It took five hours before I was finally able to log onto my work computer today, including nearly three hours of phone time (on hold and speaking with a tech guru) plus two hours waiting for access. I spent the next five hours filtering through the holiday backup of email. Might as well ease into things after eighteen days off work.

The only time I ventured outside today was to get the mail at 6 PM. We’re leaving our holiday lights up through the end of the month to honor the healthcare workers and others on the front lines of caring for Covid patients and other medical needs. Giving thanks for our own health. Mamma got the first of two Covid vaccines today. Hoping this will be the first step toward being able to see her again in person for reals. In the meantime our friends and family in Britain just started another two months of lockdown. That will never happen in this country, where some people believe the meaning of freedom is being able to do whatever the eff they want.

My family and I have been holding daily Advent celebrations on Zoom since the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We decided to keep it up through Epiphany. It’s been enjoyable connecting this way and especially so that Mamma, living by herself, can see all of us and that we can see her. I’m the phone icon because my exercise today consisted of getting in 3 miles on the treadmill in the basement. Walk and talk.