Life in a Pandemic

Life in a Pandemic

A Personal and Historical Record

 

 

             We had a busy travel year planned for 2020. . . until the coronavirus aka COVID-19 pandemic throws travel into disarray. A trip to Europe for the end of May is cancelled. Ironically, it was highlighted by the famous Oberammergau Passion Play, which began in 1634 when residents of the village vowed if God spared them from the bubonic plague ravaging the region they would produce a play depicting the life and death of Jesus. Offered every 10 years since, it had been cancelled only twice before, in 1770 when all passion plays were banned & 1940 due to WWII. We accept an offer to reschedule at the same price when the Play resumes in 2022, with full refunds for trip insurance and United miles used for flights.Another shoe drops: a Viking River Cruise in Portugal with Marjorie’s cousin Jim and wife Susan scheduled early August is also cancelled. As usual, Viking is very accommodating: full refund or voucher for 125% of what’s been paid. I coordinate with Susan to rebook the trip in Spring 2021 (and then to July, joined by Marjorie’s sister Mary & Jeff). Closer to home, a visit with friends Francisco & Beth for Nantucket's Daffodil Festival has to be called off. One other possibility, Marjorie’s 55^th high school reunion in Portage, is also cancelled.

More cancellations accumulate on the calendar. Choir singing stops and all Masses move to streaming on-line. My Mendelssohn Club rehearsals and Spring concert are cancelled; we have some Zoom meetings of brothers and of the Board to think about the Fall, which is eventually also cancelled. Viewing a webinar on transmission from choral singing, to both singers & audience, was pretty scary! Marjorie has a major art exhibit through April with 3 artist friends cancelled, but thankfully able to reschedule in December (hopefully!). 

 The summer art camp she’s organized for several years for the Colonie Art League is cancelled, as is the Siena College Relay for Life event (tho Marjorie nonetheless surpasses her fundraising goal!). Son Matt and family in Queens are affected in various ways. Matt winds up being furloughed by Manhattan School of Music, moving onto unemployment checks. Anthea continues going to her mostly empty Metropolitan Youth Orchestra offices on Long Island, working hard to hold things together. Grandsons William & Miles finish the school year on-line. William’s soccer is on hold, Miles must settle for on-line dancing and singing classes.

 So what to do? Doesn’t look like I’ll have opportunities to do the usual trip journals for my blog. But I can do something similar to document our life in a pandemic, our local activities and ongoing updates of developments & events ˗ a combination of personal journal & historical record. Plus staying at home gives time to work on photo books, other projects. Artist-in-Residence Marjorie is able to create a stockpile for future shows. 

Gardener-in-Residence has more time to get things going in her garden. Best year for roses! And she does her Marie Kondo thing to clear out stuff that doesn’t “spark joy,” sending it to Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, Salvation Army, or the dump.

The coronavirus first emerges in China in January, but no alarms are raised in the US, as Trump ignores warnings in his briefings (distracted by impeachment?).

 

Indeed, NY Gov. Cuomo (with what seems a personality transplant) becomes a trustworthy source for many people across the country ("America's Governor"), in sharp contrast to the nonsense coming from Trump. Sadly, nearly 100,000 Americans die by Memorial Day; the NY Times prints all their names on page 1. 

Things are pretty shut down in the Spring, with “stay at home,” "wash hands," and “safe distancing” guidelines to "flatten the curve" (Marjorie in late May: “I haven’t touched another person in 2 months!” [not counting me, of course]); we spot 2 neighbors cleverly using see-thru umbrellas to stay safe. Masks are in fashion (tho some protest they infringe on "freedom"); many with colorful designs - Anthea has one with clarinets.

NYC is an “epicenter” of cases and deaths, especially Queens and Elmhurst Hospital near Matt and family. Early on we invite them to join us in Albany, but they don’t want to risk bringing the virus with them; Grandma & Grandpa are, after all, in the “vulnerable” age group. An ironic twist: later in June Anthea has an allergic food reaction, is sent to Elmhurst, then asked to quarantine at home in case of COVID exposure.

Another bit of irony, contrasting with the idea of help to “seniors”: Shopping in Queens is very difficult; e.g. Matt waits more than an hour to enter Trader Joe’s, where purchases are limited. We can quickly shop during “senior hours” at places like TJ’s (with “pandemic rainbows” drawn on the sidewalk waiting area), Walmart, and Price Chopper. 

 Marjorie fills their shopping lists to meet halfway in Poughkeepsie for delivery, using friend Marlene’s backyard to maintain safe distancing. No hugs, can’t even pet Grandpuppy Arlo, but they wind up with a well-stocked fridge; and we get to see Matt’s newly-shaved head! Later in the summer deliveries include garden plants for Matt to plant around their building.

We stay engaged with family through Zoom (which is all the buzz now), including coast-to-coast gatherings of family in NY, Illinois, Kansas City, Minnesota, California, & Oregon. It’s quite a new experience to talk with and see all of them on the computer screen! Grandsons William & Miles meet some cousins for the first time.

Also a birthday Zoom for Jeff, Marjorie's sister's hubbie.

We manage to keep occupied. I’m still Board President of Colonie Senior Service Centers, Inc. until mid-May. CSSC is forced to shut down most of our programs: adult day care, congregate meals, social programming, most of the transportation. To protect residents, our 3 housing sites (some 500 residents) are “locked down” with no visitors allowed; thankfully no “positives” in our sites, tho nursing homes have many deaths. 

A cadre of staff puts in long hours to keep things going, providing maintenance & cleaning, help with shopping, and “grab and go” meals (more than 35,000 when done in mid-August!) to building residents and expanding to community seniors. I remain involved via conference calls and Zoom to meet with the Finance and Executive Committees (Marjorie has her own Zoom meetings for the CAL and Pruyn House Boards). Staff makes regular “reassurance calls” to building residents, and Marjorie and I help by taking the 1^st 2 floors of Beltrone Living Center, the largest site. We also get a list of birthdays in all 3 sites. People seem excited and pleased to be sung “Happy Birthday” by “the President.” CSSC’s future in the “After Days” is uncertain, a restructuring of programs likely, but we successfully apply for a Payroll Protection grant to help bring staff back.

Golf begins early in March (some ice lingering on ponds), then it’s shut down only to be re-opened without carts (my back bothers me, not able to see my ortho doc, but I’m able to walk 18 holes OK), then carts allowed with single riders. Golf entails some adaptations; early on we use golf buddy Jim’s “towel putting” to avoid touching flagsticks and reaching into holes. 

 I continue my blood deliveries to hospitals for the Red Cross—wearing mask & gloves, temp taken frequently, passing signs thanking the “heroes” of health care. The pandemic seems to have “paved” the way for lots of road work; I can’t remember so many one-lane slow-downs

One of my regular routes takes me to Amsterdam, where I spend a little time exploring a park that has intrigued me. Riverlink Park has a pedestrian bridge crossing the Mohawk River, a beautiful stainless steel sculpture, 9-11 Memorial, and what seem interesting Native American symbols carved into a stone. This is a site for concerts and other events in “normal” times. 

My south route goes to Kingston & Rhinebeck, thru Hyde Park and past Vanderbilt & Roosevelt sites, to Poughkeepsie. I listen to “greatest hits” on Kingston 92.9, Bob Miller’s “They Walk Among Us” stories of stupid criminals and sometimes enjoyable repartee with a local psychic.It sometimes includes a scenic drive to Ellenville. A nice Albany skyline view when I return.

I can get “out and about” to my University office, which I like for working on projects such as this journal. Marjorie calls it my Fortress of Solitude. The campus is pretty deserted and, as I joke, there’s plenty of toilet paper (there had been a run on tp when the pandemic began). Plus pretty Spring plantings. The most activity here is at a grouping of tents for COVID-19 testing. I eventually swing in without appointment, but my Red Cross driving leads me to be labeled "essential;" swab goes way up my nose, I'm "negative." Classes close down, finishing the Spring semester on-line. In early July UAlbany puts out a “Guide for Fall 2020 Return to Teaching.” Classes begin early (8/24) and end at Thanksgiving, final exams after. Spring 2021 eliminates “Spring Break,” and other colleges will scatter the days so students won’t leave & return with the virus. Classes will be a mix a mix of in-person, on-line, and “hybrid” (combining them); initially divided 34%/58%/8%. Protocols are laid out to follow CDC guidelines, including distancing and masks. I’m glad to be retired and not having to reconfigure my courses! [Colleague Steve Messner eventually has enough, moving retirement up to the end of the fall semester]. UAlbany is a defendant in one of more than 100 lawsuits nationwide questioning the quality of on-line instruction.

There is some stay-at-home entertainment. TV binge-watching on Netflix and other streaming channels; favorites are Nurse Jackie and Outlander.

Marjorie becomes a big fan of Wisconsin comedian/journalist Charlie Berens’ Midwestern humor and commentary, with his trademark “Keep ‘er Movin’” sign-off (I get the t-shirt for her birthday). 
 I watch 2011 movie Contagion, eerily similar to the origin and early stages of COVID-19 tho (hopefully) more disastrous in its later effects. Marjorie reads The Murmur of Bees, a Mexican historical novel that includes the 1918 flu pandemic.

Clever Facebook posts offer takes on the pandemic: “50 Ways To Beat This Virus” and a Dr. Seuss style poem on schooling children at home. 

Zoomed musical performances, both serious (e.g., NY Phil’s “Bolero”) and humorous (e.g., a family’s reworking of “One Day More” from Les Mis, families doing "Hallelujah Chorus" with flash cards).

And most especially, Miles sings with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra’s Men’s Chorus on Zoom, and Matt performs with percussion ensemble Talujon on YouTube. 

Later Miles and others in the 92^nd Street Y program perform from their own homes, some singing (Miles: “You are 16 Going on 17”) and some dancing, solo or together. 

 

The Empire State Youth Orchestra presents “Sounding Together Digital Festival”: 400 musicians, 13 ensembles, over 3 nights.

Later in July we enjoy friend Francisco’s Zoom tutorial “What Does a Conductor Do?”, part of a series from Nantucket Music Center. In July we watch interesting webinar “The Music of Bulgaria” in the same series.

Life goes on, but in strange ways. Restaurants closed except for take-out; we partake at favorite places like Diner Time and 99 (Manager friend Drew shown here delivering). “Non-essential” businesses (including clothing & shoe stores, barbers & salons) also closed, and “essential” ones like grocery and home improvement stores require masks, safe distancing, and limited entry. By May conflict grows over when and how to “reopen” the economy. 

 An intriguing example: Becky Calos of ESYO shares the story of the Barcelona Opera opening to a theater of plants filling the 2,292 seats, the plants to be donated to health care workers.

The rhythm of the calendar proceeds in some ways, tho without the anchors of normal schedules; as Samantha Bee says, “every day is Blursday.” And many “usual” things become “unusual.” Before viral issues, a lovely Vermont inn stay in January (in an earlier blog post) is shoehorned between 2 train rides to NYC to enjoy Grandson Miles’ in a lead role in 42^nd Street and as  

Beast in Beauty and the Beast at the 92^nd Street Y. 

Several events occur in February without disruption: the Empire State Youth Orchestra’s Playathon, Marjorie again winning the auction to conduct but passing the baton to a long-time volunteer; 

CSSC’s “Warmth of Winter" fundraiser; 

and a lovely “Cathedral in Bloom” at the Cathedral of All Saints;

 

tho Valentine’s Day seems a bit subdued. 

March brings celebrations of “International Women’s Day” at CSSC’s Beltrone Living Center 

and the Irish American Heritage Museum’s new digs in Quackenbush Square, Marjorie with her Irish crafts & cards. 

In April, tho Masses have been closed to in-person gatherings, but our St. Pius X is well set up for streaming Holy Week Masses, presided over by Fr. Walsh; Marjorie is Lector for Good Friday. 

CSSC staff are resplendent in bunny ears and masks. Joe, hubbie of Executive Director Diane, goes door-to-door as the Easter Bunny. It’s a quiet Easter at home, no Easter egg hunt for the grandsons, tho we get a view of Arlo in his own bunny ears.

For Mother’s Day weekend, thanks to a tip from Jamie at WTRY, we take a driving tour of Albany tulips. Albany’s annual Tulip Festival embodying it’s Dutch heritage is cancelled, but the tulips didn’t get the memo and are out in full force. We follow directions to: beautiful blooms along downtown Broadway with a spectacular view of the former D&H RR headquarters (now SUNY Central); Quackenbush Square; Ten Broeck Mansion; 

the centerpiece, Washington Park (the photo above is published in the Times Union); 

and a street median at Western & Madison. 

A stop at St. Pius for Fr. Walsh’s drive-by blessing of mothers, a long line of church staff cheering us on.

Spring is interrupted some by late snow, not unusual here. 

As the weather turns warmer in early May, tulips & trees blooming in our yard and everywhere, 

we do an outing to Art Omi sculpture park, which I’ve spotted when delivering blood to Hudson hospital.  More than 60 large-scale works of contemporary artists on 300 acres south of Kinderhook NY. Maps direct us around the grounds, 

including pretty nature trails, remembering to have our masks and keep safe distancing. I’d been here with the grandsons, but we were attacked by bugs. No such problems today, a lovely walk.

Later in May we follow another Jamie tip to June Farms, a “small, gentleman’s farm” on 120 acres in West Sand Lake NY, specializing in heritage breeds, traditional livestock raised for centuries. “Gentle Giants” Shire Horses, the largest breed of horses, known for sweet dispositions and ability to pull heavy carts. 

Highland Cattle, with long hair and large horns, originated in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland. Two types of large heritage pigs, Tamworth & Gloucestershire Old Spots, are “the friendliest animals on the farm.” Three types of ducks raised for eggs: Cayuga, Orpington, and Pekin. Miniature Nubian goats offer “comic relief;” and “Goat Yoga” classes are advertised for Tuesday nights. 

Also several frog sculptures, pretty birds and birdhouses. The farm also has event space for weddings, birthday parties, and the like. Another perfectly lovely day! 

