Plague Days

Wise people are saying we should journal about the plague for people in the future, so this gives me a chance to reawaken this blog.

I haven't felt the change as much as most people.  My wife and I are both retired, so we have no jobs to miss or figure out ways to do from home.  I continue to write.  I bicycle every day, usually for an hour or two.  One big difference is I can't stop for a cup of tea.  Huge challenge, huh?

We had to cancel our trip to Greece, scheduled for May, and Bouchercon (scheduled for October) has been cancelled.  Ditto Festival of American Tunes.  If the Bible and Archaeology Fest goes on as scheduled in November we will probably go to that.

Like everyone else we have become experts in Zoom in the last month.  I have a story in THE MISADVENTURES OF NERO WOLFE, which was released last month.  I didn't expect to get to the launch party in New York but since it was held virtually I was able to attend.  Little ironies.

Last week I felt like we had more social activity than in  normal month: sometimes three or four zoom meetings a day.  It seems to have calmed down since then.

The farmer's market opened last week, one week late.  It was a very different experience.  The building was shut, coordinators let people in one at a time and everyone stood six feet apart.  There were only groceries (no crafts, no buskers, no take-out) and you couldn't touch the food.

"I'll take a bag of spinach and some radishes."  The merchant put them on a table.  You walk up tot he table and put the money in a box.Everyone's wearing masks.  "You can't tell," I told the merchant, "but I'm smiling."

Terri made our masks, which was an ordeal since we no longer have a sewing machine.

We have a list of friends, most of whom live alone, and we are calling one a day, just to keep i touch and make sure they are okay.

That's enough for now.