1. I thought it was possible that I might have blood work done in Spokane this week, so when I ordered three books from Auntie's Bookstore, my plan was to pick up the books at the store. Well, I did not need to have blood work done this week, but I decided it would be fun to drive to Spokane today and pick up the books, especially because I had just finished All the Light We Cannot See and wanted these books sooner than later.
Two of the books, Sharma Shield's The Cassandra and Jess Walter's Over Tumbled Graves are by Spokane authors. The Cassandra and the other book I ordered, Yellow Bird by Sierra Crane Murdock, are both on the Leah Sottile book list I'm reading my way through. Like Shield and Walter, Murdock lives in the western USA.
2. While driving, I listened to another western USA writer, Timothy Egan, read the early chapters of his book, Fever in the Heartland. I need to get my hands on a hard copy of this book. I enjoyed listening to these early chapters, but I miss a lot when I'm driving and listening to a book. In addition, I'm a forward and backward reader and this book, in its exploration of the rise, fall, and rise again of the Ku Klux Klan, introduces many historical persons whose names are new to me and, while driving, I was having trouble keeping them straight and wished I could (not while driving!) go back and forth in the book and get these people straight in my head.
Later, in the evening, I started Jess Walter's book Over Tumbled Graves. It's a detective story set in Spokane and opens with a riveting scene that transpires in Riverfront Park and very much involves the Spokane River and falls. The book focuses on the police department's Special Investigations Unit and its sole woman detective, a fictional character named Caroline Marby. Immediately, Walter establishes her as a compelling, complex character. I'm eager to read on.
3. I decided today to strap on my mask and buy items off a list at Costco for Carol and Paul and for our household.
I think Costco is a good place for me to shop as an immune-suppressed transplant patient.
It's big.
Its aisles are wide.
It was easy to maintain distance from other shoppers.
My primary concern was actually more psychological than physical.
I felt conspicuous being the only shopper wearing a mask and I just didn't want to deal with snide looks, eye rolling, mockery, or other signs of condescension or disapproval.
None of that happened!
That was a relief.
Admittedly, I avoided eye contact with others, for the most part, but today, much like at Trader Joe's, my wearing a mask didn't seem to set anyone off.
I am never in the mood to deal with confrontation or mockery -- unless it's the good natured kind at The Lounge or elsewhere among friends.
I left Costco very happy that I'd had a successful shopping trip and that I was confident I didn't put myself at much risk thanks to being masked and being around other people in such a spacious warehouse.
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