Gotta find outings where you can. After good summery weather over Memorial Day weekend, mostly devoted to yard and garden work, I head off to my Red Cross driving. A nice day with camera along just in case of photo ops. First stop, pretty reflections of the Town of Colonie gazebo and geese. 

Crossing the bridge into Amsterdam, I see that the Mohawk River is quite low, probably because the canal system won’t be opened until late June. Pretty views along the drive from Amsterdam to Gloversville to Cobleskill hospitals (screened with temp taken at each, of course). 

My work completed, a swing into The Crossings town park. More photo ops: many geese splashing around in the pond, a pretty veterans memorial, a forest trail.

Friend Paul Nance’s Facebook photos lead me to seek out Bauer Environmental Park, named for a former Colonie Village mayor and trustee. Tucked away in a suburban area not far from us. A lovely 0.9 mile boardwalk trail thru forest and by a stream. 

Lots of ferns, tiny wildflowers, even “wildlife” (colorful plastic bugs fastened to railings, benches, & trees, a frog inside a tree trunk). Marjorie joins me for a stroll a few days later.

 

Sad news is not confined to the virus. Good friend Rance McKenna passes away in early June after a lengthy battle with cancer; Marjorie had helped with shopping and meal prep. He is able to spend his last days at home in the company of family, unlike so many dying now in hospitals with no visitors allowed. But can’t gather for a memorial or funeral. We are moved by his son Patrick’s beautiful written eulogy. As the pandemic rolls along we see Linda frequently, and it never fails to brighten the day.

 

More sad news: May 25^th George Floyd, a black man, dies from a police chokehold, on video as he and bystanders exclaim he can’t breathe. This triggers “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe” protests over the next 2 weeks thruout the country, and even around the world.  These protests are sometimes followed by nighttime vandalism and looting, and sometimes by police overreaction. 

The "BLM" catchphrase is painted on a section of Lark St. More incidents lead to further protests, and the toppling of statues of Robert E. Lee and other reminders of slavery; NASCAR even bans confederate flags! Trump’s responses, including tear-gassing peaceful protestors to walk to a church for a “photo op,” receive a lot of pushback. The lack of “safe distancing” and sometimes masks among protestors lead to concerns about spreading the virus.

Things begin to loosen up for us in June. Our region meets the metrics for “Phase Two” of reopening June 3, with guidelines and safety plans: in-store retail, outdoor dining, barbers & salons, car sales, and others. NYC is the last to begin reopening on June 8. CSSC housing allows limited visitors, but Marjorie and I decide to continue our phone calls and birthday singing for a while. And speaking of loosening up, I can finally get in for an overdue cortisone shot in my back; next day I cut 10 strokes off my best golf score this year! 

Just in time for a Mendelssohn Club golf outing June 13th, tho the larger end-of-season gathering has been cancelled. An early AM drive south, mostly sunny but brisk 50ish, thru pretty countryside (a couple of deer, plus another on the course) past colorful yards & porches, 

to Rainbow Golf Club outside Greenville near the Catskills. The unfamiliar layout a bit of a challenge, some good shots go astray, but an enjoyable 9 holes with Keith, Don, and Saul.

Back home about noon for another outing with Marjorie, west along the Mohawk near Amsterdam to some sites I pass on my Red Cross driving. The river is very low. First to Old Fort Johnson, interior closed for some construction but we walk around a bit. A pretty 18^th C garden, with many plants in Marjorie’s garden. An impressive limestone house, built by William Johnson in 1749 and fortified during the French & Indian War, but his “loyalist” family forced to leave by 1776. 

On to Schoharie Crossing Historic Site, reflecting 3 eras on the Erie Canal, including remains of a large stone Aqueduct that crossed Schoharie Creek. A stop nearby at a “Huge Sale” (now mostly sold) by a striking old schoolhouse. 

Last stop on a now mostly cloudy, breezy, and rather brisk day for mid-June takes me back to Riverlink Park for Marjorie to see the pretty pedestrian bridge, steel sculpture, 9-11 Memorial, and “Mother and Child Along the Mohawk” sculpture (very busy, incorporating fish, birds, a lamb, even insects!). Heading home, unsuccessful using coupons for take-home dinners, we settle for Stewart’s ice cream.

Some special birthday celebrations: Dolly Parton sings ♫Happy Birthday, Russ♫, courtesy of Jeff’s e-mailed video greeting; another phone serenade by CSSC staff; plenty of Facebook greetings, and a surprise Zoom party with Matt and the boys, Mary and Jeff, and Jim and Susan.

Topped off by William & Miles’ homemade Father’s Day/birthday combo card a week later via tardy snail-mail.

Next week is the postponed start of my rookie season in the CARGO (Capital Area Retired Golfers Organization) league. I was attracted to CARGO by 18-hole morning rounds (vs. later 9 holes for many leagues) and moving around to different courses, including many I’ve never played. Up early next day, a beautiful AM, for the 50-mile drive to Hiland Park Country Club, a course south of Lake George that has been highly ranked by “Golf Advisor.” More photo ops at a beautiful new course for me. My congenial 3some includes long-time friend Al and Geoff, who plays often with Jim and my neighbor Tony. After early struggles, I steady things on my 2^nd 9 and our team finishes 4^th (earning us each $7!).

Golf buddies Mike & Jim and I also branch out to some different courses, including Cobleskill Golf Club 

and Amsterdam Muni. The latter has a distinctive history: built partly with WPA support by Robert Trent Jones, a famous course designer, the 1^st 4some in 1938 included the also very famous Gene Sarazon.

Where are we now with the pandemic? “Juneteenth,” which commemorates the end of slavery and has just been named a state holiday in response to the recent protests, is also Gov. Cuomo’s last daily briefing. He notes that NY has gone from being the epicenter to the lowest infection rate, praising health care workers and public cooperation; tho he has come under some fire for the number of nursing home deaths. But increasing cases in states like Texas, Oklahoma, & Florida that opened the earliest feed worries about a “2^nd wave.” Trump holds a large rally on the 20^th in Oklahoma that health experts have cautioned against (and gets disappointing attendance). Other large gatherings of young adults have led to spikes in cases. Coincidentally, I look into a Panama Canal tour we’ve been discussing for January with family & friends to discover things are not going well there. All international flights are banned at least to the end of July. The US Embassy is “making every effort” to arrange “humanitarian” flights for Americans who want to depart, but mostly advises to “shelter in place.” So we’ll put that trip on hold for now.

A busy Father’s Day weekend brings some happier events. The pandemic has forced cancellation of most graduation ceremonies, but one response has been “drive-by” motorcades to celebrate graduates. Saturday we join a drive-by plus neighbors for Quinn, son of friends Peter & Ellen, Marjorie banging pots and whooping out the window! 

[Later in the month we bring cupcakes, ice cream, balloons, and some of Marjorie’s artwork for each to choose from to celebrate graduation for the King triplets, Sally, Char, and Johnny.] Back home, colleague Dave Wagner has called with praise for my latest “publication”: “How I Spent My Pandemic Vacation,” in Emeriti Voice newsletter.

Sunday begins with an early AM surprise: Marjorie takes us to Fox Preserve, a 70-acre Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy hiking spot recommended by friend Lydia. A lovely, slightly rugged walk: beautiful trees & wildflowers, raspberry patches, bittersweet climbing up trees (gardener Marjorie says it’s nasty stuff), orange splotches marking outcroppings in the trail. 

Views nearby of the Mohawk River from a bike trail by an old train station. A pretty red squirrel moves too fast to get a photo! Then a stop for Panera treats to add to brunch. Matt and I exchange congrats on the phone, and a chat with William & Miles On to St. Pius where Fr. Walsh gives fathers equal time for a drive-by blessing. But no long line for the dads like there was for moms! 

The day concludes with an evening virtual concert by Talujon, performing on flower pots; percussionists have more fun! 

We continue to seek local outings. Walks enable us to meet or reconnect with neighbors, and see pretty yard. Heading down the hill to a newer development we discover some nature trails. 

I head south to a couple of pretty nature areas. The Huyck Preserve and Biological Research Station, in Rensselaerville on the site of a 19^th C papermaking felt mill, was created in 1930. The research station, one of the oldest in the US, was established in 1938. It has grown from 500 to 2,000 acres, with more than 12 miles of trails. Forests full of ferns & mosses, punctuated by ruins of the old mill and stone walls. Trails to lower & upper falls, and Lake Myosotis. 

The Pine Hollow Arboretum in Slingerlands was begun by a pediatrician in 1966 and became a nonprofit in 2007. Trails highlight some 30 different trees on 22 acres, with 11 ponds.

By late June I’m able to get a haircut, following protocols for screening, masks, and distancing, and a first dine-in restaurant meal after golf. We can satisfy Marjorie’s yen for dinner from a roller-skating Sonic carhop. But things are plenty troublesome elsewhere.Total cases are reaching new daily highs, especially for states in the South and West. Some states are reversing their reopenings, and NY, NJ, and CT are requiring 2-week quarantines by travelers from such states.[And New Yorkers may be limited by other states. We explore a midsummer getaway to Burlington VT, but Albany County is just above the VT quarantine threshold of 400 cases per million.] Deaths in the US are nearing 130K; nearly 500K worldwide, Brazil with 50K.

After a lengthy hot dry spell, we have some heavy storms leading up to July 4^th. 

And perhaps related to “stay at home” boredom, lots of “unauthorized” fireworks are being set off leading up to July 4^th (most other displays are cancelled). Like many pets, our Queens Grandpuppy Arlo is very upset by them until they get a snug “ThunderShirt” that successfully allays his anxiety. Marjorie & I help CSSC staff divvy up a semi full of 8,000 lbs. of food from the Regional Food Bank for meals to be delivered to needy community seniors. CARGO’s annual “Patriot” golf outing is highlighted by red, white, & blue attire for a group portrait.

Our July 4^th weekend is topped off on the 5^th by a Champagne Brunch Cruise on Lake George, courtesy of an auction item from CSSC’s “Warmth of Winter.” A beautiful summer drive up to Lake George Village, strangely subdued for a holiday weekend; even Million Dollar Beach looks uncrowded. The dock is below Prospect Mtn and across from Fort William Henry and the old D&H Railway Station, on the National Register of Historic Places. Lake George Steamboat Company began operating in 1817. Their Mohican, launched in 1908 and the oldest continuously operated tour boat in America, is also on the National Register, and the Minne-Ha-Ha is one of the last steam paddle-wheelers in America. 

We sail on the 190’ Lac du Saint Sacrement, the largest cruise ship on NYS inland waters. Interior is a bit elegant, pianist & songstress in the atrium. Some adjustments for pandemic guidelines: the ship is less than half its 350+ capacity for safe distancing, masks required to board and when walking around, a good selection of buffet items served for you by staff. We cast off to ♫Anchors Away♫ and a military medley, a serving of champagne. 

Quite a few colorful parasailers as we head up the West shore past fancy homes & resorts, some of the 200 islands on the lake, to Bolton Landing and the Sagamore Resort 11 miles up the 32-mile-long lake. 

Back down the less-developed East shore. After disembarking Marjorie is unable to get our expected $5 rebate on parking because we used a gift certificate, but a parking attendant in veteran’s hat insists on giving her $5 because “it’s the right thing to do.” What a lovely conclusion to the weekend . . . plus Guptill’s ice cream on the way home.

The following week a briefer outing takes us to Kathy & David’s pretty yard; Marjorie knows them thru her Garden Explorers club. Beautiful combinations of flowers combined with other creative doo-dads & decorations, including an enigmatic character by the road outside.

And Marjorie's garden is in excellent mid-summer form, complete with busy bees.

Then after Sunday Mass (now in-church with COVID-19 protocols, including contact tracing forms), a drive to Stockbridge MA (no quarantine needed if from NY, NJ, or New England). Laurel Hill Association, the oldest “village improvement society" founded 1853, maintains 3 trails of varying difficulty starting at Goodrich Memorial footbridge. We opt for the “easy” 1.2-mile Mary V. Flynn Trail thru lush forest of beautiful trees, dense ferns, and pretty little flowers along the Housatonic River. We cross paths with 1 set of twins, 2 dogs, and a snake. A lovely walk, Marjorie gets credit for spotting this in the newspaper. 

 Into town for a pub lunch, then more photo ops in the self-described “quintessential New England town”: shops, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the 1862 “Cat and Dog Fountain,” 

Stations of the Cross at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy. The day concludes with another Zoom birthday for Mary.  

Mid-July features artistic experiences. The “Black Lives Matter” theme is picked up in a collaborative “Amplified Voices” public mural at an abandoned McDonald’s in downtown Albany. 

Another evening we walk some of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail that includes colorful “Color the Canal” signs & murals. 

Altho Marjorie’s artistic endeavors have been disrupted, and the big Stockade Show in Schenectady is in jeopardy, she participates in the Colonie Art League’s “First Virtual Art Show” on-line. 

Also a Schenectady Art Society show at Albany’s American Italian Heritage Museum, where BIG NEWS! she’s awarded her 1^st-ever 1^st Place! To quote the judge: “Marjorie Ward’s Memorabilia diorama brings her journey to the tactile 3^rd-dimension.” And she incorporated several of my Italy photos as background, so maybe I can claim a small piece of the glory. 

Speaking of a small piece of glory, more BIG NEWS!: I’m part of a 1^st Place 4some in my golf league 2 days later (and another 1^st Place 2some in August)! And later in the month still more BIG NEWS!: my first eagle (3 on a par 5) at Winding Brook CC in Valatie.

Marjorie seems so desperate for an outing that she walks with me at 7am for 9 holes at Mill Road, taking some “action” photos, even capturing a photo of a birdie putt dropping into the hole (tho she seems more excited to find 4 balls).

Later in July we tour “Pilgrim,” a 42’ 3-mast replica of an 18^th C Russian ship used by Pomors of the White Sea; its visit partly reflects links to Albany’s Russian sister-city Tula. Friendly Capt. Sergey and his crew member welcome us aboard. Sergey began a round-the-world voyage in 2018, with his wife & 2 sons for the first year. Down below to see living quarters (it’s hard to imagine sailing this across oceans!) and artifacts that include lovely model ships by Sergey’s brother. 

