Hello Monday

  
The weather:::

Rain, rain, and more rain.  Everyone's grass is so green and the fall colors are on what's left of the leaves on the trees.  Temperatures still in the 40s during the day, 30s at night.  It's cozy days at home season.

On my reading pile:::

Finished The Things We Cannot Say, wonderful read.  Nothing new in at the library, so I shopped my bookshelves and found Christmas in Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber.

On my TV:::

Had three Countdown to Christmas holiday premieres to catch up on after last Saturday's all day Prep Party and this weekend's virtual retreat.  Oh my goodness, definitely needed Kleenex for the endings.

Desserts on The Great British Baking Show (The Great British Bake Off in the UK) on Netflix last week.  Semi-Final - Patisserie - this week.

Checked off the list:::

Mammogram, follow-up with my provider after my eye appointments, received my new credit card after an unauthorized charge incident, postponed the 6000 mile service on Milady since there's less than 3000 miles on the odometer, and the Christmas box exchange I usually do with my MOPS pals each December has been cancelled, another COVID victim.

Crafts Roundup:::

Received my two new albums for the #donebydecember album I'm trying to finish but one had a broken spine so now I have to wait for a replacement.

The virtual scrapbook retreat (Friday 6-10pm and Saturday 9am-10pm) was so much fun.  Lots of laughs, trips and tricks shared, games, drawings, prizes, and I completed 36 pages of the 2009 Family Album.  Can't wait to do it again soon.

And in other news:::

The Governor of Washington gave a press conference yesterday morning with new restrictions.  Our COVID numbers are rising every day - we're not going all the way back to the stay at home restrictions of the spring but restaurants and bars will be limited to outdoor seating with capacity limits and in-store retail outlets are limited to 25% capacity.  There are restrictions on indoor social gatherings with people from outside the home and outdoor gatherings are limited to five people.  Religious services are limited to 25% capacity or 200 people whichever is less.  No choirs or singing, although a soloist is allowed.  Gyms, bowling alleys, museums, and movie theaters are closed.  There's more but these were the main points.

Those who are blatantly disregarding the rules are putting others at risk and the only way to stop the spread is to have these types of restrictions.  My boss put it really well back in March when this first started:  What's the why?  Why do we have to have these restrictions and live under all of these protocols?  Because many of our hospitals are overwhelmed, many more are approaching that point, and our medical professionals are exhausted.  People die without their loved ones by their side, from COVID-19 as well as from other medical conditions.  I can't imagine not being able to be at the side of a dying family member.

Costco was packed right after the press conference (or before the Seahawks game, however you want to look at it) and of course, everyone had a multi-pack of toilet paper in their cart.  Let the TP panic begin...again.