As I work my way through scanning all of Pop's weekly letters, I'm struck that they were actually weekly. How did he have that much news to fill up a whole letter every seven days? Part of the answer is all the references to "triple plays" – Spag's, haircut and the dump. But their lives were actually quite full. I'm up to (or down to) 1984, and here's a snapshot – I think David and Paula make every single letter, with references to David splitting wood, weeding, raking and games of pinochle which Mom and Paula won so often that on September 4, 1984, the letter finally read: "I have been required by two very firm gals that David and I won – and I really mean won."
All this by way of introduction that I got a haircut last week. Why doesn't that sound as interesting or as funny as when Pop said it? Anyway, a new barbershop opened up the street this summer, so after two months after my last cut, I decided to try it out. I'll be going back, but I have to wonder at the courage of starting a barbershop in the middle of a pandemic. Or is it desperation? Tough times.
We finished our two weeks of quarantine after Thanksgiving and tested negative on our results when we returned. We each had colds so we were worried, especially when we heard that Sankar and Margaret were feeling a little under the weather. (Included here is a holdover photo of Rochester Thanksgiving Zoom, which has several interesting items including a possibility that Oliver has a beard!)
Speaking of Covid, I remember being on a Zoom call with friends back in May when one of them asked if we actually knew of anyone who was sick. Everyone on the call answered in the negative. Well, now we have three people we know who have tested positive, one fine now, another at home battling the darn thing and a third back in the hospital for the second time. With a number of medical pros in the family, it seems a good time to remember the work you do and the risks you take every day for the rest of us. Thank you. We should say it every day, and again – thank you.
Had a number of calls with Joe and Leonor and they are busy getting prepared for Christmas. It seems that Thomas is fully ready, having already woken up one day assuming it was Christmas. We also understand that Thomas is not a big fan of the big fella with the white beard with the red suit. Can't blame him, cause if you stop and think about it…… (uh-oh, guess that qualifies me for the naughty list this year.)
Annie has found an apartment a few blocks away from Margaret and Andrew for the month of January, when their lease expires in Virginia. She and Sankar then are coming back up this way, with a place they've rented in Newport, Vermont, not far from several ski places, and the Canadian border for that matter. Taking advantage of the proximity, Andrew and Margaret just spent the weekend out in Shenandoah with them again.
Out in Illinois, Bill and Jen have moved into their new house so they're closer to Andrew and Lur geographically.
Mary checked in with Timmy this week, and he was on the road, back in southern California in a new car – a Toyota Rav IV. All is well. I took my Rav-IV in for a scheduled maintenance, and they found evidence of mice living in the liner, too close to the air bags. Another repair, but I think insurance will cover a lot of it.
Among other news, Mary and I completed the Honolulu Marathon this week. No lie. Of course, it was virtual, and of course it took us eight days of walking, but we did finish and we'll be getting medals to prove it. If you're interested, you can still enter to "race" - https://www.honolulumarathon.org/home/2020-virtual-events. The picture of me here was taken on our Honolulu marathon course.
And with thoughts of beaches, sending along our wishes of staying healthy to all of you. Love from up here.
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