A few days later our quest for outings leads us to admire new landscaping at Albany International Airport.

The baseball season begins . . . July 23^rd! And only 60 games. Basketball & hockey gearing up to finish their seasons suspended in early Spring. No fans attending these games, NBA  “bubble” for teams living and playing in Disney World, NHL "bubbled" in Toronto. A Black Lives Matter themed pregame ceremony at the 1^st baseball game between Yankees & Washington, both teams holding a black cloth and kneeling in silence before the anthem. [In late August another Black man is apparently unnecessarily shot by police. NBA, MLB, and even NHL players protest racial injustice and force cancellation of games.]

  

Infectious disease expert Dr. Fauci, named “most trusted” on the pandemic, throws out the first ball, no doubt tweaking Trump’s ego. And tho his pitch was terrible, the Dr. Fauci BB card broke Topps’ record for 24-hour sales (>51K!), and you can get his bobblehead, too. Can’t help but wonder if these sports can navigate successfully thru the pandemic, but they get thru the season. College sports seasons are being cancelled right & left, tho most of the major college leagues later opt to play.

We’re doing fine without restaurant dining. Our weekly “farm share” distribution has begun, lots of good fresh veggies from local farms. Another food treat, courtesy of a discount link sent by Mary: a trial with “Hello Fresh,” sending recipes with all the fixin’s. Such exotic fare as chimichurri barramundi and beef bulgogi boats. And Marjorie introduces me to a salad of “Wilted Lettuce,” a Wisconsin summertime tradition, or so she says.

And coincidentally, Miles follows the family "tradition": braces! 

           As July comes to an end and some oppressive heat moves out, we do another outing that follows one of my occasional Red Cross runs I’ve thought Marjorie would enjoy. Out early on a lovely AM, down the Thruway to New Paltz, past some pretty shops and east toward Ellenville.

Over the Shawangunk Mountain ridge rising more than 2,000’ above sea level, marked by cliffs, waterfalls, lakes, beautiful forests. Niece Annie taught rock climbing at a summer camp in “The Gunks.” Past Minnewaska State Park Preserve to a scenic view to the nearby Catskills.

Down to Wawarsing to walk around a pretty lake at Lippman Park. A flock of geese comes in for a landing, then turns a bit aggressive as we walk by. Thru Kerhonkson, cited by the NY Times as part of the “once-sleepy Catskills” turning into the Hamptons as developers attract people from NYC. By Damn Good Honey Farm to follow rustic roads, culminating in unpaved Chipmunk Hollow Rd. to Bradford Graves Sculpture Park, a quirky place showcasing over 200 works of a man who worked primarily in stone. A look into an intriguing room with colorful costumes, old records, desk, bed, etc.

Back to the main road and Kelder’s Farm with playgrounds, mini-golf, a corn maze, petting zoo, farm market, and seasonal U-pick options (veggies, apples, blueberries & other berries, etc.). A highlight: towering “Gnome on the Grange” aka “Gnome Chomsky” on the hill facing the highway once held the Guinness World Record for tallest concrete gnome (now 3^rd).

Nearby Saunderskill Farms, with farm market & greenhouse,has been continuously farmed by 11 generations since 1680, and received the rare “Tricentennial Award” from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. We enjoy a snack of 2 large tasty scones (lemon/blueberry & unusual bacon/scallion/swiss) in a quiet garden area. A hunt for the Kripplebush Historic District proves mostly unrewarded, tho we see the 1-room schoolhouse museum & Methodist Church.

A drive thru Stone Ridge and its Main Street Historic District is more successful. Many houses from the 18^th & early 19^th C; most noteworthy: Hasbrouck House, 18^th C Dutch Colonial stone mansion now a “boutique hotel” and wedding venue. Many other houses, both stone & wood, of various styles and embellishments.

Impressive Dutch Reformed Church, which apparently hasn’t hosted services for a while judging by the front sign: “He is Risen.” A stop at Davenport Farms; 4-generations have farmed here since the 1840s. Sadly, the Teddy Bear Museum in the Den of Marbletown, an 1860 farmhouse, is closed due to the pandemic.

Pretty plantings along a Rail Trail outside Hurley. Getting a bit steamy as we cross Esopus Creek, flowing 65 miles from Winnisook Lake in the Catskills to Saugerties. Up to Kingston and the Thruway, home at 1:00, storms starting to pop up.

Marjorie caps off the day with the first of several artsy Zoom sessions with grandsons/nieces/nephews. She takes them thru some artistic efforts using materials she had mailed to them.

The pandemic just keeps rolling along. Nearly every country has been touched; of 193 countries in the world, only 12 have had no cases, including N. Korea (skepticism about this) and a number of Pacific Island countries. Cases are spiking worldwide, but much more so in the US: 16.5 million cases and 650K deaths worldwide, the US leading in both with 4.5 million confirmed cases (and likely many more) and more than 150K deaths; 16 states have recently had record daily highs for cases. Only a few countries allow US citizens entry. “Final stage” testing of a vaccine has begun, but questions remain about the “fast-tracked” process. Russia claims a vaccine after very limited testing. Cancellations continue to accumulate thruout the world, a very long list that includes the Summer Olympics in Japan, the Eurovision Song Contest, and the Radio City Christmas Show. Bankruptcies also accumulate; e.g., Nieman Marcus, J. Crew, Lord & Taylor.

          Trump continues to keep journalists busy debunking his false claims - “we now have the lowest Fatality (Mortality) Rate in the World,” we’ve “developed a testing capacity unmatched and unrivaled anywhere in the world,” Obama left medical supplies “bare” & “empty,” mail-in voting for the election will cause “widespread fraud” – and self-congratulation – “rate my handling…a 10 out of 10,” “we are the envy of the world.” He trails Joe Biden significantly in polls (please make it be so in November!). There continue to be debates on Facebook and other social media about the efficacy of treatments discredited by research, mask-wearing as a violation of “freedom,” 

and the safety of reopening schools in the Fall. Schools start to open in mid-August, and many close right away or send many students into quarantine due to positive test for students or teachers. And Congress debates competing stimulus packages. We bounce between farce and tragedy. But some happy news: Matt returns full-time to MSM in mid-August.

August brings a Zoomed concert by the Albany Symphony “Dogs of Desire,” including friends "Billy Bassoon” and percussionist Matt Gold. 

Then Hurricane Isaias comes thru August 4^th, heavy rain (3.23”, a record for the date) & high winds, a return of the flooding “swale” out back when we first moved here; but no children or pets being swept to their doom. CARGO golf next AM cancelled, too wet for carts.  

Following a tip from the Times Union, dinner at Ryan's Wake Public House overlooking the Hudson in Troy on a lovely evening.

Then another outing: A cloudy drippy day turns mostly sunny on a 2-hour drive south, past Beacon’s pretty houses to Manitoga, former home of famous “mid-Century” designer Russel Wright. A National Historic Landmark, it embodies his philosophy of living in creative harmony with nature. After touring with Mary last October when we stayed in nearby Cold Spring, Marjorie wanted me to see it, connecting again with guide Sarah. We meet “rock star” Emily, in charge of the grounds, before heading off on some of the trails thru the 75-acre woodlands. Even the details of the trails were designed by Wright. 

Boulders, lush moss & ferns, beautiful trees and stands of laurel, ethereal music (“iForest”) playing from 24 speakers spread thruout the woods. Mary sends a “Wish I was there” text making Marjorie a bit weepy. 

Through Dragon Rock house & studio. Expanses of glass for views of the quarry pool and surrounding woods. A large cedar trunk is the main structural support. Other touches in doors,

walls, and ceilings combine natural and man-made materials that meld indoors with outdoors. Wright’s “American Modern” ceramic dinnerware, furniture, glassware, and silverware are also displayed.  

Back home to greet Matt, up for a visit and some car work. Arlo was coming, but instead stayed home for a vacation at “Camp Bow-Wow;” so excited, he practically drags Matt in! We welcome Matt anyway, celebrating recent happy news: he returns off furlough full-time to MSM in mid-August - riding on his new scooter/moped! Matt strictly follows safe distance & mask protocols; we send a photo to William & Miles to show Daddy’s protecting Grandma & Grandpa even at dinner! After dinner livestreamed chamber music from Lake Tahoe (replacing the orchestra festival Matt played in the past 2 summers). Some loud rolling thunder during the night. 

The weekend concludes with dinner at Peter and Ellen’s, a beautiful deer wandering thru the yard. Driving home past a view of “NY Tough” lit up on the Corning Tower.

         

After reading an article in the Times Union, Marjorie reaches out for a delightful phone conversation with the owner of Allie B’s Cozy Kitchen. That leads to us attending the Open House for a new Community Cultural Center in Albany for which she (Kizzy Williams), a dynamic Black woman, is the driving force. And she’s a contributor to our dinner next week.

But first some summer weekend enjoyments. Marjorie has artist friends Laurel-Le & Sue over Friday AM for coffee & conversation while I head south to Rainbow GC for an outing with Peter, who is a member. A friendly place, starting with owner Cookie who runs this, a café, and small motel; and even the trees follow mask protocol! My tee shot to 6’ on an island green, but birdie putt lips out. 

A leisurely lunch. Peter is getting back into golf and starting as new Department Chair; I pass along golf tips and some suggestions as former Chair. On the pretty drive back a stop for photo ops in Feura Bush. 

Then to a backyard concert with friend Lisa fronting a foursome with a nice soft rock sound. A fine relaxing “date” on a summer evening.

Saturday we have the house power-washed by husband-wife team Doug & Barbara (Doug’s Precision Power Washing), recommended by another friend Peter, who has a plumbing business ˗ gotta do something with that unspent travel money. Nice people, great job! Gotta do something with that unspent travel money; speaking of which, we’ve also order a new garage door. 

Our Queens family takes advantage of a beautiful summer day at Jones Beach. As has become my routine, I was up about 5:30 and later mowed the lawn, so a short PM nap ˗ Marjorie says I’m “Nap Man” (I think she means it as a compliment) ˗ then dinner on our porch on another lovely evening.  

No outings on Sunday, as Marjorie spends most of the day (with a break to watch Miles in another 92Y cabaret) organizing and cleaning up the basement. Wow! Marie Kondo (or her new TV fave Salvage Dawgs) would be very impressed! I’m in charge of hauling detritus to the landfill and donating useful stuff to Tool Box. More tidying up: “our handyman” Dale patches some wallboard in the garage and finds the source of an annoying toilet leak, and Marjorie makes arrangements for some patching against water in the basement. 

 

The following week offers more enjoyable pursuits. A beautiful day for CARGO golf at the CC of Troy is followed by an evening gathering of Mendelssohn Club in the parking lot (safe distancing!) of the church where we rehearse. A big turnout, eager to spend even a little time with the “brothers.” After singing our usual rehearsal starter ♫Drink a Highball♫ (♫…here’s a toast to Mendelssohn♫), election of new officers and honoring our 20-some-year conductor Jeff with full membership in the Club as he moves into retirement. 

Next day after my “power red” donation at Red Cross and picking up our “farm share,” a short outing to stroll around the pretty pond on the UAlbany campus on another beautiful day. Sun sparkling off the water surrounded by beautiful trees and a dorm nearby, 

the trail sprinkled with pretty little flowers, 

people fishing from the banks, including 2 young “boys of summer.” 

Friday brings CSSC’s “Local Bounty Pop-Up Drive-Thru Chicken BBQ” ˗ after I finish sealing the deck. Main course by 2 chefs who won a “Chefs in Motion” competition, plus Allie B’s “best in region” mac & cheese. 

During dinner we finish watching our recorded “virtual” Democratic Convention. Well-produced, excellent speeches by Kamala Harris & Joe Biden (and others), it gives some room for hope & maybe optimism. Tho next week’s RNC seems obsessed with the horrors of radical left-wing socialist Dems (like universal health care and fighting climate change). Meanwhile, US COVID deaths reach 185,000 as August ends.

Saturday AM Marjorie takes me on a mysterious outing. A pretty drive, lots of “rurality”: corn fields, Country Store, Sweet Water Farm. Crossing into Massachusetts she ‘fesses up: we’re following a cancelled outing of her garden club plus a European theme to make up (partly) for our cancelled trips. First to Campo de’ Fiori (“Field of Flowers”) in Sheffield, a beautiful garden shop and displays outside reminding us of Italy. 

I exercise my shutter finger while Marjorie pokes around. A chat with the friendly sales clerk, a UW grad. M buys a terra cotta pot with a face (we name her “Sophia”). 

To nearby Great Barrington, passing a sign for the birthplace of Black sociologist/activist W. E. B. Bois, and Ward’s (no relation) Nursery, Garden Center, and Wild Bird Shop. A big place, more beautiful flowers and garden decorations, a couple more plants for home. 

Big Y grocery café closed so no lunch there, but M gets a colorful pepper plant.Into town, Patisserie Lenox for relaxing lunch & French ambience fitting our European theme. 

After lunch strolling: pretty store windows, art & farmers markets, bright rainbow crosswalks symbolize diversity & hope. SoCo Creamery for excellent ice cream. Beautiful weather for our jaunt, then some rain driving home. 

           

Our friend Bob Franklin touted Hand Hollow Conservation Area as “uncrowded and peaceful” in a Facebook post, enticing us to another outing. Part of the Columbia Land Conservancy, established in 1986 with 30,000+ acres in 10 Public Conservation Areas in Columbia County. After a rainy day, nice sun & 70s for a 30-mile drive east past Bliss Schoolhouse Rd. (an oxymoron?) and a “Welcome to the Only Stephentown on Earth” sign. Just past Lebanon Valley Speedway outside New Lebanon to Gale Hill Rd., becoming a not exactly “beaten path” 1-lane to Hand Hollow. A patchwork of small family properties with a variety of habitats ˗ woodlands, a lake & 2 ponds, streams & wetlands; 2 entrances offer easy to moderate trails. We begin with a well-maintained trail to Meizinger Lake. Beautiful woods, ferns & mosses abound among fallen trees & rocks. A pretty little lake, kayaks and a rustic bench, wetlands along the shore. 

