December 2021
Now We Have Yet Another Damn Covid Variant.
I Dislike This Month. I Hate All of This Christmas Shit.
And Betty White Died at the Last Minute
PA/DE
1- W- PA- Elk County, PA
It's the last month of the year. Next month we will be in 2022. I am still stuck in 2020. I have some catching up to do.
I am in search of wild elk in Elk County. I left State College by noon. I stopped by the VooDoo Brewery to see if I could pick up some of that beer I tried last night. But for some very annoying reason, they are not selling these two beers to go. Fuck them. So then I moved on to the Elk County Visitors' Center to hang at their viewing station. Of course, it was closed today because of winter season. There were places to pull over and look but it is the 3rd day of deer hunting season so I didn't want to be in a wooded area and possibly become target practice. And as I was driving along, I noticed that I needed gas but I couldn't find a gas station anywhere. I thought for sure I was going to be stuck on the side of the road with no gas and no cell service. But I did finally find a place with a mere 48 miles left on my tank. That was close.
And in the midst of my gasoline hunt, I found me right by Ridgway, PA. I hadn't been to this town for 45 years. My college roommate was from this town. And I had forgotten what a pretty, little town it was.
I stopped at Brew Bank Brewery (1) for a flight. The beers were good but nothing spectacular. Then I headed over to my hotel which was ugly, out of town, had poor internet connection and nothing else to offer. I sat in bed all night and fought the internet connection interruptions. The evening was frustrating.
Today was not my most productive day.
2- TH- PA- Elk County, PA
I was anxious to get on the road today because I was just sure I was going see plenty of deer. I drove back to Bennette, the Elk Viewing Capital of the World. I stopped in to the only restaurant in town for lunch. They only had one item on the menu: chili with corn bread. So that is what I had for breakfast.
I drove all over the place and didn't see any elk anywhere. So around 3 PM, I started heading home. But first I stopped at Lowe's because I am stuck on this concept of Every Day Carry (EDC) and I saw a video about what is available at Lowes. I left with a variety of small flashlights and they are going to be my Christmas gifts this year.
Next, I drove to Bellefonte and went to the Robin Hood Brewery (2). They had 5 pours of 5 ounces. That was too much for me to consume and then drive so i only ordered 4 of the beers which is very hard for me to do.
Once I left there, I went to the Pro Bass Store to continue my quest for EDC. I found three more gadgets to add to my keychain. And now, I have so many mini tools that I need a new key chain. I wonder if I will ever reach a point in my life where I will stop all of this overconsumption.
3- F- West Chester, PA
I didn't go anywhere today. Mostly I sat around on my fat ass and wrote but I feel a much higher than usual level of productivity. I put a few things away. I threw a few things out. I did a few dishes, I cleaned a few things out of the refrigerator. I ordered out pizza. I got caught up on twitter. I deleted emails.
I am having a problem with vertigo today. I am just so damn light-headed. One day, earlier this week, I had to sit down for a moment because I was afraid I might faint. I am surprised by the persistent dizziness today. I am going to have to pay attention to this situation. I may have to go to the doctor if it continues. But I am so tired of doctors.
In other news, there was another school shooting the other day. And for the first time, the parents are going to be held accountable for giving their child the gun and ignoring warning signs that the kid is dangerous. The District Attorney filed manslaughter charges against them. And they immediately abandoned their kid and went in to hiding. Now the whole country is looking for them. They are shitty parents.
Tweet: They bought their kid a gun. They minimized the school's concern about dangerous notes he wrote. They told him to talk to no one once he was arrested. Now they are on the run and they have abandoned their son at his darkest moment. They are shitty parents. #GuiltyAF
4- SA- PA
I woke up to the news that the shitty parents have been found. They were hiding in the basement of an industrial building. They have been arraigned and charged with four counts of manslaughter and their kid has been charged with four counts of first degree murder. This is one fucked up family.
