Tomorrow is March, and you know what that means. Spring is around the corner. We had a whiff of something that smelled like spring this week, even though the temperature was barely above freezing and there was a foot of snow on the ground. Maybe it was the sun in a higher position in the sky. Maybe it was in my head and wishful thinking. I'm guessing the latter.
Still, we make the best of what's here, and we're convinced that this may have been the best winter ever, snow-wise. At least for being outdoors. Then I remind Mary, that in the past, this is the period when we take off for warmer climes, so we should really be saying that it's the only winter we've been here all the way through.
Snow, however, has not been the biggest news these last two weeks. Vaccines are. Through the right circumstances, we were able to get our first vaccine, shortly after the Governor opened up to people over the age of 65. Mary was able to hit the internet appointment scheme ahead of the bots, and we both got jabbed last Saturday. It was very well organized, in the Berkshire Community College gymnasium. I felt part of a movement - the parking lot was full, there was a line to get in the door, chairs set up across the gym, dozens of tables with a check-in person and a nurse to give the shot. Waiting chairs for the 15 minute period afterwards, and then check-out at door on the other side of the gym. My claim to fame was that the person checking me in where I got the shot was the president of Berkshire Community College, barely recognizable behind her mask, but her unmistakable Boston accent (and nametag) gave her away. I could not thank them all enough.
News out of Brazil ain't so good. Late Friday night, Joe and Leonor heard that the governor of the province of Brasilia just reinstated a total lockdown – no nursery school for Thomas, no parks to go play in, no nothing, nada. They've been on a roller-coaster, especially since they had lifted all restrictions for months.
We hear Peter and Janet have gotten their first vaccine, after disappointing inaction for a while. David and Paula have had their first shots, and Paula's scheduled to get her second shot soon. Lur has already had her second shot, since her volunteer work at the hospital continues. That just leaves the youn'un, Andrew.
We talked to John and Marilyn, and they have gotten their first shots. Temperatures were up in the 80s, so they have returned to the golf links for distanced recreation.
State Department employees were supposed to get vaccines early, but Margaret said only for those people going into the offices for the moment. We have seen Simon on Zoom, and he has moved to commando-style crawling – with his arms. Very determined, and exhausted after the hard work.
Annie and Sankar had an eventful week, they'd just as soon forget, I imagine. They got a call that their storage unit in San Francisco had flooded, so they hopped to right away. Within a couple of days they were on their way west where they spent a week unpacking, drying out, cleaning up and re-storing things in a different unit. Some things were ruined, and Annie was in the throes of applying for insurance reimbursement.
A quiz – which of the grandchildren are puppeteers? Which are into ballet? Who's been snowshoeing? (answer next letter)
Finally, in my project on Pop's Weekly Letters, I have started a new folder that has the years all mixed up, from 1977-1982. Here are a few gems from my "chapter" on arts and letters, that stand the test of time, especially now as those of us cooped up are reading more:
Mom and I have been doing some "heavy" reading. At least, the books weigh a lot. She is reading Trinity and Pop is working on a Civil War book of some thousand pages. (09-18-78)
I also finished a spy book this week, and am frankly not too sure who won what. These spy stories, with their subplots and code names, are hard for my simple mind to follow. (12-10-78)
Mom finished Chesapeake and Pop finished Six Men, and am now working on a book about the Irish and English struggles in the late l500's. Those people could really fight. (01-21-79)
And, on that note – love from up here:
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