The Local

 Yes, yet another pandemic-related post, and yet I've still never got around to setting up a pandemic label (I really should, obviously). Things are tough all over during the Great Isolation, and that includes Vermont. For months now we've, week to week, done a much better job in confronting the pandemic because, well, we've actually confronted the pandemic. While I have on occasion trolled Governor Scott on Twitter pretty consistently, I will also be the first to admit that he's done a great job. That said, local businesses have definitely taken a pounding. While I've certainly been guilty of relying upon Amazon deliveries to keep me out of the stores, I've also tried to show some love to local businesses, or at least local restaurants. It began over the summer with a decision to get takeout from Al's Famous Frys on the way home from the Food Shelf on Thursday night. Eventually I added a Sunday morning breakfast at the Dutch Mill (initially with my friend Kevin and Marcelle, but since the latest lockdown which includes only members of one household as a solo venture) and then catching the 1:00 games at Smitty's. It's not much, but I've been going every week and they seem appreciative.

Ah, breakfast at the Dutch Mill, featuring the appropriately named Kitchen Sink. Normally I'd be taking the opportunity to talk politics with Kevin and Marcelle - or movies with my son - but now it's just me, so I bring a book to read. My December reading is all Dickens all the time, including Les Standiford's The Man Who Invented Christmas which provides the backstory on Dickens writing A Christmas Carol. I've since moved on to his Christmas Stories, having already read The Chimes and am just moving in to The Crickets on the Hearth. I'm hoping to end with A Christmas Carol as we reach the holiday itself.

Feeling Trapped

 I'm really feeling the Great Isolation lately; essentially, the wanderlust is killing me. A year ago, although my personal life was in the process of painfully ending, I had just returned from Jordan and was getting ready to take off for Namibia and the Trip of Mystery. I've been kicking around beginning the process of putting together course travel proposals for next year, but it would still be a year away, even if I could make a Thanksgiving trip to Jordan work. I may have to think about going somewhere this summer. The latest news, at least todays version, is that everyone who wants a COVID shot should have one by late June, so maybe a late July or August trip might be possible.

A view from inside a cave in, I think, Hellnar. At this moment I think this cave would feel much less confining than my present existence.

Rogue for Thanksgiving

 It seems like this entire year has been about tossing aside old traditions and creating new ones. With that in mind I guess it makes sense that Thanksgiving would serve as microcosm of that new world. So, why not have lobsters for Thanksgiving? They were a big hit and I think this may be the new tradition.

I'm not bragging. My only real contributions to the Thanksgiving feast were 1) buying the lobsters, 2) throwing the lobsters into the boiling water, and 3) ravenously consuming the lobsters.

COVID & Coffee

 I guess you know that you live during a pandemic when your Google Calendar has a recurring meeting entitled: COVID & Coffee. At Champlain, as long as you were teaching on campus, you were required to get tested for COVID weekly. Actually, I was more than happy to receive all the free COVID tests they wanted to dole out. In fact, now that the onsite portion of the semester is over and we can't get anymore free tests, I guess I'll have to be happy with the fourteen negative tests I've run up so far. My good friend Cindy and I would schedule our weekly COVID test for Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. and then we'd retreat to Klinger's Bakery, not simply because they have great treats there but also because they had plentiful outdoor seating under large umbrellas. By getting the tests that early we'd then get the results by the next evening, with mine usually showing up when I was volunteering at the South Burlington Food Shelf or shortly thereafter when I was picking up my weekly burgers and milk shakes at Al's. Cindy and I would be in constant communication to see who received their test results first. They usually showed up at exactly the same time, although several times hers were later because 1) technology hates her, or 2) the tyranny of the ruling patriarchy.

Sure, Cindy seems happy now, but then I brought up the terrible Tight Ends that she runs out every week for her fantasy football team and the tears began to flow.

251 Club

 So, what are you supposed to do during a pandemic that is safe and responsible? Obviously, you're options are limited.  However, if you live in Vermont you do have an option: the 251 Club. For some reason I didn't now this was a thing until recently. Apparently there are 251 official towns in Vermont, and for some time now there has been a club dedicated to visiting all of them. Now, what do you get if you visit every one of them? I think I told my son that in that case it empowers you to buy a stupid t-shirt. Still, it's a safe, if relatively geriatric, way to survive the Great Zombie Apocalypse. You drive around, hop out of your car for two minutes, and find some way to document your attendance. 

My friend Dannah and I began our quest, after joining the online 251 Club, by stopping for two minutes in Georgia, and capturing the event with the requisite selfie.

On the webpage you get to tick off your towns, which then show up a map of Vermont. I suspect this will be a several year quest. Eighteen towns down, two-hundred-thirty-three towns to go.

The Terror of the Indian Ocean

 One of the great joys of teaching is when ex-students go out of their way to look you up. It happens quite a bit with me, which I'm sure is more of a testament to the excellence of my students than of their teacher. Recently my friend Carolanne Kelly looked me up and suggested we grab some coffee. So, we met at Klinger's, which has become my coffeeshop of choice during the pandemic.  She took me a couple times in college, and I think I may be the only one who ever gave her anything below an A (and yet she forgave me). She's flourishing, and has even started volunteering at the Food Shelf, which I'll happily get to see her more in the future.

She was a member of the crew that went to India/Sri Lanka on one of our earliest trips. Carolanne was an absolute joy to travel with, and was one of those students who inspired everyone by her endless enthusiasm. We'd be sitting in the back of the bus chatting when she'd suddenly say, "I have a question!" and then run up to the front of the bus to quiz the guides. She's known as the Terror of the Indian Ocean for her crimes against it (recounted in a separate blog post).

Halloween at the Food Shelf

 Mainly I just wanted to post this picture, which, for some reason, got a lot of love on FB. As we were closing in on Halloween at the Food Shelf Pedro proposed, quite naturally, that we dress up for the day. Although Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year I've never been much for wearing costumes to school or work. So, I took a bit of a shortcut and simply wore the farwa that one of our bedouin friends gave me in the Wadi Rum (detailed in a separate post); and special extra credit points to the esteemed Liza Ryan for correctly identifying it.

Now, I don't know why this was such a popular post on FB, but it was. Maybe it's simply because I was wearing a mask - or maybe it's the only known picture of me actually doing some work.