Work, Mama’s mower, fish fry, Savanna

My morning in the office yesterday moved me ahead on my projects quickly. I do not stay past lunchtime when I go to the office during this company imposed social distancing initiative. For many of my colleagues, it is not as problematic as it is for others, but it is something I could get used to. As long as I can get a few hours per week to use the office internet. For the most part, Mama allows me to sit here at my computer and work. I am still more productive at the office. but I am figuring out how to make this workable. Over the last few days, I have noticed a trend of sadness at my officemates missing the repartee and banter of office chit chat. In other words, we miss each other. In ways, it is like being separated from your family. I predict we will be back together sooner rather than later. As the real numbers of infections, hospitalizations, and sadly, deaths of this epidemic begin to come into clear view, we will all realize that we have been lied to and that lie has driven a wholly unnecessary panic upon us. On the bright side, we, as a culture, will finally adopt proper handwashing techniques. And, someone will invent and market a hand sanitizer that is actually beneficial for the body while being deadly to germs.

Mama got her mower back yesterday evening. She was thrilled. To get to Roger’s to pick up the mower, I had to go first to Walmart, then to Grandma and Grandpa’s. We went to Walmart to drop off nail samples and for Mama to visit with the pharmacy crew about those samples. We went to Grandma’s to drop off some bedding and towels we use for the dogs. Mostly these are used when the dogs get wet and have to stay in the sunroom for a couple hours to dry out. Heaven forbid that they have to lay in the floor of the sunroom. That would be cruel. With the amount of hair these two inside dogs shed, the towels were quite filthy. Grandma offered to take them to the laundromat for cleaning. Mama and Victoria happily agreed. All the items in the load needed a good shaking before getting wet in the washer, but I did not offer to do that. Maybe Grandpa will, but probably not. At least all the items will go through the wash. They may not actually be clean, but they will smell better. Mama mowed the entire yard last night after we ate dinner. Completing the back yard as darkness fell. The growth was so tall that it looks horrible, but it is cut and can be cleaned up over the next few cuttings. Mama loved the hour on her mower. I will be more diligent about maintaining the mower from this point on.

Once we got home with the mower, Mama made dinner for us while unloaded the mower and reparked the trailer. We had some of my recent catch of fish for dinner last night. It was about 7 pm when we ate, which is late for us, but it was amazing. The fresh fish was better than any we have had recently. None of us could tell which of the fillets we were eating were crappie or bass. They all tasted good. Mama and Victoria gave me a charge to go as often as I would like to keep that stock on the freezer. With how last night turned out, I believe we will be eating fish far more often that we have in the past. Especially since the fish come at such a low cost. Mama will go with me to fish sometime soon. I won’t get to fish too much. I will be spending all my time getting fish off Mama’s line. That is always fun.

Savanna yesterday did so well on her lessons that she earned a reward. Her mommy had a list from which she could choose: an Oreo cookie, ten gummies, one TV show, or ten minutes of screen time. Savanna chose the Oreo. Before her daddy would give her the cookie, he teased her for a bit. “Are you sure you want this cookie? How much do you weigh? Why don’t you eat an apple instead?” Undaunted, Savanna went to the master bath, got the scales and brought them to the kitchen – just outside their classroom. She proudly stepped on the scales for her daddy to read her weight. “Thirty-five pounds! You definitely do not need this Oreo.” Playing the game with her daddy, Savanna asked, “How much do you weigh?” So, daddy got on the scales. When Savanna saw the numbers fly up to her daddy’s weight she exclaimed, “No more cake for you until that is gone!” With that she picked up her cookie and calmly sat down to eat it.

For a four-year-old, she has caught on pretty well.