to be awhile. I immediately checked all my devices for juice.  I do this because once it was a 6 hour blackout and I wanted to conserve if it was going to be a long time. It’s not like I could go anywhere.

I went and go my new (I have had it a few months but this is the first time I’m getting to use it) power battery. It is nothing but a battery to charge your electronic devices. I had not charged it in awhile but it had juice. I started charging my phone straight away.

I used my iPad to watch a downloaded movie. I keep movies downloaded on my tablet for emergencies like this.

The power was out for 1.5 hours. I don’t know what caused it. I was prepared.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 84 LITTLE RA FLARE

Day 84 since I left the house.

My right hand is starting to bother me. It is a rheumatoid arthritis flare and I hope it calms down and goes away. It isn’t really swollen since I don’t really swell but it is red and hot. It also hurts a lot. Moving it or holding it still, doesn’t matter, it all hurts.

I’m sure it will calm down in a few days and be all better. Being off the Orecia is a trade off.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 83 ARTHRITIS WEBINAR #1

Day 83 since I left the house.

I cooked today.  I pulled out that cookbook (Quick-fix Vegan) again and decided to make Lemony Couscous and White Bean Pilaf.  It was super easy to make and I had all the ingredients.  Having all the ingredients these days is key.  I can't just run to the supermarket.   I used lemon and basil from my backyard.  It turned out delicious.  It is lemony and the sun-dried tomatoes are salty.  The veggies and beans give it such good nutrition.  I have a bunch leftover for the next few days.

Earlier today I participated in an Arthritis webinar about Covid-19 and Arthritis.  It said what you would expect: wear a mask, distance from others, stay inside when you can, wash your hands, don't go to the doctor's office unless it is dire for now.  They talked about "do I take my medicine or do I not?"  Those sorts of questions.  It was interesting.  There was an infectious disease doctor, a person from the CDC and a Rheumatoid Arthritis doctor.  This is a three part webinar.

The curfew was lifted today but I don't hear anyone outside.  I think people are still shy about going out and all the businesses are boarded up so where are you going to go?

Until tomorrow...

DAY 82 MOVIE NIGHT - DUMPLIN'

Day 82 since I left the house.

Today was a supermarket food delivery.  I was super excited until I found out that three things were not coming.  Potato chips, lettuce and canned potatoes.  I am sure you understand my disappointment about the lettuce and chips but are thinking canned potatoes?  Okay, I saw a cooking show and there was a recipe where the host used canned potatoes.  I want to try it but I can't find canned potatoes anywhere.  I had no idea they were so popular.  I don't think I ever had them before.  At this rate I will never have them.

It was girls movie night.  We finally got the Netflix Party to work and started watching Dumplin'.  It was really good.  It was funny and sweet.  Jennifer Aniston was hysterical as a former teen Southern beauty queen who hasn't ever gotten past it.  Danielle MacDonald is her daughter and she is wonderful.  The movie covers bullying, body issues, teen angst, mother daughter relationship, friendships, drag queens, and so much more.  I loved it and so did the other girls.

There is a 10,000 person protest going on very close to my home before and during this movie night.  Even though there is a curfew, it seems that not everyone is abiding by it.  I hear the helicopters going for hours.

I installed my camera outside.  I will just feel better knowing it is out there.  

Until tomorrow...

DAY 81 FOOD DELIVERY PART ONE

Day 81 since I left the house.

I got my first food delivery.  I have to break up my food delivery because my local supermarket doesn't have everything I need.  The supermarket has stuff like peanut butter and bread but it doesn't have many of the vegan options that I eat.   Like Veganese or Daiya cheese.  So I had this food delivery come first.  I got my vegan ice cream just in time for the hot weather.  I got vegan cheese and tofurky to make sandwiches.  I got tumeric, capers and much more.

My other food delivery will be tomorrow.  Then I will be good for food for a while.  I have enough of the staples.

There is another protest today.  It is further away so I don't hear it.   The curfew is in place so we will see how that works out.

Until tomorrow...

DAY 80 CURRIED CHICKPEA PATTIES

Day 80 since I left the house.

Well, today there is another protest.  This one is further away so I don't hear it.  My outdoor camera arrived and I need to install it.  I am just feeling a bit uneasy with the break-in about a week ago and now the violence.

Just to be clear, I am not worried about the protesters since I know they are not doing the violence.  I have protested too many times here and I know that outside agitators come from outside to cause problems.  I have seen it with my own eyes.  I saw it on the live stream from Saturday night.  The people who were looting were not from here.  Young kids were I live do not have cars, they take public transportation.  They can't afford a car, insurance, parking, registration, etc.  Those were suburban kids who have cars.  They were loading the looted stuff into cars and driving away.  The police said they ran license plates and the majority of the cars were from outside the area taking advantage of the fact the police were tied up with the real protesters.  Looters are not protesters, protesters are not looters.  People protesting for a cause to do not smash windows and steal boxes of $2,000 Ferragamo shoes.  Looters and opportunists smash windows and steal boxes of $2,000 shoes.

I can not speak for or begin to understand the horrible anger and pain people feel this week.  Anger and pain come out in different ways for different people.  I just know from living in a lot of places and with different people from different backgrounds, that what seems right for me may not be right for others and what seems like a reasonable reaction to others maybe way off the charts to me.  We all grieve differently and feel pain differently.  I can't tell you how to deal with your pain anymore than you can tell me how to deal with mine. We all see the world through our own lenses.  My hope is that these protests bring some change in police reform using the #8can'twait policies.  8cantwait.org 

I decided to make a new recipe from the Quick-fix Vegan.  I made Curried Chickpea Patties.  They were very good.  I wish the recipe made more since it only made 5 patties.  I will definitely make this recipe again.  No recipe online.

Until tomorrow...