Travel planning and thoughts

Planning travel is both exciting and weird. I haven't done it for so long that it feels so unfamiliar, but not really.

I have three NHL hockey games in Minnesota that are close together in December and January. I may do a longer vacation and see all three.

I am still adventurous. I'm doing research to figure out what I need to fly down without a hitch.

I'm optimistic and hopeful. Things are looking up even thought we aren't fully out of this pandemic yet.

Cutting it close for an early conference call

I had to wake up early yesterday for a 7 am conference call. We had a couple of months off from it, but it's back.

I had two alarms set up. I sleep with earbuds. I typically set my watch that I wear to buzz, but I forgot to.

Luckily, I heard my phone's alarm at 6:53 am. It was enough time to boot up my laptop and sound sort of coherent for the first ten minutes of the call where I needed to speak.

It's never a dull day. The good news was that I ended my day at 3:30 pm. Yay!

Travel plans

I am contemplating travel. If I were to go somewhere, it would be stateside to pay my respects to my friend who passed away earlier this year.

It's not a normal travel goal to have. It is mine, which is normal to me right now.

I can fly to the States. I need to do a COVID-19 test, prove that I have been vaccinated, and take plenty of time to travel.

Part of me is excited. Part of me is not looking forward to the extra overhead associated with travelling during a pandemic.

I haven't decided when I'll head down, but it will be before this year is over. I'm hopeful and optimistic. I'm also overly cautious.

Sleep and hope for next weekend

I slept a lot better last night. I was tired, so my sleep was sound.

My weekend is drawing to an end. Here's hoping that this week is a good one and the weekend arrives for everyone to enjoy!

Less sleep than expected

Last night, I woke up at 5:30 pm. It was a weird combination of my being warmer than normal, having my right foot start to stiffen up, and my bladder wanting some relief.

I ended up turning on my fan, even though the air conditioning was on. It has been extremely humid lately, but the humidity must have risen overnight for me to sense it. I also took some potassium for my usual right foot issues and attended to my bladder.

After 1.5 hours of being away, which included placing an order for pair of compression socks to help with circulation, I went back to bed and woke up at 9:30 am. I had roughly five hours of sleep. I tend to be functional with five hours of sleep, but crave more of it.

When I came back from running a bunch of errands, I had dinner and took a nap. It explains why I'm still fairly alert, but I'm ready for bed.

Here's hoping that I sleep better tonight.

A jerk of a manager

My manager has tendencies of being a jerk. I got to experience it yet again.

On Friday, he was explaining the vision he had about what I was doing. I agreed. He felt that I didn't get what he wanted. Nope, I reassured him three times that we were on the same page.

I don't know what got into him. He said that he wasn't feeling it. I then told him that I was getting frustrated that I had to explain the same thing now more than three times to him and that he was misinterpreting everything. I was so worked up that I truly did not want to be in this meeting.

He does have tendencies of having a one-track mind and not being an attentive listener. A jerk.

Team lunch and expense predicament

Our team get-together was a lot of fun. We spent over three hours eating, drink, and chatting on a hot, humid day on a shaded patio. Eventually, the humidity dropped a bit and it was more comfortable.

The good news is that my corporate credit card worked to pay for our outing, which was nearly $400 

CAD. The downside is that my manager shouldn't have asked me to expense this meal. There's a corporate rule that if the manager is a part of a group activity that needs to be expensed, he needs to file it, and not someone on his team whom he manages.

It opens quite the can of worms to get my money. He doesn't like using e-transfer. I don't want to meet him somewhere to get the funds in cash, hit a bank machine, and deposit them. Ugh.

Anyway, we'll see how diligent the expense folks are in figuring out my expense report.

Fixing my back with my heated car seat

I tweaked my back yesterday. It's amazing how great and flaky my back can be. Depending on how I sit, I'd be either fine or I'd get back pain.

My car is great. I got heated seats that came standard with my car. I used it on my back and it's all good now.

My car is my back saver!

Team lunch and a budget

In a couple of days, I am having a team lunch. I haven't seen many of these folks in person in 1.5 years.

I look forward to seeing most of them. There are a few people that I could do without, but you can't win 'em all!

I had a one-on-one online meeting with my manager yesterday. He asked if I could pay for our entire meal. It was an odd way to make a request without my follow-up question. I asked whether I was to expense it, too. Yes.

Here's where I put my foot down. I don't think it should be my responsibility to put the charge on my personal credit card. Frankly, my manager doesn't have a backbone to charge and expense things himself because it goes to his manager for approval. He'd rather hide that fact and have me do it. I have a budget. This request was unplanned in said budget. I'm not dipping into my emergency fund. It's not an emergency.

I suggested charging it to my corporate credit card. He indicated that he went out with his management team and two people had their corporate credit cards declined.

My thought is that there is a limit for charging expenses on this card for restaurants. I called the credit card company to ask what limit was established. I had to answer eight questions, with some of them being ridiculous, to get an answer to check with my plan administrator.

Not helpful. I tore a strip off this guy. He said that he asks many customers for a verification ID and none of them know what that is. Neither did I. So, why not get rid of that question?

Asking for my work phone number is also ridiculous. I don't call myself. It's a virtual number. Why not ask for my cell phone number first?

Finally, asking for my employee number, when I feel that providing my name, date of birth with the year, my cell phone number, and mailing address are sufficient to verify that I am who I am for a single question about my account. I do not want an interrogation when I call. Posing eight questions is excessive.

Anyway, I had to open a ticket at work to ask what my limit was on restaurant transactions on this corporate credit card. We'll see if I get an answer later on today.

It's painful trying to get an answer to what I believe is a straightforward answer. Things shouldn't be so complicated.

Friends from grade 7 have found love

I found out through a friend that she has found new love. It's nice.

We all know one another. We all met in grade 7. She is dating a guy from our class.

It's interesting how life unfolds. We all got married. We all got divorced. We all carry on.

I am thrilled that they have found each other. They haven't made it official. She quietly shared the news with me. It's saying a lot, for she is like an open book, in general. They are being cautious for the time being, but are definitely together and enjoying being in love.