Tweet: Well, it looks as if Wendy Rittenhouse now has to share her “Shitty Parent of the Year Award” with these monsters. #KyleRittenhouse #crumbleyparents #GuiltyAF #Crumbleys #GunReformNow #USA
I'm light headed again today. I wonder how many days I have to be in this condition before it warrants a call to the doctor. I searched on Google to see what I should do. I may have a Vitamin B12 deficiency or a low blood sugar problem.
I tried to figure out how to use my new virtual training program. I am going to have to get Jaye to give me another tutorial. This is frustrating.
Twitter: I had cancer during covid and I swear, I did not infect anyone.
5- SU- PA
Sharon and Glenn had us over for dinner for a timpano feast and it was great fun. Glenn makes his famous timpano about once every three or four years. It takes 3 days of prep and the outcome is worth it (it is for me at least).
Today is the anniversary of my grandfather's death. He died in 1974 around 1:30 in the afternoon. And most years, I think of him at that time. But today, I didn't think about him until around 4 PM. His death was a huge heartbreak to me. I was 19 and this was my first death.
- The Crumbleys76.5%
- Wendy Rittenhouse23.5%
- The Laundries0%
I started the day by listening in on a webinar with Fran Lebowitz, one of my favorite authors. She is so damn funny and sarcastic. She has had writer's block for a number of years. Now all of her public appearances are about her writer's block rather than her writing.
I was just thinking that I wasn't feeling light-headed today and maybe I didn't feel that way yesterday and just now, I feel little-headed. Damn.
7- TU- PA
I went to see the movie, Julie, with Kathy and her mom at the BMFI and then afterwards we went to the Grog for a light dinner. I got the mac and cheese because I remember that it was good but it wasn't so next time, I am just going to stick with the reuben. No one makes a bad reuben sandwich.
8- W- PA
I started the day with a dentist appointment. I only got a cleaning as I had maxed out my dental insurance for the year. So I paid $120 to get my teeth cleaned and I gave up seeing the dentist or getting any X-Rays. Out healthcare insurance is fucked up.
WXPN is playing the top 2021 albums of all times. They do some sort of countdown like this every year so I am going to predict that Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run is going to win the best album of all times.
Later in the afternoon, I went to the Animation Brewery (3). I've been here a few times and like the place.
I've started watching youtube videos of Lewis Black. He is so damn funny and irrelevant to everyone.
Twitter: You are only a #Patriot if you support #Antif. Otherwise, you may be a #Facist. #USA
9- TH- PA
Today, I had a post- surgery breast follow up. I do not have breast cancer. But I have great potential to get it at some time in my life. My doctor suggested an estrogen protocol if I am plagued with the fear of breast cancer. I am not. Nor is she. So we are just going to monitor my situation. I will have another MRI in April. That sounds like a good plan to me.
In the evening, I drove in Philly to hook up with Heather, Steve and Elliot. Heather and I went to see the neighborhood Christmas lights with Elliot and he was so damn excited. He thought he was in the North Pole. I love these magical moments with kids. Afterwards, we came back and had a cup of hot chocolate and a peppermint stick. This was a fun evening.
10- F- PA
I did nothing today. I had intended to drive to Bombay Hook to see the snow geese. I saw on Facebook that they were back in town. And then maybe I would head over to a brewery on the way home. But then I lingered in bed too long. And then Sue Descano called me and asked if I wanted to get together with Kevin for pizza so that cancelled my road trip.
For a fleeting moment, I thought I would sit in the lounge and have productive afternoon on catching up on all my small obligations. But, of course, that didn't happen.
Dinner at Sue's house was fun and comfortable. We didn't break up for the night until 11:30 PM. She ordered pizza and made a salad and just sat around and talked and caught up on old school news. Kevin was exhausted so he snoozed in and out of the conversation and none of us cared.
