So today was the “big day.” Two weeks after getting second COVID-19 dose. So what did I do with my so-called freedom?

First on the agenda was visiting the folks. We had our first real “in home” visit – without masks – since…the long, long ago. We still set distanced apart in their huge living room on separate pieces of furniture, I chose to sit in the recliner that mom said would soon have an appointment with the curb. What? It seemed comfy enough to me! Most importantly, it wasn’t “Dad’s chair.” Every kid knows NOT to sit in dad’s chair!

“Mac (one of their former cats) peed on the back of that chair before,” my mom informed me – when she saw how cozy I was getting.

Well, gee – thanks mom! What OTHER parts of the chair did he pee on? 🙂

Mom and I did our traditional exchange of junk. She works in a local thrift store, so she has taken countless amounts of my unwanted junk (even a good amount of some of my friends’ junk). I offloaded some soccer/turf shoes that I will never wear/use again, some dressy shoes that pinch the toes of my poor beleaguered feet too much to wear anymore, and she gave me a…coffee maker! We plan to bring that coffee maker when we visit the in-laws and use in their “Fonzie room.” That is the name I have for any living space which is attached to a garage – and that is our “quarters” when we stay with them. It has two twin beds, a small dining table, some counter space, a couple of comfy chairs, and now…a coffee pot! Now we can make Joe as strong as we like when we visit! It will be a good addition to the “Fonzie room!”

The hugs were rather uneventful. I felt like I was going to crush my puny 69 year old mother whom has lost a lot of weight (by choice). “Mom,” I said – “You’re making me feel so fat!”

But my dad is a very, very – shall we say – aggressive hugger, and it became apparent that he DIDN’T WANT TO LET GO! Since breathing became an issue, I kind of tried squirming away (hey I said I wasn’t a very good hugger). So I joked, “While you’re at it, could you help work out that kink in my left shoulder?”

I’m just not a real touchy-feely person. But it’s my parents – so it’s kind of my daughterly duty to hug the people who put up with my practicing the saxophone, driving like someone who wanted a job at a proving grounds, wrecking the car, damaging another car, getting so many speeding tickets I got kicked off the insurance, failing algebra TWICE… But at least I didn’t get knocked up prematurely, force my dad to chase boys out of my bedroom, do drugs, drink (that would have to wait until later). Six of one, half a dozen of the other? Overall, I was a “pretty good girl!”

Then, for the second leg of my great vaccinated adventures today, I went to (gasp) a Kroger grocery store! I haven’t been inside one of them since January, 2020. And even BEFORE the plague hit, it wasn’t my favorite place to shop. But we have a camping trip coming up, and there were a few random “special” groceries we wanted to seek out that would be difficult to find at Aldi – or at our local small grocery store. Koegel’s chicken viennas, natural peanut butter (which my husband likes to eat even though I think it’s completely disgusting) and some canned cheese ravioli (no meat) and some Dawn “Power Wash” dish cleaner. I LOVE that stuff!

I also looked for canned macaroni and cheese, but couldn’t find it. It’s a great staple to bring camping – requires no preparation, no refrigeration and pairs well with canned chili (which I did find) for a wholesome, easy, camp dinner. We do have one can in the cupboard, so we will bring that can for “chili mac” night. I even bought a package of sparklers (total impulse buy), and some cookies and cream Hershey’s bars to use for s’mores. We don’t have kids, so don’t usually bother with s’mores when we camp, but we decided we wanted to have them on this trip.

What’s next in my great vaccinated adventures? A hair cut! That happens tomorrow! Here’s a recent “before” pic: