Weekend Recap and Ahead

      I'm doing pretty well not logging in on Mondays and Friday, though I've answered some texts or chats messages via Teams. Honestly though, I've yet to be productive at home on those days. Particularly on Friday, I was so tired after three very long workdays, the pets and family concerns. I let myself sleep in and actually took a nap. Monday's have been better. I know my stress level is still too high, blood pressure teetering on the edge of high confirms this, but I can't blame that all on work. Here's how I've spent the last four days, work free.

FRIDAY: 

     I got up but didn't make coffee, deciding to treat myself to a frothy cappuccino while waiting for my oil change. While I enjoyed that, I went through my three email personal boxes used for different purposes, responding or deleting. After the gulp to having another maintenance need that added $75 to my bill, I went and grabbed a few top off groceries. My one sister that retired and sold her shares as part of the golf course sale last year took a very part time job at the store for fun money and because she got bored, so I had a bit of a chat with her. They'll basically give her any days off but have her over scheduled now because they don't want to hire more before the summer crew come back. 

     One email was to follow up on substitute teaching actions. I had to send a training certificate and some final W9 paperwork through the Teachers on Call portal. Congratulations to me, all went through, including background check. I got the details to log in, and already there are three assignments in just my home district I could accept...and this is spring break week. I'm not going to accept any until the week of 24th, but nice to see how the system will work. I can add other districts if I feel I'm not getting enough options or prefer different grades. 

     I got outside with the dog but overall just had a putzy day. I made dinner early as my son had plans, cleaned up, and just hung out with kitten and old dog eating popcorn and watching random nothing. 

SATURDAY:

     Plans changed with my daughter to Sunday. I had a long linger over coffee, then cooked up chicken ahead for dinners later and soup tonight. I put an appetizer together to bring to the pre-concert meetup, and baked cookies. The BIL's ended up not going so my two nieces, daughters if sick brother, took those tickets for a nice break. I was the driver so they and my sister could enjoy some beverages. The other two sisters took the hotel room already booked and wasn't able to be cancelled when BIL decided he wasn't feeling well. The concert was good fun; all the good standby's from the Gin Blossoms, plus several I didn't know. It was a late night by my standards.

SUNDAY: 

     I was tired but still got up about my regular time and made coffee plus some muffin bread.  I streamed church instead of going. Sometimes I'm not in the mood to socialize with the church people and since I'd just go, sit in the back, and leave right away, online works. I had put soup aside for my daughter plus bread and met her at her apartment.  It was windy and cold but she came out to carry some stuff in...still in her pajama pants (likely for the day). We worked with her on some grad school options tasks. 

     I stopped at Dollar Tree for several sympathy cards to use in the coming weeks, got home about 4:30, and my other daughter was there with her dog. I made vegan chili and rice, then she left as she started playing in a volleyball league. It was a quiet Sunday night with the animals. My son had gone to a yoga class and elsewhere. 

MONDAY:

      I got up early and did some cleaning that was neglected on the weekend while sipping cup followed by another of coffee. My sister's birthday was Saturday and as she had plans with her family both the weekend days, I met her for a late breakfast to give her a gift, then quick stop for a couple grocery items I had forgotten on Friday. I went to the library as well, but my book was still not in. I had a chat with a book club friend (retired librarian) that stocks the shelves 12 hours a week and looked it up as in transit, so probably will be in by Wednesday. I'm glad I won't need to buy it.  

     I stopped at the visitation for the teacher/ dad of highschool classmate. He looks the same as he did at 12, except no hair. He recognized me immediately too, and kindly said I hadn't changed a bit. I met his wife and kids, then got to talk to his mom a bit who I don't think I've seen since my husband's funeral. My MIL was there, who goes to pretty much all funerals at our church, even if she only knows the person or family slightly, as was the case today. She was a driver for another attendee and was staying for both service and luncheon. I got home and took big dog for a long walk. I had a 4:00 bank appointment to update a CD that matured, ensuring every nickel I could earn is being tapped. I made the mistake of the other smallish one and didn't physically get it renewed and it rolled into a much less lucrative term, earning probably $36 less for the duration than I could have.

      The bank is next to a McDonald's and I remembered that my brother did enjoy the Shamrock Shake a week or so ago. I called my SIL and asked if that would be good today and if she wanted anything else. He was enthusiastic about the shake, but both less so for anything else so I brought them a large. Someone earlier had brought a corn beef and cabbage meal and he ate very little of that. 

     No St Patrick's Day festivities for me, dinner was easy as used leftover cooked rice, a piece of pork and chicken and made fried rice with lots if egg. I got my laundry done and sweaters washed on delicate and hung to dry. May not need them much more this spring if the weather stays nice, though Tuesday over night into Wednesday is supposed to be brutal again. Another walk with the big dog and called it a night with some TV and finishing off this post to schedule to load this morning.

     My daily activities are quite dull. Hopefully I'll have more interesting things to write about, if working on my yard and garden prep can be considered interesting. I learned that our YMCA will do day passes and a five-day trial. I really only want for swimming but should utilize other exercise options for knees and hips but thought that would be a good tester before committing to a full membership. Both options are expensive at $10 a day pass or $77 month membership, but if I find I'm only getting there sporadically, the day pass is better. In the summer, I can use the outdoor pool open swim times, and the lake.