What did you do today? - 2020 version

[Gumby]

Today, I recorded myself singing for the very first time. Due to COVID, my church is having on-line services only. The choir is trying to participate remotely. We are starting by putting together the doxology for next Sunday. The choir director sent each choir member a recording of the accompaniment. We then each record ourselves singing our own part (tenor for me) at home while listening to the organ track in the headphones (to get our tempo right), and then send the voice track to him. He will then edit and blend it so that we are a virtual choir.

I've never used the microphone on either my desktop or my phone, so it was a new world of technological progress for me. I had to download a recording app for the phone. I also found that it is difficult to sing in a vacuum. But I made my recording and sent it in, so we'll see how it sounds on Sunday.

 

[street]

I been bow hunting and the long hikes in and out have been great for me also.

 

[USA]

Watched a friend/neighbor get married in Canada via Zoom. Beautiful location in BC where he has a house on the waterfront. They plan to spend winters here in NV and summer there in BC. Their winters used to be spent in Mexico. Those days are shot due to crime and degradation of lifestyle.

 

[Pellice]

Today was the annual tiresome Kabuki dance with Sirius radio to earn the substantial reduction in the annual cost. Got it cut in half, to about $11/month by saying I was retired and had experienced pandemic-related income reductions (both true). Got it down two levels (had to fight off the second stop-point of "all access" by arguing I just wanted it for my car.) I'm aware that champion negotiators here get it down much further - I admire your skills!

 

[Walt34]

Mowed both the front and back, with an hour break in between. Tomorrow is planned for more tilling of bare spots to plant grass seed. It's been a rough summer.

 

[Calico]

I picked up an Rx at CVS, and while I was there I decided to get my free flu shot.

I came home to find the estimate for replacing my roof and gutters, adding gutter guards, and repairing the interior water damage (minor) in the bedroom and garage waiting for me. Went to the money tree in the back yard to harvest some proceeds for the roofer, so I can get on his schedule (assuming the rain ever stops here). Wept a little at the cost of....everything related to contractors. Stopped crying and congratulated myself for supporting the local economy.

I scheduled my first Tele-med appointment today for two weeks from now. Add that to the long list of things I have learned to do differently, thanks to Covid.

 

[Venturer]

Today was the annual tiresome Kabuki dance with Sirius radio to earn the substantial reduction in the annual cost. Got it cut in half, to about $11/month by saying I was retired and had experienced pandemic-related income reductions (both true). Got it down two levels (had to fight off the second stop-point of "all access" by arguing I just wanted it for my car.) I'm aware that champion negotiators here get it down much further - I admire your skills!

I got mine for $5.00 per month after dropping it when the "free" time ended after 90 days. sirius contacted me offering the 5.00 deal and I ask how much it would be after "taxes and fees" the lady gave me a higher number like 7..... something. I responded that 5.x12=$60.so if she would do that I would prepay 60. now for a year. She put me on hold and came back and said ok. I made a calendar note and the day before it was to renew at the higher "normal" rate I called in and canceled it. Of course I was transferred to a retention person. He ask me why I said I refused to pay their rate, but if I could keep my same agreement I would pay the $60.00 again right now. He said same card number that we have now & I said yes. He re-upped me so in 364 days I'll do the same thing & if they won't do it I'll drop service. I only listen to at most 5 stations so I am not going to pay a ridiculous amount just to listen to them.

 

[Gumby]

Yesterday, after a quick trip to our garden, the young wife and I spent the day preserving food. We roasted a bunch of tomatillos, jalapeno, cubanelle and poblano peppers, and then made up two quarts of chili verde sauce, which we froze. Add some pork shoulder and you've got a meal. Then we roasted a bunch of red bell peppers and oil packed four half-pint jars. Next, we chopped up a bunch of serrano peppers and put them in jars to ferment. In a week or two, we'll finish making fermented hot pepper sauce with them. Finally, we pickled and canned a pint of okra.

We went back out to the garden today just to water and spray. We have let our last two artichokes go to flower just to see what that would look like. Here's a photo

 

[Walt34]

Spent about four hours total (with frequent breaks) with the jackhammer and tiller breaking up the ground for planting grass seed in spots where grass hasn't grown for years, if ever. Mostly it's because of the shale rock and other rocks, and partly because the sunlight reflects off the white siding so the ground gets an overdose of sunlight. The ground here is shale rock with a little bit of hard clay to hold it together. If you try to use a shovel the ground doesn't even notice. If you use a digging stick (a six foot heavy steel bar with a pointed end) the ground just smirks. It will eventually give in but you have to work for every fraction of an inch. I got more done in a few hours with the jackhammer than I did in several days with a digging stick so the jackhammer was definitely a worthwhile purchase for me. Frankly I'm surprised that anything grows at all, but it seems to prove Ian Malcolm (character in Jurassic Park movie) right; "Life will find a way".

Oh, and DW gave me my second haircut since last March in our basement barbershop. We picked that location because there's good task lighting and the concrete floor makes cleanup easy.

