From the Plague Year 2020 Part 2

 So today was basically mellow. The blue jays argued over who would bathe first in my fountain. When a squirrel showed up, the birds left, but the doves took their place. Our local woodpecker, apparently recovered from a day long headbanging session, returned to the bamboo grove across the street. He found a nice three pitch groove and kept it up until he realized the mockingbirds were comping him. Ain't nature wonderful?

The landlord of the Section 8 house across the street put up a For Rent sign. She's a tall skinny breast-implanted former pole dancer who is fun to watch, but dreadful to engage in conversation. She wanted to know if I was leaving since I have covers on my cars. (I have four Laurel Oaks in my yard and the leaves and pollen this time of the year is devastating to car paint and our sinuses.) I explained the issue but assured her I would watch her property for intruders since between my wife and I we were on patrol almost 24/7.

On my morning walk I noticed a difference in people's behavior. Persons I didn't know went out of their way to keep a six-foot distance. People I knew seemed so deprived of human contact they stopped me and spewed a ton of words. Most were like me in their 60's or 70's. One woman, unlashed such a torrent of words after never speaking for 9 years, that I was dumbfounded.  I did see my former councilwoman and her dog Chris, who does tricks for me for treats. He's a small fellow, but full of personality. His owner and I traded bread recipes.

I can't believe the ignorant patriotism rampant in this country. Our president is killing his people, yet the yahoo's rally around the flag. There is a meme in the dark web that says the administration wants all the old people to die from coronavirus so they can kill social security. The empowering of the ignorant, the crazy and the usurpers by social media is a travesty of democracy. Is free speech that destroys a country a first amendment right? I guess so.

Meanwhile, my garden flourishes thanks to my watering. We have had only a trace of rain since January. Hardly green Florida, though everything is green thanks to dewfall.

The snowbirds emptied the grocery shelves and then fled back north. I hope they donated all those canned goods to food banks. But what are they doing with 300 rolls of toilet paper? I read on a plumbing site that toilets that are a combination of bidet and toilet are big in upscale homes.

Using water instead of paper is probably a good idea. It's worked in Europe for generations. But uptight Christian Americans, thought it was a sex thing because prostitutes used them and was immoral. Maybe it's related to not shaving armpits.

But I digress. A beautiful day today in SW Florida. Temps in the 70's and 80's, light winds with a sea breeze in the afternoon. Low humidity and perfect tourist weather, except no tourists and no stores, restaurants or hotels, no beaches open, ipso facto no people.

The best thing that happened today was the cardinal pair came back to their tree in my back yard. They are great to watch and hear.