Oncoming Twilight 

Blissful Retirement

Photos by Mark R. Day 27October21

Copyright by Mark R. Day

all rights reserved

 

Short Comments at Dedication of 12th West Virginia Marker at Kernstown Battlefield Park 10/30/21

Distinguished guest and friends

This afternoon we have gathered to pay homage and respect to the men of the 12^th West Virginia Infantry Regiment who fought upon these fields.  (Pause) Fittingly, I would like to talk about one of those men, 2^nd Lt. James R. Durham of Company E.  During the fighting of June 13-15 1863 he was placed in charge of the skirmishers at the wall and led his men in an advance that entered the Rebel lines. In his own account of the battle he says, “turning to my boys and shouting “Goodbye” and “Come on”, I was the first over the wall and as we advanced forward about 30 yards, I was struck in the right hand.  Turning I saw that six or seven of my men had been killed or wounded and that the main line of Battle had advanced to the wall and no further.  I Ordered my men back taking our wounded with us.  Upon regaining our own lines, I found that my right hand and forearm were severely shattered and reported to the hospital.”  As a result of his wounds Lt. Durham was unable to report to his regiment for duty the next six months. His actions that day earned him the Medal of Honor. 

That is only one example of the courage and dedication exemplified by the men of the 12^th West Virginia over the course of three years’ service in the war.  Indeed, the record of the 12^th in the Fields around Kernstown, Winchester, and the Shenandoah Valley is filled with stories of sacrifice and bravery.  This valiant unit saw continues action participating in significant battles in the latter years of the war.  In 1864 they were involved at the Battle of New Market and still later were a part of Major general David Hunters Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley and the attempted capture of Lynchburg,   Near the very  end of the war, they were  moved east to join the Army of the James  participating  in the siege of Petersburg where they played a major role in the breakthrough on April 2md 1865, which ultimately lead to the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox. 

On 2 April 1865 four men of the 12^th West Virginia would earn the Congressional medal of honor in the attack on Ft Gregg for actions described in the following: when within 50 yards of the fort Sgt. Emanuel Adams, the Color Bearer, fell mortally wounded the flag was picked up by Private Joseph Logsdon and as the movement toward entering the fort continued , the gallant Logsdon undertook to plant the flag of the 12^th upon the parapet, and he was killed.  The colors were then seized by Lt. Joseph Caldwell, who leapt upon the parapet and was also killed.  The flag falling into the Rebel Fort the boys of the 12^th rushed to the parapet and being joined by comrades of the rest of our brigade poured volleys into the Rebels, planted our flag, and took the Rebel works

The men of the 12^th were ordinary men who made themselves extraordinary by their deeds.   They somehow kept trying in the face of everything because they had a belief in each other and what they fought for.  These young men were heroes in every aspect of the word, and it is only fitting that we are met here today to ensure that the memory of such men is honored, and the fidelity of such men is thought to our children and grandchildren. No grand prose or poetry exists to honor their names, like the leaves of a great tree some fell and withered in the storm of war, while others though battered and torn clung on to life only to see their legacy dim in the mist of time.  So it is up to us to ensure they are not lost forever to future generations.  Today let us fulfill our obligation to the men of the 12^th West Virginia and dedicate this marker to their deeds and patriotism are evident to all who come to this hallowed place.

Lest we forget, Lest we forget . . . Dear Lord never let it be so.

I Thank you for the privilege of speaking to you on this important day of remembrance.

Written and Presented by Mark R. Day, Copyright by Mark R. Day all rights reserved 10/30/21

The Bliss of Nature

 

 

The birds speak to one another in the treetops and the meadows.  Each small voice imparting a musical tone, which then harmonizes with the others to produce a operetta such as which few composers can conceive.

The sun slowly arises to brighten the eastern sky, having completed its journey round the far side of the world, to provide a reminder of the cyclical patterns, which pervade our existence while expressing the pure and steady rhythm of God’s great creation.

In the soft light of early morning dew drops tenaciously cling to the grass; sparkling like diamonds as light passes through them. 

The simplicity and elegance of a Butterfly as it weaves and curls from plan to plant; Never following a straight path but rather allowing the currents of the air to inspire them in the creation of a graceful dance.

The leaves, their veins made visible by the light passing through them shimmer and glow, creating an aura of gold at their edges.