11- SA- PA
Again, I had plans to go to Bombay Hook. I sent Deb Green a text to see if she wanted to join me and then talked myself in to waiting to hear back from her before I decided to head out. So consequently, I didn't go. I was just too lazy. I talked myself in to believing that it was too cloudy and grey to go. Instead, I sat on my fat ass all afternoon and worked on my blogs. I really need to stop being so self-defeating. I need to step it up and get back in life.
I did go food shopping as a means to justify my existence today. I wore my new travel shoes and discovered that the shoe laces that took me forever to find are too damn long and they quickly, easily come undone and now I have to start a search for find shorter laces. Otherwise, I will be tripping and falling over these damn laces. These are my burning problems.
Tweet about Tucker Carlson: The fact that he repeatedly talks about men being feminized leads me to believe that he is projecting about himself. And now I wonder if he is really projecting his latent, hidden struggle with his sexuality or his gender. He is too fixated on this topic.
12- SU- PA
Shelia had an early Christmas party for Michelle who is going back to Tanzania on Wednesday. Everyone was family, except for me. One little grandchild came right up to me and just about suck her nose in my face and asked, "Who are you and how are we related?"
I listened to the This American Life Podcast. The topic was abortion and one woman's definite stance on being pro-life. But life has been unkind to her and she suffered through two horrific pregnancies and deliveries and deaths. Now she is more empathetic to women who are placed in the terrible position to choose. And she has decided that it is no longer her place to judge others. Her story was heartbreaking.
13- M- PA
I checked on my garden on my balcony and some of my flowers are still in bloom. It's cold and we have had nights of frost but these plants aren't wavering in their efforts to fight the elements.
I just checked on the WXPN list of the top albums of all times and much to my surprise, Springsteen's album, Born to Run, finished at #3. That is a surprise. And the Beatles' Abbey Road finished at #1 and two more albums of theirs was in the top fifteen. Right now, there is an 8-part documentary series going on with the Beatles so that must be influencing everyone's decision. Joni Mitchell's Blue album finished within the top 10. This year is the 50th anniversary of the release of this album and people have been paying homage to her all over the world. Most of the albums are from the 1960s and 1970s. So are just old farts voting or do young people actually believe that their music is not that great?
Sharon hosted a Great Dames event and someone mentioned that Peggy Smith died recently. I barely knew Peggy but I admired her. She was a peace corp volunteer in Nepal in the early 70s. As a single woman, she adopted a young Nepali girl. She worked in corporate America for too long and thought she was losing her soul so she quit and starting offering mentoring services to underserved women. She was slo very involved with Dining For Women where she started a local chapter and serves as a volunteer in an administrative position. She was a woman who gave back other community and I was sorry to hear that she died.
I had dinner with Rosina and Kathy Lewis. Rosina made too much food. I bought two decedent desserts and we all left full of food, politics talk and good will.
National news broke out that several legislators and news media people tried to make contact with Trump on January 6th and begged him to intervene with the Insurrection. He refused, of course. And now, all of these people are downplaying the release of this information.
14- T- PA/DE
Kathy sent me a box of caramel candy for Christmas and they are delicious and so-so, so sweet that they hurt my throat when I eat them.
Today was a fantastic day. I slept in later than I should and so I was annoyed with myself. But I still went to Bombay Hook. I took the first loop around the refuge and was a bit disappointed and then angry with myself because it was too late in the afternoon to head down to Prime Hook. So I took the loop again and it seemed as if it was an entirely different place. There were herons, egrets, hawks, Canada geese, little water birds and then, off in the distance, I heard them: the snow geese. And the sun and lighting were beautiful. And the sunset was gorgeous and golden yellow. I took so many damn photos. I loved this afternoon.
And then, I stopped by the Midnight Sun Brewery (4) and had a flight of a stout and three IPAs. And the three IPAs had very distinct flavors. Sometimes, a brewery will make 7 or 8 IPAs and they all seem to taste the same. But these three were different.