It's sweet seeing budding love.

Honey

On Saturday, I did a lot of driving. It was fun, except for traffic jams. The theme was honey.

I visited a honey farm and learned how to make honey. It was cool. I learned that it's best to hold still when bees are near you. They aren't stingers.

Roughly forty minutes away from the bee farm was a ribfest. I needed to grab lunch, so I got a full rack of ribs, coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread. There was so much food that I brought the rest home for another meal.

I then drove to a mead store on a farm that also has beehives. I got two cans of mead and a bottle of apple peach jam.

My last stop was getting a sampler of mac and cheese, iced tea with honey, and cornbread. I then went home.

It was a great day. I was too tired to write anything last night, so here I am writing tonight before I hit the sack.

White moth visit

On Thursday night, I ran a few errands. I normally go grocery shopping on Wednesdays. This past Wednesday, I headed downtown for Beyond Monet. As a result, I delayed my grocery run till Thursday.

After having completed my errands, I was unlocking the front door to my home when a white moth came over. A white moth generally represents someone deceased who has come to say hi.

I knew immediately that it was my friend who passed away in early January. I have been thinking about her more this past month than usual.

I opened the door and the moth followed me in.

"I miss you," I said out loud, looking right at it.

I then headed indoors. I felt happy seeing a good friend.

The week and Friday

This week has flown by. I am pleased. I simply need to get through Friday and all is well.

I have dinner plans later today. I rarely go out on a Friday night. It's nice that I get to see the world a bit.

Beyond Monet

Yesterday, I dropped by Beyond Monet before its official opening, which is today. I had a wonderful time.

Here are a few highlights:

I'm so glad that I got to go.

Busy event and perks week

This week is shaping up to be a busy, exciting one full of events and perks. Later on today, I'm going to Beyond Monet. It's an immersive experience held a day before its official opening day. I am heading downtown, so it'll be interesting. I haven't been in this particular part of the downtown core in a decade!

I am currently planning my weekend. I'm getting free ice cream and beer in two different cities. I hope to hit a rib festival midway between these two cities. I will be doing lots of driving!

Cooking and the ex

The weekend has come and gone. Why are they so short?!

I spent my Sunday cooking and relaxing. I pan-fried pepperoni. I haven't done that before. It tastes so good. I added it to cheesy angel hair pasta that low in carbs. Yum!

The ex wrote to me. He wants to meet and grab a bite to eat. I am not feeling it.

Saturday outing with a friend

On Saturday, I met up with a good friend for ice cream, a stroll along the main street in a small town, and a late lunch. It was a great day!

I normally come to this town for ice cream. It was nice spending several hours here with great company. 

We ate indoors. It was a great call. Moments later, a thunderstorm rolled into the area. Rain was coming down sideways. Wow!

New red panties

My panties subscription came in themail yesterday. I like them!

Here's the front:

The back is mesh, but extremely comfortable:

I like them!

Received my replacement phone and sent the defective one back to Google

I sent my defective phone back to Google. I also got my replacement phone on the same day.

On Wednesday, I spent a few hours configuring the phone. I also had to get a screen protector for it. 

Here's hoping that it's a good phone that doesn't die on me.

Day off and the KitKat Chocolatory

I took Tuesday off as a personal day. I got a lot done, from getting my car serviced, to hitting the KitKat Chocolatory.

What's the KitKat Chocolatory? You can make your own KitKat bar. It's pretty cool! I got a voucher to make a free KitKat bar and it was a lot of fun.

I'm still going through the entire experience in my head. It was such an enjoyable day.

My phone died

I was about to work out last night and my phone fell from a small table to a carpeted floor. It always has a screen protector and a case on.

My Google Pixel 4a 5G didn't make it. The screen kept on flickering and it went black.

I dealt with Google support twice. The first woman was great. The second one was a dud. My phone is less than a year old, so a replacement phone is coming my way.

The crazy thing is that I need to print labels to have my old phone shipped to Google. I no longer have access to anything at the office because we all have been locked out during the pandemic. I have sent my files to a local printing place. I feel that it would be cheaper to pay for these printouts than getting printer ink cartridges on a printer that I haven't used in years.

So much fun! Thank goodness for my trusty Google Pixel 2XL phone. I am thankful that it works.

New loaded tea place

I found a place roughly ten minutes away by car that has loaded iced teas. They are loaded with vitamins and flavour, and don't have any sugar. Yay!

I had one called the mermaid, which is like an orange blue candy in liquid form. It was so good and huge. It took me the entire day out and about to consume the whole thing.

The weekend has started on a great note.

New panties

The other day, I got two pairs of panties from a local vendor. Years ago, I got a pair of bamboo briefs for the ex. I never got anything for me.

Recently, this store had an online sale, so I had to take advantage of it.

I got a pair of seamless penguin panties:

Here's the back:

These are the bamboo panties with a roller skates pattern:

Here's the back:

I'm currently wearing the roller skates one. They are comfortable and don't ride up. They stay put, which is awesome!

It's a long weekend here. I took an extra day off, so it's a four-day weekend for me. Enjoy your weekend!

Avengers STATION

I went out on Wednesday night. I visited the Avengers STATION experience and had a fabulous time.

I'm soaking the experience all in. It was wonderful and free!

Installing my new licence plate sticker

On Friday, I received my licence plate sticker in the mail. Mine has been expired for a year, but it's considered valid during the pandemic. I finally decided to renew it online.

I didn't do it last year because a colleague of mine had ordered it online in June 2020 and received it in the mail a few months later. I got mine within a week, so things have definitely improved.

On Sunday, I installed the sticker on my car's licence plate. I had to unscrew the protective plastic cover on top of the licence plate, remove the outdated sticker, place the new one on, clean the licence plate, and then screw it and the protective cover back on my car. It was nice, relaxing work for a Sunday.

I'm now waiting for my driver's licence to come in the mail. It will make me feel better to flash a piece of ID that isn't expired, although it is also valid during the pandemic. 