The kindly cool touch of a gentle breeze upon the cheek and the soft caress as it passes over the skin.

In such an environment how can one help but feel bliss for it calms the soul and brings peace of mind

 

7/7/2021

Written by Mark R. Day, Copyrighted by Mark R. Day 7/7/2021 all rights reserved

Sons of Union Veterans - Vol. VI, Episode 28

Personal Log (Diary of Covid19 Self Quarintine) a written by Mark R. Day

COVID19 Log Day 14 03/25/2020 (Star date TBD) Another day another opportunity to enjoy life. The skies are grey this morning and the ground is damp from storms, which passed through overnight. For breakfast I made a fried egg and bologna sandwich while Barbara opted for Raisin Toast with Peanut Butter. Coffee and Juice were our choice of drink. We had a long conversation with Barbara's sister Cathy this morning, it was good to hear from her and to have an opportunity to talk about things. Barb's sister lives in the Norristown area of Pennsylvania. She said that her husband, who is employed by major Philadelphia hotel is still working but the hotel is closed for business and more than 300 people were laid off. Barbara's other sister Nancy, who lives in New Jersey and works as a Nurse for the State, told us in a personal message that she and her daughter, an EMT, are both fine and doing the best they can given the situation. In local news, there is a big blow up over Jerry Falwell Jr's decision to open Liberty University to returning students and require staff to report for work. Many people are very concerned that these students coming back to Lynchburg from states that have high numbers of cases, and the Mayor has called upon Falwell to rethink his decision. Personally, I think having the students come back is a mistake. LU could become an epicenter for transmission of the disease. I doubt that Falwell will be swayed, but wish he had followed the path which was taken by every other major college and university in Virginia and closed the school. Barbara is doing laundry this morning and I hope to get some writing done on a project long left to languish. Right now, I am watching Clint Eastwood in "A Fist Full of Dollars" while writing this log entry. Well enough for now but will write more later. Stay safe and sane my friends. COVID19 Log Day 15 03/26/2020 (Star date 97833.67) Well good morning my friends. It is another haze grey start weather wise here at the house. Barbara and I continue to be in good spirits and good health, for our ages that is. Currently watching "The Martian" on Syfy Channel, The music in that movie is decent and the story line of a man secluded on a planet all by himself; seems to fit for the times. We slept in until 9:30 this morning just because we could and then had a breakfast of English Muffins and Sausage Links. Last night, I finally won a game against Barbara. I rolled five twos and filled in Yahtzee on the score sheet for the win. A good warm shower completed my morning activities. Not sure how, I will fill up the daylight hours just yet. I have to pay a couple of bills and order some Trulicity this morning. Thank God for Tricare for life and Express Scripts. I am very appreciative for both services. Perhaps I shall also visit Wine.com and order a couple of bottles of Merlot. Be well my friends. Please take care of yourselves, be safe, and stay same.

COVID19 Log Day 16 03/27/2020 (Star date 97836.09)
The skies are blue and the grass is green this morning. I have been watching the squirrels jumping from tree to tree in the woods behind my house for entertainment, while enjoying an egg mac muffin (ala the Day café'). The noise surrounding Liberty University has calmed down as more information comes out showing that only a few students actually returned to campus. The State Health Department also made a surprise inspection at LU and found everything was being done in accordance with the Governors executive order. This mornings movie is the "Mummy" Brandon Frasier version. Last night, I was able to stage a comeback and win a game of Rummy against Barbara. I don't think that she and I have ever been closer to each other and I am enjoying the slower pace of life, which is a side effect from the present situation. I was able to get some Genealogical work done on Barbara's side of the family. I learned a lot about her mother's brother, , who I had the opportunity to know. He like Barbara's father was a member of the Coast Guard. I also found records for his wife and children. Perhaps today will be a day for yard work and fresh air. Oh well that is the news from my little part of the world for this morning. Perhaps I may write some more later. Stay safe and sane my friends.


