2021 Diary: March to the End of the Month

3/19/2021: I began the day with prayer and the Bible, then cartoons. About a little before 8 AM I started on my way into town, and Andy gave me a ride over to the Wells Fargo ATM. Saw I had about $530+ and withdrew $400; this does not seem enough for a stimulus check. Walked home. The day went on with LOTROTP. About 2 PM started the potatoes, yadda yadda yadda. Andy was very late getting home; I did the dishes at 9 PM and he wasn’t even back. Now a little after 10 PM, and time for rosary.

 

3/20/21: Up a little before 6 AM. A cold morning. Prayers and Bible. I mean to visit the library bookstore at 10 AM, and I asked Kam last night if he wanted to come. We’ll see. Grapes for breakfast.

So he didn’t want to go. I went and got Tolkien’s Ordinary Virtues and for Kam I got “Mythical Monsters”. The rest of the day was pretty ordinary.

3/21/2021: Up at 6 AM. Prayers, showered, dressed and out the door a little before 7 AM. Pretty dark. Rosary and Mass. On the walk home I found a little cross, and lost my “Rice Bowl” probably when Andy picked me up next to St. Andrew’s. Rest of the day kind of meh, except I bought us Chicken Express for supper.

 

3/22/2021: Up about 6 AM. Prayers, Bible. Cartoons. Out with my little stool at 8 AM to wait with Kam; worked out well. At 9 AM started my wash, boiled eggs, baked cake, made egg salad. At a little after 10 AM switched load to dryer and laid down. After 1 PM got Kam in, and at 3:30 PM chopped up stuff for tacos, fried meat, then retired to guest house to fry taco shells. Done about 5:30 PM, then made tea. When Andy came home, we all ate together, sang Happy Birthday, then cleaned up. When I was running my trash out Vader snuck in and got stuck in my bathroom! It’s now a little after 9 PM and I mean to finish my rosary.

 

3/23/2021: Up about 6:42 AM. A cool morning after a bit of rain last night. Prayers and Bible. Went out at 8 AM to wait with Kam. Had peaches and ravioli for breakfast.

At 1 PM waited for Kameron, then started making broccoli salad. After that I started reflexively making the Tuesday potatoes and cabbage instead of fish cakes and carried through with sausages before I realized the schedule upset. It kept me busy until 5 PM almost.

Afterwards Kam came in and we tried to sync his new device (no luck) then watched “O Brother Where Art Thou?” up until the part right after they sing into the can. Washed up, then watched Green Acres. Rosary, cleaned house, then bed.

 

3/24/2021: Up a bit before 6 AM. Prayers, Bible. Cartoons. Chicken soup for breakfast. Went out with Kam at 8 AM. A misty, chill morning. Afterwards went in and got some leftover Chicken Express. At 9:15 AM my HEB order came in and I lugged it in. Watched some PH&F then took a nap. Up about 11:20 AM when S&A came home. Researched about making a confession, as today is scheduled (with 5 priests) at 6 PM a large pre-Easter confessional. It’s now 11:55 AM.

Met Kameron at 1:15 PM. Ate leftover taco fixings sandwiches for lunch and fed the dogs the shells and later the cabbage fry-up. At 4 PM I made fish-cakes and couscous. A little after 5 PM I took a shower and got dressed. Went in and told Susan I was headed for church later, and she told me John was no longer working at his job. Dang. She came home after taking Kam to their church and gave me a ride to St. James. I got in just at the end of the mass, then underwent the penitential rite, then had a leg-shaking wait for confession (it was my first). It was Fr. Greg, and a very pleasant experience; we talked a bit. Walked home and made it about 7:45 PM. Washed dishes. After about 9 PM, I started making spaghetti (with the rest of the leftover hamburger meat, and it was done at 10 PM. Watched the end of “The Verdict” and found out I had missed “The Mask of Demetrios” earlier again. Probably should pray the rosary then hit the hay. It’s now 10:38 PM.

 

3/25/2021: Ring Day and the Annunciation. The day went as usual, except I was wondering about John and whether he would call me and talk about things. He never did.