Long weekend coming up and asleep during an online meeting

I found out that this weekend is a longer one. Yay! I am thinking about extending it by taking a vacation day next Tuesday.

I didn't sleep all that well last night. I had foot pain thanks to doing more driving than I had anticipated on the weekend. I actually fell asleep during an online meeting on Monday morning and I'm pretty sure that no one noticed!

My foot is much better now. I should be able to sleep better tonight.

My spider plant and an online concert

On Sunday, I went out. It was a rare outing, but I hit a farmers' market to pick up a free plant.

I enjoyed hitting the market. I ended up buying some cool items, such as lemon shortbread and blackcurrant kombucha.

My new plant is a spider plant. I feel like naming it Spike. I have never owned a spider plant in my life until now.

I'm watching a concert online. It's still going and it's nearly 1 am. Thank goodness I'm a night owl.

A colleague saying hi and sending a virtual hug

On Friday, a colleague whom I haven't chatted with for a few months pinged me on Teams. She said hi, wanted to know that I was good, and sent me a hug from afar. It was so sweet of her.

On the whole, our working relationship has been decent. I've been at this company for nearly eleven years and she was there when I started.

We had some rough waters when she transitioned from a quality assurance team lead to a program manager on my team. She was so stressed out that she took some of that out on me and I wouldn't have it.

Eventually, another colleague took over my role on those two teams as I moved over to reviewing everyone's work on our writing team. When this colleague resigned, I had to step back in and complete the work that she hadn't done. That's when the program manager realized how valuable my contributions were and our working relationship went back to what it was before. I completed everything that the previous person had left behind and the program manager was thankful.

Late last year, she was involved in a serious car crash. My manager let me know about it because he knew that we had worked closely together. I sent her e-mails of encouragement and let her know that I was pulling for her.

It's great when you have a lovely chat with someone on a Friday afternoon. She is doing much better these days, which is wonderful news.

Blind interviewing

I'm conducting an interview with my manager at 8 am later today. Sadly, I don't have any meeting details. I know that I'm interviewing one of two candidates. I don't know which one.

Stellar organization... not!

To make an extremely long story short, the person whom I trained back in late April didn't work out. My manager decided to terminate his contract. We need to fill that position as soon as we can, which means that I'll be training this person.

Happy Friday!

Lip serum

I am doing fairly well in the giveaway department this month. Last week, I managed to answer a bunch of questions and got a prize. It was sent to me yesterday.

The company makes and sells beauty products. I ended up with an anti-wrinkle lift and plump lip serum. I had no idea that such a product exists until now! Its value is $60. Not too shabby!

I tried it on my lips immediately. It has a subtle cantelope scent that I love. I have full lips already, so we'll see what happens to them over time.

Sushi win

On Tuesday, I received a pleasant surprise. I had entered my name into a draw for a chance to win one of ten sushi trays. I won a medium tray of sushi, which consists of sixty pieces of yumminess. Woo hoo!

I am thrilled and am looking forward to trying this eatery's sushi. I have never been to this place. It's a lot of sushi!

Making chili from scratch, but with a kit

On Sunday, I made chili that came in a small kit. It included raw beans that required soaking overnight.

I see why I like buying canned beans to make chili. I don't have to deal with soaking them, simmering them, and then getting to the actual chili-making phase. I went through the whole process and my chili turned out well.

Frankly, I like making my own chili. I can control the sodium in it. I used a chili flavour pack that came with this kit and it had more salt than I was used to.

The chili tasted a lot better a few hours later. I imagine that it will be fabulous later on today. I made a lot and it's so filling. I may change things up and make nachos with some of it.

I have two more weeks before there's a long weekend. I am enjoying not doing as many online Zoom calls. It's so much better to use see the world as safely as possible. 

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.

Renewing one out of three expired items

Last July, my driver's licence, driver's licence plate sticker, and health card all expired. It was the expiration trifecta!

Due to the pandemic, the government of Ontario said that these expired items were still valid until further notice. I decided not to renew online. I thought that, for sure, I needed a new photo for my driver's licence, but wasn't sure about my health card.

The situation is the same a year later. However, the government estimates that there will be huge lineups once these ServiceOntario places reopen to everyone that it recommends that folks renew online.

I just did my renewal for my driver's licence plate sticker online. It felt normal. Part of me didn't do it last year because a colleague did and got his sticker several months later. I believe that our mail system is doing much better these days that it shouldn't take that long.

Maybe when I get paid next, I will see if I can renew the other two items online. It doesn't hurt to try.

Humidity and Starbucks

I didn't sleep as well as I could have last night. It was so humid overnight that I woke up all sweaty. It's still humid outside and I appreciate the air conditioner. It's effective.

My usual Starbucks is a five-minute drive away. As of late, I don't enjoy going there. Staff keep on saying, "So, it's just the iced green tea?" What's up with just? I tore two baristas by telling them to drop it. I don't want to buy anything else and my drink matters to me.

I actually said to one of them, "You aren't just a barista. You are a barista."

I also don't enjoy going there right now because it is out of iced peach green tea.

My third-closest Starbucks is my new favourite place. When I order iced peach green tea, they never ask whether I want lemonade in it. I don't. If I did, I would have specified lemonade. They get it right.

This place also has plenty of iced peach green tea. It's now my go-to cafe for a cold drink on a hot day.

Letting go of a colleague

A person that I trained back in April hasn't worked out. He hasn't taken his work seriously, so he is being let go from his contract.

It's a bit sad that a bunch of us have invested so much time to help him out. I trained him for 1.5 hours, starting at 8 am each day for half the day. My friend and colleague, and another colleague, were his co-team leads, and basically handheld him.

This person was being monitored for two weeks, which coincided with my two-week vacation. I got the news officially today that he was being let go when I was asked to take a look at potential candidates to fill this person's position.

It is bittersweet, but it's the right call given how unproductive he has been.

Back to work and my reaction to the jerk's e-cards

My work e-mail inbox had just under 300 messages waiting for me. It took me half the day to get through it.

