I was engaged in a tried and proven New England tradition last evening while driving home. I had just gotten the latest coating of salt removed from the car since we’re not going to have a snow storm for the next few days (been a while since I could say that). After leaving the car wash, I then had to navigate home while trying to avoid the seemingly endless puddles on the roads as a result of the first snow melt we’ve had in a while. It’s been so cold that the snow kept piling up after the huge storm a few weeks ago. That changed over the last couple days, hence the nearly ubiquitous salt laden puddles along with the requisite dodging to keep the freshly washed car clean.
The
biggest news was the reason for my being out in the middle of Pandemia. I
received my first Covid vaccination shot last evening. It was at Worcester State
University and despite my many (well earned) complaints about getting the appointment,
the site was really well organized. I waited in my car until the large
scoreboard indicated my appointment time was being served. I was checked in and
had my shot five minutes after I walked in the door. I was then consigned to
the waiting area for fifteen minutes to make sure I didn’t start doing the
kicking chicken. While I was there a one of the vaccinator volunteers walked
over and handed me a tablet to make an appointment for my second dose. I could
have scanned a QR code and done it but c’mon, like I would have been capable of
that. I get the second dose on March 18th.
Vaccinated!!!
I
was concerned last night that I had been given a placebo or something because I
could not feel any effects whatsoever. That changed this morning when I woke up
with the well-publicized knot in the muscle where the shot was administered. I
thought this morning’s swim would be problematic but I think it actually helped
loosen up the knot. By most accounts the first shot is the easy one though.
After waiting so long to feel some actual hope in the pandemic I feel a real
lifting of spirit, that we might be finally getting ahead of this foul beast. 
FBR Posing in the Wild
Wingman
and the FBR were back out hiking in the wilderness yesterday. At least for what
qualifies as a wilderness in New Jersey. Seriously, I was pleasantly surprised at
the amount of public greenspace that remains available within a short drive of her
home. Living in New Jersey is nothing like I imagined and I’m happy my daughter’s
family has this great community to raise the FBR in. My first impression of New
Jersey, many years ago, was uniformly bad. As a young boy I took a YMCA trip to
Washington, DC and as soon as we crossed the bridge into New Jersey we were
assaulted by some really foul smelling fumes. It made an impression and that
makes the improvement since that time all the more remarkable.
New Jersey Wilderness
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RECURRING CHARACTERS
BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first
granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best
Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman
– my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2
– friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend
– friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical
leftist to attract women; Kindergarten
Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high
school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions
once my wife got involved in planning; Maine
and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters,
my wife is the 3rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of
my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin
Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we
have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood
Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of
course); First Friday – celebrations
to mark the First Friday of the Week; Curbside
Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in
Brooklyn
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