Spreadsheet nightmare and next weekend's plans

I have a deadline of Wednesday to get two documents delivered. It's involves in regards using ugly spreadsheets as my source. They went through massive updates since I last used them in December.

I spent Sunday working on these documents. I have made good progress, but need to go through roughly 2,000 rows of data. I've already gone through that may rows! We'll see if I can get through this nonsense.

Next weekend will be better. I'm getting together with a friend on Saturday now that our lockdown has been lifted once again.

Chatting and planning with a friend

Yesterday, my friend, who is also my colleague, and I had a texting conversation. I could tell that lockdown number 4 in Ontario is getting to her.

Restaurants are reopening for dining next Monday. Currently, you can either do takeout or sit at the patio. These changes happened while I was on vacation in the US. Considering how much snow and how cold it has been lately, takeout is the better option.

She immediately perked up. There are some people who need that social interaction. She is one of them. I'm the type that likes people, but I'm perfectly comfortable hibernating.

I'm looking forward to seeing her. We are both triple-vaccinated. It's nice to plan getting together with a friend.

Saying goodbye for now to a friend as she moves to the west coast

Ontario has moved to step 3 of slowly getting out of lockdown. Indoor dining is now available. Yay!

On Saturday, I met up with two friends. One of them is heading to the west coast for graduate school. We decided to meet up before she moves over there.

The restaurant that we chose was by Lake Ontario. It also is one of my favourite eateries. The restaurant does not accept reservations for either indoor or outdoor dining.

We had 1 pm as a meetup time. I got there fifteen minutes early. The hostess was so great. There were many tables available. I went with indoor dining because it was raining outside.

The food was fabulous. I got our friend a parting gift. My other friend got me a belated birthday gift. I felt so bad that I didn't get her a gift for her birthday back in January. I hope to make it up to her by taking her out to dinner.

It was a lovely day. We managed to take photos by the water, with the Toronto skyline as our backdrop.

Ontario enters step 2 and I'll contemplating a haircut

Today, the lockdown lifts a bit in Ontario. We are entering step 2. Personal care services are allowed to reopen, for instance. There are a bunch of other changes.

I would love to get my hair cut. However, I feel like many folks will be doing that today. The worst case is getting my hair cut during the weekday next week. I'll still be on vacation.

I'm enjoying my time off so far. I got more free cookies today. I went to a bookstore and got some great deals. I'm happy.

Sore arm observations and patio dining

What's different after my second vaccination shot is the duration of my sore arm. It's longer.

I've been told that it's a good thing. It doesn't bother me until I touch it.

I'm meeting a friend at a patio for dinner later on today. I haven't been on a patio since last October. I haven't dined out since March of this year, just before our third lockdown had started.

I am so looking forward to patio dining.

Weekend and errands

The weekend is here. Next week is my last workweek before I go on vacation.

It's nice that I have a backup to train a new colleague. In the past, I'd have to work my vacation around training. The fact that I take my vacation during the first week of July made this decision easier to have my friend and colleague back me up.

It'll be a fun, busy day today. I'm running a bunch of errands. It's also the second full weekend where we are easing out of lockdown in Ontario. I haven't visited a ton of non-essential businesses. I still do grocery stores, bakeries, drugstores, and takeout from eateries.

I suppose that online shopping has helped during this pandemic. I still like hitting stores, but I don't have that spark right now.

Soda drinks at a bubble tea place

I found a bubble tea place that does soda drinks with fresh fruit. I love this place so much.

I used to go to a local place that had soda drinks with fresh fruit. Since the second lockdown here, it has permanently shuttered its doors, which is sad.

The new place that I have found has been around for a few years. As usual, I am not trendy... haha!

Trying to use up my vacation from last year - a problem I never thought that I'd have

Today is my last workday before I go on vacation for just over a week. It's not that I want to. I have six vacation days that I didn't use up in 2020. I need to use them up by the end of this month.

I would normally be thrilled to take time off. I'd be travelling somewhere. Ontario, the province in which I live, is under lockdown. I can get groceries, fetch takeout, do curbside pickup, exercise outdoors, and that's about it.

It's funny. I originally thought I had five days of vacation. I realized through doing a calculation that I had an extra day. It's amusing to me that I am not thrilled about taking time off during a pandemic.

Then again, I have been working hard for two weeks. I trained a new intern and got my regular work done. I also dealt with my dear friend's passing, so I'm okay with taking time off for me.

I will likely continue reorganizing things around the house. I did some of that tonight. It felt therapeutic.

Hot water and a lockdown are back!

The good news is that I have a new hot water heater. It was installed on Friday and I am so pleased to have hot water again!

I enjoyed taking a warm shower on Friday night that I didn't bother writing a post yesterday.

On Monday, York region goes into lockdown. I frankly won't notice much of a difference, other than getting my hair cut on Saturday before said lockdown. I had already scheduled it before the lockdown announcement was made on Friday. Great timing!

I mainly go out to fetch groceries, hit the drug store, and order takeout. These stores will all be available during lockdown.