Staycation

So how’s your staycation going?

Our neighborhood has a 4th of July parade, followed by a brunch and pool party at someone’s house. We volunteered to host the brunch this year, but then things took a turn. Suddenly the thought of squeezing 40-60 adults onto the patio, with god knows how many additional little ones splashing in the pool, the whole crowd dipping food from Tupperware tubs and casserole dishes with spoons and ladles everyone has already touched … well, you get it. The pandemic has changed the way we see gatherings, and what looked like a fun time when we signed up to host now looks downright dangerous.

Here’s the message I’m sending out to Sunnywood Estates homeowners tomorrow:

I’d send it today, but wanted to give the other SEHOA board members a look at it first. The board is with us on this, but I anticipate pushback from certain neighbors. Fine, let them host a contra-brunch! Where they can eat cake!

Mister B’s been draggy the last couple of days. We’re keeping an eye on him. I expect he’ll perk up soon, when our son Gregory and grandson Quentin arrive. They’re going to help us cut down a couple of mesquite trees on the back side of our property, but that’s a job for tomorrow morning, before it gets too hot. If they feel up to it after getting here today, I’ll take them to Costco and let them pick out a new TV for us. There are so many choices, and I could use the help. The new TV will go in the family room; the one that’s there now will go in our bedroom.

The Tucson libraries are open again. I have four books on hold, three from before the pandemic. Well, one is in. The other three will no doubt be ready for pickup before I’ve finished reading the first. That’s the way it goes when I put multiple books on hold … a lesson I seem unable to learn.

Any bets on whether military leaders will go along with Trump’s plan to use active duty military forces against American citizens at home? I wouldn’t bet against it, but I’d like to hope they’ll do what’s right and refuse. Not looking good so far, though, with troops from Fort Bragg already in Washington DC, but DC’s a special case.*

Update, a couple of hours later: Gregory and Quentin are here and the new TV’s in the garage. Costco makes it very easy to buy big-ticket items, doesn’t it? I’m on hold with Costco Concierge Services now, to see if I can arrange to have the new TV installed and the old one moved. It may be they’re not doing installations during the pandemic; if so, we have a handyman we can call. Worst comes to worst, I can fuck it up myself.

Another Update, an hour later: still on hold with Costco Concierge Services. Thank goodness I don’t have to apply for unemployment; I hear that’s infinitely worse. Sorry, I shouldn’t even remotely compare my consumer experience to that of fellow citizens who are actually suffering.

* Washington DC will never achieve statehood. DC’s a company town. The company it serves is Congress. Give it statehood and it’ll start passing laws and ordinances to benefit citizens and local businesses, laws and ordinances that won’t necessarily benefit Congress (and might even work against it). Congress will never let that happen. The pro-statehood rhetoric you occasionally hear from presidents and congressmen is so much wind.

With regard to the deployment of active duty troops, DC comes under the US Army Military District of Washington, an active duty command. Trump can do in DC what he can’t do in the states, but you watch … he thinks he can, the Justice Department will give him dubious legal cover, Republicans in Congress won’t say no … nor will, I fear, military leaders. Hope I’m wrong about the last part.