I also provided support for my colleague who was training a new colleague. It was nice to ease into work.

The ex sent me two e-cards on my birthday over a week ago. The only positive thing that I can think of is that he was on time for a change. I don't understand why he sent me two.

I wanted to ignore them. I wanted to confirm that they were boring. They were. No emotion. Nothing heartfelt on his end.

One of the bucketed greetings indicated that I was "one of the greatest people that [he] knew." It's interesting how hindsight works. The damage has been done.

My reaction to those cards:

I'm okay. Time has certainly help me deal with this jerk.

First day back at work

In a few hours, I head back to work. Vacation is over and I need to pay for all the outings that I did over the past two weeks! It's nice working from home and not commuting.

I will be in a supporting role training a new colleague. I tend to do the training on my team. However, I went on vacation and my manager had no choice but to give that task to my colleague that I have trained twice. He was an intern and returned as a full-time employee in May.

I have a feeling that I'll be going through my inbox for half the day. Here's hoping that it's not a crazy first day back and that my work laptop is operational!

Thoughts about my vacation as it winds down

Today's my last vacation day before I head back to work.

I feel that a two-week vacation is perfect. It's not too long. It's not too short. I feel well-rested and relaxed. It's great.

I am not looking forward to reading and sifting through a bunch of work e-mails. We'll see how crazy all of that is when Monday comes.

In the meantime, I'm listening to some relaxing music before I hit the sack.

Street market eats

I went to another street market location on Friday. I had a great time getting tandoori garlic parmesan wings. They were so good. I washed them down with watermelon lemonade. It was a small bottle, which I appreciated.

This week, I have dropped by two different street markets. Both times, the weather has been gloomy and the rain held off.

I just learned that there's a third street market that opens today. I may hold off on going because I don't want to visit all three in four days and overdo it!

Spending some relaxing time at home

I spent Thursday relaxing at home. It was raining out and I simply didn't feel like doing anything.

It's all good. This staycation has truly been so relaxing.

Errands and a street market full of food trucks

Yesterday, I ran my usual Wednesday errands much earlier in the day. I started just before noon and ended up staying out later, returning home at around 4:30 pm. It's one of the perks of being on vacation.

We have a couple of street markets in the greater Toronto area where you can order takeout from various food trucks. One is next door to me in Richmond Hill. They were set up during the pandemic in mall parking lots because you couldn't go into a food court or hall.

It has taken me over a year to drop by. I loved it. I ended up getting a mac and cheese steak on a potato bun. It was so decadent and delicious. 

I should visit this place more often.

Staying cool and enjoying my staycation

I spent Tuesday at home. It was hot, hazy, and humid outside. I simply wanted to be in a cool environment.

I spent most of my day writing. It felt great.

This staycation has been pretty good. I will miss it when it's over. For now, I'm enjoying it.

Food perk and a mini socialization session

I picked up a food perk on Monday. It consisted of two fancy, gourmet hot dogs and a free beverage. I also managed to run into two people that I haven't seen in over a year!

It kind of felt like pre-pandemic times chatting with people at a food event. We all have had two vaccination shots. Yesterday marked two weeks since I got my second shot, so I'm officially fully vaccinated.

I have been indulging in a lot of good food before and after my birthday. I can proudly say that I exercised every day during this period, so I don't feel bad about it. I'll get back to my regular eating habits soon.

Birthday recap

My birthday was lovely. I spent the day picking up birthday perks and ordering food that I love.

My list of fun perks consists of these items:

• Starbucks - free drink
• Chapters - bought Richard Marx's new book as my gift to me
• The Body Shop - $10 off any purchase
• Sephora - free birthday gift (I chose a mini face cream and lip mask set)
• Kettleman's Bagel - free dozen bagels (I went with onion)
• Denny's - free grand slam breakfast when you show your ID (pay for tax only)
• Fat Ninja Bite - a local Korean eatery where I got dinner

It was a great day.

The only downside was getting two e-cards from the ex. I don't know why he sent two seven minutes apart. I haven't opened them. I don't want them spoiling my weekend. Frankly, I don't think that I want them to spoil my life.

Week 2 of my staycation begins. It has been relaxing so far.

It's my birthday!

It's my birthday. My second pandemic birthday.

I love the person that I have become. I continue to shape who I am as I navigate through life.

Here's to more years ahead.

Quiet Canada Day

I spent Canada Day at home. It was nice spending a quiet day at home.

Later on, I'm out and about. It'll be a fun next couple of days, at least.

Hair salons and Canada Day

As expected, hair salons were busy the first day out of lockdown. I did a quick look at an app that I have with my salon and there was a three-hour wait.

I will wait to get my hair cut next week at the earliest. Perhaps things will be better then.

I had a nice day doing my usual grocery run earlier in the afternoon. I ended up shopping at a couple of places that I haven't dropped by in over three months. It felt great and freeing.

My pay got deposited a day early. Today's Canada Day. Many have heavy hearts this holiday, but there is always something good to look forward to.

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.

Pre-birthday outings and cookies

My friend took me out for a pre-birthday meal on Sunday. It was terrific. I rarely go out on Sundays. It was nice seeing civilization on a patio and catch up with my friend.

I have consumed more booze this month than all of last year. It's amazing what great weather and patios being available will do.

I am enjoying my vacation so far. I went out to get free cookies and a watermelon Italian soda that I got as a perk. Tomorrow, I have more free cookies that are a birthday perk. Yay!

Birthday celebrations at a patio and at the beach

I had a great day celebrating our birthday with a good friend. Her birthday was last week. Mine is early by a week.

We spent time eating and drinking on a patio. We then drove down to the beach to chat and take in the relaxing vibes around us. We also exchanged gifts.

I got her half a dozen donuts from Toronto. She moved away a few years ago, so we meet midway.

It's a great start to my vacation. Happy weekend, everyone!

Dinner at a patio

I hit a patio for dinner with my friend last night. It was safe and the experience was great.

My friend got a messy fish sammie with fries. I got a roasted mushroom sirloin with veggies and a garden salad. Delicious!

