Shuffling toward the Weekend

We have made it to Friday -- thank goodness! Yesterday was an especially long day for me. After my usual walk (nearly 5.6 miles), my biweekly work team meeting, and lunch, I was back out to go to donate blood. Donating is something I have been actively trying to do as much as possible for the last couple of years, and yesterday marked my 1 gallon mark since I started using the Red Cross blood donor app (that's eight donations since November 2018). I have been a blood donor since high school, since I first became old enough to be eligible, but for many years I was an infrequent donor. There's a severe blood shortage right now, in large part because supplies have been depleted during the pandemic, so I am trying to schedule a donation for about every 8-10 weeks. This is just a reminder for those of you who are able to donate blood that it's an easy thing you can do to make a big difference! I'd also encourage you to donate via the Red Cross if you can; a lot of blood banks actually charge hospitals for blood and blood products, but the Red Cross never does.

Okay, I'll step off my soapbox now. My point about yesterday was that I did a lot of walking yesterday. The blood drive was held on campus, about a mile and a half from my house, so when I got into bed last night, I'd managed to rack up 21K steps! I was asleep before the Mister last night, which is a very rare occurrence. Despite that, my Fitbit tells me that I did not get a great night of sleep (perhaps because I was up at 4 a.m. with a charley horse in my calf?), so I have a feeling I'll be dragging a bit today. I'd hoped that yesterday afternoon would be quiet and allow me to just sit, but I got a work project in that kept me busy until shortly after 5. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that today is better.

Before all the activity yesterday, I did manage to finish my brioche cowl! I wove in all my ends and blocked it on Wednesday evening, and because the radiators are now on, it was dry yesterday. I am delighted with how it turned out. I have a tentative name for the pattern, so now I need to get on with writing up the instructions.

I've also made some progress on my brother's socks; last night, rather than casting on a new project (because I was so tired), I just carried on with the first sock, which now has a completed heel and gusset.

Today I am hoping to cast on for the sock yarn hat for Rainbow, but I'd also like to do some spinning. We'll see what I'm in the mood for.

Every weekend I say that I'm looking forward to down time, and yet every weekend seems to get crazy busy and filled up with errands and chores. This weekend, though, I think I am going to get some enforced down time. Rainbow is scheduled to get her first COVID vaccination tomorrow morning, and then tomorrow afternoon, I have an appointment to get my booster! I learned this week that certain mental health conditions are included in the list of underlying conditions that make one eligible to get a booster now, and now that we're planning to travel over the holidays, I figured it would be a good idea to do so. I didn't have too bad of a reaction to my second shot (I was tired and a bit achy), but I expect to have a similar experience to the booster and plan to use that as an excuse to take it easy. I also expect that Rainbow will be fine, but she has a tendency to be a bit dramatic, so if she wants to spend the day after just relaxing, I won't object.

I hope your week can end on a happy note and that you have a relaxing weekend as well!