Book from the Past

I enjoy "finding" Little Free Libraries when I am out walking or driving down the street.  I first saw this one between houses when I was a passenger headed for home after our coronavirus vaccination shots.  It is a few blocks from our house on a park district walking path.

 

I immediately focused on the book on the right because it had a Library of Congress call number on a spine label.  Then I saw that it was property stamped PC Library on its top edge.  I brought it home with me because J reads this author.

See that handwritten due date?  May 30.  That's MY handwriting.  I had checked it out when the book was first acquired in the library and brought it home for J.

J is re-reading this book now.  

Seeing this book brings back many memories of working in PC Library.

Cold February

We had roughly 2 weeks where temperatures remained below-freezing in February 2021. C-U temperatures have been below freezing since late on February 4. I believe we finally got above 32° this past Sunday (February 21).

But that is nowhere near the record for longest streak of complete days with subfreezing temperatures in C-U: 36, stretching from Dec. 29, 1976, to Feb. 2, 1977. During that period, there were 16 days with low temperatures below zero, including a -20 reading on Jan. 17, 1977, as well as readings of  -12, -13, and -17 on other days.

The average temperature during the 36-day event was about 10.5 degrees. January 1977 was the coldest January in the 133-year history of C-U weather records.

The News-Gazette, 02/20/2021:

On the other hand:

COVID-19 Vaccine

 
It can be difficult to get vaccinated for the coronavirus. I found it difficult just finding correct, up-to-date information. I learned that I had to sign up online. It was difficult to find where the sign-up was. Then, it was full and the sign-up was closed even though there were random openings throughout the form. I continued looking over several days, and I did get us registered. We received our 1st dose on January 26.

We were told that the Public Health District would contact us to get our 2nd shots in 4 to 6 weeks. Hope that works better than getting this 1st shot scheduled.

Facebook Friends

Plus, "sharing inspirational quotes."

2020 -- The Year of the Coronavirus

One "disturbing" characteristic of COVID-19 made it clear the battle against coronavirus would be unlike any other disease-prevention effort, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert: The fact that so many cases were passed along by people who had no symptoms. "We're seeing that even people without symptoms transmitting it, and that to me is something that was the game-changer," said Fauci in an interview this week. "It was the game-changer in everything we did." It changed testing, because only testing symptomatic people would miss those who were asymptomatic, he explained.

Additionally, "Mask wearing became much more important, because if you're only worried about somebody who's symptomatic, then you'll know who you're dealing with," said Fauci. "But if you don't know who's infected, then everybody should be wearing a mask, which is the real fundamental rationale for saying we need universal and uniform wearing of masks."

The stealthy nature of the disease took even Fauci—who has served six presidential administrations over four decades—aback. "I guess you could use the word surprising. It was a combination of surprising and disturbing," he said. 

"The other thing that has really been an issue is that I've never seen a virus like this—and I've been dealing with viral outbreaks for the last, you know, 40 years—where you have such a range of involvement of seriousness, from 40% of the people who get infected and have absolutely no symptoms at all, to those who have symptoms," added Fauci. "About 80% have mild to moderate symptoms that generally require staying at home for a few days, maybe sometimes a couple of weeks."

And then about 20% to 25% of COVID patients get severe enough symptoms that they require hospitalization and intensive care, "and then they die," said Fauci.

That's what Fauci considers "the mystery" of COVID-19—how differently it can behave in different people.

According to the CDC, more than 19.4 million cases of coronavirus have been reported in the U.S., and more than 337,000 people have died.

North Carolina

A year ago John and I booked an Alaskan Cruise with Jane and Rod, Amy and Jerry.  A really big deal.  We were supposed to travel during late summer this year.  But then 2020 happened.  And the cruise -- and everything else in the world -- was canceled.

As a consolation trip we six spent several days in the Asheville, North Carolina, vicinity.  We rented a spacious house on a farm.  Not like a farm in east-central Illinois.  But one in the forested Smoky Mountains.  They had cows, chickens, and honey.

Sunday, September 13
   -  traveled with Amy & Jerry
   -  supper: Jane had pre-prepared a ziti casserole, accompanying salad, and purchased key lime pie

Monday, September 14
   -  driving tour of the Blue Ridge Parkway
   -  got a stamp for my National Park Service passport
   -  lunch: Pisgah Inn on the Parkway - reuben sandwich
   -  continued on the Parkway towards Smoky Mountain National Park - several tunnels - turned around due to fog and rain
   -  supper: charcuterie board - crackers, cheese, venison sausage - Dairy Queen ice cream cake for Jerry’s 62nd birthday

Tuesday, September 15
   -  Biltmore Estate with Amy and Jerry
   -  lunch: Cedric’s Tavern on the Estate - open-faced meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes and green beans
   -  supper: grilled brats, baked beans, Saybrook tomatoes
   -  game: Mille Bornes card game

Wednesday, September 16
   -  breakfast: oatmeal
   -  went into Asheville - Trader Joe’s, Mast General Store, Old Europe bakery
   -  lunch: Wicked Weed Brewing Pub - Rosemary Chicken Salad Wrap
   -  Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway (got another NPS stamp)
   -  supper: Whistle Hop Brewing Company - John and I shared Wienerschnitzel from a food truck (pork cutlet with a warm potato salad and red cabbage)

Thursday, September 17
   -  rained all day due to Hurricane Sally
   -  breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, English muffin with homemade blackberry jam
   -  a bear walked on the driveway around the house then lumbered into the woods
   -  lunch: “fend for yourself” - I had leftover oatmeal
   -  Jane showed me her Ancestry family tree information
   -  supper: ordered carryout from Smokey & the Pig - beef brisket sandwich and chips
   -  7 p.m.: electricity went out because a tree fell across power line due to saturated ground - power back on around 1 a.m.
   -  game: Trivial Pursuit--Jeopardy style

Friday, September 18
   -  travel home
   -  lunch - Culvers in Richmond, KY

Miles:  going -            605
            returning -       609

Sad Covid Humor

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The News-Gazette     09/13/20