Today's topic: A few of my favorite things.
1. Restaurants. The pandemic has kept us from spending a lot of money at restaurants, but that is what makes life enjoyable. I miss a good steak at Texas Roadhouse, coconut shrimp at Red Lobster, breakfast and chicken fried chicken at Cracker Barrel, chicken teriyaki and sea food tempura at Japanese Kitchen, green chile chicken enchiladas or stuffed sopapillas at Monroe's and Tomasita's.
2. A place to write. For the past two years with my wife retiring I couldn't write at home. I settled on writing at a newly opened public library by my house, but the pandemic stopped that. I called my lawyer friend who closed his office due to health reasons. I worked for him for six years and wrote most of my novels and short stories in his office. He's working part time now and he's letting me use the office again. I'm back to writing in a quiet space.
3. Exercise. I used to walk my dog around the neighborhood. The pandemic let the dogs loose. Where I could walk her around the park by us and the mesa behind me pretty much alone, now everyone is out walking their pit bull. For some reason that's the only breed of dog my neighbors have. The last time one of them pulled out of the owners hand and came after my miniature Jack Russel Terrier. My walking stick wasn't of much use, but the owner retrieved the leash and pulled the dog away, but I'm not walking her anymore. I've seen footage of what one of them can do when they attack. Now I'm using a gym where I can use a sit down elliptical, treadmill and an arm exerciser. I'm not sure about doing water aerobics while the pandemic is still a problem.
Travel. We used to take a road trip in the summer. Usually it was to Nebraska, now Kansas to visit wife's brother and his family and then to Oklahoma to visit my brother and his family.
Our eldest grandson lives in Tucson and we visit him at Christmas.
Our last non-family trip was to Ruidoso, NM where we visited White Sands National Monument, and the Very Large Array outside Socorro, NM. We were planning on taking a trip to the Grand Canyon, but that's been put on hold.
22 comments:
I'm glad that pit bull didn't hurt your dog. How scary.
Your writing space sounds nice.
I absolutely understand your worry for your dog, but I have to advocate a little. Some of the best, sweetest, gentlest dogs I've known are pit bulls (and Dobermans and Rottweilers) -- my mantra? No bad dogs, only bad owners. That said, the problem is if you have a badly behaved chihuahua it's not going to kill you. I wish people with strong, powerful dogs would be better owners or not own dogs...
I'm glad you have a quiet place to write again and hopefully this pandemic will be in the rear view mirror soon!
The pandemic has certainly put a lot of fun things in life on hold but not forever. I'm looking forward to sitting down to eat in a restaurant again, too, and travel! I'm envious of your writing space. It sounds perfect!
Travel and eating out are two of our favorite things to do...that said, our checkbook has loved this pandemic! I've never had a dedicated place to write. I'm afraid it would be like my studying in school. Too much quiet drives me batty. I never could study in the library.
Lydia, it was really scary. It is nice to have a place like this. It's ten miles from my house, but I can go after rush hour, and leave before rush hour.
Marianne, this one was a nice one, just curious. I've owned German Shepherds and Labradors so it's not the size of the dog that worries me. The real problem is my dog who tries to pick the fight.
Stephanie, It has been and is. I used to take pleading to the courthouse for him and scanned documents, but with all that now done online there's not that much work. He answers his own phone and all he needs me for is to get the mail, receive packages, and when he's not here clients can drop off papers.
a little custodial duties and other than that I have free run of the place.
Judy, I can read in a noisy environment, but not write.
I miss restaurants and travel too. And its true, walking the dog is not what it used to be. But I am glad you have a place to write. That's important.
Glad your dog was okay. I had a German Shepherd dog who got in a fight with a pit bull once. He needed a lot of stitches after that.
Wow, those pictures are beautiful!
Yes it is, Shari, thanks for coming by.
Berthold I got lucky, and glad you like them.
Great list, even if the pandemic is putting most of them on hold for now.
My post
So glad you and your dog wasn't hurt. We have that problem at the park by our house too. Sucks. Love a roadtrip. Your list was great. Thanks for sharing. Here's mine.https://www.tenastetler.com/a-few-of-my-favorite-things-lsrs-weekly-blog-challenge/
Thanks Aymee.
Glad I'm not the only one. Thanks for coming by Tena.
I miss a lot of the same things you do, it seems. Love the White Sands pictures -- I've never been there myself. Trying to find a quiet writing space/time in a shared house is definitely a challenge -- I'm using the closet in the master bedroom, and yes that does sound like the lead-in to some sort of joke. (Q: "How can you tell he finished writing a book?" A: "He finally came out of the closet as a writer.")Good list all around.
I have to agree with Marianne. Pit bulls actually were originally bred to be babysitters. Strange, huh? They were nannies for well-to-do families because they protected the kids. When raised right, they're the most goofy loveable dogs. But I totally understand your concern. People need to learn how to train/take care of their dogs so they can be unleashed and not rotten. I'm glad your Jack Russel is okay.
Wow, using a closet. Hey whatever works. I found I can read with distraction, but not write.
I don't blame those with pit bulls. If you know terriers they have the habit of starting the fight. Neighbor had two pit bulls years ago. When they were puppies I played with them and they were always friendly to me. A good thing as the fence between us wasn't that high.
I do miss restaurants and travelling. I have a lot of catching up to do when all this is over.
As do we all, Tanith.
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