It’s been a while since I’ve written one of these how are we doing posts, so here we go. I intended to write a woohoo I’m two weeks past my second COVID vaccination post, but that weekend, I was trying to prepare for a presentation and didn’t have the time to do it. So now I’m at five weeks past, finally saying something.
Unlike poor Steve, I hardly had any effects. I think maybe my endocrine system went a little wild, but it came back to something resembling normal pretty quickly. I was smart and got them to give it to me in my left arm, so I didn’t bump my sore arm in my sleep all the time.
Cautiously, I’m trying to go do more stuff. I’m not ready to jump on a plane or scream at a concert, but I have been to a family gathering and our book club finally met again! Since most if not all of the people in both places were fully vaccinated, it felt safe to see them, and the weather cooperated to let us be outdoors. Both gatherings were so amazing. It was nice to see people without worrying about phone batteries or bandwidth or stuff like that. I finally got to see babies that were born during the pandemic. It was so awesome! I know it’s not over, but it’s nice to see progress.
But since I’ve been out and about, I find myself once again waking up each day and if I feel off at all, wondering what that means. It’s been a while since I’ve done that.
I think about some of the exchanges I’ve had with people lately that are just weird. Once, I was on the elevator, and it opened up and a lady said “Can I come in? I’m masked up and half vaxxed.” I laughed and said I was the same, this was before my second shot, and we chatted away. People swap vaccine side-effect stories and ask which one each other got or where we went to get it. Weird, weird times.
I finally got a haircut! I don’t look like I’ve been living under a rock for 9 months anymore! Here are some pictures to give you an idea. Here is before…
and here is after.
Notice how my bangs had completely grown out and it was out of control. I needed so much shampoo to wash the great thunderin’ heap of hair that I had.
Now that I look respectable again, I renewed my poor expired health card. Thankfully it wasn’t too much of a rigmarole. I walked down to the Service Ontario place just to see if I could, and stood in the line which wasn’t super long. The only wrinkle happened when the line all moved inside but me, and there was no one who showed up behind me. Thankfully, there was someone in the line who kept looking out for me, and popping her head out to say I could move. Once I got inside, it went pretty smoothly, and in a few weeks, I will have a shiny new photo health card, good for another five years.
I had some vacation, and got a bunch of errands taken care of that I’ve been meaning to check off, and I was so happy that I remembered how to get places. I was afraid that since I had been not really going far, I would forget everything I knew. It doesn’t seem to be the case. And I’m not so out of shape that I’m huffing and puffing through the city. This is also good. But I did find myself more mentally tired after being out and about for a while.
From what I understand, I think we might be hoping to be going back to the office in January, but who knows? But I don’t think I’ll be keen on going back until our restrictions are a little more relaxed, simply because of one particular restriction. If I read the return to work plan correctly, they only want one person in each bathroom, even if there are multiple stalls in it. That isn’t going to work for me, because of my old pal the captain. He’s more under control, but if I march up to the bathroom in urgent need and find the no bathroom for you sign up…
…
You don’t want to be nearby.
Also, sometimes I have to be in there for a bit until I know I’m good. I don’t want to feel guilty for keeping others out.
And about that sign thing: if we’re all flipping the sign to say “open” and “closed”, doesn’t that negate the whole one person per washroom thing? And whether I flip the sign or not, I will have to touch it! Yarf!
But really, I have everything I need here. I just miss running into people around the office and some fun lunches and other random spontaneous things. I can wait these restrictions out.
That’s about it. Hopefully if we have a stupid fourth wave, it won’t be too bad. It will hopefully have less and less scary potential as more people get their shots. Screw off, Delta variant!