COVID19 Log Day 17  03/28/2020 (Star date TBD)
Its a wonderful day in the neighborhood. The birds are singing and the squirrels are playing. Well, that's what it seems as I look out the window. I am writing this log a little later than usual because Barbara and I had to drive over to the Dentist Office and pick up our records. Yes, my dentist is retiring and closing his office. We had to sign releases, which he had attached to an email and physically pick up the records. I worked it out so we could just stay in the car and trade the releases for the records, so we generally maintained social distancing. I thought we might stop at the CVS and see if there were any alcohol prep pads available, but we didn't stop as there were to many cars in the lot and I didn't feel comfortable about it. As we passed the Walmart parking lot, I had Barbara take a look and see how full the lot was. She said that it was full of cars. We also noted that the Bisketville, Bo Jangles, and Taco Bell we had passed were open for drive through and several cars were at each restaurant. Traffic overall for a Saturday at 10 am seemed light. Breakfast this morning was Rice Krispies and Blue Berries. Lunch will most likely be a sandwich and some peanut butter crackers. Last night we decided to forego a game and just watched the movie "Jack the Giant Killer." I am not sure what I will do this afternoon but I will find something. Well Stay safe and sane my friends





COVID19 Log Day 18 03/29/2020 (Star Date 97841.46)
Good morning everyone! I hope you all are waking to a pleasant Sunday morning and are in good health. Once again the morning sky, here in Lynchburg, can only be described as bleak and grey. I am sitting at my desk in the Library and Barbara is still enjoying a good sleep across the hall. Current plans call for a Breakfast of Pancakes and Bacon with juice or coffee as the drink. We plan to watch the church service from Heritage United Methodist Church, our church here in Lynchburg, a little later in the morning. By watching the service online, we bring a sense of normalcy to our week and it also helps to reset the mental clock by reminding you that another week has started. These past few weeks my Daughter-in-Law has also shared the services from her church in Raleigh with us. They go to the church where they were married, and Barbara and I have attended services there on Christmas Eve the last few years. Yesterday, as it turns out was quite a busy day. As I wrote we went over to the Dentist Office to pick up our records in the morning, but the afternoon was filled with activities. After lunch Barbara took walks around the neighborhood and rode her stationary bike while I raked up sticks and yard waste out in front of the house. Around 2:45, I signed into a online conference, using zoom, with the Officers of the Department of the Chesapeake SUVCW. It was perhaps the brightest and most exciting couple of hours in a otherwise routine and somewhat boring week. Eleven of us attended, from our home offices and dining room tables. One Brother was calling in from Africa. While we did conduct serious discussions and made decisions about future meetings and projects, it was also an opportunity to socialize, laugh together, and share a feeling of camaraderie. I look forward to other such chances to get together with these friends in the near future. Dinner last night was Mild Italian Sausage on buns with onions as the main course. The vegetable was whole kernel corn and we had ice-cream sandwiches for desert. Around 8:00 pm we both had a Bourbon and Coke while we played cards. I was insanely lucky and won the game 505 to 215. The cards just fell for me perfectly. Well that is the story for this morning. Stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID Log Day 19 03/30/2020 (Star date 97844.32)
Well, It was a early rise for me this morning. I figured to get over to the local Food Lion and pick up some items to replace those things used up last week. Barbara was still peacefully sleeping when, I slipped out of bed, got dressed in the dark and set out for the store. I was surprised to find that the store was fairly well stocked coming off the weekend. You might ask why would, I wait until Monday to go. Well I figure very few people are going at the time and I have been right in that supposition the last few weeks. Anyway, I was able to get the canned goods we needed, Meats, fresh vegetables, milk, and fresh fruit that Barbara had on the list. Once again our shelves are filled and the fridge is stocked. Funny thing, I always feel itchy when, I get home from the store and after putting things away, I cleaned up and took the clothing, I had been wearing down to the wash. Breakfast today was Jimmy Dean premade Egg, Cheese, and Canadian Bacon breakfast sandwiches. The weather here is warm this morning, but cloudy. They say we have a cool down in temperature coming tomorrow. Right now, I am sitting in my Library / Office and listening to the local Oldies Channel 103.9. I'm not sure what the day ahead holds for activities. Perhaps it will turn out to be a lazy laid back kind of day. Last night, after our dinner of Hot Dogs and Green Beans, Bread was the starch, we decided to not play a game but rather we watched the Original Star Wars Video Chapter IV "A New Hope. Around 10:30 the movie ended an it was time to turn in. Well that's the news for this morning. Stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 20 03;31/2020 (Star date 97847.83)
I waited until this afternoon to post my log for several reasons. First of all, I had a great deal of work to do around the house after my breakfast of Rice Krispies and coffee. There was laundry and the such, which need to be done; as well as some household chores. Once that was taken care of, I settled into my recliner and watched the American Military Channel for an hour of so. Lunch was Old fashioned Chicken Soup from Progresso. Barbara and I both are taking this opportunity to really think about our daily food intake. This morning, I weighted myself and the scale read 177.1 lbs. I forgot to say yesterday, that on Sunday we spoke with our Son Matthew and my Sister Cindy over the phone. Both said all was well on their end, but I do worry about my Sister because she works in a Pharmacy back home in Upstate New York. Last night Barbara kicked my butt at Scrabble, winning by more than 100 points. What can, I say the letter tiles just weren't coming my way. Today we sorted through all the DVD's and picked about 35, which are purely entertaining and sort of mindless. These will be the ones we watch over the next few weeks. Oh yes, I almost forgot. The weather today is horrid, grey, rainy, and cooler than the previous four or five days. Ok, that about rounds up the latest news with the exception that the Governor restated and reaffirmed the stay at home orders and extended the time frame through June 10th. I really hope it will not take that long to get past this however, Barbara and I will preserve. Stay safe and sane my friends. God Bless each of you and grant you the patience to endure.

