River Brown

(This is a collaboration with a writing partner. To read more of her work follow the tag “Guest Author”)

Winter just started. It’s dark at 4:30 pm  It’s dark at 6 a.m. Then a moment of pink.

What if you find the cartoon in all this 2020 ness?  Mess?  Stress? Fess?

Consider:

There’s your friend, a professional, explaining to her 2-year-old, that she is going to “work” and then heading upstairs to hide in the guest room.

Last week Mom and I stepped in a tiny elevator marked for 2:  A woman jumps in yelling, “I have to get to my appointment!”  We crinkle-smile at her over our masks when she winds up in the same waiting room with us.  So great that you can make your eyes look smiley while you’re feeling so judgey.

How many commercials to wear a mask do we need? Have we seen any entertaining ones?  Life is funny.  There are dogs wearing shoes.

You.  You will go out the door, off the porch, then turn around to get your mask, every time.

We need Sunshine Food Inspiration:

Who has been making soups out of yesterday and the day before soups?

Erika wrote food blog recipes:  my fave, You Look Good in Chocolate.

When I do drive, which is less than once a week, it’s weird.  Distance gauging, the speed of the freeway, the sounds of the engine…all seems strange.  I feel like I’ve been transformed instantly into a little old lady.

Have you not read your calendar app in the morning then put the garbage out on the wrong day?  How about twice in the last couple of weeks?  My entire block knows that I seldom know what day of the week it is.

People getting vaccinated on TV – why is that necessary? Now hordes of TV shots of people getting vaccinated. In the EU.  In the arm.  Not on your block.

Pop up window letting me know my internet connection is unstable.  If the world-wide webs are unstable, how do you think I feel?  My software hasn’t been updated since… um, I forget. 

There are hilarious moments if only we could view them with a perspective: Two- year old tantrum in CVS because balloon is deflating.  You know you want to have a meltdown with her. 

Then Newsom choose a Latino to replace K. Harris and lots of folks got upset.  Dark comedy. 

The latest, and this is what you get in politics: Relief package blocked by POTUS.  The joke, I think, is that he doesn’t want his signature on a small check.  Never forget who this is about. 

My home-made holiday card has one word on it. Joy.  I am serious about this joy thing.  I will go to the mat for it.  I will laugh as I look at my hand washed masks hanging on pruned branches in the backyard, like an Appalachian Christmas.