Isolation days 3-6

 Hello! Emily here, here to update you on the last few days of our adventure.

I'm writing this from our little patio. It's sunny and set to reach 26c today. You'll be pleased to know that as of yet neither of us has got burnt, but there's still time. Not much in the way of big things has happened so far (we are still isolating after all) but I'll give you a run down of what our days have been like.

Avocados in the sun with lunch

So where did Mitchell leave you all? I'll start from Saturday. Saturday was an inside sort of day, as was Sunday. I read a couple of books (Shadow of the Wind is my top read so far) and watched a series on Netflix by Pheobe Waller-Bridge called Crashing (would recommend to anyone who enjoyed Fleabag or who enjoys good things in general). 

Before we left we would watch a film on Disney+ group watch with a friend each weekend, we were working our way through the X-men series so we continued this and had a movie night/day which was nice and made us feel like we had a bit more of a schedule. 

Movie morning with Mitchell and Ryan Reynolds

On Monday we had our covid test first thing in the morning. (We're still waking up at 6am everyday and are trying very hard to cling to this and become morning people for as long as we can). Fortunately, they did not have to stick a stick down our throats this time, we just had to cough three times and then wipe the insides of our mouth with a swab. The results came back on Tuesday morning and we were negative! Yay! This means that we only have to isoloate for 7 days total and can go out and adventure starting from Thursday. 

Palm trees on our way to the covid test

County Hall where we go to get free Wi-Fi

We did very quickly pop into a shop on our way back from the test (we needed antibacterial hand soap, it was essential). The closest big shop was a Mexican grocery store which as well as regular American things also had some interesting inclusions. They had a bakery section at the front where you could get all sorts of pastries, an extensive bean selection and mariachi music playing constantly through the speakers. 

Whole sticks of aloe vera at the Mexican Grocery store

Today I decided that the laundry was piling up and seeing as the laundromat is across town and we can't leave for another 2 days unless it's essential I washed some socks in the bathtub and left them to dry outside. You'll be pleased to know that in dry arid weather of 26c, socks dry very quickly. 

Socks drying very quickly

The rest of our week has been a haze of customer helplines. Mitchell's phone arrived on Monday so we could start to call people and add in our phone number to places. It actually arrived to the main house rather than our back door so I had to go and steal it from the front porch and out the front gate to the side, hoping no one saw me. My phone sim was meant to give me a tracking email which I never got. After 4 days I went online to ask them about it and it turns out it had been delivered 3 days earlier! Where to we didn't know so they sent me another one. It was only after this that the property manager popped round with it so at least I have something now. 

Basically Ryan Reynolds' best friend now

With this new number I was able to fill out the volunteer application forms for the UCR botanic gardens. I'm hoping to help out with some of the curation (as it's a 'living museum') but it should also be fun just to help out with some gardening! It should be safe, but I've seen them post recently about rattlesnakes and bobcats found in the gardens!

See the terrifying bobcat here!

Oh yes Mitchell started work this week too.  He's not working very hard. 

I'm off to see some apartments on Thursday and we have our sights set on two places, both in the same area and available from 1st June. We have the Airbnb until 12th, but it would be nice to have a week or so to set up electricity, furniture, towels etc. 

Mitchell has sorted our medical insurance and set the wheels in motion for a social security number. He finally got his log in for the University on Tuesday morning so he's been a busy bee and we should be able to apply for the very nice and very cheap family housing on campus now.

We saw a hummingbird! It was small and dark green. We've also seen a large hawk being chased by two very small birds and something which may have been a jay land on our wall. That's all for wildlife unless you count the very fat noisy squirrels which live in the trees around us. 

Mitchell has his Viva on Thursday morning and then we should be able to call him Dr Masterson!

Our first Saturday out of isolation we have very big plans, we're going to get our vaccination and then to set up a bank account! We'll be back to update you on how that all goes soon! :)

Lots of Love

Emily and Mitchell xxx