One the way home, I stopped at Target and bought too much junk. I was looking for new, shorter shoe laces for my new hiking shoes but I didn't find them. However, I am obsessed with having a complete set of dining ware in my car so that I can reheat and eat any meal while I am on the road. So now, I have three different sizes of microwavable plates and small cups and beverage containers and eating utilities. I have so much now that I could host a dinner for four people.
15- W- PA
I went to bed with two or three plans for today as I had no commitments. But I did noting today. I did finally put up my shower curtain but that is about it for being productive. And I ate three of the caramels that Kathy sent me. I am a lazy ass loser.
I spent some time trying to listen to my audiobook, The New Jim Crow. The book has been out for ten years now but I just heard the author speak on NPR so I thought I would get the book from the library. OMG, the book is 17 hours long and it appears to me that she has repeated her same concerns 15 times. I wonder if she cut this book down to 3 hours, could she get more people to listen to it and could we then have a national discussion in the immorality of our prison structure and laws. We are dreadful and we are setting black people up to fail for life.
I worked on my yearly beer list and at the moment, I have visited 80 breweries in 24 states this year. I think this is my beer year and I am not sure I will be able to top these numbers.
16- TH- PA
I committed a mortal sin last night. I had a cup of coffee around 10 PM. I haven't done that in a long, long time. Consequently, I could not fall asleep at all. I was up and out of bed all night. Finally, around 8 AM, I feel asleep and then at 9 AM, the fire alarm went off. Fuck. I was in such a fog that I dismissed it. I just assumed they were testing the system. So I rolled back under my blankets. And then the alarm stopped and started again and I continued to ignore it. That is a very bad response.
I did check out the situation later and they were just testing the system. So that was a relief but I should not have dismissed the alarm because I was too fucking tired.
I was dizzy again and I had to get back in bed and lay down before I fainted. I haven't been dizzy for a number of days. But I think I need medical attention. But I don't feel like going to see a doctor.
And I just realized that I have yet to use my new, expensive VR exercise program. And that is consistent with my plan to start walking again. That hasn't happened either. I was walking 5,000+ steps a day. But when I went on my cross-country trip in October, I feel out of that habit. I can't believe that it takes months for me to develop a habit and days to break a habit.
We had our holiday party here at Chestnut Square. Sally Doan came because her friend's daughter just moved in here and I thought it would be fun for this young woman to have a familiar face in the crowd. And we had a really good time. There were lots of people but there still was lots of food left over. So Sally left with the bulk of the pizza and I left with the bulk of the fruit. We left with our hands full and no shame.
17- F- PA
I dreamt again that I had to return to my job to manage a crisis of some sort. And again, I was working incognito. The current principal had no idea that I was working in the school. I wonder what triggers these reoccurring dreams in me.
I spent the afternoon with Sharon as we worked on her new portal which will launch in January. We have been meeting since April and I think our group is tired of it all. No one wanted to volunteer to do some quick copy. So I told Sharon that I would come to her place and we would crank it out. And we did.
I ushered at Uptown Gospel Christmas show and the performers were great. They had a full stage of musicians and singers. And the house was packed. I loved seeing the theatre abuzz again after such a long absence because of covid.
The new Covid variant is wreaking havoc on us. New York City is shutting down again as they had their largest number of new Covid cases ever today. I cant believe people will not get vaccinated. And I cant believe that dumb fuck Trump made this a political issue. I hate him.
18- SA- PA
I had to usher again at the Uptown Theatre. There was a neighborhood production of a Christmas pageant and, in my opinion, it was just dreadful. The audience was filled with family member only and they loved every minute of it. Thank God it was a short production.
The production was only an hour which left me most of the afternoon and evening to do something fun. Instead, at 3 PM, I crawled back in bed with the intention of getting up in 20 minutes so that I could go somewhere. But that didn't happen. Instead, I feel in and out of sleep. I listened to podcasts and watched stupid videos on youtube and instagram. I am so disappointed in myself.
My balcony garden is still alive and kicking. I can't believe that it is this late in the year and my geraniums are still blooming.
