Snowy days

Snow is falling at this writing in Chicago and soon coming to Washington DC, and maybe New Jersey?  It's about time to share the fun with the rest of you.  We've had enough to go cross country skiing, snowshoeing, walking on the lake, shoveling, and putting clamps on our shoes so we don't slip and slide and fall and end up in the hospital.  Still, it'll be a few more weeks before we're ready to give up on winter and fires in the fireplace, and the rush of cold air on our faces.  In March?  Not so much.

Dodging hospitals is our priority, but we have been taking a few risks with the virus.  So far so good.  Anyone get their vaccination yet?  Ours is a way off, as they just opened up to 75 and above. 

We went down to DC over Martin Luther King Holiday, and ended up staying through to watch the inauguration, on television, of course.  Margaret had hurt her back, and we thought we could help a little.  It was pretty clear that she and Andrew have everything under control, but we didn't need much of an excuse.  Simon is sitting up, and we're pretty sure we got him clapping a few times.  At least we were clapping, at the thought of him clapping.

We did a fair amount of walking down there, and even with a purpose, going over to visit Annie who was renting a place just a few blocks away.  She is right now packing up and getting ready to move on to the next destination – Newport, Vermont.  She will stop here tonight, and then we'll go up for the night with her to help unpack.  Sankar is coming back from India later this week. 

The Washington crew got together with Jeffrey and Melodie over the weekend – after we left, how dare they?  We saw pictures of a hike, and huddling around a fire behind Jeff and Melodie's house.  We'd show you the pictures but, as a change, I thought I'd include some photos of our furry friends, who are helping us stay sane through the pandemic.  Funny personalities.

Joe and Leonor also hit the road this week, as Thomas was out of "school."  To the beach at Florianopolis. When Leonor sent the weather forecast for the week (rain every day), we were hoping it just meant a short, tropical rainstorm each day, surrounded by sunny skies and plenty of beach time.  Nope. And rain turned to airline problems and food poisoning, and I'm sure there were a few other things to make theirs a memorable vacation, not in the way they would want. 

Speaking of inauguration, we were pretty moved at various points in the ceremony.  I suspect we weren't alone.  I'm sure everyone has their favorite moment, but mine was Lady Gaga, her entrance, her outfit and her rendition.  Nice to feel normal again.  

So, we're working our way through a few books.  Mary is hooked on the Wolf Hall series, and has joined a book club.  I have my stack on the bedside table, waiting for the New York Times Book Review section to ask me what I'm reading.  Since they're not, you get to be the first to know - a Pelacanos crime novel, a book on slavery, The Half that Has Never Been Told, and The Discovery of France. 

And, we're also working our way through streaming shows, like Line of Duty, Poldark, Godless, and Mary rewatched Wolf Hall.  And, when Joe was here for Christmas, we broke down and added a subscription to get football games, so we binged on playoff games last weekend.  Dare I mention Tom Brady, for the second letter in a row?  (Too late, he's practically family anyway.)

And on that happy note, wishing you all the best and safe and healthy days ahead.  Love from up here. 

What's your resolution?

Okay, let's start with the obvious.  We all would have wanted the first week of this new year to have gotten off to a better start.  The mob, riot, insurrection, storming (take your pick) of the Capitol on January 6 came closest to reminding me of 9/11 as any event since, that's for sure.  And guess what?  I was with Joe on both days.  Last time, we were flying to London on our way to Joe's first year at St. Andrews.  This time, we were driving to Newark Airport to drop off Joe and Leonor, Thomas and Baby John for their flight home.  Leonor looked at her phone, just as we pulled out of the driveway, and we turned on the radio and listened for the next three hours. At least I didn't get tired driving, especially since it was nap time.  It didn't seem to phase Thomas or Baby John who slept the whole way.  I think we will remember where we were on January 6, 2021 for some time.  Where were you?

It sounds like the rest of the journey back to Brazil didn't get much better, as a delayed flight in Newark caused them to miss their connecting flight and wait for a full day in Sao Paulo.  We saw them in their pool though shortly after arriving home.  

So, how is your new year resolution going?  Give up yet?  Never even try?  The New York Times did a nice thing the other day on resolutions asking readers to draw their resolutions: what they'd do more of, and what they'd do less of.  I've enclosed a snapshot of one of their entries.  A clever way of looking at resolutions.  I was struck by the high number of people who would do less with meat/beef this year. A sign of the times.  A few people put alcohol on their list, as I did on mine.  Less, that is, not more.  Here's a good article I found on the subject of mindful drinking. 

Some unfortunate news from Fairport where Paula slipped and fell and broke her thumb, right before Christmas. We talked to David and Paula the other night, and she said she has another week or so in a cast.  But she's on the mend.  They also mentioned they have hardly had any snow this year.

