What a Difference

I don’t know how everyone feels, but in our circle of friends and among the late night TV hosts, there is a huge drop in tension now that Joe Biden has not only been elected President, but also has lived to be inaugurated today. No Covid, no crazy shooter. I don’t believe we’ve moved into nirvana like a couple of my UU friends do, but just to have some normality sounds pretty good.

We were spared the 24/7 ramp up to the ceremony because we were at Myakka River State Park for our annual Cabin Camping with two other couples. One man is a news junkie and has Verizon cell phone service, so using his hot spot, we were able to watch some on my iPad, including the amazing poet Amanda Gordon, the oaths of office by Kamala Harris and Biden, and his speech calling for unity. After that, I wandered off to do more birding. YouTube will have all the rest. I did watch Lady Gaga sing our national anthem when I got home. It was chilling when she sang, “that our flag was still there.” Seemed a little iffy when that mob stormed the capital last week.

In 1961, we watched JFK’s inauguration, including the parade. Mom was very proud of the float from Maine, a dog sled mushed by a man she knew, perhaps even a relative. I found a picture in the National Achieves, and I’ve emailed the Maine Historical Society to see if they have his name. Betsy and I remember visiting him and seeing his dogs the next time we went to Maine, but that’s about all. 

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