What I used to call Presidents weekend has kind of been forever spoiled by the former president. And you know what? A bunch of Presidents were disasters so I’m renaming this weekend in my brain as Winter Weekend. And I used to be the person who had silhouettes of Lincoln and Washington to hang up in February!
It started off weakly because I was too tired to stay up for Movie Night (which begins at 10pm EST – the time I used to leave my house to go out when I was younger). I had written the Friday 5 post and decided I was too tired of screens for the week.
![large paper flowers](https://kimberussell.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-02-13-14.18.15.jpg)
Saturday was Mom’s birthday – she came over at lunch for a Virtual Galentine’s Celebration run by Paper Source (not an ad but I’d take their sweet ad money any day). It was two hours and included a cocktail class run by Mark at Revival Cafe/Bar in Chicago, an instructional session on how to make pressed flower taper candles, and a hands-on session creating paper flowers from a Paper Source Kit.
WM took Ollie to the vet at 3. Ollie’s lungs and heart continue to sound good* and the vet put him back on a steroid to try and get on top of the cough. But it also could be an issue choking on his own drool due to his partial facial paralysis** and in that case there’s nothing to be done. We shall see. Today is day two of the steroids and the cough has almost completely gone away.
![Ollie, mostly nose](https://kimberussell.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-02-07-21.22.09-HDR.jpg)
Saturday night we hung with J/K/Nephews A&B at Mom’s for sandwiches and cake***.
Sunday! Valentine’s Day! I attempted to make WM pink heart-shaped pancakes but they looked more like kidneys. He brought some flowers home and we had takeout from Capn Cat’s Clam Bar – it offers exactly the fried fish menu that you’re thinking of. After that I lazed on the sofa and watched the last episode of Bridgerton, which I successfully stretched out one episode a week for eight weeks.
![pancakes in a pan. they are supposed to be heart shaped but are not.](https://kimberussell.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-02-14-10.27.59.jpg)
Bridgerton is full of sexytimes, humor, and not-quite-period fashion and I was 100% there for it. There was a happy ending for who we cared about the most and various deserved ending for others. 10/10, 5/10 if you cannot watch sex scenes.
Today! Monday! The … other day … in the long weekend. Today I took Mom to get her first COVID vaccine which OMG I’m so happy and worried and relieved I could cry for days. I couldn’t go in with her, but the nurse told her, “this is step 1 to back to normal” and I’m almost crying typing that out. For those who are counting, I have been clenched in non-stop worry since September of 2019 (family health issues and other stresses) and wouldn’t it be nice if I could unclench just the slightest later this summer? I do think so!
This will be a short work week for me as I am off Friday. Which is mercifully good, because my left brain feels about as functional as a broken zipper. Maybe I’ll take some time off at the end of March. I have many hours of PTO that I need to use.
* for a 13.5 year old dog.
** happened after a very bad ear infection – you can see it in his pictures once you start looking for it.
*** yes, risky, but we’re all on same page risk-wise.
Happy birthday to your Mom! That’s a fun way to celebrate. I’m glad she got her first shot too!
Blogging is difficult these days, I’m tired of screens.