My foot is really bothering me and I don't know how I am going to travel in January if I am in this much constant pain. I have to turn this around. Maybe I will start to take pain killers on a regular basis. I hate to do that.
19- SU- PA
In spite of the fact that I stayed in bed most of the day yesterday, I didn't do much better today. I got up way too late and am again disappointed in me. I have to turn this around. This is a waste of life.
Jaye called and told me that she is having some health concerns. The doctor thinks she has a bad gall bladder. She also has a spot on her pancreases and something funky with her liver. She's worried and rightfully so. She said she wishes she could talk to her father. It's so funny how we never grow too old to want our parents to console us when we are sick.
I went Christmas shopping and I have entered the phase of shopping for the sake of shopping. All of my gifts this year focus on safety. I watched so many safety videos before I took my trip in October that this is now the theme for gifts.
I am light headed again today. I need to address this problem.
Tweet: When did stupidity become the badge of honor for the GQP? #GetVaccinatedNow #GetBoostedNow
We are up to 805,000 covid deaths to date.
20- M- PA
I took a Tylenol PM pill last night to see how I react to it. I plan on taking this medication while I am un Utah to help me with my sleep and my pain from walking all day. I woke up to no usual pain with my plantar fasciitis. I feel so good that I am mad at myself for not taking pain medication at all for these last 7 months.
Last night was the first night that the temperature fell below 30F and this morning, my summer garden is finally dead. I had a fairly prosperous garden this season. I started planting this year's garden in March.
I had a fairly productive day and I was much more active than I had been in the last few days. I started with a doctor's visit to get my Prolia shot. I get this shot every 6 months to combat my osteoporosis. Then I went off to Lowe's to pick up more Christmas gifts and now I have way too many gifts. Then I picked up beer for Christmas dinner and I have way too much beer. Then I came back and sat in the lounge and worked on some things for Sharon. I also finalized our Utah trip and sent Cindy a final itinerary. Then I hurried off to the Uptown Theatre to usher yet again this week. This is the third time I been here in the last four days. It was movie night and they were showing Lars and the Real Girl. It was a ridiculous movie and I am so glad that I didn't pay any money to see it.
I feel pretty good today. I got up at a reasonable time for me. My foot isn't bothering me today. I didn't nap. I chatted with Jaye and she sounded optimistic. She did, however, cancel her Christmas party. And I got my 5000+ steps in.
21- TU PA
I went to a Villanova basketball game with Shelia and we had fun. I usually only like my high school teams and PSU but I have enough connection to Villanova that it was fun to be part of the group. The team played poorly in the first half and it was stressful to watch the game. But they pulled it out in the 2nd half and that made the crowd very happy.
22- W-PA
I had a dr appointment to check on the progress of my knee pain. She asked me to rate my pain on a scale of 1-10 and I told her zero and I think she was as happy as I was.
My concert tomorrow night is canceled and I am relieved. The singer has covid and I was apprehensive about being in a crowd of people at this time.
The omincrom is overwhelming all of us. Yesterday, the president said he was going send a rapid test to every American in January. Today, Sharon asked if we could all get a test before the Christmas dinner
I went to Bombay Hook to see the snow geese and they were magical as usual.
On the way home, I stopped at the First State brewery (5) and then I drove up the street and went to the Volunteer Brewery (6)- OMG, I had a winter ale that was delicious. I loved it so much that i bought a growler and paid $20 for it and didn't complain about the price.
23-TH- PA
I took a sleep aid last night and I woke up refreshed at 10AM. I couldn't believe it. But, true to form, I didn't get up then and I wasted another three hours.
Snitz Creek Brewery (7)- Lebanon County brewery- two IPAs, a delicious coffee stout and a fruity sour
I usually don't listen to self-help books But I wanted to listen to something as I drove today so I found Brene Brown's book, Braving The Wilderness. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it.
