Hiya BetterMost friends!!!!
I hope that everyone is doing well!
Let's see......what's up in the life of Chuck?
I don't recall if I mentioned this here or not, but work has issued a statement that we will not be returning to the office until the beginning of 2021. I admit to having mixed-feelings about this. I find that I'm an even mix of introvert/extrovert. While I do miss the daily conversations with my coworkers, I find I have no problem staying in the apartment without contact with anyone.
That's not to say I've become a hermit. I have been out to visit with friends, we've done the whole "social distance" meeting thing. Not long ago I went to some friends' home, and we spent time catching up in the backyard, each over 6 feet away from each other. If for some reason we needed to get closer, we put on a mask.
Next week I'm on vacation, and I had intended to spend one day down at the Jersey Shore. Truth be told, I'm not a big shore person. My parents, however, go every year, and I felt bad that they wouldn't be going this year, so I planned on going to the boardwalk, donning a mask, walking around a bit, and then going to the sweet shoppe to get them some of the salt-water taffy and fudge they both like. However, with the spike in numbers of Covid cases, I had some serious doubts as to whether or not to go. I found out my decision had been made for me by the sweet shoppe, which had closed due to CV, and that took the last reason away to go, so I'm just relaxing at home next week.
I do have plans to meet up with a friend at one point to do a social distance gathering, perhaps a meal, on her large front porch.
Mom and Dad are still doing well. With the both of them staying home, they are getting multiple things done around the house. Dad likes to keep busy, and mom wants to keep an eye on dad (LOL) so they've actually been doing some home repairs/improvement. The basement is concrete, and some of the areas have small cracks or holes, so they've been patching the holes up, and they've repainted the basement, put up some shelving, and even worked on the entrance way to the basement from the backyard, doing small repairs and repainting it.
Chris is still at work, but his office building is now open, so employees are coming back. Chris has a supply of masks, and has been in touch with the HR department regarding some of the guards who work under him. Two of them apparently were traveling, and were ready to come back to work. Chris told them not until they self-isolated for 14 days.
Michael is ok, as is my SiL Michelle, niece Shana, her boyfriend Derek, and Trenton. It's still a worry, as Michelle, Shana and Trent all have asthma, so they need to be extra careful.
Caution is my rule of thumb. I wear a mask when I have to go somewhere. I also carry hand sanitizer with me, and use it often. I get that we're all tired of this, but there's no reason to be careless at this point. I've made it this long without catching anything, I intend to keep it that way.
Tomorrow is payday, and once bills are taken care of, I should have a good amount extra, and I'm debating going out next week and getting a dash cam for the Santa Fe. I've been watching car crash videos on YouTube, and it makes me realize how many times an accident can happen and the wrong person is blamed. Also, in more than a few of those videos, the person who caused the accident tries to drive off. At least the video catches the license plate of the car, so they can be caught.
Side benefit, I think watching those videos makes me a more alert driver. I'm not paranoid, but I see myself keeping a farther distance from other cars now, making sure I'm not speeding, and looking all around at intersections.
I've been trying to support local stores at this time. Instead of ordering a meal from a chain place, I'll order from a local restaurant. Last week I went to Holstein's in Bloomfield (the filming location of the famous last scene of the Sopranos) and got a bunch of candy there from their counter. I gave it to mom and dad, kind of a way to make up for the fact they won't get their salt-water taffy and fudge. Holstein's is a local diner that has some booths and counter with stools. Across from the counter they have one of those large glass display cases where they sell homemade candy by the pound.
I'm debating going to a local bookstore and getting some books on crossword puzzles. I used to enjoy doing them, and it would be good to get back into them again, and support a local store at the same time.
Haven't made any real big purchases lately, but I did expand my CD collection by adding 4 CDs by Pentatonix. I've always liked them, but never purchased their CDs, I don't know why, but now I've rectified that. LOL
Speaking of music, almost all of my vinyl records are now gone. They had been stored at my parents' place since I moved out. They were in the basement, and they wanted them gone, and I don't blame them. LOL Getting them 'gone' was a chore as I could't find anyone that wanted them. I tried a few stores that purchased used vinyl, but 95% of my collection was 80s dance/freestyle, and there is just no market for that, so no one wanted them. I didn't want to throw them out, as I wanted to try and find a way that they could be recycled. Dad found someone who was able to dispose of them, and now they are gone, with the exception of my Madonna vinyl.
We also managed to get rid of all my old VHS cassettes.
Skies are grey here in NJ, and I'm hoping we have a great thunder storm, and it breaks the heat wave we've had going here.
That's pretty much all I have going on at the moment!
Topic: Cellar Scribblings (Read 13697536 times)