1) It’s been a crazy week around here, as I have been on Chip duty since Monday. My mom and stepdad left early Monday morning for a lovely island vacation (so jealous!) so I’ve been sleeping over at their house since then. I hate being away from my kitties every night, but I visit them every day and give them lots of treats to make up for my guilt. My mom and stepdad come home tonight so I’m excited to sleep in my own bed and not have to leave the girls alone! It’s been fun to hang out with Chip, though. He’s a good boy, even if his barking can drive me up the wall sometimes. Eeks. Dachshunds, man!
2) I took three days of PTO this week, and it was really lovely! I didn’t do much (I know a lot of people don’t like using their PTO as “staycation” time, but I find it to be rejuvenating!) but I did have an eye exam on Tuesday that revealed very little change to my eyesight (yay!) and a massage on Wednesday where my therapist worked on my lower back/sciatica region a lot. Typically, I like very little pressure when it comes to massage (one of those HSP things: I’m sensitive to massage pressure), but I let her really go to work in that area since I knew I needed it. It wasn’t pleasant but my lower back hasn’t felt tight or achy since! During my time off, I also spent lots of time reading (finished three books!) and swimming in my mom’s pool. It was a great time!
3) My mom has an official adoption date for Lucy: May 24th! I am so excited! I will definitely be taking time off work to go with my mom to pick her up. It’s been really fun to watch her grow from a tiny blob who couldn’t even open her eyes or walk to this feisty little doxie who bites other dogs’ ears and climbs over them to get to food. Eeks! I can’t wait to hold her!
4) Yesterday marked two weeks post-second vaccine, so I am officially fully protected from COVID-19! Wahoo! And the CDC just released guidelines that fully vaccinated people can go maskless indoors and outdoors. I don’t know how I feel about not wearing a mask indoors (will people think I’m anti-mask?! But then, if I do wear a mask, will they think I’m anti-vax?!) but it’s one step closer to normalcy, and that’s exciting to think about.
5) My weekend plans include a doctor’s appointment and spending time with Chip this evening. Tomorrow, I have an appointment to get my AirPods looked at since one of them is having a weird crackling issue (which could be an Apple defect that they’ll replace for free, fingers crossed!) and game night with the fam. And Sunday should be a low-key day at home, where I’ll most likely be doing lots of cleaning. Fun times.
What are your weekend plans?
I’m not thrilled w/ the no mask thing… but I understand they need to lower guidelines to hopefully show vaccine resistant people that there is a benefit to getting vaccinated. But I personally think those who haven’t gotten vaccinated maybe won’t ever? At least those who are resistant to it because they are skeptical of it, not the people who haven’t been able to go due to scheduling challenges. I’ll still wear a mask because I am immune compromised but now I think I need to double mask or get some N95s because now it’s about protecting me from others, not protecting others from me… But in general I rarely go anywhere these days besides daycare pick up. Phil does all of our shopping and errand running. I was feeling comfortable going to Target but if they don’t keep the mask mandate, I’ll stop going there. So all in all, things aren’t changing THAT much for me, but it’s tough to feel like I’m less safe going out now. But I know I’m in the minority in being vaccinated and immune compromised.
I have social plans both days this weekend! A friend is coming to see me/meet Will on Saturday and I”m giving her a bunch of hand-me-downs for her daughter’s son. And then on Sunday I’m going to a “Mother Blessing” which is kind of like a baby shower. I’m really looking forward to that although I just thought this morning that I have no idea what I will wear since I basically live in sweatpants and workout clothes and that isn’t going to fly for something like this. Ha.
Sounds like a really lovely week! My big plans for the weekend are to install a new mailbox, lol! Really know how to party over here!
So good that you are fully protected from Covid19 now. I have the same thoughts about the mask wearing thing. It is all such a weird thing and makes us look at people and judge. And we do have enough of judging in this world. Sighhhh. Oh and that massage sounds divine.
Did the cats forgive you for being gone?! Hee hee. I would miss them so much too but Chip time sounds fun! And all that pool time. Oh yasssssss. I take time off to be at home too. It’s especially nice if Steven is working and I can do whatever TF I want all day!
Gosh the mask thing just felt like it came out of nowhere to me. It trickled down to work too. It makes me think a lot will just stop wearing them whether they are vaccinated or not, then people will want proof you’re vaccinated, etc. Ugh.
I had fun plans last weekend – a date with a friend!
“I don’t know how I feel about not wearing a mask indoors (will people think I’m anti-mask?! But then, if I do wear a mask, will they think I’m anti-vax?!) ” <– My thoughts exactly LOL (but I will continue to wear masks inside for sure)
I never to PTO before the pandemic what with the few PTO days in this country (I saved every day for my visits back home), but last year for the first time I was in the position that I had "use-or-lose" PTO and I had to take time off before the end of the year and I also thought it was glorious, even though we obviously didn't travel anywhere. It was nice to have a whole week at home just puttering around! Good for you that you were able to enjoy the time off.
I need to take lessons from you on the staycation thing. I don’t actually get time “off” because I am on a 9-month contract (academia…). Despite the fact that I am only paid 9 months a year, I (and everyone else I know in a similar position) work year round. Without those dedicated days / hours for being truly off, it’s even more challenging to make myself do so. You always remind me that those days off here and there are a good thing…
I am starting to tentatively plan good things, although I am similarly jealous of your mom and stepdad’s island vacation! That sounds fantastic. As does your massage – good on you for prioritizing self-care.