I only have 15% in my oil, in my car engine, and I don't have an appointment to get my oil changed in the near future. I have to stop driving my car until I address this situation.
I finished my Christmas shopping. I have way too much crazy shit to give to people. They are going to laugh at me behind my back when they see what I have to give them.
24- F- PA
It's Christmas Eve. The streets are empty except for several Amazon trucks making their last minute deliveries.
I had dinner with the Anderkos. Lauren wasn't there as she wasn't feeling well. So it was just Tricia, Bill, William and me. After dinner, we went Christmas lights hunting in their neighborhood. One neighbor has so many lights in his yard that he gets a thank you note from the electric company every year. Another house had over 200 inflatable Christmas characters on his lawn. It was ridiculous and hilarious at the same time.
25- SA- PA
It's Christmas Day, one of the days I dislike the most.
To start the day, I took an over the counter covid test. I was having dinner with the Hakes and we are all concerned about the kids who are not vaccinated. This new variant seems to be so much more contagious. I passed my test with a negative result and dinner was great fun.
We decided to take a family photo so we all sat in various positions on the couch. Kevin set up the camera to capture our shot as we all yelled "Merry Christmas". And Deirdre yelled, "I'm pregnant." And we just cheered and cheered with excitement.
I had yet another nightmare about work. For the last ten years, I has this same reoccurring dream. Usually, I am called back out of retirement to do some administrative work as a school where I was a principal. And I am required to work incognito. But this assignment lasts for three years and I become concerned because none of this time works towards an increase in my retirement. And so now I can't leave because I have gotten used to receiving a salary and my pension. But in this dream, it is finally discovered that I shouldn't be on the pay roll and I am finally released from this assignment. Now I wonder if this will be the last of this dream series.
My grandparents were married on this day, probably in 1925.
26- SU- PA
OMG, I keep eating my fucking Christmas cookies. I am going to get diabetes if i don't stop. I was in the lounge, minding my own business and a group of people came in and they were loud so I interrupted them and told them they had to eat my cookies. The laughed and declined and I was annoyed at them. I offered them to Pete but he didn't take any of them. I texted Debbie and asked her to come to the lounge to eat them but she didn't comply with my request. So I just ate more of them. OMG, OMG, OMG. I am an undisciplined pig.
Deb Green texted me to tell me that she has concerns about going to Bombay Hook tomorrow to watch the snow geese. There is a good chance of snow in the afternoon. So now, we will go on Tuesday.
27- M- PA
I was up early today to call AAA to see if they were giving me an appointment to get an oil change in my car. I am down to 15% capacity and I think it is becoming dangerous to drive my car at this moment. I really do not want my car engine to siege and die. I wasn't able to get an appointment until Wednesday so this is Day 2 of sitting around my apartment and just hanging because I can't drive my damn car because I am not giving it the attention it needs.
I threw out the rest of the Christmas cookies before they killed me. OMG, I ate so many of them yesterday.
Tricia and Bill have been married for 35 years today.
I called Jaye. She was down in the dumps today. She's in pain and has no energy but lots of worry. She's postponed her Florida trip until late February. And that says a lot about her pain.
28- TU- PA/DE
I went to Bombay Hook with Deb Green. She wanted to see the snow geese. They were there but not in the numbers that I am used to seeing.
We stopped at Stewart's Brewery (8) for lunch. I've been here several times and usually like their beer but nothing interested me today.
29- W- PA
It's Kevin's birthday. Forty one years ago, I became an aunt. Now there are 16 in his generation and ten in the next generation and one more of this generation on the way.
30- TH- PA
For some reason, Sharon wanted me to come down to her house for our usual Thursday GD meeting about her new website. And so I went because Glenn was cooking dinner.
31- F- PA
Betty White died and the whole country is in mourning. I just cant believe e it. I cant believe that a 99 year old woman just died on New Year's Eve. Her 100th birthday is January 17 and there was going to be a celebration all day on TV. And just like that, she is snapped up from us.
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