COVID19 Log Day 21 04/01/2020 (Star date 97850.26)
It is now 1:36 pm and the sky has turned from grey and cloudy to blue with scattered clouds. Today is the day before trash day. I am gathering all the trash from around the house, and bagging up the shredded paper from the library / office. We had a decision to make this morning when the Bug Guy showed up for our monthly service. He stood outside and asked if we wanted the service and I ask Barbara what she thought. We decided to let him in through the basement asked him to not touch anything but just put down his spray. We went around and opened all the doors he would need to pass through and I told him not to bother going into the train room. We keep our distance from him and he did his thing quickly. He left the billing paperwork on the front porch, where it will remain. We are expecting to receive several packages today via the USPS and UPS or Fedex. These items include a new bulb for the overhead light in the kitchen, some medicines, and two bottles of Merlot. If I can get it shipped to me, I am not going out to Home Depot or the Pharmacy. Breakfast this morning was a Fried Egg and Fried Bologna sandwich with coffee for me and a English Muffin with Peanut Butter for Barbara. Lunch was equally simple. We plan on Kielbasa for Dinner with Sauerkraut and Corn. Today, I am going Bohemian and not getting out of my pajamas. We are currently both sitting in the living room. Barbara is doing her puzzle book and I am writing this post. We have the local PBS station on the TV. last night we didn't play a game but we watched one of the DVDs. It was a Bourbon and Coke evening and we also had small bowls of Popcorn. Well that is it for the moment. Stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 22 04/02/2020 (Star date 97852.44)
Well here we go again. It is no longer odd to have no place to go and nothing to do. That has become the new normal. Of course that is figurative because there really is always something you can do. It may be mundane housework or perhaps as creative as writing the great American novel. Time is what you make of it. I had a very pleasant surprise in my morning email, a short note from my one time shipmate Zoah Scheneman. Zoah, now a Captain and Deputy Commodore of a Deployed Cruiser Destroyer Squadron, wanted to wish me a happy 127 birthday of the Navy Chief Petty Officer rating. I first met Zoah in Pascagoula MS. when I was his Chief and he was a Seaman Apprentice. He certainly has done well over his 33 year career in the Navy and I am so proud of him. This mornings weather report is as follows; cooler temps, windy with bright blue skies. A perfectly beautiful early Spring day. Breakfast was Raisin Bran for me not sure what Barbara had as we ate at different times. I am thinking about just taking a ride in the car later in the day. I just want a change of scenery for a hour or so. All of yesterdays packages arrived and are currently in their own period of quarantine down in the darkest corner of the basement. In three or four days, I will go down and get them. I have started to put together a list of things that have been put off for years. Just prioritizing it should consume most of a day. Barbara has come into the Living room and is working on her logic puzzle book. We have "Bruce Almighty playing on the TV, though neither of us is actually paying attention to it. Well enough of that, I will sign off for now. As always stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 23 04/03/2020 (Star date 97855.5)
I am currently watching Steven Hawking on my local PBS station. Why not expand the mind and learn a few things while in quarantine. Earlier, I watched the History Detectives show on the same channel. Well anyway last night we had Italian Sausage Sandwiches, with marinara, and Provolone Cheese. Whole cut Steamed Green Beans was the veggie. Later while watching Jeopardy we had Apple Pie. Barbara beat me at Scrabble by just 7 points even though, I was able to get a Yahtzee. After the game we watched " Rogue One" on TBS. This morning, the weather was beautiful but still very windy. Breakfast was Bacon, English Muffins with Jelly, and the usual beverages. Today is my Daughter-in-Laws birthday so Barbara and I made a short video to wish her a happy birthday and posted it to her timeline on FB. Everything here continues to be good and I have not heard of any large numbers of people having issues in our area as yet. We did not get out for the drive, I wanted to take yesterday, but we plan to just go out for about half an hour or so today. I will probably take the side roads and head into the county's more rural area for the drive. I guess that is about it for this morning but I will write again later this evening before bed. Stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 23 Continued
I said that more would come later, before bed, so here it is. We did in fact take a 45 minute ride this afternoon. For those who are local the route we chose was as follows:

Wiggington Road to Hawkins Mill, then turned onto Coffee Road and drove down to Perrowville Road, turned onto Perrowville Road and went down to Harper. Then Harper to Cotton town and Back out to Coffee. Turn onto Hawkins Mill and then back down Wiggington.

We stayed on all back roads and just enjoyed the scenery, which was mostly rural. When we returned, I decided to vacuum out the car and while doing that my neighbor stopped by to talk for a while. We observed the distance rules. The wind was steady out of the Northwest and it was blowing in a way that passed between us horizontally, . After dinner, which was Sweet and Sour Chicken, Barbara and I sat on the porch for about half an hour watching the birds flitter about and eat from out feeders. I observed at least five different species of bird during that time. We both were so caught up that we didn't realize the time and so we only caught the very end of Jeopardy. Tonight is a Bourbon and Coke night so we are enjoying those while watching the Movie "UP" a cute little cartoon feature that teaches the watcher the meaning of love and the need for connection with our fellow humans and other creatures. Well goodnight my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 24 04/04/2020 (Star date 97858.13)
This morning we have a dep blue and cloudless sky. As I sit here and look out the window, I can see that the once stoic grey and barren trees are flashing the new green growth, that comes with Spring. The deer really did a job on my azalea bushes over the winter but here and there a beautiful red bloom can be seen and my Peony plants are growing perfectly and beginning to put forth buds. On such a beautiful spring day I give my thanks to God for the opportunity to be part of this glorious play called life. As Shakespeare said "The world is but a stage and we are all actors upon it" I think that is a great way to put everything into perspective. Each of us has a role to play. Roles, which affect all those who we come into contact with for good or for ill. I hope that my role has been a positive one. Oops got to take a moment, my daughter is calling . . . . . . well, back to this mornings post. Breakfast was more or less the usual but I also cooked up a couple of eggs over easy. My blood sugar was a little low this morning and I felt that was an appropriate addition to my meal. After, I finish this posting yard work is on the agenda. I will get out the tractor, hook up the thatcher, and go over the entire yard. We are planning to have soup for lunch around 1:00 pm and Something with ground beef for supper. Tomorrow being Palm Sunday we are planning to do some sort of observance here at the house and then watch the sermon from our pastor via the internet. Well, that's about all for this morning. If anything happens that is interesting, I will wait until tomorrow to report it. Most likely though it will just be another day and perhaps that is the best thing we can wish for. Stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 25 04/05/2020 (Star date 97861.99)
Well Palm Sunday is almost over and it was a very pretty day here in Boonsboro. This morning after we had our breakfast Barbara and I had our own little worship service. Barbara and I sang "Tell me the Story of Jesus" I read the Palm Sunday Collect from my Episcopal book of Common Prayer, Barbara read a prayer from the Methodist Hymnal, and then I read from Matthew 21. Following that we watched our Pastor's Sermon on the Internet. Lunch was Ham and Provolone Cheese sandwiches. After lunch, I hooked up the Pressure Washer, cleaned up the siding on the front of the house, took the tractor out of the shed and finished cleaning up the yard with the lawn sweeper. I did not get around to doing the thatching. Supper was leftover Kielbasa and Hamburger Helper with Peas as a veggie. At one point in the afternoon, I thought why not send a quick message to my Grandson Jacob. I made a short video message and sent it to his mom as a PM. My daughter-in-law sent me a reply that Jacob and seen and liked the message. Tomorrow morning is Grocery Shopping. I will go early, to take advantage of the old guy hours. I have made a face covering based on a design a friend shared. I hope that everyone enjoyed their Palm Sunday and pray that you will all remain safe and sane. Oh I almost forgot. I am going to put up some new photos of the Bedford Branch N&W model railroad as a separate posting. If you think they might interest you feel free to look them over.