It's nice that businesses are slowly reopening again and that folks are supporting them. 

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.

Blocking an annoying friend

I have a friend who has been getting on my nerves for the past few months. I have decided to block him on Instagram.

The latest annoyance was my sharing the good news about being fully vaccinated. He went into technicalities after congratulating me that to be fully vaccinated requires the vaccine to be in my body for fourteen days.

I am fully aware of that fact. Why do people need to put a damper on a momentous occasion? I will hit fourteen days. I told him off and then blocked him.

His wife and I get along. It'll be interesting if they compare notes down the road where he can't see any of my posts and she can. I don't care at this stage.

He is the same guy who constantly asks me questions as if it were an interrogation. At least that has stopped that nonsense for now.

Fully vaccinated and I'm okay!

My second shot went well. I got it at 2:58 pm. The process was fast and efficient. I liked sitting there for fifteen minutes afterwards, outside, in the shade, with a cool breeze!

The drive was congested in certain spots of the highway that I was on. It's crazy that there is so much congestion when the weather is better, and more people are out and about.

My side effects after the second shot are similar to my first one. I have a sore arm. Nothing crazy like what I heard from my friends or colleagues. I am lucky. It's also amazing how our bodies handle vaccines differently.

My friend and I texted each other as I sat outside. We are both fully vaccinated. Just that fact made me absorb its significance. It's a great feeling.

I had taken half a day off as vacation time to head over and get my vaccination shot. My manager sent me an e-mail. He was okay if I took the afternoon off as a sick day and saved my vacation time. It was a nice gesture.

Four more workdays to go. The countdown to my real vacation continues!

Today's second shot day and my last week before vacation starts

Later on today, I get my second vaccine shot. I am looking forward to getting it. Here's hoping that all goes well.

It's supposed to rain for most of the day That's unfortunate. Luckily, I have an appointment and won't be waiting outside for hours like folks were doing over the weekend without one.

It's my last workweek before I take two weeks of vacation. Let's get this week over with!

Seeing and chatting with my neighbours on Father's Day weekend

I haven't talked to my neighbours in over a year. I had the nicest chat in front of our houses on Saturday.

I was taking my groceries and takeout from my car onto the steps of my house. The woman next door waved at me. It was nice seeing a human being and chatting with one.

We both didn't have masks on. We were definitely far apart that it was safe being outdoors. Her husband and daughter came out of their house to chat.

I was thrilled to chat and see them again. Her husband has long hair. It was wavy and looked nice.

The daughter got her first vaccine shot earlier in the day. We all have our first shots. I get my second shot on Monday. The husband and wife get their second ones in August.

It bought me great joy that they are doing well. They were going out for a Father's Day dinner. We are allowed to dine out on patios.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

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.

Friday and second shot side effects

One more workday to go. Yay!

Friends and colleagues who have received their second vaccination shot seem to have mixed side effects Some experience a sore arm. Others have chills, aches, and fatigue.

I am not sure what will happen with me. In general, my track record seems to be positive after a vaccination shot. It's so unpredictable with the COVID-19 ones that I don't know for sure.

I am also doing a mix of vaccines. We'll see how all that goes.

Rescheduling my second vaccine shots - lots of effort!

I got my first COVID-19 vaccine shot in late April. My second one was scheduled for mid-August. In Canada, the guideline was twelve weeks between shots.

Recently, it was deemed safe to schedule shots eight weeks in advance. I got the first available shot, which was AstraZeneca. It has also been deemed safe to mix vaccines, so I can do Moderna or Pfizer. I also have the choice to get AstraZeneca again.

The problem is the Ontario Health site to schedule a second shot. After numerous attempts and rejections on Monday, I got an appointment for July 10 in Orillia. To put that distance into perspective, it's roughly 80 km from where I live, which would take over an hour to drive over there on a couple of highways.

Yesterday, I decided to see if I could get something sooner. I got July 6 in Alliston, which is slightly closer to me than Orillia.

The folks at Vaccine Hunters Canada are awesome. I saw a post that said that a clinic in Brampton had Moderna shots and there were no regional restrictions. Brampton is roughly 54 km or a 35-minute drive from where I live.

I now have an appointment for my second shot next Monday. I am taking a half day off. I feel relieved. It has been an effort to get to this stage.

At the car wash

On Monday, I got a free car wash and wax at a local car detailing shop. The place did a wonderful job. I haven't seen my car look that shiny and new since I first bought it.

I was highly impressed. I definitely will return. I like that the place is a ten-minute drive from where I live.

Workout putting a cover on a weighted blanket

I got a duvet cover for my weighted blanket. Just putting the cover on this blanket is a workout in itself!

My weighted blanket is 25 pounds. It's heavy moving it around. I feel like I'm sleeping a bit better so far. It does take getting used to.

Vaccine and patios

Businesses are slowly reopening. We are able to dine on patios. It's optimistic.

I was supposed to meet a friend on Saturday to have a bite to eat on a patio. She ended up getting her second vaccine shot on Friday and ended up feeling sick. So, I offered to cancel our reservation.

My friend got sick after her first shot. It doesn't surprise me that she got sick after her second one.

The woman at the restaurant was great. She was pleased that I took the time to do the cancellation.

I just learned that our province has made a timing change for the second vaccine. My second appointment was twelve months after my first one. It's now reduced to eight, which means that I can get my second shot at the end of this month.

It's cool. I'll need to wait to see how to reschedule my second shot.

Heatwave, dole whip, and a perk

The heatwave and extreme humidity disappeared yesterday. It was nice to turn off the air conditioning and have my windows open. I prefer cool breezes while still seeing sunshine.

Two days ago, I went out for a perk. I got a free cupcake and cookie. They were good.

I also indulged in some dole whip. I got raspberry and mango flavours. It was refreshing on a scorching day.

It's Friday. The weekend is within reach.

Foot pain and doctors

I didn't sleep well last night. I woke up to foot pain. It seems to happen once a month. My foot is doing much better now.

