Two Days Post – March 25, 2021

I have had two busy days, though not very bucolic and picturesque. Yesterday was a quintessential March day, windy and cool. Our truck was loaded with lumber and other materials for a project for a friend. It was parked in Jane’s trailer bay (her trailer getting its Spring service), with rain forecast on Tuesday, so that everything would stay dry.

Jane drove the truck, and I was in my car, and we left at 7:30 to meet up with Nathaniel to make a ramp for a friend to access her house. Once the real workers (Jane and Nathaniel) were underway, I dashed off to Wentzville to the dentist for a scheduled routine cleaning. A level had been overlooked, so Harry was called into service to bring one to the crew.

By the time I returned, the project was in full swing. The plan had been that Jane would take my car, and I would take over as assistant, but Jane wanted to see it through, which was very lucky. With three of us, things went more quickly.

*Nathaniel is always pleasant, even with inept assistants*

It took six and a half hours, and there will be a few finishing touches yet (anti slip strips), but the ramp is quite a work of art, I think.

Once I got home, there was just enough time to take care of the horses (Stone is well on the way to complete recovery), and then we were off to St. Louis for dinner with friends, Bill and Pam. The pandemic is unwinding for those of us fully vaccinated, and life is returning to the old normal. It was exquisite, though, to enjoy delicious food in a beautiful dining room, talking and laughing without masks. Bill has lost a sister to Covid and it has rampaged through the family, so our gratitude to be personally safe is tinged with some sadness.

Birds greeted us with enthusiasm this morning.

Harry left for a speech in St. Louis at The College Club. Just another indicator of the pandemic receding, though all the audience of 42 were socially distanced and masked.

I had a quick visit with Marianne and caught up on her news.

*Bart wants to go out to the pasture, but it is just too wet!*

Then, I was off to lunch with a good friend. It was almost surreal that we are able to do these ordinary things again, thanks to the vaccine. It was delightful to catch up with her, and lunch was delicious. I had a number of stops on the way home in yet more rain, and at every stop, I ran into good friends and spent way too much time chatting. It was not very efficient, but it was so much fun to see people!

Back here, in our bubble, I found Harry and the animals happy and well. An end to a good couple of days. In the rainy late afternoon I saw a rather wet cardinal, and a herd of six deer out the kitchen window, enjoying the grass that the horses wish they were eating.