Tuesday evening random

* I'm still working on the mystery (gift) project. It's a bit more than half finished at this point. 

* Next week is my spring break. I am not traveling (I didn't realize I'd be fully vaccinated this early, and anyway, it seems a *little* early for travel yet. But I'm looking towards May). I do need to spend a good chunk of the break working - make some plans for summer research, finish up the write up of the research project I did last year, get a bit ahead on stuff for classes. But I am going to take Saturday and do a little "nonessential" shopping (masked, of course, and not very many places, but still: being able to get to go out). I need to look at what I have for the swap box and see if there's anything else I want to pick up for it

* I'm still re-reading "Whisky Galore" (and getting close to the point where I put it aside) and realize I really enjoy it. It's just a slow-enough pace to be relaxing and enjoyable, there are a lot of interesting characters, nothing too bad happens. ("nothing too bad happens" seems to be a requirement for books for me these days). I ordered a copy of "Monarch of the Glen," which is a different story in a different part of Scotland but is the same author (Compton Mackenzie) so I trust it will be similar. 

I'm also reading "Looting Spiro Mounds," which is also interesting - the author alternates between what is known (and what is speculated) about Mississippian culture (a pre-Columbian Indigenous American culture) and accounts of the 1930s era "looting" by pot-hunters. (And it's unfortunate what was lost, and what was taken from the mounds without proper documentation.)

* Sometime I do need to photograph the various birthday items (though I am still waiting on my brother's gift; it's on the way, finally) but this past couple weeks has just been a lot, between my friend's sudden decline and death, and Jo's death up in Normal (my mom said she'd save the obituary so I could see it when I came up there this summer. And then getting my second shot (and having, in retrospect, several days of not feeling great as a result), and then finally the excision. I'm just tired and kind of running on empty a little bit.

I e-mailed the campus nurse hoping she'd have a moment to look at the incision today and maybe even clean it and reapply petroleum jelly (I'm supposed to do that; I presume it helps keep the area from drying out). I tried to clean it and examine it this morning but (a) where it is, it's hard for me to get a good look at it and (b) when I was trying to clean it, I felt the stitches, and weirdly it turned my stomach. (I am squeamish about certain very specific things: I cannot watch a vaccination when they show one on tv (these past few weeks' news stories have not been a lot of fun) or work being done on someone's eyes or certain types of dental stuff.)

She didn't have time today but can see me tomorrow midmorning. I did manage to clean the area (someone suggested I get sterile gauze and use a pad of that instead, and that was a solid idea, much easier than a washcloth). I also VERY carefully washed my hair (in the kitchen sink, figuring I had more control over protecting the area than I would in the shower) and yeah, I feel some better now. 

At least the antibiotic I have (cephalexin) seems to be one I tolerate well. No hives, which is a relief. (I got hives after the vaccine, and while several reliable sources have told me "they don't presage anaphylaxis," I still worry, and they're also unpleasant)

* I do want to finish the "mystery project" so I can start something new (or work on some other project - I re-started the new Pocketses vest and I now have the back and one front finished, and started the second front). And I have a giant squid pattern and some big chenille yarn for it.