Who's had their Covid vaccine?  I bet the medical heroes in the family have.  John and Marilyn are eligible but have had a hard time getting an appointment in Florida where the wait times are up to a full day with long lines of cars.  We're hoping to have one by April, although I don't understand why tour guides at Herman Melville's home didn't shoot right to the top of the frontline workers.

Johanna found a house for sale on Columbia Blvd, Silver Spring on a real estate web site: her old house! In the world of coincidences, I had just scanned a weekly letter from April 29, 1985 with the following note: "Mom has been in Washington since Wednesday. I've talked to her each night and I gather that Peter and Janet's move was successful and they are happy in their new home.  I also gather that they have worked very hard – a move is certainly no picnic.  Although Mom pointed out that I was usually out of town during such events."    

We also saw a photo of Johanna with some coasters that she had purchased from Northern Knots Studio!  Go Claire - everybody needs coasters!  Peter sounds busy with his law practice.

A couple of birthdays – first Jeffrey's and then Margaret's.  And they had a party of sorts with Melodie and Andrew and Simon to watch a football playoff game.  Outside.  On a projected screen.  Guess who was playing?  TB! Which stands for both Tampa Bay and Tom Brady.  Annie was there too.  She and Sankar have made the move to DC, a few blocks from Margaret and Andrew. 

It's quiet around here now.  We've put away the children's toys and gear, and cleaned up and we're back to our old routines of exercise and reading and crosswords and Netflix and fires in the fireplace.  And we find we are filling our conversation with memories of the crew that was here and how wonderfully full those days were.  What a gift for any grandparent, especially now in these times.  

That's all the news that I can remember.  Love from up here.  

It's January already

Happy New Year.  A new year, new beginnings, new hope.

Many years ago, when Ann celebrated her birthday, we traded in Uncle All's Christmas gift of $10 to get Ann a present, sometimes a record or a poster or a pen.  Happy birthday Ann.

Let's go chronologically since the last letter.  One Sunday morning, Mary and I woke up in the dark, but not at 3am as we originally expected, since we found out the flight from Sao Paulo was delayed. Still, in the dark, we headed down to Newark to pick up four very tired travelers from Brazil.  The two boys slept pretty much the whole way home, even through a stop at Dunkin Donuts.  Everyone had gotten their negative test results while sitting on the tarmac, so they were good to go.

Luckily (I think) it had snowed a few days earlier – about 15 inches – and it was still on the ground.  So the first few days we spent time outside sledding, making snow angels, having snow fights, exploring and climbing over the plowed snow "mountains." 

Baby John ventured out but not as long as his older brother.  Grandma used to say that Uncle Andrew was such a good baby, just sitting in his playpen and watching the "show" all around.  I think Baby John has inherited that mantle - if Grandma were here she might even call him "chill." 

Annie and Sankar came up and joined us for Christmas, staying through the celebration of Joe's birthday.  Not quite as dramatic as the festivities at Pomfret, but still fun, with Thomas helping blow out the candles and unwrap the presents.

Margaret, Andrew and Simon celebrated with us via Zoom, following the quarantine rules for DC which would have meant no day care for Simon when they returned.  We missed them, but that's the kind of year it is.

We saw photos of Facebook of Christmas in other parts of the Dickson world, including musical renditions from Everett and Donald, puppy portraits from DC and Pennington, and a grinch in Albany (Natalie on Facebook with her face painted green!)  Claire was able to get home, but after Christmas, I think.  Bill and Jen and their children headed to Andrew and Lur's for Christmas eve and Daniel had ventured west from Chicago as well! 

John and Marilyn were hunkered down in Daytona and Timmy was on the road again, somewhere in southern California, the owner of a new Rav4.   

I bet you all partook in many of the same activities we did over the last week or so – walking, watching and listening to the Muppets, putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing board games, watching football games, preparing and eating wonderful meals by so many different cooks, returning to the stores to stock up on provisions, playing games on phones and singing songs.  'Tis the season…

Here is a winter season adventure and a tip.  Start with the tip – mice don't like dryer sheets so put a few in your car.  The adventure was a routine service trip that turned into an $11,000 repair to replace the wiring the mice had eaten in my car and the air bags they had nested in.  Ratatouille it was not.  Anyway, the other tip was that insurance might pay for it, and sure enough they did.  The claims agent told me he writes about 4-5 claims a week for mice, just in Toyotas who apparently had switched to a soy-based insulation for their wiring.  Hope this adventure doesn't become a tradition.  Hence the dryer sheets.

Breaking news from DC – just saw a photo of Simon on his hands and knees.  About to make the transition to crawling.

Just think, one year ago, we had no idea.  We were happy and unaware of what lay ahead.  Here's a toast to all the adventures that lie ahead this year, especially as we emerge from our hibernations.

Love from up here.