A short drive to the 2^nd entrance and a different ecology: open fields full of colorful flowers & weeds surrounded by woods, nearby pond with a beaver lodge. A stop on the drive home for Stewart’s ice cream treats. 

Things are less idyllic on the Gulf Coast, as Category 4 Hurricane Laura batters Louisiana and eastern Texas before moving on toward the Mid-Atlantic states. This stimulates a call to friends Carl & Betty outside Charlotte NC. They’ve only gotten a little rain, but it’s good to catch up. Their children Chris & Diane are both busy in medical settings, wearing hazmat type outfits. We’re spared any effects of this storm, but we have some rather dramatic storms of our own˗ severe thunderstorms, large hail & a couple of tornados in the area. They keep a safe distance from us, tho providing some photo ops and a reminder of a song from Carousel (♫…at the end of the storm is a golden sky…♫).

         

          

        Next day, seeking some respite from the storms of politics, we head to nearby Pruyn House. The Pruyn family arrived in the area in the 1660s. Casparus was an agent for one of the last Dutch “patroons” here in the 1800s. The grounds include his house (built about 1830), Buhrmaster Barn (built late 1800s), and Verdoy Schoolhouse (built 1910, on the National Register). The pretty brickwork on the house was recently uncovered, but it’s not “historically correct” so will be covered again. 

The site is maintained by Friends of Pruyn (Marjorie is on the Board) in partnership with the Town of Colonie. Fort Orange Garden Club takes care of the beautiful gardens. It’s a venue for concerts, weddings, and other events (tho not during the pandemic). 

By the way, there’s another pandemic interruption. Since spring Marjorie has been awaiting a chance to be a TV star; well, an extra. Julian Fellowes’ (creator of Downton Abbey) plans were put on hold to do some filming in Troy (used for other period pieces) for The Gilded Age, an HBO series whose cast will include Cynthia Nixon & Christine Baranski. But Marjorie has been “on call” and keeping her hair long & “natural” (gray) as requested. The series will include some characters from Downton Abbey (e.g., the dowager countess played by Maggie Smith) several decades earlier (NYC 1880s). The casting company keeps in contact, eventually it’s postponed to early 2021. Stay tuned! 

           Hooray! The Queens family will finally venture up to Albany for Labor Day weekend. We haven’t seen William & Miles since March; missed Miles’ 13^th BD (becoming a “quaranteen”). But first: I’m up early Friday so decide to follow a Facebook tip from friend Wayne. Up the Northway to Exit 10, a short drive to Coons Crossing Rd. and the Zim Smith Trail, named for a USAF Lt. Col. active in historic preservation around Saratoga. A 9-mile Nat’l Recreation Trail from Ballston Spa to Mechanicville, I walk about a mile in (have to leave time for an errand to Trader Joe’s “senior hours”). Sun rising, near-full moon setting, a big heron takes flight as I start out. Idyllic!

 A paved path borders beautiful marshland, colorful flowers and even some early fall colors sprinkled in. One of my photos is published in the Times Union.

       

The family takes advantage of a beautiful day for a swim in a lake off the Taconic Pkwy on the way up from NYC. They bring tents to camp in our backyard, but change their minds ˗ are our posted “Campground Rules” too strict? We follow safe distance & mask protocols; it seems weird to wear a mask in the house, and no hugs! 

Arlo’s happy here, lots of windows to look out (leaving doggie nose prints), barking at passersby & dogs, plus porch & yard. Some evening fireworks bother him until donning his thundershirt.

Marjorie gets an early BD package from Mary with an apron message: “I love gardening so much I wet my plants.” Saturday AM Matt & Miles “pick your own” at Patroon Land Farm, our farm share site. Marjorie stops by Attila’s Art Associates gallery where she & other Colonie Art League artists are exhibiting, then organizes a basement artistic activity ˗ “acrylic pours”˗ with Anthea and the boys. 

The boys spend time on their computers, William mostly playing basketball, Marjorie likes Miles’ “Word Bomb” game. 

Sunday dawns another idyllic day. The end-of-summer garden looks great. Some badminton on the lawn, tho one shuttlecock ends up in a gutter, another mangled by Arlo. 

A hike after lunch on the Mohawk Towpath Byway. Walkers, cyclists, heron & egret in flight. 

Marjorie finds a trove of bittersweet, other colorful berries along the trail. Matt & Arlo continue to a dog park, earning Arlo a bath back home. 

After dinner to Pirate’s Hideout mini-golf; Grandpa gets 2 holes-in-one! Next AM I’m off early to Van Patten Golf Club (another new course for me), the family leaves later. Arlo is quite reluctant to leave; less about us I suppose than the space inside & out. A wonderful idyllic holiday weekend! Now back to whatever “normal” is. William & Miles won’t head to school right away, NYC opening delayed to sanitize; and Miles delayed a bit more when classmates hack school computers with pornography. William all remote, Miles a mix.

          Out on a Thursday night to the Irish American Heritage Museum. Board member Steve gives us a tour of ongoing additions: cottage & tenement structures, very affecting sculptures & other artwork in a “Great Hunger” exhibit on the 1845-52 potato blight.

Executive Director Elizabeth gives an interesting talk on “Typhoid Mary,” Irish-born cook id’ed as asymptomatic carrier of the disease; infected 53 (plus how many did they infect?), 3 died. Forcibly quarantined on North Brother Island 1907-10 and again after she resumed work as a cook 1915 to her death in 1938. Certainly topical now; to wit, a largely mask- & distance-less gathering of 400,000 at the recent 10-day Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in S. Dakota has been linked to 250,000+ COVID-19 cases! UAlbany has also seen a spike of 34 cases in the last 24 hours, may suspend in-person activities. 

As if 2020 isn’t apocalyptic enough: the West Coast is being ravaged by devastating wildfires (and Cuomo ironically OKs California for non-quarantined travel), the Gulf Coast by a lineup of hurricanes with historic flooding, and there are reports of “murder hornets”! Are locusts next? Friday brings sad remembrances of 9/11/01, “Tribute in Light” shining over Manhattan (photo by friend Cathy Sheridan). And there are signs the upcoming election may be chaotic, perhaps even violent. Trump keeps challenging the validity of mail-in votes, and has deflected questions about accepting the results. Both parties are gearing up for legal battles, many lawsuits already filed in many states.

      

Next day the 69^th annual (Marjorie’s 10^th) Stockade Art Show in Schenectady is on, tho with alterations: no entry fee, judging, prizes, or food. Loaded up Friday, then off very early to get a spot to set up. A perfect day, cool & calm. I was to be her bouncer to enforce “Mask/Distancing” policy, but the crowd is small & well-behaved. And the day is more lucrative than Marjorie expected. 

I wander about looking for photo ops in this historic area dating to the mid-1600s: Mohawk River views, beautiful town houses, 

St. George’s Episcopal 

and 1^st Reformed Churches. But no “Old Fashioned Sunday” at Pruyn House, another pandemic casualty,
but Marjorie arranges an exhibit of her art at CSSC’s Beltrone Living Center.

Marjorie’s birthday is now upon us. What to do for her “Birthday Festival” (as she likes to call it)? We have a new garage door installed, but that doesn’t seem quite the thing. She has William Shatner singing to her on an e-card, courtesy of Jeff like my Dolly Parton BD serenade. I cater cheesecake for her church discussion group at our house, but they leave too quickly so we’ll have to eat it all. Still not enough ˗ and she’s complaining there’s no marching band! I have an overnight planned for the weekend. 

But first, I’m up my usual too early Friday so I wind my way thru Nat’l Grid’s digging for a new gas line at the end of our street, then up the Northway to check out some trails near Saratoga; Marjorie & I agree that her Uncle Bill would have loved to watch this unfold. 

Ballston Creek Preserve off Exit 12 has pretty woods, fields of colorful weeds & flowers, marshland that’s a Great Blue Heron rookery, tho none on duty today. 

On to Exit 15 and Wilton Wildlife Preserve: a pretty pond, ducks cruising about.

For birthday weekend I have a chance to do some of the trip planning I’ve missed this year. Only a summary here, I’ll do a separate post with details and more photos on my blog. Up to Saratoga Saturday AM, a farmers’ market 

then wandering Congress Park before lunch along Broadway. 

The highlight: an overnight at the historic & elegant Batcheller Mansion Inn dating from 1873. A wonderful stay, elegant and friendly, nicely situated. 

We do some other exploring before returning home Sunday. 

The following weekend we enjoy another Youtube Talujon virtual concert, part of the Summer Sundays series by Jackson Heights Beautification Group (Matt’s a member via the J H Dog Park). It’s their usual esoteric contemporary percussion; interesting, but would it kill them to do a show tune or Scott Joplin rag once in a while? 

Some sad notes: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the “Notorious RBG,” dies. She was a major force for gender equality and a bulwark for liberal views on the Court. This immediately creates an unseemly and hypocritical push to name her successor before the election. This follows the July passing of civil rights icon John Lewis, whose advocacy of “good trouble” seems especially pertinent now. nd as fall begins, we pass 200,000 COVID deaths,1 million worldwide. The US continues to be worst in total cases & deaths, nearly worst per capita. Cases are increasing in many states & countries. Debates continue on the timing & quality of a vaccine, conflicting messages from Trump & the CDC (but what do experts know?). Failures in handling the pandemic lead to an unprecedented editorial in the New England J of Medicine: “our current political leaders have demonstrated that they are dangerously incompetent. We should not abet them and enable the deaths of thousands more Americans by allowing them to keep their jobs.”

       

Out on a beautiful evening along the Mohawk River at Blatnick Park, named for local Olympic gold medalist wrestler; ducks flying about, kayakers heading out. I help Marjorie harvest bittersweet to send to Mary; apparently this can’t be found in Kansas. Marjorie battles the Post Office over postage to send a box full of cuttings; on her 3^rd trip (after consulting the PO website) she triumphantly convinces them she is right! 

And a triumph for me: in the end-of-season CARGO championship, I take 1^st place in the B division!; joining Paul Wilkes (A) & Al DeMarco (C) as a “Southgate Sweep” (our children were classmates at that school). Marjorie is unenthused that I’ve now brought home 2 large CARGO beer glass trophies; but she always says, “Have fun!”. 

Next outing: Cooperstown to submit artwork by Marjorie and several friends for a show. [We learn later that Marjorie’s was accepted and then sold!] A lovely day for the drive along Rt. 20 (aka “Cherry Valley Turnpike”), more fall colors have emerged than expected, To the white-columned Village Hall/Library/Gallery in the midst of the pretty town – seasonal decorations on homes amid the pre-1900 Historic District that includes the Baseball Hall of Fame. Lunch at Mel’s. 

Stops on the way back outside Sharon Springs: ice cream with a pretty view and a farm market with colorful pumpkins & squash for more photo ops. 

The CSSC Golf Classic postponed from July occurs as September is coming to an end. A bit stripped down, fewer golfers, dinner is take-home, and a drizzly AM to start, but clearing and an enjoyable round with my team of Jim, Mike, and Glenn.

The day of the 1^st Presidential debate we plan to “wallow” in politics, starting with a series of recorded shows: Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Stephen Colbert, and The Comey Rule (a well-acted portrayal of Trump & James Comey sparring over Hilary’s e-mails & Russian election meddling). Then the main event, later described as “mayhem” and “almost unwatchable” (indeed, we gave up). Trump continually interrupts (Biden: “Will you shut up, man?”), seems to signals support for violent right-wing “Proud Boys,” and as Biden says, “Everything he’s said so far is simply a lie.” Fact-checkers later report an “avalanche of lying” by Trump. And 2 more of these lie ahead.

Perhaps Mother Nature can offer some cleansing after the debate. I head south next day (tho Mother almost turns on me: a deer bounds in front only ½-mile from home!) to Kaaterskill Falls. One of the tallest in NY, 260’ in 2 cascades, and a frequent subject for Hudson River School painters. A pretty PM, nice tho not yet peak colors bring memories of our Fall 2016 Smokies trip. 

Various trails thru woods provide views of the falls, creek, and mountains. I pass a couple uttering the phrase of the day: “Are we going the right way?” I head down one trail until a sign: “DANGER Numerous fatalities and serious injuries have occurred here.” I turn back. 

Next day north to Lake George and Shelving Rock Falls. A pretty drive, the last 10 miles on a bit rugged road until 2 miles from the falls: ROAD CLOSED! Oh well, 

I find other fall views around the lake. Cap off the day with a Zoom gathering of my fellow choir basses ˗ so good to see them after so long! Then a “harvest moon” rises.

And Marjorie has been making her own additions to fall beauty.

As October begins 2020 throws in another monkey wrench, and perhaps some karmic justice: Trump & Melania test positive for COVID-19; and he was possibly contagious at the debate. They are among 46,560 new US cases in 24 hours, including many Trump staff & Republican politicians who’ve been at the White House super spreader” events without masks or social distancing.Facebook post: “Welcome to Nova Scotia: Fewer COVID-19 cases than the White House.” And a new musical Covita: ♫Don’t cry for me, White House staffers♫ Toward the end of a short hospitalization Trump’s advice, “Don’t be afraid of COVID,” is so tone deaf, ignoring 210,000 deaths, the many infected by his own inattention to basic protocols, that others don’t have access to the care he gets, and how this encourages behavior that will prolong the pandemic and its devastating effects. A week later Trump’s claims he’s “no longer contagious” and “immune” are described by health professionals as “mind-boggling.” 

The 2^nd debate is cancelled when Trump declines to go “virtual.” Both he & Biden hold “town hall” Q&As instead at the same time on different networks. Biden wins the TV ratings, surely to Trump’s annoyance. Rachel Maddow’s take on Trump’s performance: “dangerous lies” about a COVID “cure” and mask efficacy; other “lies” about US “best” in handling the pandemic and protecting people with preexisting conditions; not disavowing “herd immunity” strategies and QAnon right-wing conspiracy theories (and even retweeting some); admitting $400 million in debts, including "probably“" some to foreign interests; and more. Whew! We’ve come to rely on Rachel Maddow for analyses that are both insightful & impassioned. Meanwhile, COVID cases are surging in Europe and many states in the US, Midwest hospitals being overwhelmed.. Early voting is also surging.