I managed to ask that I get a phone call from my doctor later on today. I have been contemplating changing doctors, but it's not the best time during a pandemic.

My work offers connecting virtually to a doctor. I may give that a try and see how that goes.

The weekend and an appointment change

My weekend is coming to a close. I often wonder why weekends end up blowing by so quickly and the workweek tends to not do the same thing.

I am contemplating changing my in-person doctor's appointment to having it over the phone like I have been since this pandemic started. The woman at the lab made it in-person. I don't trust her judgment. Half a year ago, she insisted that I get my health card updated even though expired ones are considered valid during this pandemic.

We'll see what happens. I dread waiting because it's horrendous and I could be doing better things with my time.

New panties

I received a new pair of panties in the mail. They are cute and sheer!

Here's the front:

The back:

Sheer and sexy, but so comfortable!

I do enjoy my panties subscription!

Heat warning this weekend

We've got a heat warning this weekend. We've got temperatures over 30°C, accompanied by humidity. Lovely!

I have a few pickups to do later on today. I'm excited, but will also need to stay cool and hydrated.

It's weird how a week ago, it snowed. It now feels like the middle of summer.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Pay and my bank

I like payday. It's supposed to happen every consecutive Thursday.

I also like my bank. It has always deposited my pay directly into my account on Wednesday night instead of Thursday before I wake up. It used to be after 10 pm on Wednesday. These days, it's at 5 pm.

Crazy. It's also perfect. I go grocery shopping after work on Wednesdays. I feel rich.

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!

Bloodwork and breakfast

In a few hours, I'm getting bloodwork done. I made the appointment on Saturday. I'm glad that I remembered to do it.

Here's hoping that it goes smoothly. I'm fasting for it. I'm already thinking about where I'm going to get breakfast.

Canadians don't celebrate Memorial Day

It's the Memorial Day long weekend in the States. A handful of Americans on a social site that I'm on were nice to wish me a happy Memorial Day weekend. They meant well.

The problem? I'm Canadian. I don't have this day off.

I can understand that perhaps we are similar in many regards. I am mindful of holidays that Canadians have, but Americans don't, and vice-versa. However, I seem to be frequently grouped in these well wishes. I wish that I weren't.

I've actually had to tell three people over the weekend that Canadians don't celebrate it. They don't seem to check where anyone is from and default to everyone being American. One of them apologized, which was nice. The other two didn't say a thing.

The next holiday is Canada Day on July 1st and the 4th of July for my neighbours. I normally don't get too many mix-ups, but there could be a first for everything. I'll keep you posted.

Meeting up with my colleague for cheese tarts and bubble tea

I had a food perk to pick up on Saturday afternoon. I then met up with my former intern who is now my colleague.

We have been trying to get an application to work on his laptop. Our IT group sucks. We told them right off the bat that it was a profile issue. Well, they finally got around to resetting his profile. Everything works. Finally! We were both elated on Friday, but also annoyed at how incompetent this IT group is.

Anyway, he treated me to bubble tea. It was so thoughtful of him. He placed the order and I went to fetch it, as it was on my way from the food perk place and I didn't mind fetching the order. I wanted to split my food perk with him (I got four Japanese cheese tarts) because they are so good.

He loved the two tarts that I had given him. He loved them so much that he devoured them without taking a photo. Luckily, he saw me take a photo of all four before I handed two to him that I simply texted him my photo.

The bubble tea was amazing. I'm so glad that he recommended this place. I got this blue Curacao soda with small bits of pineapple. It was so refreshing and delicious.

We hadn't seen each other since last August. We see each other on a weekly meeting through video, but it's really not the same. It was great seeing and talking to him briefly yesterday afternoon.

Weighted blanket and temperature drop

I bought a weighted blanket. It was on sale. I have heard that it promotes better sleep. 

My blanket is 20 pounds. It was quite the workout getting it from the post office to my car, and then from my car, up a set of stairs, to my bedroom.

I have a duvet cover, but it's likely too thin for this weighted blanket. I went on Amazon and bought one specifically for a weighted blanket. I'm excited to get it.

In the meantime, I'm going to use it tonight and see how it goes. I'll report back soon.

It's weird that a few days ago, the temperature was 30°C. The temperature later on today is expected to be 5°C. Yikes!

Copycat diva, night guard, and two years being single

I returned to work yesterday. I dislike dealing with a diva who can't word things herself and can't think for herself. She actually copied and pasted two sentences of mine in her e-mail aimed at two other people, and copied me on it.

Wow. Such a jerk. 

My call was correct. I didn't even bother waiting for her e-mail to be sent out to seek confirmation from others. I knew what to do. She didn't.

I am picking up my night guard later on today. I'm looking forward to it.

Today marks two years since the ex broke up with me. It has taken me a long time to heal. I am finally there after kicking him to the curb and telling him not to contact me. I am proud of myself for being the one who didn't want him in my life in any form.

Tires, masks, and long weekend

Well, my appointment to pick up my new nightguard at the dental office is now on Thursday at 10 am. Yesterday, I only had my car maintenance appointment to go to.

It was pretty straightforward. I got there, checked in, waited for my car, and it was done in roughly an hour. I have all-season tires on my car again.

The only downside was seeing a customer take down his mask twice. The duration was minutes each time. I stared him down both times, but he was too stupid to understand why I was annoyed. The signs clearly say to wear a mask at all times indoors. What a jerk!

My long weekend is now over. At least my workweek is three days in length.

Napping and appointments

I did a lot of napping on Monday. I enjoyed it.

I spent the last hour consolidating my tea collection. I have both looseleaf and bags in different areas. I put them all in one big storage area. I'm pretty pleased. We'll see how it goes.

I was supposed to get a confirmation call from my dentist. As expected, it never happened. It's for 10:30 am later today, but the woman said that it would be between 10 am and 10:30 am. The uncertainty is annoying.

Tomorrow afternoon, I get my winter tires swapped out. It was a good call to take the day off.

Super glue and poor design

For a while, one of the rubber feet on my work laptop constantly falls off. As a temporary solution, I glued it back with nail polish. It works for a few months before I need to reapply it. I knew that I needed to get some super glue soon.