 

3/26/2021: Up before 6 AM, prayers and Bible – or did I read the Bible today? Waited for Kam for the bus, then later collected him a little after 1 PM. In between, Star vs. the Forces of Evil and a visit to FD for mouthwash, a potholder, Italian dressing, parmesan, and cereal. On TCM it was like National Gorilla Suit Day. Discovered a discussion on “Out of the Silent Planet” on Signum University and watched it most of the evening. S&A went to eat out today, so didn’t have to make supper. Rosary at 10:30 PM. Cleaned up house. Now a little after 11 PM.

 

3/27/2021: Woke up at 6 AM but kind of drifted through the cartoons until 9 AM. Then prayers and Bible. Invited John & Co. on a trip to New Braunfels, and kind of waited through the day. Got an answer about 5 PM. Meanwile listened to LOTROTP and am almost caught up. Kam came in at 6 PM and we finished OBWAT. Had ice cream. Late (about 9 PM after watching “A Man for All Seasons” made spaghetti. Rosary and bed about 11 PM.

 

3/28/2021: Up before 6 AM and prayers. Showered, dressed, got ready. Caught up diary. Ready to leave at 7 AM.

Oh, my. It was kind of rainy and I almost didn’t go, then determined I would. Went with one cane and an umbrella; arrived fairly dry. Palm Sunday; I don’t think Fr. Stan likes the present administration very much. When I left it was very cloudy and VERY windy, but I made it home alright at nearly 10 AM. Andy mowed the dog pen before it really started to rain. Ready to leave with J&A at 11 AM.

So they arrived and off we went. As we were trying to figure out where to eat, Amy seemed a little diffident, but I went into a little George Costanza rant about how upset I was that my generous offer was not being acknowledged and dropping the idea of a fast-food place we went to a real restaurant, Frieheit’s. At first, I ordered us fried mushrooms and onion rings then John ordered a chicken fried steak, Amy got a fancy burger, and I got a mushroom burger. It was delicious, especially the fried mushrooms. We talked and reminisced about things. In the car John had explained about the incident at Continental that led to his leaving. After we ate, we went to The Book Haus, which turned out to be a desperate little hole-in-the-wall store, not without some good things, but terribly cramped. After that we went to Five Below and browsed around. I got some good candy, odd-flavored Combos, and a computer port expander.

We came back to Seguin, and then J&A had a good couple of hours visit with S&A. It was quite like old times for a while. Kameron and I hovered around the corners of conversation, then I dragged John over to my house. We discussed various things and he looked at my Monster of Frankenstein book.

Before they left, I loaned John the Ackroyd/Chaplin book and the Conan movies. I gave Amy my tax forms and she took a picture of my TX ID. As they drove off, I noticed that the day was now quite blue and clear, but still now cool and comfortable. All in all, it was a day to mark with a white stone. I felt happy that my machinations had also led to a good visit between the Babels and the Shanafelts. It was now about 5 PM.

The evening spent with ramen and Sunday animations. Then laid down on the couch and with the fan in the window and the computer music library on infinite replay, I drifted off to sleep.

 

3/29/2021: After a night of better sleep than I’ve had for a while, I got up at 4:30 AM, feeling bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Caught up diary. Prayed.

A pretty typical Monday, with wash, cooking, and so on.

 

3/30/2021: More typicality, with a bit of anxiety of about working on AF, as I want to finish it before the end of the month. Went to FD in the morning and then in the evening ordered stuff from HEB.

 

3/31/2021: Up a little before 6 AM, prayers, Bible. Cartoons. Set myself seriously to write and dragged myself forward all day. Kam at 8 AM, grocery delivery at 9 AM, while I was boiling more eggs and making egg salad. Kam at 1 PM. Made Knorr chicken noodles for lunch. Writing writing writing. At 3 PM started chicken, rice, and broccoli. Finished at 4:40 PM. Finished the chapter and sent it to John. Early in the day it was cloudy and very windy; not it is calm and fairly clear. Last day of March.