END OF YEAR THOUGHTS...

 So here it is the end of 2020! A year that began in innocence and ends in the midst of a pandemic that has upended our lives and put families and communities at variance. The impression remains that those in power at many levels lusted to remain in power rather than using it for the larger good.  Because there was an unprecedented flow of opinions and facts it was more difficult for the average person to sift out the truth. Whatever ideas were surrounding that particular mind reigned. For those engaged in the process of making a living, there was less time for research or reflection.  

The appearance of Covid in public perception occurred sometime in mid-February. One side said it was a horrendous danger, the other that it was like the flu and would be contained and soon be forgotten. These ideas were perpetuated month after month as a presidential contest evolved. Midyear it was generally apparent that it wasn't the flue and drastic steps were taken to slow it down. Those wrecked particular segments of the economy that were important to not only the poor and disenfranchised but to those who stood to lose great fortunes. 

At the end of the year, vaccines have emerged that create hope. The nation seems unable to discipline itself to those actions that may reduce spread. Unfortunately, in many communities wearing a mask is disparaged as a limit of freedom. When a significant number of loved members of that community become ill and or die then it is examined more seriously. Those in power find it difficult to make or enforce the requisite actions dictated by "common" sense. 

So good riddance to 2020! The one good thing you left us was exposing the numerous intellectual, medical, political, religious, and economic weaknesses that need to be addressed. If I live until this time next year, I hope that it will be apparent that America, "that great country on the hill" will have made apparent progress that I may report. 

Best wishes to all my readers, even if it is just one.

Rachel's Wedding

 FRIDAY AUGUST 14, 2020

It is now roughly 5.5 months into the Covid-19 pandemic. Life goes on and today we watched our granddaughter’s marriage on Zoom. She was married in North Carolina in a small ceremony with just very immediate family in attendance. Her younger brother married this past October in a traditional Catholic wedding. Rachel, as many who chose this path, will attempt to recreate a more traditional wedding this time next year when they celebrate their first anniversary!

April 5, 2020

Sunday, April 5   Even though we are living through Covid-19, life goes on albeit slower. We rise anywhere from 7:30-8:30 am, fix the breakfast for the day 

(we’re on a Mediterranean diet) and then begin our day. I like to watch “Smerconish” on  Saturdays as he always has timely discussion topics. Then I make our bed and answer email or comment on FB and Twitter. While I’m doing computer stuff Lib reads the paper.  

  There is a blog I’m writing. Hopefully, it will last sometime after I’m gone ....and be stumbled upon by some of our descendants and be instructive or amusing 

depending on whether they're experiencing similar circumstances.

Many of our acquaintances are avid television watchers. When our children were growing up and Lib was a home mom,they would entertain themselves by watching hours of this until I came home. Now we watch mainly news. Since all the sports teams are no longer playing until this plague blows over there is little of this genre for her to watch.

Lisa our oldest daughter living in Wilmington, Delaware called with FaceTime so 

we could see each other as we exchanged family news. What comfort! She is a new mother-in-law. 

I try to remember those years in our lives and can't. Lib, on the other hand, can recall distinct details of both daughter's weddings.

I watched our pastor “Livestream” his Palm Sunday message and then our Brandermill Church minister. Both had timely presentations.

LIFE DURING COVID-19 Prologue.....

Jan 31-Feb 1 Lib and I played bells in the workshop at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church with the Branderbells. The bell director at Oak Grove just happened to be there, was looking for a slot to play and happened to see Lib and I and as we were missing a few, joined our table. How very nice! After our concert and as we were driving out from the church parking lot, Lib discovered she had left her pocketbook. Thank goodness one of our ringers noticed it, picked it up and we were able to retrieve it. 

This was the almost the last week of total life normalcy for Lib and me. 

It was maybe a week later that we heard the first glimmers of the virus in China. It was a fast-moving epidemic and though CNN  made some comment, it was felt that it was nothing to be concerned about. 

We were able to have a nice mini Flory gathering at a new restaurant in Dayton, Va,  about 100 miles from our home. We filled a table:Lib and I, Larry and Joyce, Abe and Ruth, Lillian, Marsha, Jim and Jodie on the 29 of February. We talked about our families. 

My wife Lib is the last of her line and the group we had lunch with were all her nephews and nieces. 

By the middle of February there were a number of cases in Washington State, on a cruise ship, and soon in New York City. Two main streams of public thought emerged. (1) It wasn’t more serious/dangerous than the flue, (2) It was a “pandemic” requiring unthinkable strategies to contain it and that all we had to do was see the terrible outcomes in Italy to understand where we would be two weeks ahead.

In March it began to be a serious topic in all the media. We had our last quintet early March and our last quartet on  Thursday the 12th. Governments were moving rapidly toward the unthinkable. I could see the trend and canceled other musical obligations. We attended our last church service in early March.

Then in rapid succession public schools were shut down, colleges and universities followed suit with the intention of opening later in 2 weeks just to close for the year and try online instruction. When the big athletic leagues shut down the public began to understand. More serious tightening followed. Only food, medical, and other essential services were to remain open. No gatherings were allowed of over 10 people. When in public for necessary activities, we were to maintain at least 6 feet separation. During the day we followed the spread of this plague on TV. We learned the true meaning of “exponential”.!

Around the middle of March, the Federal government began to face the real consequences of the shutdown and passed a 2 TRILLION give back, loan to, a program to put a band-aid on the economic hemorrhaging for shuttered education and nonessential businesses forced to close or temporarily shut down. Each citizen will be sent $1200 toward the end of April to help buy the necessities. I understand Canada will give each of theirs $2000 each month for the next 4 months!!  The stock market dipped way down then jumped up only to drop again. Smart brokers made zillions while less endowed lost zillions. 

At this writing around 4000 have perished in America and hundreds of thousands have tested positive and many are crowding the capabilities of huge metropolitan hospitals. The country seems to have been blindsided by this scourge even though many physicians and people who knew were warning that this train was barrelling down on us. It seems incomprehensible that this is happening.  

Tomorrow will be April 1. Lib and I saw our daughter Cathy and husband Jeff briefly 2+ weeks ago and grandson Devin when he mowed for us. We’ve gone for groceries about 3 times.  Several days ago our Governor called for a Statewide lockdown until June 10. Thankfully, the virus doesn’t appear to be fearfully active here, yet! A favorite TV commentator on CNN, Chris Cuomo,  contracted the virus and described a terrifying  night of fevers, sweats, and hallucinations.....