I went to the dollar store on the weekend and picked up a tube. The rubber foot is drying nicely as I type.

The weird thing about the super glue is that it came in a cylindrical container. The glue and the tip were separate when I got them. After screwing on the tip with the lid and using it, the glue does not fit in the container anymore.

Poor design. I'm not about to unscrew the tip and have super glue all over me. Instead, I had an empty mason jar that is now the super glue's new home.

Victoria Day long weekend!

It's the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada. We have Monday off. I have also taken Tuesday off as a vacation day, so I've extended it.

So far, it has been great. On Saturday, I slept in till 10:00 am. I haven't done that for a while.

It's hot and humid these days. Summer has arrived early with temperatures reaching 29°C. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

New snack store

A new snack store opened within a five-minute drive from where I live. It offers a number of exotic candy, chocolate, drinks, chips, and more.

I placed an order online. I decided to schedule it for pickup after work. When I got there, I was in sugar and snack heaven!

I just consumed a lemon KitKat bar from Brazil. I bought one and got another one for free. It was so good. It was white chocolate paired with a nice lemony taste, with the signature wafers, of course.

It's deadly that this store is so close to home. If you don't hear from me, I'm likely at this store.

Clean teeth and thoughts about coughing up funds

I have clean teeth.

Before getting my teeth impressions for my night (mouth) guard, my dentist noticed some "potholes" in a couple of molars and patched those ups. You could see a bit of the dentin, which was scary. It was a cost that I wasn't expected, but I managed to have enough in my emergency fund to handle it.

With my nightguard, the office wanted a deposit for $200. I told her that I didn't have that much. Instead, I managed to put down a deposit of $68 dollars. It costs well over $400 for it. I frankly feel that the restorations and cleaning are my down payment, along with being a patient for nearly two decades.

I'm not a fan of paying up first. I frankly feel that the office is making sure that it gets paid immediately and inconveniencing customers. I learned that I don't need to file the claim myself -- that the office still does it. It doesn't jive with the woman's explanation when I pressed her about it last week. She said that the office was short-staffed. Yet, you can still file claims on behalf of your patients. Interesting...

I dislike policies that only make sense to a business and don't benefit patients.

Dental appointment and an emergency fund

I've got a dental appointment later this morning. I'm having routine cleaning and an impression done to get a mouth guard. I grind my teeth at night. My current mouth guard needs replacing.

In the past, the dental office would submit claims on my behalf. During this pandemic, it now requires that I shell out the cost first, and then submit my claim to get reimbursed. It's quite the hardship for customers who don't have the money available. I have been fortunate to have established an emergency fund, so it'll temporarily pay for this cost and I'll put the money back in this account once my claim is processed.

I'd say that nearly two years ago, I never had an emergency fund. I have come a long way.

It's back! My menstrual cycle and its irregularity

My menstrual cycle continues to be irregular. I have missed the last two months.

Out of nowhere on Sunday, my menstrual cycle made its presence known. It is heavier than usual, which doesn't alarm me. When I have missed a cycle, the next one tends to be heavier.

It's weird. I was starting to get used to not having them. I don't get hot flashes at night anymore, but they do happen during the day. Luckily, they are mild.

It's an interesting phase right now. 

Food perk pics

On Saturday, I got my food perk.

The first photo has my pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw, cornbread, and pickle slices:

Everything was delicious. The woman who helped me with my perk was so nice and awesome!

Here's a close-up shot of my pulled pork sandwich:

I had a wonderful experience!

Break and food perk

The weekend is here. Yay!

I took a mini break from blogging. It was good. All is well.

Later on today, I'm picking up a food perk. I'm looking forward to a pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw, and cornbread. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Balancing work and mandatory training

Work is picking up again. 

Monday was great. I have this eight-hour mandatory training course to do online and I got through a good chunk of it. I was hoping to complete it on Tuesday, but I got sidetracked by work that I was not expecting.

Figures. It's weird. Hopefully, I'll be done with it in a couple of days and can get back to completing my online course.

It's nice to take training and get a break from dishing it out.

Vaccine and an early meeting

On Monday afternoon, my friend shared the news with me that she got her COVID-19 vaccine. I was so happy for her. It lifted her spirits up.

I was thrilled that she reached out to me. We had talked about my experience last week when she asked me how I felt after getting my shot.

It was great news to the start of the workweek.

I'm off to bed soon. I have a 7 am meeting that occurs every five months. It's that four-hour meeting that it way too long.

Cursive handwriting and calligraphy

On Friday, during my lunch hour, I took a workshop on cursive handwriting. It was highly relaxing and therapeutic.

I should get back to doing calligraphy and cursive handwriting again. It was a lot of fun. I use my keyboard every day. It's nice to literally unplug and go back to the old way of doing things.

Have a great weekend!

Stuffed peppers and the weekend

I have never made stuffed peppers in my life. I saw some red and orange bell peppers when I was at the grocery store and decided get some. I hope to make this recipe on the weekend. I won't be adding rice in it, which makes it non-traditional.

This workweek feels long. I am ready for the weekend.

COVID-19 is scary

Last weekend, I placed a food order for pickup this Saturday. I just found out that a supplier that this business works with has team members that got infected with COVID-19. Ugh! I hope that those affected will be okay.

Canada is ramping up its vaccine supply. Every adult is expected to get one shot by the end of June. It's a good sign.

The business has found a new supplier, so I'll be proceeding with my food order. COVID-19 is so scary. I can't wait for the day when we kick it to the curb.

Eye appointment, cafe stop, and writing advice

I visited my ophthalmologist yesterday. All went well. I go back in six months, in my usual monitoring mode. I'm happy.

I got to visit my favourite cafe next door. I was so happy getting a raspberry white hot chocolate and an albacore tuna sandwich. Yum and yum!

A fellow writer at work in California reached out to me asking for advice. I'm not sure how she found me. I hope to ask her that question next. She's apparently new to her project.

