Sidetracked Charley

  Yes, it is summer and temperatures are again breaking records. I is going to be cool in Tucson today: only 107 F. But going outside my comfort zone still gives me chills. And when a friend tells me of a trip they are taking my first response is not joy but, please be careful. Or be safe. Or are you sure you want to do that. I plan my essential trips (store, post office, pick up scripts) for the low traffic times. I have studied them for a year. I stay home within my comfort zone during high tourist traffic times. I cruise down the local town main street and take inventory of the cars in the parking lot. Too many white plates and I will reschedule my shopping. Yes, I am the one that spent eight days on a house boat on Lake Powell with my sister. And I am the one who in the middle of the night when the boat started to drift jumped into the black water to grab a mooring line and secure it once again the the shore. I drove my Astro van on a road that was wet Bentonite clay. The surfa...

Life Finds a Way   My sister, the nurse who has worked this pandemic, says no. But this Thursday there was a glimmer of hope. The CDC said those of us who had received both vaccines and made it past the two week max antibody development marker could go without masks. Outdoors or indoors in less than max capacity situations but maybe not maintaining social distancing go barefaced into this brave new world. For me the news hit just as I was getting dressed to meet with other artists to decide if we could actually have an art season. I paused in my search for a mask (one of hundreds I made during this last year) to match my outfit. I did not abandon it but put it in my jacket pocket just in case. You never know. But I had decided to attend this event because I knew everyone who would likely be attending. They were all vaccinated. I had been keeping track on posts in social media. Our numbers are always small so it would not be packed. They would all be respectful of others. And if I a...

  How different would history have been if Caesar had just stayed home today in 44 B.C.? After a full day of blizzard I am staying home to shovel myself out. And there are still all those strangers in town. But with the increased number of my friends being vaccinated I have noticed more mobility. Frankly, I am still waiting until my full immunity date which is two weeks after my last Moderna vaccine: March 20, 2021. I will not be present at the Senate today to knife Caesar. I believe I will be avoiding crowds (two is company and three is a crowd) for quite a while yet. Probably because I live in a Republican district largely opposed to the vaccine. I will continue wearing a mask. And maintaining social distancing. BTW that alone would solve a majority of the improper conduct Cuomo is accused of.  I will feel safe on my full immunity date to schedule a dental appointment. Got my eye exam after first shot because I thought I could wear my mask throughout the whole exam. Not...

March to the End of Day I am a loner. The term these days is introvert. When I was a child my mother called me painfully shy. I stuttered so that seemed to fit. I chose the edges of life. The corners of a room, the far side of the playground beyond the swings. And because of my chosen position I became an observer. I admit to being a people watcher. But I would rather watch four footed animals. They behave better. Humans can be inspirational but they often disappoint me. The pandemic has been education in human nature. In adversity people show who they really are. I got a political call yesterday. I quickly informed the caller I had already mailed in my ballot. He impressed me when he didn't ask if I had voted for his candidate but congratulated me in voting by mail. He then asked if I needed anything. Did I have masks, and enough food? Or just someone to talk to. I informed him I was making masks for as many of my friends as I could. And in spite of two garden fails had f...