COVID19 Log Day 26 04/06/2020 (Star date TBD)
Just came home from the grocery store. Pretty much the same as last week as far as number of people in the store. The only difference was that 90% of us had on some sort of mask and the average age was 70+. The store was fairly well stocked with of course the exception of paper products, eggs, and cleaning supplies. It was a little eerie to have to go to the store dressed for combat; it felt like, I was doing something dangerous and risky. A month ago who would have thought going to the grocery store would elicit that kind of thinking and emotion. Well when, I got home we cleaned all the packaging on the items that need to be refrigerated, using hot water and soap. I put the non perishables down on the shelves in the basement storage. We have enough upstairs to hold us for now. This will allow enough time for any virus to die over the coming week. If that doesn't work out, I don't know what else can be done. With all that accomplished it was a hot soapy shower for me and fresh clothing; as everything, I wore to the store is now in the washing machine. Well lets get onto the daily weather report. I appears we will have another nice day. Right now there are no visible clouds and the sunshine is filtering through the trees. Not sure what the day will bring, but ready for whatever comes along. What else can you do but soldier on. Stay safe and stay sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 27 04/07/2020 (97867.52)
Today has been a very slow and laid back. I arose around 7:00 am and as always checked my email. There were a few messages from friends and the usual daily report from the USPS. I had been in communication with a Gentleman from my hometown on the subject of a railroad line that ran through the town in the late 19th and early 20th century. During our conversation we had discussed the track bed of that railroad. Being in possession of a set of track blue prints for the railroad, I decided to photograph the plans and post them to my hometowns history Facebook site. Well that took a hour or two and the result was very well received by the many people who view the site regularly. Breakfast this morning was scrambled eggs and sausage. The weather early this morning was sunny and cloudless but around 9 am we began to see the sky darkening to the west and then we heard thunder. It rained for about 15 minutes and then everything cleared of. We went through the same cycle of events later in the afternoon. Supper this evening was Spaghetti and Italian sausage accompanied by garlic toast. After dinner we watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Currently, we are watching the movie 'Captain Blood (1935) staring Errol Flynn and Olivia De' Haviland. This movie is one of my all time favorites. Well there really wasn't much to report today. Perhaps tomorrow will be a more productive and busy day but probably not. Stay safe and sane my friends and God Bless.

COVID19 Log Day 28 04/08/2020 (Star date 97869.49)
This afternoon, I am sitting on my front porch watching the trees sway in the strong breeze. A large Bee, who sounds like a B52 when he passes by is working the flowering plants in the garden. The day started off as usual although a little earlier than other recent mornings. Breakfast was Bacon, English Muffin, a small bowl of Strawberries and Coffee. Barbara and I did have some errands that had to be run this morning. A legal document allowing for an easement had to be signed and I had a paycheck for the last few days, I worked for the school system, which had to be deposited. At the legal office there was only one other person present and they had hand sanitizer for our use before and after signing the documents. They even opened the doors for us so we did not have to touch anything other than the documents. The bank was only open at the drive through and that went very quickly. I decided to also stop and fill up my gas cans. As always I used gloves and when we got home, I cleaned the steering wheel door fixtures, shift knob and other items that were touched while out. I installed the new light bulb in the kitchen. The box it came in had been sitting down in the basement for 7 days. The weather today has been very unsettled. When we awoke the wind was whipping at about 40 knots and it had clearly been raining Around 7:30 the sun came out in all its glory. They say we are in for more pop up storms this evening. Oh well that is fairly normal for this time of year. Lunch was Beef Vegetable Soup. I am reluctant to do anything in the yard this afternoon because of the uncertainty in the weather, so, I decided to write this post. We are having leftover smoked turkey for dinner this evening, I think it will be coupled with, Mashed Potatoes and Wax Beans. Not a very colorful plating but it will satisfy the need. Oh yah. we decided to try a different game last night and Barbara picked Trivial Pursuit. Well the game only lasted about 20 minutes as neither of us was having any great success answering the questions. I told her we need to stick to cards, scrabble, and Yahtzee. I think that will be it for today my friends. Please stay safe and sane.