       Some more uplifting happenings: I do my “photography ministry” thing at St. Pius X for Blessing of the Animals by Fr. Walsh, new Deacon Marty Dinan, and special appearance by St. Francis. Well attended drive-by, mostly dogs (plus a few stuffed critters) that are happy to be greeted tho a few seem a bit scared by all the masks. 

Our tree out back is in full fall bloom, plus a Monarch butterfly in the garden. 

Next day Linda McKenna joins us for CSSC “Chefs in Motion”: local chefs compete for judges inside Beltrone, then drive-by pickup of samples of their creations for us to dine and vote on. Marjorie adds a Wisconsin “supper club” ambience to the evening with Brandy Alexanders and pimento cheese spread. Marjorie is also happy to be called in for her “standardized patient” role-playing at Albany Medical College for the 1^st time since the pandemic began.

A short but ferocious storm blows thru late afternoon of the Vice-Presidential debate day, hail & wind gusts to 70 mph (meteorologists say it may have been a “derecho”). Power out for 2 hours then returns; we’re lucky, others in the area out for several days. We lose cable for more than 2 days ˗ oh, the horror! What to do about the debate? Clever Marjorie calls Mary in Kansas City and has her put the phone by the TV so we can listen. The candidates, separated by plexiglass this time, are less contentious than Biden vs. Trump, tho Pence interrupts some; Kamala’s “Excuse me, I’m speaking!” soon appears on t-shirts. She firmly attacks Trump on the pandemic, economic recovery, climate change, health policy, etc. Pence defends their record often “in plain defiance of the facts,” as the NY Times puts it.  

I’m enjoying my fall Red Cross drives, especially south to Kingston, Rhinebeck, Poughkeepsie. Beautiful views along the Thruway, panoramas crossing the Hudson, pretty Culinary Institute of America & Marist College campuses, lovely landscaping by condos near Vassar Hospital. Closer to home, I’m seeing cautionary neighborhood road signs: “Drive Like Your Children Live Here.” 

I’m also seeing pretty fall views on my golf outings. Edison Club is courtesy of a voucher Jim won at CSSC golf, joined by Mike & Glenn. We have fun competing in 2-man scrambles. 

Then some spectacular views at Top of the World Golf Resort, on French Mt. overlooking the south end of Lake George. Picturesque holes, some unusual/challenging setups. Jim: “This is heaven!” 

Lunch at Barnsider colorful, too, under a tent with heaters; a giant chicken wearing a mask!  

Next week I play another new-to-me course, Briar Creek. This region is blessed with so many nice courses! By my count I’ve played 24 different courses this year; 11 for the 1^st time, another 5 in the past. Marjorie takes this news as a sign she needs to spend more on herself.

A leaf-peeping outing on Columbus Day weekend: Saratoga National Historical Park. But first a stop on the way to show Marjorie the Zim Smith Trail with its pretty marshland; tho sorry, no herons or egrets today. We see odd foam in the water, walkers & cyclists (“on your left” as people come from behind) plus hoof prints & a baby’s pacifier on the path! 

We continue a pretty drive to the Park, site of battles in fall 1777 resulting in surrender by British Gen. Burgoyne, a turning point in the Revolutionary War. Along a road listening to a phone app, joined again by cyclists & walkers. Another beautiful place for a war, more here than expected: redoubts, views of farms & Hudson River panorama, lovely fall colors, pretty milkweed. 

Monuments to war dead and to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Polish engineer who “masterminded” the British defeat; and is the namesake of so-called “Dolly Parton” twin bridges over the Mohawk.

Continuing north to pretty Broad St. in Schuylerville, lunch at friendly Old Saratoga Eatery; OMG stuffed French toast is so sinful! 

To friend Eric Laffer’s nearby Gallery with beautiful paintings, pottery, and clever moving constructions. 

Into Second Hand Rose thrift shop, a room full of Christmas! We continue north thru what seems Republican country, many signs for Trump/Pence and Elise (Stefanik, an avid Trump supporter) tho a few for Biden/Harris. 

Past Great Escape theme park (closed for the 2020 season) to outlet malls south of Lake George. Lots of traffic, stores maintaining limited capacity due to the pandemic. Into Lindt Chocolate for seasonal supplies, and a treat for the driver. 

Sadly, while we enjoy nature’s beauty, West Coast wildfires continue. As October begins they have burned nearly 7 million acres, forced tens of thousands from their homes, created some of the most unhealthy air on the planet, and sent smoke as far as Northern Europe. Scientists link the fires to climate change and a “perfect storm of meteorological factors”: record-breaking heat, unusually dry air, and fierce winds. Of course, Trump knows better, blaming “poor forest management.” And by November 1 there have been a record-tying 28 named tropical storms, a record 11 making US landfall; 12 hurricanes, a record-tying 6 making landfall.

 

A new fall treat for us: the 1^st Ellms Farm Pumpkin Glow and Light Show in Ballston Spa, a 1½-mile drive-thru with illuminated jack o’lanterns and light displays. The farm, in its 3^rd generation of Ellms family operation, offers Christmas trees & “family fun activities.” More than 45 attractions, from zip lines & paintball to MooMooChooChoo & pumpkin bowling! A fun evening outing: sounds of excited children, spooky lights in the trees, lots of ghosts, witches, skeletons, Dracula, Headless Horseman, Sasquatch, dragons & dinosaurs, and more. 

This seems to trigger Marjorie’s usual Halloween decorating frenzy next day, first gathering “the ladies.” Other Halloween news: Albany “improves” from 47^th to 38^th on Orkin’s rattiest cities list (Chicago reigns as #1). 

    

      Marjorie gets credit for our next outing: Art on the Rail Trail, “Crossroads: In Transforming Uncertainty by Susan Togut, on the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail in Voorheesville, along the former Delaware and Hudson rail corridor. 

Hand-painted pieces embody “cycles of life, metamorphosis, and renewal, helping us positively transform the uncertain conditions of our time.” Colorful art amid peak fall colors. Wish we had a walking trail like this near us. 

We continue up to nearby Thacher Park along the Helderberg Escarpment. More beautiful fall foliage spilling down the cliffs into the valley. Wow, this is an exceptional fall! A diner lunch to top off the day.    

The next week another stop on the Marjorie Mystery Tour; I’m just told to keep the evening free. She drives west and eventually into the Stockade. Joined by friends Gay & Joe and others for a Ghost Tour. Our guide has a distinctive voice ˗ it’s Richard from our local Curtain Call Theater! He starts us on our “4,000 steps,” first down nearby Cucumber Alley toward the river. Evening offers a different perspective on the beautiful old buildings, many decorated for the season. Many ghostly stories, from whimsical (ghosts deciding who they want to live in their homes) to gruesome (alleged miscreants burned alive). 

The scary night continues at home with the 2^nd Presidential Debate. Toned down a bit from the 1^st, partly due to “mute” buttons to allow each to speak uninterrupted. Will it matter? Nearly 50 million have already voted.

Then another outing discovered on Facebook: the 1^st opening in 5 years of Edward Tufte’s Hogpen Hill Farms, a 234-acre tree farm & sculpture park in Woodbury, NW CT (with the intriguing address Weekeepeemee Road). 100 ET artworks plus 5 miles of walking trails. Described as "wild, whimsical, grand and incredibly beautiful,” “North America's best sculpture park,” and "one of Connecticut's hidden gems." We head off with sun breaking thru fog. A COVID reminder on the MASS Pike: “Need Help With Rent?” A pretty drive, fall colors still strong, past streams & ponds, several 1-lane road work sites. Whimsical signs on the road in: “Road Never Ends,” “Sign Not In Use.” 

Misty & low clouds give a mysterious look. Large constructions, including elevated RV “Airstream Interplanetary Explorer” & giant black swan, smaller more delicate stick figures & geometric designs. Tufte has an interesting bio: professor emeritus of political science, statistics, and computer science at Yale, noted for work on information design & graphic visualization.. He was appointed by Obama in 2010 to an advisory panel reviewing use of Recovery funds. In response to my Facebook photos college friend & statistics prof Alan Agresti cites Tufte’s “innovative ways of presenting information graphically.”

Lunch at Woodbury Diner with a decorative cow theme. 

Pretty towns with impressive churches & municipal buildings and river photo ops driving home. Otis MA Poultry Farm touts an ironic “Chicken Retirement Plan.” 

        Sun breaking out, temp up to near 80! Foolishly home in time for lawnmowing & yard work. Next day Marjorie drops off our “absentee” ballots now allowed for all due to the pandemic; she passes hundreds in line the 1^st day of early voting. And sad news continues. A daily record is set for new COVID cases with “unprecedented geographic spread” and hospital space dwindling  Folk icon Arlo Guthrie announces an end to touring due to a series of strikes. “Gone Fishing” he says. We’ll treasure seeing him and family in local concerts. Sean Connery, in my view the true James Bond, passes away at 90. Another collateral casualty of COVID: my long-time student I-hsin looked back on track with her dissertation after several interruptions, but she’s gone to care for her mother with COVID. Thought she’d be my last doctoral student, but this may have derailed her for good.

This news is partly balanced by watching friend Francisco conduct a livestreamed concert by the Boston Civic Symphony from First Church in Cambridge; comments come from listeners as far as Argentina & Germany. Such a treat! And Matt performs livestreamed with the American Modern Ensemble in November. Nice to have some options when usual venues are shuttered. 

Here’s another: “Flat Mary & Jeff” cutouts attend the U Wisconsin football season opener!  Good timing: next week's game postponed by positive tests on the team!

 

Halloween is pretty subdued by the pandemic. Trick-or-treating is not advised. Even Salem MA has cut back on spooky activities. And Dr. Fauci is already warning about Thanksgiving gatherings.

Grandma won’t get her usual costuming work with the grandsons. Ironically, we remember that last year Miles was a Plague Doctor! But Marjorie is not discouraged from her favorite holiday decorating. 

And some of the neighbors have gotten into it.  

A trick (or maybe a treat: photo ops!) the day before Halloween: a lovely coating of snow, 1^st since 2011. A scary vision: Jim keeps me informed about on-line classes. Efforts to forestall exam cheating include randomizing questions & answers and an Orwellian “Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor” prevents students navigating from the test screen and monitors via webcam. This seems to trigger a dream about being unprepared for my class!  

Early Halloween blood delivery to Poughkeepsie and on to Putnam County. A pretty day:some fog, still snow at higher elevations, past pond where swan buddies always hang out and scenic but nonetheless forbidding Downstate Correctional Facility, Catskill panoramas coming back. 

We don’t usually get many trick-or-treaters, none this year. The Queens family distributes goodies from their building thru a tube to avoid contact. The day ends with a beautiful full “Hunter’s moon,” the 1^st on Halloween visible everywhere in the world since WWII. Friend Kim Lehmann posts a beautiful photo of the moon rising in Maine. 

Next AM a pretty sunrise. Later we join a drive-by 90^th BD celebration for artist friend Kris Woodward’s husband (and long-time local TV news anchor) Dick Wood; impressive: a long line led by a firetruck, lots of balloons, joined by the dean of local TV meteorologists Bob Kovachick.

The pandemic continues to provide its own scary news; new weekly (>500K) & daily (nearly 100K) records are set for new COVID cases with “unprecedented geographic spread” and hospital space dwindling; overall 9.6 million cases, 238,000 deaths; one health expert: “It’s just kind of everywhere.” But Trump says we’ve “turned the corner.” The Dow “plunging,” a number of European countries going back into lockdown. A Stanford analysis estimates Trump’s crowded, largely unmasked rallies have led to some 30,000 infections & more than 700 deaths.

         

Next week may be plenty scary enough. Can’t help but feel some unease about Election Day ("Election Stress Disorder"), adding to worries over the pandemic, global warming, etc.! We stock up on wine to get thru the day (or week?). Thruout the campaign Trump has questioned the legitimacy of the outcome (if he loses, of course), stirring up fear of mail ballot fraud (without evidence) and efforts to “steal” the election. The Republicans have been doing all they can to suppress voting in Democratic & minority areas. And Trump seems to signal resistance by his supporters, including right-wing militias & white supremacists. “Armed Trump Trolls” have disrupted some Biden/Harris events. The rushed nomination of Amy Barrett seems partly intended to give him another sympathetic vote on the Supreme Court. There have been many counter-efforts to get out the vote; Marjorie has been writing letters via “Vote Forward” that encourage voting (in a nonpartisan way). 

 Coincidentally, viewing “The Way I See It” documentary about Pete Souza, Obama’s main White House photographer, makes us long for a President who is thoughtful, caring, empathetic; who gives access to candid moments, not staged photos.Yet the country remains deeply divided, reflected in a photo posted by friend Mary Beth of neighboring yards with side-by-side Biden & Trump signs. An encouraging analysis in the NY Times: even if the polls are “as wrong as 2016” Biden still wins.

Early voting, both in-person & absentee, has been huge with long lines ˗ by election day over 100 million, some 70% of 2016’s total votes! A “Joy at the Polls” program seeks to make waits entertaining: marching bands, dancers, etc. Where Matt & Anthea vote in Queens everyone is handed a taco when they leave. Matt & others from MSM do a pop-up concert at Grant’s Tomb a few days before Election Day. Cities are boarding up buildings in anticipation of postelection protests. 

          After very strong winds yesterday, election day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) dawns dreary, cold & wet, but sun breaks out and forecasts for the week are very good ˗ is that an omen? Friend Ellen invites Marjorie and other friends to visit suffragist gravesites at Albany Rural Cemetery, part of “Vote and Visit” by Women and the Vote NYS. I also seek out ghosts of Politics Past, watching “The Trial of the Chicago 7” on Netflix. The voting appears to go on without major disruptions. TV coverage has a lot of “too soon to call” analysis, so we head off to bed. The NY Times reports that at 2:30am Trump “falsely declares himself the winner,” a claim echoed later in the day by his campaign while Trump complains about “fraud.” Dem’s hopes for a resounding win isn’t happening, but much remains unsettled as votes continue to be counted. Key states: MI, WI, PA, GA, AZ, NV. Analysts spend a lot of time waving arms at a color-coded electoral map. By Wed. evening Biden leading in enough states to win, but counting (and likely recounting, as Trump is already demanding) will take probably weeks.

