More thoughts in the time of COVID-19 …
We had a slight change in the weather last saturday. Rain …
We didn’t get much here, but it was enough that the ground still showed damp sunday morning. Down river to the northwest, where the fires were a problem, they got an inch or more.
And there is even a sprinkling of snow on the very tiptop of the Mountain.
Thank you to all the singers, dancers, and prayer folks.
Don’t stop now.
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On sunday, we went to the movie! Really. Our local theatre is now open on friday, saturday, and sunday with restricted seating. We went to see “Hocus Pocus” and the five of us were the only folks in that part (plex?) of the theatre. There were other folks there, but they were in the other areas seeing different movies.
Strange new world.
And as an aside … did you know the “magical” words Hocus Pocus are believed to be a perversion of the Latin blessing from the Catholic mass, Hoc est corpus meum, or “This is my body.”
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Signs of autumn …
Milkweed and cattails dressed in their fluff … dragonflies in aerial mating dances … brown carpet with red leaf patterns under the maple … nose nipping morning temperatures in the LOW 40s … light (welcome) smoke in the air from morning woodstove fires … hot cereal for breakfast …
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A few days ago, as I was on my way home from the store, I looked across the lower meadow and saw a tree stump which had been torn out and tossed aside. One of the roots was pointing right at the Mountain. I took that as a reminder to really look at everything. My move next year will take me back to southern California where I grew up and lived until 1976. All the scenes I cherish from my time here will be memories to sustain me and so I am learning to look closer than ever.
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“Pizza at the Firehouse” last thursday went well. There were three no-shows and we were able to accommodate two walk-ups. We had my friend Sally who was the main presenter of the information, my friend Neera who was the greeter, and me plus an audience of fifteen.
As usual, the pizza was not to my taste because it was pretty bland, but we had to supply what would be acceptable to most people. I’m a fan of “whatever you can find … add it”. Garbage pizza.
I had been thinking about a way to end the “show” which would make folks remember at least some of what they heard. I know from experience that if I am bored I forget easily, and so decided I would be the fool at the end with laughs to help them remember.
I had found individually wrapped toilet paper rolls at the local Grocery Outlet. When I whipped out the tp the laughs were audible. So I told them a true story about a neighbor who ran out of toilet paper during a snowstorm and was in a panic.
I pointed out that tp is useful for more than wiping your bum … nosebleeds and other bleeds such as skinned knees etc., wiping up spills and tears, noseblowers and napkins, with mother-spit it washes faces, etc.
All in all, we did a bit more than okay.
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Here’s a reverse brag.
One day last week I saw a big, black, honkin’ pick-up truck with “100% certified white boy” painted on the side. My inclination was to take my key and scratch “100% white girl, family line back to 1620, … and I say phooey.”
But I didn’t do it.
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There will be only one more meeting of this HLA Board and that will be to acknowledge the new Board. I had high hopes, but only one of those who were said to have agreed to serving on the Board showed up for the meeting.
There are a couple of meaty problems awaiting a new Board … roads and the fire coverage situation. One local fire company has already closed with two others, including ours, on the rocks. The new folks to the area expect the service but also expect someone else to provide it.
I’m toying with ideas to try to motivate possible volunteers, but haven’t yet had any inspiration. Maybe a chart showing current fire insurance costs and the change if there is no local coverage mailed to all landowners?
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The SpinTogether week is over and my output was a bit over 6,000 yards. I’d hoped for more, but it was another chaotic week. I am pleased, however, with what I did get spun. I know our team couldn’t compete with the professional handspinners who use electric wheels, some of whom spin bulky yarns, but I think we did okay.
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To close this week, I saw this in a book I am reading (“The Angel of the Crows” by K. Addison)…
When asked “Are you okay?” it is acceptable to say “No, I’m not okay, but I’m alive, and that will have to do.”
So … ‘til next week …