 

[Souschef]

Picked up DW from the hospital where she had been treated for an infection on her nose. She was glad to be home.
On the way home we stopped a Poke Land to pick up dinner. Then I called in a lunch order at our favorite restaurant.

After lunch, DW hit the shower and then the rack. It was a very stressful time for her.

 

[tmm99]

I somehow tweaked my neck somehow and I went to a physio today and got cupping/vibration and ultrasound treatment. I said to DH, "I've never had a neck pain this bad, but I've never been this old either."

 

[1242Vintage]

Busy day. Getting everything in order for wife’s knee replacement surgery tomorrow. Grocery shopping for healthy meals, snacks and drinks. Got her iPad replaced too so she can continue to be connected to the outside world while she recovers.

Also spent some time on my activities, workout on my cyclocross bike for a couple hours and an hour strength training in the gym.

 

[braumeister]

Watching lots more activity than usual at the hummingbird feeder. They know it's after Labor Day so time to start putting some weight on for the long trip back to Mexico.

 

[target2019]

Watching lots more activity than usual at the hummingbird feeder. They know it's after Labor Day so time to start putting some weight on for the long trip back to Mexico.

After a lot of activity last week, the numbers are fading. I've only seen one in the past few days.

It's been refreshing to have those tiny buggers in my day's activity.

 

[MBAustin]

Yesterday brought back lots of w*rk memories. I'm chairing a search committee for a key position in our church's regional council and actually got to make a job offer for the first time in 10 years. Then working out all of the hiring details that I had overlooked - there are only 6 paid staff so no real HR - is still a work in process. But the whole process has gone very well and I felt like my megacorp-developed skills were very useful in making things happen quickly, even in pandemic times. Nice to feel that way again, actually!

And I also was the female voice for the hymn recording for Sunday's church service. We met in person (4 people very socially distanced in the sanctuary) and it felt so strange to be around other unmasked people inside, even though it was only for about 10 minutes.

 

[1242Vintage]

Long day for us.

Wife is having her other knee replaced later today. Barring complications will be back home around 8 pm. Only patients allowed in the hospital so will be managing my anxiety with a trip to the gym and a workout on my mountain bike. Those are better options to burn off stress than sitting in a quiet house waiting for the debrief from her surgeon.

 

[Koogie]

After a lot of activity last week, the numbers are fading. I've only seen one in the past few days.
It's been refreshing to have those tiny buggers in my day's activity.

The hummingbirds at the feeder outside her office window are one of DW favorite things in the world.

Our numbers are starting to dwindle as the nights are in the 50s and even hit the 40s. The small regulars have left and we're seeing a few "travelers" from further north on their way through.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

The house is going on the market today. It has been a painful fortnight getting it ready. Time to take a few days off.

 

[Ronstar]

A few months ago, I postponed my semi-annual dentist checkup, even though I had broken off part of a back tooth sometime in March.

Today was my pushed back appointment. Did the usual pre appt phone call Covid questions. Then call into the office while I waited in their parking lot. Then they let me into their exterior hallway where they checked my temp and gave me some hand sanitizer.

Then straight to the dentist's chair where I was given some mouthwash and X-rays. The dentist looked at the x-rays and at my broken tooth and said "How brave are you?"

He wanted to drill part of the tooth with no Novocain. Sure. So he drilled, built up the missing part of the tooth with filler material, cleaned my teeth and sent me on my way. Bought some scallops and a milkshake on the way home.

Then I stopped by a local 9/11 memorial. Now getting ready to pick up some fajitas.

 

[Walt34]

I took yesterday off from the yard work because it was raining most of the day, and the ground would have been a muddy mess if I'd tried to do anything in the afternoon anyway.

So today was resuming the yard work. Of interest was that even after yesterday's half inch of rain, in the ground that has not yet been tilled the water only penetrated about an inch or inch and a half. Anything lower than that was bone dry. Yet another reason for me to marvel that anything can grow in that ground.

 

[tmm99]

I received my first non-COLA'd tiny pension payment today from a company I worked from 1990 to 1996 (6.5 years). It's weird to get paid without doing anything, but I guess that's what a pension payment is all about! Not complaing by any means.

 

[O2Bfree]

It's weird to get paid without doing anything, but I guess that's what a pension payment is all about!

Heck, when I had a job I often got paid without doing anything.

 

[W2R]

I received my first non-COLA'd tiny pension payment today from a company I worked from 1990 to 1996 (6.5 years). It's weird to get paid without doing anything, but I guess that's what a pension payment is all about! Not complaing by any means.

Congratulations! Getting that payment each month is really nice, no matter what the size.

 

[tmm99]

Heck, when I had a job I often got paid without doing anything.

Some days, I got paid for surfing the net.

 

[tmm99]

Congratulations! Getting that payment each month is really nice, no matter what the size.

Thank you! I'm looking forward to a big fat one in a few years (SS), but for now, this will do.