 

            By Thurs. the NY Times reports “a new torrent of falsehoods” by Trump claiming vote fraud, and a “barrage of lawsuits” challenging the vote count. Trump supporters stage protests outside where votes are being counted, counter-protests in several cities demand every vote be counted. It’s clear that things look better for Biden as the count goes on - as expected, absentee ballots strongly favor him – Biden’s leads increase, Trump’s decline or even flip. By Friday AM Biden now leads in GA, Trump’s lead in PA is almost gone. Trump has a “hissy fit” (as one commentator puts it) at a press conference, some networks actually cut away. It’s an election as spectator sport, tho I wish it was less like a “Mad Max” movie. And another daily record is set for COVID cases. An encouraging radio report on my Red Cross drive: “Emotional Support Canadians are standing by. One will be assigned to you shortly.” 

 

            Meanwhile (as Stephen Colbert would say), a somewhat spooky outing postponed by cold & rain before Halloween: a tour of Albany Rural Cemetery, guided by Exec Director Diane thru a Center at CSSC program. This has long been a favorite photo venue, even a digital lesson “following the light” with pro Larry White. Founded 1841, a National Historic Landmark “exemplar” of the rural cemetery movement of the 1800s, 467 acres contain ornate monuments & crypts, 135,000+ graves, including Pres. Chester Arthur, 5 NY Governors, and many local politicians & dignitaries. A lovely day, sun & 60s. Still nice fall color, and always something new to discover here. We hunt for a suffragist’s site Marjorie couldn’t get to election day. Road closed, we walk by major tree damage from recent high winds, can’t locate the gravesite. 

 

 Saturday: Biden/Harris projected winners in PA . . .  and the election! Crowds celebrate (wearing masks!) on a beautiful day in NYC, DC, and other cities. A contrast with the "crowd" at Trump's 2016 inauguration. Trump: “no plans to concede.” Harris & Biden give “acceptance” speeches in Wilmington DE, joined by families & fireworks. 

We have a celebratory dinner of steak & shrimp and Zoom with Queens. We put out our American flag. Quite a different vibe from the shock & disbelief 4 years ago! But the craziness isn’t over yet. Considering his track record following impeachment, over the last 2 months in office Trump’s likely to cast blame and seek revenge. Biden will be busy preparing Executive Orders to undo as much of Trump’s damage as he can; already talking about reinstating DACA for immigrant “Dreamers” and rejoining the Paris climate control agreement & the World Health Organization. Cabinet likely to be announced after Thanksgiving. But it appears Trump will keep busy during his last 2 months doing things with the military, national security, immigration, and environmental protection that will do more harm. And lest we get too carried away, it’s the 3^rd straight day of record COVID cases. 

          

Coincidentally, Sunday AM I swing into downtown Albany to view 2 recent “public art” murals, spray-painted from a motorized lift, in the “Albany Walls” program. “Sawubona” is Zulu for “I see you, you are important to me, and I value you.” Seems quite appropriate right now.

 The November warmth continues, I join golf buddies Mike & Jim at scenic Leatherstocking Golf Course at Otesaga Resort in Cooperstown. We played here last year but several holes unplayable from heavy rain, including the signature 18^th along Otsego Lake with its island tee. Now all holes open on a gorgeous day, lake living up to its “Glimmerglass” nickname. The course takes us by the Fenimore Art Museum, which has an exhibit of Souza’s Presidential photography. 

A pretty drive home: lowering sun, farms & fields. A stop at Mike’s to see the backyard “water park” he’s been constructing; he also shows us thru a small “arboretum” at the edge of his lot where he’s planted interesting trees over the years.

 

             We continue to be buffeted by news, both political & pandemic. Att’y General Barr gives a green light for DOJ to investigate alleged voting “fraud.” Trump fires the Defense Sec’y and installs “loyalists” there and in other agencies. The week after the election state election officials and other observers report no unusual or significant fraud. Nonetheless, Trump has not conceded, supported by Republicans afraid to offend his base who buy into his claims of fraud and “stealing” the election. The head of the agency in charge of election security calls it “the most secure in American history,” then Trump fires him. Far-right personalities, white nationalists, and conspiracists organize a pro-Trump rally in DC. Multiple lawsuits appear to have little prospect of success, described by some as “theater.” Some Trump advisors trying to bring him to reality, and as one commentator said “put on his big boy pants” to accept the loss. Little attention is paid to Presidential duties, like briefings. Who’s minding the store? Other actions raise national security concerns, as well as threatening democratic traditions and our world image. His appointees block Biden’s access to transition resources, sharing of intelligence & other information. Whew, too many other things to capture here! An MSNBC commentator puts it: “just so incredibly weird.” Rachel will explain it ˗ but she’s in quarantine! Oh, and the election isn’t over! A January runoff for Georgia’s 2 Senate seats will determine control of the US Senate (Republicans now lead 50 to 48). Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is reviewing Obamacare, potentially threatening insurance for millions during a pandemic. And sadly, Alex Trebek, the beloved (I think that’s fair to say) host of “Jeopardy,” dies.

There is some good news on COVID: it appears a vaccine is nearly ready; and then a 2^nd that seems even more effective and easier to ship & store, tho distribution still poses logistical challenges. But more bad news.  The virus continues to surge, every day brings a new record for cases, hospitals are strained. There’s evidence of significant problems after recovering from COVID, including increased risk of dementia.  More White House staff plus Secret Service test positive. Many college football games postponed due to team positives. There’s worry about Thanksgiving gatherings and warnings of a “dark winter.” People are urged to avoid “COVID fatigue,” to continue precautions like masks & safe distancing. 

 

            Friday the 13^th illustrates what’s going on. Tho Trump is projected winning NC, Biden is projected winner of AZ & GA (where a hand recount has begun), giving him 306 electoral votes. Multiple Trump lawsuits are thrown out in various state & federal courts. Several law firms “jump ship” from any further lawsuit work. Rudy Giuliani eventually takes charge, spouting wild conspiracy theories. And the day sees >170,000 new cases, 1,200 deaths from COVID; total cases 10.9+ million, 245,000 deaths. No guidance from the White House, but some previously reluctant governors imposing more restrictions; e.g., mask mandate in ND, “stay at home” order in NM. Some European countries have more success reducing growth with more closures of indoor gatherings like restaurants & gyms.

            On the Biden-Harris front: In contrast to Trump’s lack of attention to the exploding COVID crisis, with record case numbers daily, Biden creates a 13-member task force and 52-member COVID transition team to review resources & staffing agency by agency, tho Trump is not allowing his task force to communicate with Biden’s. On the First Spouses front: Jill Biden plans to become the 1^st First Lady to hold a paying job, continuing her Community College teaching. [There’s a silly, mean-spirited, sexist kerfuffle over calling herself Dr. Biden with “only” a PhD.] “Second Gentleman” Doug Emhoff (Harris’ hubbie) will take a leave from his law firm and teach at Georgetown Law. And Harris has been described as surrounded by broken glass (ceilings, that is): 1^st female, Black, & Asian VP. Speaking of 1^sts, Biden’s Cabinet nominees later include 1^st openly gay (Pete Buttigieg, Transportation) & 1^st Native American (Deb Haaland, Interior).        

But it’s not all about the election. Marjorie is happy to get her long overdue hair trimming and perm by long-time stylist Twiggy. Plus new reddish-framed glasses. Why, she’s a new woman! (Well, refreshed, anyway.) Then she enjoys giving an art lesson for Reese, 12-year-old son of my successor as CSSC President, Christina. And here’s food for thought: Bruce Springsteen on the cover of AARP Magazine.

          By the way, got myself a new cellphone: upgraded from prehistoric flip phone to 5G-compatible “android.” Still wrestling with the features, but, of course, tried out the camera with photos of morning reflections of the gazebo at Colonie Town Hall and around Cohoes: Harmony Mills, housed mill workers when opened 1872 as the largest cotton mill complex in the world, now “high-end residential lofts,” and nearby Cohoes Falls. 

And an early Christmas treat: the CD of our Mendelssohn Club 2019 Holiday Concert. I and other Board members distribute them to our brothers. Good to hear our singing and to see some of the guys, but sure miss singing together! Coincidentally, Marjorie agrees to be Mendelssohn’s Concert Coordinator, which connects nicely with my role handling Club member ticket orders. No concerts now, but we work together to reconcile subscriber & way-too-long mailing lists and learn “mail merge” to send out a “Greatest Hits” Holiday CD.

 

Happy 49^th Anniversary. A Zoom call from Queens to mark the occasion using their new “green screen.” I put photos of us thru the years onto Facebook, yielding new personal records for “likes” (almost 50) & comments (almost 40); that pales next to those who have thousands of Facebook friends, but it feels fine to get friendly vibes & good wishes. We haven’t changed a bit over the years, of course. And still “coloring our world with love,” to paraphrase “our” Chicago song. 

Then more pandemic entertainment: Francisco & brother Miguel livestream a world premiere of “Great Point” via youtube from Nantucket. Beautiful ethereal electronic music inspired by whales and other sounds of the island.

Next week a “good deed” outing, delivering “Local Bounty” gift baskets assembled by CSSC with local products, bought by CAP COM to give to clients. GPS at the ready, we head south to Greenville, Athens, New Baltimore, Coeymans Hollow, and even past Surprise! 

Pretty countryside & villages on a blustery November day. Some nice photo ops: a lovely view from a Christmas tree farm to the Catskills, along the Hudson in Athens, Coeymans Hollow’s Little Red Schoolhouse (now Historical Society) dating from 1879 and on the National Register of Historic Places.

And take heart, there’s some good news: A 3^rd vaccine, cheaper & easier to distribute, appears ready. Biden starts naming key appointees ˗ with experience & expertise! Rachel seems quite flabbergasted ˗ and as election lawsuits keep getting thrown out and states move to certify vote tallies he’s declared the “apparent winner” (tho no Trump concession), allowing access to normal transition resources & briefings. Claims of fraud continue, but to quote from a federal judge (appointed by Trump himself!): “Calling an election unfair does not make it so. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here.” Another annoyance for Trump: Cuomo will get an Internat’l Emmy Founders Award for his COVID briefings. It appears Trump’s term will end with pardons for his appointees convicted of crimes (or just in case?), starting with Michael Flynn.

So perhaps it’s safe now to do a tally of the election. In 2016 Trump defeated Clinton 306-232 Electoral Votes, deemed by Trump a “landslide” tho he lost by almost 3 million in the overall popular vote. Biden in turn defeated Trump by the same 306-232 margin and by over 7 million (receiving a record 80 million votes) in the popular vote. Yet the election was not the “blue wave” some expected, and chagrined pollsters again underestimated Trump’s support. Trump actually received 9.5 million more votes than 2016 and the GOP gained seats in the House (control of the Senate is pending the GA runoffs). Why do so many Americans support someone who cares about nobody but himself, seems so antithetical to all that America should stand for, and has undermined American institutions. We seem to have lapsed into an Orwellian Universe: Truth is Fake News, Science is a Hoax, Voting is a Conspiracy! Some good friends we respect are on the other side of this divide, so I guess people look past so much of what Trump does because he seems to stand for an issue that’s critical to them. But sadly (and scarily) so much of his base believe his dangerous lies about the election and will view Biden as an illegitimate President.

Thanksgiving approaches. New COVID cases keep setting records. Tho travel is discouraged, both air & auto travel are busy. A testing surge as college students head off for a prolonged “winter break.” Concerns are raised about holiday gatherings. A number of case clusters linked to dinner parties, game nights, and the like. NY and several other states & cities place limits of 10 even on family gatherings – or “experience loved ones virtually.” Zoom is lifting the 40-minute limit for free calls. A bit of déjà vu: Anthea’s mother Pamela posts on Facebook an announcement of very similar restrictions during the 1918 Spanish flu. 

 

We confer with the Queens family to insure everyone is healthy and feels OK about gathering for Thanksgiving. They’re still mostly concerned about us, but Matt gives the go-ahead with strict rules about masks, social distancing, handling food, opening windows for air circulation, etc. Marjorie does her usual cookin’ up a storm, I my usual cleaning house then to CSSC to pick up apple pie and small chocolate & carrot cakes. We watch Biden give a thoughtful, even inspiring, Thanksgiving address – like a real President. 

Matt et al. drive up Wed. PM after the boys do some virtual school, in time for a socially-distanced dinner. Arlo seems especially excited to be at Grandma & Grandpa’s. No wonder ˗ Thanksgiving begins with Grandma’s home-cooked doggie breakfast.

Thanksgiving traditions continue, but COVID-adapted. The Macy’s parade, with the theme “Let’s Celebrate Together – At Home!,” doesn’t have the usual crowds along a 2.5-mile route, instead focused on the block in front of the 34^th St. flagship store. Balloons, floats, some bands, but participants reduced by 75% and following health guidelines. The National Dog Show is televised without spectators and limited to 600 dogs instead of the usual nearly 2,000. Locally the Troy Turkey Trot is virtual, entrants running whenever & wherever on their own. 

 

But following tradition, a fine Thanksgiving dinner at home, to become Grandma’s leftover casserole next day after some shopping (for some) and golf (for Grandpa). 

Arlo relaxes while we watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” to get the season started properly, followed by a rousing game of “Apples to Apples: The Game of Hilarious Comparisons.” Sat. Matt & Arlo to MA to hike with the “other” percussion Matt (Gold). Some quiet time to put Christmas lights outside and trees on the porch, with help from Anthea & the boys. A Zoom visit with Mary & Jeff, then more games including silly “Don’t Break the Ice.” 