My former intern returns as a contractor

Yesterday, my former intern joined our team as a contractor. It's great having him back.

The downside was getting his laptop up and running. We had several obstacles, including not having a password for him to log into said laptop. Crazy!

We did manage to get what we wanted to work. There's more to come later on today.

Ankle pain and refresher training

I woke up before 7 am on Sunday with ankle pain. I walked a lot of Saturday, so it was not surprising.

I have an odd workweek this week. My former intern has returned to the workplace as a contractor. Training will be different. I am doing a refresher part, which really depends on him.

I also start my workday at 8 am. I am looking forward to not doing daily chats with my team at 4:45 pm.

Tacos, enchiladas, and a Nutella milkshake

Happy weekend!

On Saturday, I was out and about. I had a perk to pick up near downtown Toronto. I got a free fried fish taco, with chips and salsa. I had the taco in my car, as we are in lockdown 3.0 and dining in isn't allowed. It was so good.

I was last there over a year ago. I hung out with friends for a few hours before this pandemic. We were in a food hall, so we ordered a lot of food.

It was nice heading back. I also got a Nutella milkshake from another eatery there. I got chicken enchiladas from the same eatery that provided the free perks.

I do need visit Toronto more often. It's my hometown with cool neighbourhoods that I need to explore more.

Training and a shift to my workday start time

Training is over for my colleague in India. I actually liked starting my day early. I let my manager know that I'd like to start my workday at 8 am (I typically start between 8:15 am and 8:30 am, so it's not a huge shift), and he was okay with it.

By starting at 8 am, my quitting time becomes 4:30 pm. He said that I'd be missed at our daily chat at 4:45 pm. I actually don't mind missing it, as some of the chatter with my colleagues is downright boring.

It's nice that I'm missed. I tend to be the one who sparks conversation. Take me out of the picture, and it's not as interesting because you have men who talk until the cows come home.

It's the weekend at long last. Yay!

Thoughts about an early start to the workday

Even though I have been starting my workday earlier these days, I kind of like it. It's nice to call it a day early.

On Wednesday, I started my grocery and takeout run at 4 pm. It was great. I'm debating whether I should start my day at 8 am permanently. I have fewer distractions. It's also nice that I don't have to participate in our team's daily chat at 4:45 pm. I find it tedious.

Two more workdays. It helps that this week is breezing by.

The disaster that is a Windows update

On Monday, after I was done work at 4 pm, I had a Windows update on my work laptop that was pending and had it installed. I left my laptop on for another hour before I turned it off for the day.

I started my workday on Tuesday just after 7 am. I woke up too early. In a way, it was good.

I booted up my work laptop. I could not get Microsoft Teams to launch. I needed it to train the new hire. Rebooting and relaunching Teams did not work. I absolutely dislike whenever there's a Windows update. Ideally, it should work. When it's bad, it's incredibly bad.

At 8 am, I started training the new hire. I noticed that no matter what site I was trying to access, I had to enter my username and password, and my credentials could not be authenticated. I then saw a Windows message saying to lock my screen. I did it. Guess what? I was completely locked out of my laptop. Great.

At work, there's a self-serve password reset. I tried it and couldn't connect to the server. Lovely.

I then called the IT helpdesk. The folks there suck. The woman I spoke to said that she couldn't unlock my account and had to pass it over to her colleague. He would call me back. I asked at what number. At my Teams phone number. Um, no. I have Teams on my locked laptop. You can't automatically assume that the phone number on record is accurate. I gave her my cell phone.

I tried logging in after fifteen minutes. Success! I was able to log into my laptop and train. Sadly, I lost an hour of productivity.

The male helpdesk guy called me half an hour after I had logged in. Such a crazy delay! Apparently, since this Windows update happened, many folks have been calling the helpdesk for assistance.

Such a horrible update!

Knowledge and getting shelled with questions

I am one of those breathing fountains of knowledge. A while back, the diva on our team nicknamed me the data bank. I don't mind it.

The downside to being fairly knowledgeable is that people often fire questions at me and forget that I'm a person who doesn't enjoy constant interrogation. How about saying hi first, for instance, before you start firing your questions at me?

I have one friend who has been doing that online in direct messages. It's always a question that he poses.

The weekend, I had proudly mentioned that I got my vaccine shot in a public post. He congratulated me on said post and then privately asked me what vaccine I got.

I decide not to respond. It was the first time that I felt good about not replying. It's always a question. It's never how I am doing or a simple hello. I had had enough.

I am still training a new member of our team from India. Although he is good at asking me how I am doing, I find that he asks questions that are too advanced for his current understanding. It's not horrible, but it means that I have to explain the same concept twice. The first time is a basic version until we get to the actual topic in training where I need to explain it in more detail.

On Monday, I learned that his questions that he had about late last week's training sessions were off, meaning that he had either forgotten or he is the type who isn't the research-on-my-own type.

I have him working on an exercise on his own. We'll see how he does when we meet later on today.

Weekend reflections

Blink and just like that, the weekend is over.

I got two free bubble tea drinks on Saturday. I cooked and baked on Sunday. I also trimmed my bangs and can see again. It was been nice, relaxing weekend.

The spot on my arm where I got my vaccine injection is a tad sore. It's not horrible. I can sleep on it just fine. I only notice it now and again.

My friend and colleague checked up on me after I got my shot. She's sweet that way.

Have a great week, everyone!

Got my first vaccine shot!

I am thankful for getting my first COVID-19 vaccine shot on Friday. Everything went well.

The clinic was at a hockey arena. I haven't stepped foot into one for over a year. It was nice.

Everyone at this arena was helpful, kind, and wonderful. The medical doctor who administered my vaccine shot was so great, explaining what will happen and what symptoms I could feel afterwards. I

 have no soreness in my arm right now. I did have a dull, mild headache. It has since disappeared.

It was a well-organized clinic. My second shot is in August. I took half a day off to get the shot on Friday and will take the other half day then. It's not like I have places to go with my vacation days, so I'm okay taking time off to relax, even if it's getting a vaccination and driving for an hour to get to the clinic.