Pandemic Times, February 28 - March 6

Sunday, February 28

The beginning of Book 5 of my paper journals marks one year of continuous journaling. It started with a record of Mother's passing a year ago, continued as a Quarantine Log and continued as Pandemic Times.  By the end of March, Bill and I will be fully vaccinated and it will be time for another transformation.  I need a new theme.  What about - 'The Journey Continues'?  Maybe the time to record every day is coming to a close.  Let's see what March winds bring.  February certainly is going out on strong breezes.

I repotted my little spinach seedlings with hopes of a crop in a few weeks.  I have only eleven plants.  That won't go very far.

Monday, Mar 1

"In like a lion," the saying goes.  The lion didn't roar as loudly here as it did elsewhere, but it was certainly wet and breezy today.  My day started with my annual physical - no big deal except that my cholesterol is elevated.  I will have to make a few adjustments. Maybe I'll add fish oil to my meds and have oatmeal a few days a week instead of my usual egg & toast.

Made my 'Uber' run with Amanda to softball, then a Zoom meeting about getting a new church secretary.  For supper, I cooked the pintos that were started last week.  I finished them with a meaty ham bone and made the red cabbage slaw that is our new favorite.  Beans were served over leftover Spanish rice for a delicious and very cheap meal.  Everything was made with on-hand left-overs.

The receipt for the Pontotoc County property taxes came in today's mail.  I have tax receipts that my great-grandfather Jeff Westmoreland paid on that 40 acres that date back to 1895.  I do not know when he bought the property because I have not been able to locate an original deed. My grandfather, Clark, was born in 1893 when Jeff was 20 years old.  

In 1900, the property was described on the tax record as it is today.  Jeff's father, Tom lived next door according to that census and owned his land.  I do not know if it was the same land or what became of Tom's.  That land represents a piece of my family history.  I have the tax receipts for almost every year between 1885 and 1937, and again beginning in 2000. We (Park, Melanie & I) had the timber harvested and replanted in pine just a few years ago.  We jointly own the property and hope to live to see another timber harvest.

Tuesday, March 2

No need to go anywhere today except for my Uber run for Amanda.  She has to be at school early to have her picture taken for the LCHS Wall of Fame for students who score 30 or above on the ACT.  Amanda, a tenth grader on her first attempt, scored 30 with a perfect 36 on the reading section.  We are very proud of our smart girl!

By the time I got home the sky had cleared, so Bill and I took a walk, soaking up the sun.  We saw a cormorant enjoying the sun.  I've seen large flocks of these birds on the gulf coast but they are not very common here.  I've never observed the orange throat patch, which indicates this is a breeding male. A few trees are starting to swell their buds.  We didn't see the Eagles, but as we were driving home we looked back and one was on the perch. 

Cormorant showing his orange throat patch

Cormorant posing

Beautiful Sycamore

Budding Maple

For supper, I fixed pork chops served with mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli.  No left-overs from this meal!

Wednesday, March 3

Bill got his 2nd Covid vaccine this morning.  He reported a smooth process.  After lunch he got started on cleaning up the brush and logs from the tree he cut down last week.  He saved the larger pieces of cedar to split for kindling.  We should have some great campfires with those.   

I went to the dermatologist in the afternoon for my annual skin exam: one biopsy on my back and numerous keratoses frozen off. I'm glad they don't actually burn them anymore. I remember that smell when I had a lot of spots removed from my legs as a kid.  

Before getting back home, I made a quick stop at Fresh market for nuts and some very fresh looking organic green leaf lettuce and took Amanda to softball.  Lucky for me, Bill had done all the outdoor work he wanted for the day, so I was off the hook. For supper I made chicken piccata served over angel-hair pasta with a salad.  We haven't had a lettuce salad in months.

Thursday, March 4

A home day. I puttered around in the morning but right after lunch Bill and I got busy cleaning up the remaining brush.  The area looks very neat now and we will have a big bonfire soon.  There was a lot of dormant poison ivy vines in the brush, so we showered immediately after we finished.  

Brush has been cleared

Ready for a big bonfire

Thursday seemed like a good night for Tuna Steaks, marinated in balsamic/olive oil Italian dressing and served with new potatoes and green beans.

Friday, March 5

My turn has arrived!  I left about 8:45 for a 9:40 Covid vaccine appointment at Tennova North hospital. The drive was less than 40 minutes on th interstate, so I had plenty of time to find a parking place and then find the clinic.  Of course, I parked on the wrong side of the hospital complex, so I got in quite a few steps for the day.  I had my vaccine before 9:40 and on my way home before 10.  I took the opportunity to stop by Whole Foods to restock tuna and cod filets and a few other items.  I made it home in time for lunch.

My Vaccine Selfie

After lunch Bill helped me trim and clean the beds at the front door.  Today was quite a bit cooler than earlier in the week, but wonderful for working outside.

I made BiBimBap.  It is becoming a favorite.  For the meat, Bill sliced a small beef tenderloin (~7 oz) into thin strips which I marinated in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and garlic with a little sriracha thrown in for good measure. The finished dish was topped with Gougujang sauce.

The Lady Vols played in the last game of the night in the SEC tourney in Greenville, SC. It was back and forth but they prevailed over Ole Miss and live to play again tomorrow.  The game lasted until 11 pm - an unusually late night for us.

Saturday, March 6

We enjoyed another picture perfect weather day - from inside looking out.  The morning was very cool and breezy and the temperature didn't break 50 until after lunch.  Last night I prepped the sourdough starter, made the levain for baking and prepared a sponge for waffles to be cooked this morning.  So our morning started with sourdough waffles.  I like mine with homemade blueberry syrup made from blueberries I picked last summer.  Bill prefers maple syrup.  As the waffles were cooking, I got the bread started.  The dough requires some action every 20-30 minutes, so that kept me in the kitchen until 2:30 when the loaves went in the refrigerator to proof.

While the loaves were proofing, I worked on cleaning the dead iris stalks from the garden pond.  Bill ran the weed-eater to cut them down and I raked them out of the pond to be hauled away.

Before

After

Left-over chicken piccata with rice and fresh asparagus for supper. The actual baking started after 6:30 and continued, one loaf at a time, while we watched the Lady Vols losing effort again South Carolina (BBall).  

Saturday Numbers:

US: 28,969,400 total cases; 61,127 daily avg this week; 523,157 total deaths; 3483 deaths yesterday

TN: 782,206 total cases; 0-10 41,921; 11-20 99,152

LoCo: 5736 total cases; 109 active; 66 total deaths; 16.6 avg case rate this week; 50 tests/day avg this week; 9.2% pos rate with many fewer tests.  Orange zone indicates stats are improving.