The family heads back to Queens Sunday AM, but I manage to get a holiday portrait – don’t know if we’ll see them at Christmas. Later I capture our lights with a full moon. 

 A very nice holiday break, but the pandemic is ever-present. New COVID cases reaching 1 million per week, 13+ million total (some estimates 8 times that!), 265,000 deaths. The predicted post-Thanksgiving surge arrives early December: record daily cases, daily deaths comparable to the totals in D-Day & the 9/11 attack, COVID becomes the leading cause of death in the US! Even routinely-maskless Rudy Giuliani may believe it, now he’s hospitalized with COVID (followed by another of the team’s lawyers). As the NY Times put it, there will be a “long darkness before dawn.” This is contributing to rising “food insecurity” – 1 in 5 adults, 1 in 4 children - with food banks food banks giving out 60% and running low. Congress remains stalemated over any new aid package. And there seem conflicting responses; e.g., some schools open for in-person classes, others close. Oh, by the way, there are still dozens of wildfires out West. 

But there is hope on the horizon: 1^st vaccinations are set in the UK for 2^nd week of December (a 90-year-old grandmother gets the 1^st vaccine “jab,” as they say; also to William Shakespeare), US maybe shortly after. First for front-line health care workers & nursing home residents, maybe older folks like us February/March, the rest of the population by early summer (there are reports that the Trump administration declined options that would provide enough, so we’ll wait behind Europe)? As Americans are divided about taking the vaccine, Presidents Obama, Clinton, and Bush announce they’ll be vaccinated on camera. 

And the other cloud also remains: Even Attorney General Barr now concludes “not seen fraud that could have effected a different outcome” (angering Trump and later leading to Barr’s resignation). Conservative bastion National Review editorializes that “Trump’s disgraceful endgame … pollutes the public discourse.” NY Times describes his final days as Shakespearean, full of rage & denial, rewarding friends (even packing upper echelons of the Pentagon with partisans), purging the disloyal, punishing a growing list of perceived enemies. He barely shows up to work, ignores health & economic crises. Still claiming widespread fraud, asserting he won, filing more lawsuits that keep getting thrown out. [Nearly 1500 former federal prosecutors & other lawyers have openly called for sanctions by bar associations: “A license to practice law is not a license to lie.”]. These claims, and the support or silence of Republican politicians, fuel “Stop the Steal” protests & threats against election workers of both parties. Ironic, considering Republican efforts to suppress voting in Democrat/minority areas. And Trump has raised over $200 million thru postelection appeals for an “Election Defense Fund,” tho most of the money goes to Trump & the Republican party to spend for whatever they want. It’s hard to stay away from the unfolding news – election as spectator sport! And if you thought the 2020 election is over, all eyes are on Georgia. If both Republicans are defeated in January 5^th voting, control of the Senate will shift to Democrats as Biden takes office. On another front, Melania is shopping a book deal – that could be interesting.

           And now for something completely different: As if 2020 isn’t weird enough, a mysterious monolith has appeared (and then disappeared) in a Utah canyon, and others in California & Romania. Aliens (think 2001: A Space Odyssey)? Or “new wave” art installation?

      The 1^st week of December is busy. Marjorie’s long-awaited joint art show (postponed from April) with friends Tom Myott, George Dirolf, and Russell Serrianne opens at Attila’s Art Associates Gallery. [Whew! No new COVID restrictions put the kibosh on this again.] “Material Matters” (they vetoed my suggested title “Beauty and the Beasts”) reflects different media in which they work: alcohol ink, acrylic, woodcut, and vine tendrils, respectively. “Meet the Artists” Friday opening has disappointing attendance: pandemic reluctance + a newspaper coverage screwup.

 

The same weekend people can take holiday photos with an 1800's sleigh at the renovated Pruyn House; Marjorie, on the Board, made this fundraising suggestion. And she again participates in the Christmas Market at the Irish American Heritage Museum. Saturday is cold & drizzly and Marjorie becomes the lone “vendor” at the Museum after noon so expectations are low, but Pruyn House photos do well and Marjorie enjoys listening to holiday music and has good sales tho traffic is light. So her weekend turns out well! I help haul artwork around, take photos at the Pruyn House, and manage some December golf. Birdies enjoy our heated spa. 

 

        

I’m off on an early December Red Cross run to hospitals in Amsterdam & Gloversville. Getting used to the new Thruway system of electronic cashless tolls, removing toll booths. A gray day in the 20s, but festive nonetheless: along the Mohawk with many “wedges” of geese flying above, Christmas music on the radio, a pretty village scene in Fonda, even colorful decorations in a Thruway rest area.   

Next day Marjorie is interviewed for Spectrum cable news by Susan Arbetter, host of “Capital Tonight” who Marjorie knew and respected when they were at WMHT. Susan is joined by Nick from the local American Cancer Society & a videographer to talk about “Relay for Life” fundraising, including Marjorie’s clever bags made from Relay t-shirts. I’m on the fringes, resisting any urge to “photo bomb” the session. A delightful visit.

Some holiday events are cancelled this year due to the pandemic because they draw large crowds, And OMG, Santa will not be greeting kids at the NYC Macy’s for the 1^st time since 1861! [Tho there will be an “interactive virtual experience.”] A new event catches our eye, a walk-thru “Holiday Festival of Lights” in Lake George, but it’s all sold out. We construct a substitute outing to find holiday spirit. Up to Saratoga to stroll along Broadway for “Victorian Streetscapes,” a month-long holiday look replacing the usual Victorian Streetwalk that draws a large crowd. We’re off about noon, sunny & 48º (Mike & Jim will have a good day for golf - I took a pass), Menselssohn CD playing. A 19’ White Spruce sits in the center of downtown next to Santa’s cottage. [Santa won’t be in the cottage this year, but children can deposit letters in his mailbox.] 60 6-ft. trees, donated by Ellms Family Farm (the “Pumpkin Glow” people), decorated with white lights stand in front of storefronts. Pretty wreaths & store windows, We continue further north to Lake George outlets (lots of empty spaces!) to make some returns on Matt’s behalf. Grandma calls Miles to arrange an exchange. Into Lindt for some treats. 

We head back to Saratoga, listening to more holiday music (Peter, Paul & Mary, Windham Hill, the Muppets & John Denver), a pretty sunset, across the Hudson with water reflections like glass. A car picnic of sandwiches from a mall version of “Hattie’s Chicken Shack.” Decorated for Christmas, including entries in a gingerbread house competition, Hattie’s downtown restaurant is a long-time icon of Saratoga culture. 

Another stroll along Broadway, the store windows come alive at night! 

After a bit more gawking around Saratoga, we continue south past Round Lake to Quick Response’s “Santas’s Playland Parade of Lights,” the 20^th annual event by this fire/water damage restoration company (“Your 1^st call for fire, water, smoke, or mold”). Cars lined up to enter, but only a short wait. Impressive displays. 

Then to nearby Blue Spruce Lane, touted as “a great spot for a slow roll” to view neighborhood lights. It’s OK, but we find better in our own neighborhood; after all, there’s no place like home! In the news: vaccine approved for use in the US; the US Supreme Court for the 2^nd time refuses to hear a Republican lawsuit challenging the election results.  

December 14^th: the Electoral College, under heightened security, certifies the Biden/Harris election victory. Is it over now? Probably not, tho Biden gives a very pointed speech that night (no more Mr. Nice Guy?) denouncing efforts to undo the election results, including the “dozens, and dozens, and dozens” of lawsuits (all failures) by Trump & his supporters/enablers, as “unconscionable,” and declaring that “democracy prevailed.” At least some laggards, like Mitch McConnell & Vladimir Putin, now acknowledge the “President-Elect.” 

 But still troubling political news. Cyberhacking of US agencies, apparently by Russia, described as “grave” and “into everything.” Trump does nothing about it and remains silent about the pandemic, while reports of continuing & disturbing White House discussions of ways to overturn the election (even using martial law!); as one commentator puts it: “he wants a job that he doesn’t want to do.” [How many days until January 20^th?] And the “Pardonpalooza” (as Francisco calls it) continues; Trump pardons several politicians for their shady financial dealings, allies convicted out of the Mueller probe, military “contractors” who killed Iraqi civilians ˗ and a few who actually seem deserving.

Some light at the end of the other tunnel. There’s finally agreement on a new pandemic relief bill,tho more needs to be done. [And wouldn’t you know, Trump threatens to veto it, then signs at the last minute, but does veto a defense bill, putting Republicans in a quandary.] Mass vaccinations begin in the US, and a 2^nd vaccine is approved. Dr. Fauci says he’s vaccinated Santa at the North Pole! “Fauci on a Couchi” replacing “Elf on a Shelf”?

 

           
          Nearing the end of this very strange year, I struggle with how to conclude. Can’t we just get a mulligan, a do-over? The US has reached 20 million COVID cases, nearly 350,000 deaths; the week of 12/15 the worst with 19,000 deaths. World totals are 72 million & 1.6 million, respectively, the US most for both (then India & Brazil). The US is expected to finish with the deadliest year in its history – more than 3 million deaths from all causes. And it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. A new COVID strain found in the UK is more contagious and may affect children more; many countries are banning UK travelers, cases surge later. Even the various vaccines have uncertainties about distribution and long-term protection, will take months to slow a pandemic that has progressed so far, and are viewed with skepticism or distrust by many. 

How will we know the pandemic is over? Marjorie: “When we can invite a bunch of people over for a party.” She’s not the only one. What will this election and its toxic politics mean for the future? And what about racial & economic inequalities? Another young Black man was just killed by police with no apparent justification. And the pandemic adds to inequality: a “tumultuous year” for stocks ends at a record high up 16% for the year; but tho unemployment is down some, it’s 4 times pre-pandemic levels. Problems of climate change still loom. And 2020 is not going away quietly: Kilauea erupts in Hawaii; red tide is killing fish in Florida; a “bomb cyclone” headed to Alaska. And Marjorie points me to a factoid: this is the 1^st year since 1999 we haven’t traveled outside the contiguous US.

But I don’t want to finish with just doom & gloom. It’s almost Christmas, after all. Tho we’ve missed out on some of the usual holiday whoop-dee-dos, there’s still something special about the Christmas season: good memories, lights festooning houses, a message of love and salvation. 

 

I’m warmed by a Zoom sing-along of holiday music with my Mendelssohn Club brothers, as Winter Storm Gail begins to drop the most December snow (2 feet, 3’ in Saratoga) in over 50 years. Nice views at home and in Albany. ♫It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas♫. 

 

But what caused the strange “snow circles” in our yard ˗ aliens again? 

We enjoy Christmas classics from Russell Sage College’s streamed A Christmas Carol, (watched simultaneously with Miles in Queens), to The Wizard of Oz to a personal favorite: Saturday Night Live’s 1^st-season cast’s spirited version of ♫Winter Wonderland♫. 

 

             

We miss the annual Santa riding on a firetruck thru our neighborhood, but he appears at the St. Pius food drive ˗ 8 tons of food collected! 

Dec. 21^st has a “Great Conjunction” of Saturn & Jupiter, theorized to have been the “Christmas Star” over Bethlehem; this is the closest since 1623! Sadly, clouds block our view (internet photo from an observatory); maybe we’ll catch the next one (tho lesser) in 2040.  

        No Christmas Eve Midnight Mass with choir extravaganza; instead several Masses during the day, limited seating & reservations required for social distancing, we do 1:00 with our Christmas masks. 

Up to 60° overnight, heavy rain, snow mostly gone. Just the 2 of us, stockings & presents in the morning, “Melodies of Christmas” on Ch. 6 includes some from past ESYO concerts. Following Mary’s lead, we watch 2 (!) of the multitude of Hallmark Christmas formula romances (doesn’t matter which). 

A Zoom with my side of the family: brother Doug & Ann, their children Katie & Greg (& wife Steph, son Aiden), Matt & family, stepsis Mar, cousins Marcia & Bob. This partly makes up for missing our “Leon Day” gathering for Christmas in June. The day’s completed by a quiet dinner for 2.          

Seems only appropriate to share here a pandemic-themed Christmas song, with my Holiday Wish for good health, good sense, and civility to take us safely to the other side.

 

       Some post-Christmas notes. We almost forget Matt’s birthday 12/28! [Tho that might be some payback.] I post photos on Facebook, none too embarrassing ˗ we’ll hold those for another time. Totally unrelated, that day the annual Good Riddance Day (“Shred it & Forget it”) is celebrated in Times Square. Can we shred an entire year? 

 We play “Hallmark Movie Bingo” with Mary & Jeff, marking cards for various plot lines & images (e.g., Big Misunderstanding, Near Miss Kiss, Snow Falling). A favorite Christmas card arrives from niece Katherine & Fordon family: “It’s Fine. We’re Fine. Everything is Fine.” Short and sweet! I receive 2 lovely new Red Cross pins. Turns out a “pin culture” dates to the 1906 Nurse Badge; Red Crossers collect, swap, & wear pins that document the workforce & history.

Marjorie meets a new neighbor, adorable puppy Paco. She also gets a surprise call on New Year’s Eve to get a COVID vaccine shot because of her work at Albany Med; just a sore arm next AM. And pandemics & politics aren’t the only things happening in the world: after 4 years Britain & the EU finally reach a “Brexit” trade & travel agreement.

     

        As a new year approaches, it’s worth pondering what this past year tell us about information & trust by looking at some patterns from an NPR national poll ˗ I am after all a sociologist, and prone (Marjorie says) to occasionally being pedantic. There’s a glass half full/half empty mix. 83% are concerned about the spread of false information, including 80% about coronavirus & vaccines; 69% that information on social media is not accurate. Nonetheless substantial minorities believe falsehoods.: 40% that COVID-19 was created in a lab in China (no evidence); 47% that most protests this summer were violent (most weren’t); regarding key tenets of wacko QAnon conspiracy theories, only 47% said the statement “Satan-worshipping elites who run a child sex ring are trying to control our politics and media” is false, and 39% agree a deep state is working to undermine President Trump. Partisan divides are echoed in these patterns: Democrats are more likely than Republicans (90% vs. 61%) to say masks are effective to prevent COVID; 2/3 of Republicans (vs. 1/3 of all Americans) believe voter fraud helped Biden win the election, and fewer than 1/2 say they accept the election outcome. More generally, Democrats & college-educated Americans answered more statements correctly than Republicans. Asked who they trust (a great deal or fair amount), personal doctor” (85%) & “spiritual leader” (61%) topped the list, followed by Fauci (59%) & Biden (53%), with Trump (37%) trailing, but fairly high considering Washington Post’s Fact Checker tally of his 23K+ “false of misleading statements” as President thru late November. Interestingly, news pundits at opposite ends of the spectrum fared similarly poorly: Tucker Carlson of Fox (20%) & even our favorite Rachel Maddow of MSNBC (25%).

