Wednesday morning things

 * Tentative plan for Saturday is to drive across the Red River (either take the 75 bridge, despite the construction, or try the road across the top of the dam to see if that's any less uncomfy to drive) and maybe go to Hagerman to walk around? Or maybe just go to a larger grocery there. Or go to the Ulta, though I don't really need anything.

I saw the counselor yesterday and she noted a LOT of people were having issues with something like agoraphobia, either surrounding driving out of town, or else being out around people, and her suggestion was to just do it up to the point where I hit up against the limit of my comfort zone. (I'm going to check on Google maps to see if there's a pull out where I could *observe* the road over the dam - I have had instances of getting on high bridges before and starting to panic as I'm halfway over but had had no choice). Then I could decide to do it or to backtrack and do the 75 bridge. (She cringed when I said "a student suggested the Carpenter's Bluff bridge" and I said "oh, is that one bad?" and she said "I don't get nervous driving over bridges and that one makes me nervous" so, yeah.) 

I also think without a concrete "do something different" plan for the weekend I just sit around, and then I'm angry with myself on Monday for not having had fun, but also not having done work.

* I may have figured out the "very loud sound early in the morning" thing : construction vehicles (sand haulers and the like) out on First Street, which is like three blocks  from me. There's a LOT of construction in the region and I see sand and gravel trucks all the time during the day and they are loud in the way that that sound is loud - I just made the connection today when one drove by as I was pumping gas this morning.

it doesn't make the noise *better* but at least I know what it is so maybe I will eventually begin to ignore it. Or maybe the construction will eventually finish up. Though in a discussion with one of my newer colleagues he did comment "this town is unusually loud for a town of its size" and yeah, he's right.

* I set one of the "bear trap" type traps (these are plastic jaw traps, I've used them before, they seem to kill instantly, which seems more humane than other methods) in the room where the mice were. So far nothing, and now the almond butter that is bait is the only potential food (well, other than the spines of books, but I suspect almond butter is more appetizing). I am hopeful the mice left but I guess I just have to leave these set for a while. I bought a box of six so I might put a couple in the garage; I've had problems with rodents in there as well. 

I don't like killing things but I also don't want rodents in the house, and it's impossible to plug every crack and entry point in an old house. (I am now wondering if it came in during the torrential rain we had last week, did its damage, and then left when it realized I was about).

I'll probably set more when I leave in about 2 weeks for the visit to my mom, just in case anything decides to come in while I'm gone. Cleaning up afterward is bad, but not as bad as something running free in the house.

Like I said: this is a combo platter of old house, living near fast-food places, and neighbors who sometimes leave garbage out in the yards. Also like I said I am not the bestest housekeeper ever and I probably do have too much stuff in a too-small house. 

* Starting to think about projects to take to my mom's, like, do I pull out the long-stalled hexagon quilt and package that up and try to work on it, maybe also incorporating scraps she has? Or take one of the pillowcase sets I have ahead and embroider on that? I am going to try to travel a *bit* lighter this time; I want to take my galaxy-print backpack as my in-room carry on instead of the giant duffel because I think being able to strap it to my back will make it easier with having to juggle a mask, too (we are required to mask up in public spaces but apparently in the roommette, you can take the mask off if you have the door closed). I admit I like the idea of the hexagon quilt and especially digging through the scraps she has to add to it - or maybe even buying a fat quarter or two up there. (Or, of course - I could cut more hexagons to carry with me if it seems like I don't have plenty already). And I want to take the Pocketses vest and finish that. And probably some smaller projects....most of those will have to go in the suitcase I guess. (I will need medications and toiletries and pajamas and extra masks and books to read and darn it yes comfort-stuffies to go in my carry on.)

I assume we won't be going out much (she says cases there are higher than cases here), so I will need to plan. Of course I can also help with any 'deferred maintenance' type stuff where she needs another person to lift things or move things. 

* Summers are always a bit of a problem for me, because I have no easily-achieved short-term goals, only the nebulous goal of "get research done" and also it tends to be lonelier with no students about and fewer colleagues. I'm going to have to work on that. I was really hoping I'd get a research student this summer but it didn't work out. (Though if Bell Choir starts back up, as the director is hoping, that would do something to help with feeling isolated). Maybe also I set small daily goals in re: writing or working in the yard or even working on quilt tops? Or cleaning and reorganizing; i really need to redo  my fabric closet and also prune down my wardrobe - I have things I have not worn in ages, some of which may no longer fit. Some of which are probably still in good enough shape to donate, if places are taking donations again. And I have a stack of worn out jeans that I was saving for that "recycling" program but I don't know if that's still even active. (Again: if I were more plugged in to quilting or crafting groups, people who make quilts often like denim for the really tough ones, or for things like floor mats.)

Also maybe I just do take a day each week and consider going a bit further afield - like maybe go up to Spiro Mounds again, or hunt down some of the small state parks that are less than a day's drive away. I haven't really *explored* some areas I could get to (if I left early enough in the day) and that might be worth doing.