Here we are celebrating Labor Day during a coronavirus shutdown. A day to honor those who made and are making contributions to the well-being of the country.

At first blush, one thinks of those paid for their labor as the recipients of the honor. It should cause one to blush, for many who contribute to the country’s well-being earn little, if any, salary or hourly pay.

Those who support

They are homemakers—women and men who remain at home caring for children or elderly relatives to allow their life-mate to bring the paycheck. We cannot measure their contribution in dollars and cents, though some have tried. The Washington Post at https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-parenting/post/a-homemakers-real-salary/2012/02/01/gIQAh7czhQ_blog.html once estimated their value at over $96,000 a year. Let’s not undervalue those who support by maintaining the home.

The holiday includes those who worked but not working today, whether retired or out-of-work because of the virus or other reasons. I am thankful for all of those who have worked, are working, or support workers. Our country is great because of you.

Another Peeve

You know me. Here is a peeve. I am disappointed in my County Executive. He never follows Maryland’s Governor’s recommendations regarding reopenings. Does he think people less capable of adhering to state guidelines run Anne Arundel County businesses? It appears so.

He should honor country workers on this Labor Day by helping them to get back to work.

I would enjoy hearing how your Labor Day goes. I provide a comment form for your use.

What makes up unnecessary travel? One could look at what businesses are open in Maryland. Based on my trips, the following are open.

Necessary Trips!?

I picked up my prescriptions at the Navy pharmacy and shopped for groceries at the base commissary. The pharmacy and commissary are about twenty-seven miles from our home. There were few others on the road at the time of our trip.

My wife and I took advantage of the curbside service Sam’s store offered seniors. We gave our order to one of their employees, and soon another brought it to us. The number of cars in the parking lot, and the number in line, surprised us.  We filled up with gas at Sam’s gas station on our way home.

My wife required an ingredient for dinner, and  I found it at the local Safeway grocery. The store was swarming with people. The store marked the floor to help shoppers maintain social distancing during checkout. It was a busy store with many shoppers.

My wife and I picked up bulk shelled peanuts for our squirrel friends, grass seed, suit, and onion set from the county co-op. I had trouble finding a place to park the first visit, and a little easier the second time—so many finding going to the co-op an essential trip, including me.

My son-in-law and I made a deposit of branches from a down tree in the county. We filled the bed of my truck with limb debris from a tree recently downed. We were one of the few customers.

I should include the farm where we bought fresh free-range eggs. That was a pleasant drive after leaving the interstate through rolling farms, stands of trees. I remember commenting to my wife I hadn’t noticed a car on the road for miles.

We would like to get out more but there are limited places to go. All of the precautions, with the closures, give us very few choices.

COVID-19 Response Necessary?

I hope there will be a serious conversation regarding whether there were better ways to deal with this virus.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there were 38 million illnesses, 390,000 hospitalizations, and 23,000 deaths from the latest flu strain as of March 25^th  in the United States alone.  These numbers are like every year’s as additional strains of the flu attack. Yet, we don’t shut down America for it.

COVID-19 has not run its course, and the numbers are still going up. I am sure they will have the numbers eventually. But, will they be able to learn the number of deaths caused by the shutdown? How many who lost their businesses or jobs committed suicide or turned to drugs? What was the increase in domestic abuse? There were severe repercussions from shutting down America besides those attributed to the virus.

Your thoughts about the shutdown. Have you been out during this trying time? Share with me using the comment form.

Snow arrived at my house tonight. The forecasted one inch turned out to be a dusting.  This is not snow I thought as I let my dogs out to run this morning. I could only shake my head as visions of what the wife and I saw in Iceland and other days in Maryland.

We spent the winter of 1974 living in a Quonset hut just off the Keflavik custom’s gate. Every time we went on the NATO base, we had to clear customs to get home.  I had introduced her to snow when I took her to meet my parents the winter before. This winter was my wife’s first winter with inches of snow. The amount of snow we had in Iceland was an eye opener and left us some fun memories.

Snow in Iceland

We bought an old VW Beetle to get us around until our car arrived on island. Once we had our car, the old Bug was parked in the driveway. One storm dropped a large amount of snow and the wind caused drifting. The snow literally buried this Beetle, leaving just the smallest portion of the top visible. We did not dig it out, we waited for spring when we sold it.

Our car was a newer model Beetle, a compact car with issues getting through the snow. One day we needed to go to the store. The road had been plowed but the wind had back-filled it with snow. We could see the road because it had less snow. We were doing well until we encountered an SUV. It being the bigger vehicle, I pulled over. Bad move. The car bottomed out and we could go nowhere. Fortunately, the SUV stopped. Several Icelanders walked over and pushed us back on the road. With just a wave, they left.

Snow in Maryland

There have been fun memories here also. One year my wife’s niece, about 9 at the time, told us she wanted to see snow. She lived in Texas and had not seen any yet. We invited her to stay for a few days. A few days turned in a few weeks when, after she arrived, we had a record snowfall. We were snowbound for a week. This gave her and my daughter ample opportunities to make snow forts, tunnels (it was that deep), and have snowball fights. I would have been upset with all the snow except I had paid days off!

Do you have any fond or not so fond memories of snow filled days? Share them with a comment. I look forward to hearing them.

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Traditions — Christmas Day is upon us. Are you ready? For once we, my wife and I, are ready! We have the presents purchased and wrapped. They sit under the tree waiting for the package distributor to pick one and call out a name. If tradition holds, whoever the present is for will be offered help in opening it. Then comes the cries of “Show us what it is. Hold it up.” Cameras will flash and it will be time for the next one.

Our Christmases around the world

I was sitting here thinking how Christmas Day events have changed for my family over the years. My wife and I spent our first Christmas (1974) as a married couple in Keflavik, Iceland. The second was in Iceland also. Our third was in San Vito, Italy in an apartment above our Italian landlords. We were two and a half. My wife was pregnant.

My son joined us for the fourth and fifth (1977-1978) in San Vito. The sixth and seventh were in Pensacola, Florida. The Eighth (1981) was my daughter’s first as she grew us to a family of four.  The next two were in Coco Solo, Panama. We have been in Maryland for all of them since 1984.

Christmas traditions at our house

My wife and I bought a big artificial tree in Iceland and used it for forty years. It was always a challenge to find room in the government housing we lived in for the tree.  Some piece of furniture would hide in the bedroom or utility room while the tree decorated the space vacated.  Over several days before each Christmas, wrapped presents found their way under the tree. It was magic to the kids. It was late night wrapping that made the magic.

It became traditional for the kids to open one present on Christmas Eve. The rest waited for Christmas morning. Santa had to make a stop after all. Santa’s presents were the big items that required assembly. Santa’s helper had to pull tools and stay up late doing Santa’s work.  Christmas morning was hectic as the mounds of wrapping paper grew. The kids enjoyed their presents while we made dinner.

Today, the children are grown and have children of their own. They are creating their family traditions regarding Christmas *and other holidays*. Our traditions have changed to permit them to have theirs. We remember, in moments of nostalgia, past Christmases.

One of our traditions remains. Our smaller tree requires relegating a piece of furniture to another room. The tradition most missed is not being present when the sun comes up and watching the grandchildren discover what lies under their tree. We do get to watch them with the presents we bring with our visit.

Empty nesters, we accept the role of supporting cast ready for whatever role Santa needs filled. Has Christmas traditions changed for you? Use the comment to share your traditions.

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