       Happy New Year!? Sadly, no First Night Mendelssohn Club performance this year. Times Square ball drop, held since 1907 except 2 years in WWII, will go on but lots of roads closed off & the public urged to stay home. 2020 went from impeachment to pandemic to . . . well, you know. What will this year bring? Two story lines continue to dominate. The pandemic is overwhelming healthcare resources (staffing, beds, equipment) in hot spots like California. Even Albany County is breaking records with 250+ cases/day; nearly ½ of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet at the Provincial House test positive. And another post-holiday surge is expected. Air travel reaching pre-pandemic levels. Holiday crowds filling Florida theme parks. [Thruway signs: “NYS Celebrate Smart! Stop Shutdowns. Stay NY Tough”]  

Vaccinations going slower than expected, long lines some places, especially 1^st-come-1^st-served seniors in FL. Feds set goal of 20 million vaccinated by the end of December, only 3 million given. But just before New Year’s a 3^rd vaccine is approved. Meanwhile, Trump does King Lear from his Mar-a-Lago castle, golfing & railing against the “Fake President” and insufficiently loyal Republicans. Biden speaks out on lack of cooperation with his transition teams, “roadblocks” especially concerning in defense & national security. Trump, in turn, encourages/riles up supporters ˗ Proud Boys, white supremacists, other fine citizens ˗ to protest in DC at the Electoral College certification January 6^th, stirring fears of violence.

        A promising start to 2021: a pretty sunrise & moonset. No Rose Parade, held since 1891 except 3 years during WWII; oh well, we still have our memories from 1987. There’s interesting coverage of behind-the-scenes activities like float creation, historical looks with scenes from past parades, and performances 

including “Human Jukebox Marching Band” from Southern U & a Zoom band of seniors who can’t perform next year conducted by Kermit the Frog. Also a partnership with Kidspace Children’s Museum for “Virtual Rosebud Parade” in May streaming homemade floats. Football too, of course, tho the Rose Bowl game, “The GrandDaddy of Them All” held 1^st in 1902 & annually since 1916, moved to Texas to allow family to attend. 

Some pertinent reading: The New Yorker’s sad & maddening comprehensive review of the many missed opportunities & missteps during “The Pandemic Year;” the Times-Union’s “headlines we’d like to see” (e.g., “Trump concedes at last,” “Fox News will now report facts”). And a Not-So-Happy New Year for Trump ˗ Congress overrides his defense bill veto, the 1^st override of his presidency.

A light snow brings a Winter Wonderland ˗ I find so many photo ops within 5 miles!

        Leading up to the Georgia Senate runoff: A record 3 million early votes, even more than November, may bode well for Dems. Trump, of course, says it’s all “illegal & invalid.” Then outdoes himself with a 1-hour phone call urging, cajoling, threatening the GA Sec’y of State to “find 11,780 votes” to overturn the presidential outcome. Tho “legally murky,” it seems a clear abuse of power, and he continues claims having no basis in fact. How does he find the time? His actual public schedule in January sounds so busy: “President Trump will work from early in the morning until late in the evening. He will make many calls and have many meetings.” It’s another Election Thriller watching MSNBC’s “Karnacki in khakis” his arms at an electoral map & lots of numbers! ! Still counting as we go to bed, next AM one Dem called the winner, the other ahead but too close to call until PM ˗ so Republicans lose control of the Senate.

        And now another, well, not thriller exactly, maybe a dramedy, tho it would become a political potboiler. Electoral College certification, generally “ceremonial,” has rather convoluted procedures with debate required if an “objection” is raised in Congress about any state. So, of course, Republicans in the House & Senate plan to object to states Biden won. Tho no chance of overturning the election, this will drag things out. A protest rally that seems much larger than Trump’s inaugural is incited by him & others (Giuliani: “Let’s have trial by combat!”, Donald Jr.: “We’re coming for you!”) into a very sad and appalling turn: a mob breaches the Capitol with little interference (imagine BLM protestors attempting this!). House & Senate recess to “shelter in place,” VP Pence & other leaders rushed to safety, tear gas inside the Senate, the National Guard called up. Compounding the threat, several uncaring/idiotic Republican lawmakers refuse masks when Congress is sequestered in close quarters; at least 3 later test positive for COVID.

Trump does nothing until a lame video that still asserts election fraud and tells protestors “We love you. You’re very special;” Twitter & Facebook suspend him, tho he works around using @POTUS account. Similar violent protests occurring elsewhere around the country. One commentator: “What does this look like to the world?” Congress back in session at 8pm, some relent from objecting, but it still takes until 3:40am to certify the election outcome. Incidentally, lest we forget, it’s the deadliest day of the pandemic: over 4,000 deaths. 

Such a feeling of strangeness & unease. There’s debate over what to call yesterday: coup, insurrection, domestic terrorism? More than a protest rally, the mob included organized groups with weapons & explosives, and more likely lies ahead. Can we make it thru the next 2 weeks? Don’t know what an unhinged President might do next. There are discussions of impeachment and 25^th Amendment removal from office. Staffers and even Cabinet members are resigning. But it’s so troubling that there are still so many who feed Trump’s lies and so many Americans who believe them, even to the point of armed insurrection. It doesn’t help being cooped up at home, turning on the news 1^st thing. A statement & video from Trump, no doubt put together by staff, denounces “lawlessness and mayhem,” offers a concession of sorts for “a new administration” & “orderly transition,” but it seems quite insincere and self-serving, not to mention throwing his “special people” under the bus. 

Police agencies busy identifying people, not so hard for many who are maskless or id themselves on interviews & social media. Also resignations & firings of security officials, investigations into possible help to protesters beforehand by some congressional Republicans. But there are also conspiracy theories about what “really” happened ˗ antifa infiltrators, people lured in by police to make arrests. No end to the lunacy! The NY Times notes: “A year ago this week, China first identified the coronavirus and House Democrats were preparing articles of impeachment. Here we are again.”

        Seeking some respite, we head to Cohoes, a classic old industrial city at the confluence of Hudson & Mohawk Rivers. A stroll along downtown Remsen St., still pretty decorations, beautiful old buildings & store windows. Into “Local,” a shop specializing in (can you guess?) local products. Spindle City Vineyard Church with friendly staff describing multiple community outreach efforts; upstairs houses youth group space surrounded by beautiful stained-glass windows. An eclectic resale shop.

Saturday dawns quiet, both weather & news. More respite ahead: NFL playoffs & college championship. How have sports fared in the pandemic? MLB made it thru a shortened season to the World Series. Similarly, the NBA & NHL completed seasons in “bubbles” and have begun new seasons with adaptations (e.g., NHL divisions realigned to put all Canadian teams together to avoid border crossings). Many “minor” college sports were cancelled, basketball has been disrupted but is moving along, major football leagues completed seasons & a championship despite postponed or cancelled games. The NFL has made it thru a full season with some juggling of schedules & rosters. But loss of attendance has led to big financial losses, an estimated $2 billion lost revenue for the NFL.

The respite doesn’t last long. In the news: Amid calls for Trump to resign or Pence & Cabinet declare him “incapable,” a House impeachment resolution introduced. Corporations cutting off donations to Republicans; upcoming British Open & PGA Championship at Trump’s golf courses cancelled. More arrests from the Capitol insurrection and FBI reports threats of more armed protests across the country on Inauguration Day. Trump-appointed acting head of Homeland Security decides this is a good time to resign! An unprecedented statement from the Joint Chiefs of Staff condemns “sedition and insurrection,” the US military will obey “lawful orders,” is “fully committed to protecting and defending the Constitution,” and acknowledges President-elect Biden will be inaugurated. A COVID surge pushing hospitals to the limit; cases now total 22.5 million, deaths 375,000. New variants “much more infectious” –“a game changer.” Vaccination problems of supply & organization. Major snow in Texas, also Mississippi & Louisiana. Still seems like 2020!

      

       

        Another brief respite: Marjorie watches (and I catch some) an interesting webinar about the NY Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show, which we’ve attended twice, 1^st in a conservatory & 2^nd in a temporary shelter during renovations. For 29 years model trains have traversed a “magical landscape” with more than 175 replicas of such NY landmarks as the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and Rockefeller Center made from natural materials like birch bark, acorns, & cinnamon sticks. Marjorie is pleased to be credited with “a very good question” about preserving the various organic materials.

 

On 1/13/21 Trump becomes the 1^st President impeached twice. Quite a distinction! And the most bipartisan: 10 Republicans vote yes, including conservative GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney. Also factoring in is the 14^th Amendment barring future public office for “insurrection or rebellion” or “aid or comfort” to those who do. Whew, it’s a class in constitutional law! Meanwhile, some 20,000 Nat’l Guard troops are being deployed to DC. Some already evident in Capitol corridors during the impeachment vote.

        

We’re tired of politics and a string of cloudy days, so another “artistic” outing seems in order. To Main St Gloversville and friend Linda Hinkle’s exhibit in the Micropolis Gallery within pretty Mohawk Harvest Cooperative Market. An interesting & lovely diversity; Marjorie buys a piece for her “food art” collection in the kitchen.

 

We follow a lunch tip to Main St Johnstown: Union Hall Inn, a “postrevolutuionary tavern.” A lovely, quiet, friendly spot, excellent food: jambalaya & Turkey Rachel sandwich, chocolate cake to take home. 

Back to Albany to swing by “Creative Curbsides” art installations in windows of 2 Albany Public Library branches. 

One last stop to check out the basement hole dug for a new addition at St. Pius. 

I learn I’m “doubly” eligible for the vaccine: age dropped to 65+ & an “essential” Red Cross volunteer. So much confusion & lack of information, it takes lots of searching on-line or the NYS Hotline - Marjorie got hers so quickly! – but finally success for 1/31 . . . 100 miles away in Utica! Fingers crossed for good driving weather. I keep trying in a system that seems like a crapshoot, and finally connect for an appointment at UAlbany on 1/31. That’ll be much easier!

The day before inauguration is also the anniversary of the 1^st US COVID case. What we thought (or at least hoped) might last a few months is still going on, perhaps worse than ever. There have now been over 24 million cases & 400,000 deaths. Biden & Harris speak at an evening memorial, a 1^st-ever lighting around the Reflecting Pool in the National Mall. The city looks so beautiful, a very simple but moving ceremony. 

 

Trump never made any real acknowledgement of those lost lives (“It is what it is” he said in an interview). And his support may be unraveling; McConnell now says “the mob was fed lies” and “provoked” by Trump, and some speculation whether he’ll support conviction in the Senate impeachment trial. In a video message, Trump wishes luck for the “new administration.” He gives pardons later including allies like former senior strategist Steve Bannon, but not as speculated for himself, his children, or Giuliani.

Inauguration Day arrives 1/20/21. Trump skips it, leaving the White House in the AM. He asked staff for an elaborate sendoff at Andrews military base: 21-gun salute, military band, red carpet. Apparently many people declined to join the “party;” Pence opts for the inauguration (and on 1/15 gave congrats to Harris, the 1^st direct post-election contact between the campaigns). Trump’s “farewell” speech is “full of puffery and lies,” as one commentator puts it. He leaves with his worst approval rating, 34% (still, why even that high?); the only President never more than 50%. And the Bidens will have to wait to move in until the WH gets “deep cleaning and disinfection.” 

DC is a “fortress” with unprecedented security & building lockdowns, people told to watch from home. In lieu of the usual crowd, the National Mall covered by some 200,000 flags. It’s a chilly day; a photo of Bernie Sanders bundled up in mask & mittens goes viral as a meme inserted into many images from “Game of Thrones” to “Hamilton.”

Like the wartime 1945 inaugural, this year’s was already scaled down: Biden cancelled a train ride to DC, no parade (tho a drumlines procession accompanies the Bidens to the White House), a shorter ceremony. But it’s still a busy & impressive day. Early livestream for young people includes a segment on presidential pets (the Bidens’ dog “Major,” the 1^st 1^st Dog from a shelter, will have his own “Indoguration” at the shelter). Prayer service attended by bipartisan Congressional leaders. Lady Gaga sings an exceptional anthem (in an exceptional dress! ˗ with a large brooch of a dove carrying an olive branch). Biden gives a strong speech, emphasizing the strength of our democracy and our “better angels.” 

Very entertaining “Parade Across America” in the afternoon offers very diverse bands, dancers, singers around the country, even seniors dancing with walkers. A “star-studded” TV special replaces the Inaugural Ball at night, capped by spectacular fireworks over the Mall.

Biden has an ambitious agenda, while inheriting a mess with only limited briefings. He begins with a “blitz” of executive orders to rescind the travel ban on predominantly Muslim countries, rejoin the Paris climate change accord & World Health Organization, extend pandemic-related limits on evictions & student loan payments, and order agencies to figure out how to reunite children separated from families crossing the border. The pandemic is a main priority, focusing on supplies & more effective vaccination efforts.  He’s put out a $1.9 trillion economic plan and will submit a bill providing a pathway to citizenship for 11 million in the country illegally. But can he do these plus others like Cabinet (including elevating science advisor) & other appointments if the Senate is tied up with an impeachment trial? One hopeful sign: the new Press Sec’y is a breath of fresh air, answering questions directly or promising to “circle back” with answers, vowing “truth and transparency.” And Dr. Fauci is feeling “liberated.”

  To be continued