Twelve days until I leave for my month-long trip to the UK, hopefully Finland, and Ireland. It's been a rollercoaster month, with COVID cases still high and concerns as to whether the U.S. will be considered a "red" country or an "amber." If it were "red", I would have to quarantine for ten days on arrival, at enormous expense and one I would not incur. I would find another place to fly to. But, it's currently "amber" with the UK, which means I have to take a PCR COVID test within 72 hours of my flight departing and arrange for a second test to be administered two days after I arrive in England. And that's because I am fully vaccinated; if I weren't vaccinated, then I would have to quarantine even with a negative PCR test. I am 100% pro vaccine, got my Moderna shots in February and March. There's such a lot of controversy and ill will right now about the vaccines but the numbers are proving, even with the new Delta Variant of the virus, that the vaccines work.
At any rate, I spent a worried two hours this morning tracking down where I could get a test within three days of my Sept 6th (Labor Day Monday, what was I thinking?) departure, where the results would be guaranteed to arrive before I flew and would also be acceptable to the UK border guards. I found one in Phoenix, which is where I am flying from. I have friends who live there (it's a three-hour drive from here) so they have said they will host me overnight on the Sunday. And further good news was that there was an appointment available on the Sunday for the sum of $245 (thankfully Richard recovered from the shock and was okay with that added expense.) So, for now, I can put trip issues aside, stay at home as much as possible these next 11 days and wear a mask when I have to go out.
I find that people are stressed and angry these days. Putting aside the big picture stressors, the terrible situation in Afghanistan, the housing crunch for so many people, heat, drought: these are things that we can say to ourselves, "Not something I can do anything about, just send healing thoughts out and try to be a good person." And then something closer to home tips me over the edge.
Our Homeowners' Association has been sending letters out about "weeds in your front yard." They acknowledge that, with our much-needed, much-appreciated, monsoons, our stony (grass is not permitted) front yards are sprouting, but still point to the rules in the community that there shalt be NO weeds visible, living or dead. I received one of the weedy letters and fired back at them that by the time the HOA inspector had driven by, taken the photo of my offending two weeds, had gone to her office, got the letter printed and sent it out by post, the weeds had been taken care of. So why stress, you may ask? Relax into my innocence. Because those of you who know of my long history with the "architectural review committee," will understand that ANY exchange with them triggers me.
However. I must not have been the only person to complain because yesterday they sent an email to all residents that, "upon advice from their lawyer" (why is that Americans need lawyers for everything?) they have stopped sending any letters out until September 23rd. Monsoon season will be over by then and I would think that anything that wasn't watered on our stony yards will have died and blown away. And if they haven't, well I shall be over in Ireland where no one cares about weeds. Poor Richard.
As to the other issue that was occupying me this summer, the weight loss journey. It's progressing in the desired direction. I have released six pounds. A slower progression than I had hoped, but that's okay. With all of my up and down feelings this past month, I feel good that I didn't do a face plant into a gallon of ice cream. Or eat an entire cake. I continue to watch my calories and exercise daily. And once I am in my happy place across the pond, I will be quite satisfied with the odd cream bun from Fortnum's, or Ploughman's Lunch at a pub (if the pubs are still doing lunch) and walk all and any calories off, reveling in being back "home" again.
I haven't been reading as much because I find it hard to focus, even on a good thriller, when my mind is in turmoil. I listen to spiritual YouTube talks, by people like Richard Rohr, Pema Chodron, Brene Brown as I walk Mitzi in the morning. I find that comforting, uplifting and helpful while my feet are moving but once I am at home and trying to sit still, I jump up and down with this or that thought until I give up actually focusing on anything and escape into TV thrillers like Unforgotten, A Place of Execution, Scott & Bailey. I am currently watching re-runs of the "New Tricks" series.
The last is played for laughs and I find it relaxing. I have a pile of books on my Kindle; every day I think, yes, today I will read. But once the post-walk morning's crises been looked after--mice in the attic, Richard broke a tooth this morning, the vagaries of the trip--I hear the couch calling and my laptop is already gearing up for another episode of New Tricks.
Which is what I am going to do now. Picture of the day: looking at the mountains from the golf course on one of our early morning walks after a monsoon night.
Here's hoping the test goes well, and the US remains "amber" so you don't have to quarantine. I hope that it all works out and you have a wonderful trip!
ReplyDeleteI, too, and very much in favor of the vaccines, and wish that we were in a better overall position, but... not something I can control, so... Ommmmm! Breathe in, relax, let it go... do what I can, and no more.