The most conspicuous absence on the island this winter is the Canadians. Every year we see lots of snowbirds from our northern neighbor in residence here. Their absence is part of the bad times brought on by the pandemic. Most, if not all, are stuck in their frozen environs due to the pandemic and government…

Perhaps if I was a Lakota Sioux, an ultra-fundamentalist Christian, or just compulsively superstitious, I might believe that the United States had done something awful to deserve the twin scourges of Covid-19 and Trumpism at the same time. Fortunately, I’m none of these, but I do wonder about our bad luck. Despite the recent success…

I imagine life here on St. Simons is much like everywhere else. We seem to be living our lives in slow motion. Gone is the routine of jumping up and going here and there to shop, have lunch, or just hang out. Our days are planned around getting groceries and other necessities and trying to…

Like most people, I suppose, we’ve been cooking at home almost every night since last March. We don’t feel comfortable going out to restaurants, and ordering in pizza has its limitations. Much of this time, I’ve been the “chef de la casa,” trying to come up with different menus night after night. It’s been a…

I sense that the Democrats’ obsession with Donald Trump might work to bring about their defeat. In the six days since President Biden’s inauguration both the print and television media have been abuzz with non-stop condemnation of the previous president. Such, in my opinion, is overkill. The would-be-king is dead; let’s move on. We have…

Many of us, if not most, have had good experiences with dogs in our lives. I do have a couple friends or more who seem to have no affection for dogs; some prefer cats or simply see dogs as too much work or responsibility. But they are in the minority. That’s how important dogs are…

Yesterday my wife and I got our vaccine shots. The local medical authorities have been dispensing the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, and we went for ours at the regional hospital. I must say that it was extremely well organized, efficient, and a most cordial experience for us. Our second shot is scheduled for February 12th. Ten…

Four long years of turmoil, the fight to right the ship and now this. The news is not good. Forget a honeymoon for the new administration, the carping and obstruction has not missed a beat. It seems to be business as usual. As I read this morning’s Wall Street Journal, I became increasingly depressed. I…

As I watched the outgoing president board Marine One to leave the White House, I experienced conflicting feelings about the day. I was, of course, happy knowing that there would soon be a new president in place who promises peace and honesty. But mostly, my feelings were of sadness. Today I can only feel sadness…

Almost all incoming presidencies face serious issues when taking office. Joe Biden’s seem especially daunting. He faces a severe economic recession and the continuing threat of the coronavirus pandemic playing out against the still unfolding political debacle left over from the previous administration. Add an impeachment trial that is arguably warranted but no one really…