MASKS OFF!! MAY 14

 Well, Well, Well!  The CDC says totally vaccinated may remove their masks in most circumstances. Must be masked in doctor's office, nursing homes, and where businesses require. Doesn't say how we're to authenticate. At least the number of deaths and new cases has dropped significantly.

Encountered a warning that this site may not be safe and may be phished. Not sure why? My understanding is that it is run by Google, yet Chrome warns to get the latest version so as not to be bamboozled I suppose. 

Just wanted to remember what day this year we received the news.

A FUTURE TO ANTICIPATE

 It's been a week ago that Lib and I received our final Covid jabs. I had no immediate reaction but the next day felt as if I had the slight flu, just achey, sort of weak, and didn't do anything except nap and then go to bed early. Next morning I felt much better, Lib had a sore arm from the stick and next morning felt very faint for about an hour. She  also felt do less for the day and seemed to recover a little more slowly. In another week we should be much safer ...though to tell the truth we haven't lost a lot of sleep over it. 

Last year we had no snow to speak of. This year we had at least 2 little snows and Spring has been more normal with weeks of warmth followed by some freezing temps. We've had a professional service treat our lawn and it has grown rapidly on the warm and wet days. I mowed for the 2cnd time this afternoon, March 3rd. 

As time goes by and the huge nationwide vaccination program continues to put jabs in arms we should soon be reaching a safe level approximating normalcy. At some point, society will no longer need to wear masks and hugs and other family interactions will not feel slightly risky. All along normal behaviors have not posed grave risks, in my opinion, but just as the polio epidemics of the 50's, those who DID contract the disease often paid with their lives or lifetimes of disability. I remember not being allowed to swim in public pools because that was a place thought to be a good breeding ground. 

So Spring is bursting out all over. Biden, not a perfect President is quietly getting things done, instead of "trash talking" the opposite party. More and more Americans see the efficacy of the vaccines and are beginning to see realities in many ordinary life situations. We are beginning to view our neighbors as other humans, not the enemy, and that cooperation helps us all achieve shared goals. America can still lead the world to a better place by listening to its better angels. To do so, we must acknowledge and relearn our histories and suppress the more violent streaks of selfishness that tempts us to put ourselves always first both individually and nationally. Our own Civil War, two World Wars, and the subsequent "police actions" have taught us hard lessons about how war, the scourge of humanity can eat us alive. We truly are as the slogan says "..in it together!!"

So here it is ...another Easter. Christmas is that incredible notion that the Alpha and Omega for whatever reason came to live among us to show his creation and mankind how to live peaceably together. Easter shows that mankind in part was ready to accept this notion, but a small minority needing to hold on to power lynched Jesus. 

His resurrection proclaims that the "I am" still is in charge. "He is arisen!"

 

The Big Freeze-February 18, 2021

 It’s the 18th of February and nationwide we have experienced a bout of winter. Movement of the polar vortex has caused great tongues of Arctic air to move into the heartland for an extended time. In the great farmlands, there have been week-long periods of deep snow and subzero temperatures. We are still at war with the Covid virus and the treacherous icy/snowy roads have slowed down the delivery of vaccines and the administering of jabs. 

Most of the great state of Texas is without power because the intense freeze has curtailed power generators running on gas. It seems 60 % of the State gets its electricity from these sources and they were not winterized. There was no connection to the national grid because that would have entailed more regulation. Who would have thought that such a warm area would suffer such prolonged Arctic weather?!

News of Rush Limbaugh’s death from lung cancer is on all the news. His caustic comments about liberals propelled him to national prominence. He would sometimes remind his radio audience that he was an entertainer, but that his views could be believed. Over the years he became quite successful and wealthy by denigrating women, people living in California towns, those who were on the fringe of his self-made bubble whether college professors or “foreigners”. Rush was an enthusiastic supporter of Donald Trump and was surely instrumental in his reelection and the Senate’s inability to raise the 2/3 majority to convict at both of his impeachments. 

We, here in the Richmond area have managed to escape most of the side effects of the brutal weather. In my other writing place, I have memorable pictures of icicles on tree branches. If I put them here and then later delete them from Google pics they will be automatically deleted here.

President Biden, even older than Trump is busy getting things done that Congress will allow. Vaccine is getting into more and more arms.   Just as exponentiation made it grow, the same process is minimizing it in reverse. Our application is over 3 weeks old, yet we haven’t been called.