Hilton Head Island: normal; COVID

 

Almost monochrome tonight.

9 PM and I am again on the porch.  My app shows a temperature of 83F/feels like 93.  With the overhead fan on it is comfortable out here.  And as I expect you know I want a minimal membrane between me and the natural world.  

That is odd when I think of it.  Most of our species seek walls from the natural world.  Well, I like being out here.

Zane in New Zealand influenced me to start watching PEAKY BLINDERS, originally a BBC  crime series set in England, mostly in Birmingham, just after WWI.  It is available on Netflix in the US and is excellent.  I am only in the second of six seasons, but if it continues at this quality it is the equal of THE SOPRANOS and BREAKING BAD.

I do not recommend it without qualification.  There are scenes of brutal violence.  They may be true to life, but you may not want to experience them.

I came across an article today to which unfortunately I cannot find the link that reported a survey from THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and another organization about happiness.  Perhaps counter-intuitively, of age groups those 80+ were happiest.  They do not fear death.  They do fear a lingering painful death or becoming mentally senile or physically helpless.  Just like me.  Though many of them will suffer what they don’t want.  It could happen to me too,

At 80 I am unusually healthy,  The respondents were all more comprised by time and chance than I am.  Yet they take their medications and make the best of the possible.

I stop for a moment.

How people respond to such hypothetical surveys may not be how they will respond when they are truly facing death, but an acceptance of the inevitable seems to have evolved in our genes.  A rare grace.

 

Of COVID, I simply report that although the media is presently trying to frighten people with monkey pox which can only be transmitted with prolonged skin to skin contact, which I believe to be an euphemism for sex—so don’t have sex with monkeys or those who have and you are safe—I personally know more people now who have recently contracted COVID than I did at the height of the pandemic.  Four in the US.  One in New Zealand.  All vaccinated.  All in normal good heath,  

None required hospitalization.  All were ill.  One seriously so.

There are great advantages in being a hermit. 

Carol is one of you.  She is around you.  I seldom am.  This is not over.  I hope you and she remain safe.