COVID19 Log Day 29 04/09/2020 (Star date 97872.78) Today has been long but productive. As I stated in an earlier posting, I was awoken by the sound of Thunder very early this morning. Barbara and I were both up and moving before 5:30. Breakfast was cereal with fresh fruit and our usual breakfast beverage. Around 8:30 we decided to drive over to Appomattox Court House NHP. I wanted to go because today was the 155th anniversary of the Surrender and I had planned to attend the ceremonies, now cancelled, in the 1st person character of Major General E.O. C. Ord. I had also been looking forward to spending time with my friend Dr. Curt Fields (AKA General Grant) and the other members of Lincoln's Generals. We returned home around 11:00 am. I posted pictures from the park eelier today and I suspect many of you have seen them. Lunch was a Ham and Cheese sandwich with a few Potato Chips and a slice of pickle. This afternoon, I worked on two projects. First, I took more photographs of the Central New England RR track plans, which will be posted on the Red Hook History in Pictures FB site later this week. Second, I made a short video introducing my Bedford Branch N&W model railroad layout. This video was posted earlier this afternoon and the response seemed good. I intend tp make a few more video's showing operations on the layout in the coming weeks. This evening supper was Chicken Breast, Peas, and biscuits. Dessert was Vanilla Ice Cream sandwiches. After dinner Barbara took a walk and I sat on the porch for about 20 minutes. I have attached a short video to this email. Well its time for Wheel of Fortune so, I will sign off. Stay safe and sane my friends

COVID19 Log Day 30 (4/10/2020 (Star date 97875.67)
Today marks the 30th spin of the earth since going into self quarantine. I awoke around 8:00 am on this Good Friday morning. In observance of the day breakfast contained no meat. I had a bowl of Rice Krispies, a piece of Strawberry Cheese Danish, and some fresh fruit. I was surprised to see snow flakes coming down from the heavens, but there they were. Later, I saw several post rom friends in Amherst and Bedford Counties saying they had seen snow too. It was a cold and blustery morning so, I decided to work on the trains. I still have track to clean and some minor repairs to make. Lunch was also meatless and I had a grilled cheese sandwich while Barbara had tuna fish. After lunch, I returned to working on the layout. Around 1:00 pm Barbara came down and asked if she could run a train. I set up a Southern E Unit and some smooth side passenger cars for her and she ran that train for about 30 minutes. I remembered that the church was posting a Stations of the Cross service; so I went on line and watched it. The service was short but satisfying. Around 3:00 pm I saw my neighbor mowing his lawn and decided that after dinner, I would get out the Deere and at least do the front yard. Supper was Crab Cakes, Mac & Cheese. with Broccoli as the veggie. With the front lawn done, I came in to watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Barbara and I are presently watching "A Knights Tale" and relaxing with some Bourbon and Coke. Well that will pretty much do it for today except for one final thing. A dear friend of mine in California Rachelle Bursheim Campbell made and inquiry about "The Foot." I must respond to this inquiry by saying that "The Foot" is doing well. He is enjoying semi-retirement from his hectic days of travel and hard work. Like most of us he is currently in quarantine trying to avoid the pandemic. I guess it is time to call it a day so please stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 31 04/11/2020 (Star date 97878.46)
As, I sit here Bourbon and Coke in hand pondering the events of the day, I think it was a very good day indeed.
I arose around 7:45 and found the weather to be perfect. After a breakfast of 2 eggs over easy and some toast Barbara and I took about a half mile walk in the neighborhood. The rest of the morning was for relaxing and catching up on a few administrative matters (bills). Lunch was Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (Progresso) and cheese crackers. With lunch done, I started working in the yard. I was able to finish the mowing in the back yard and I also cleaned up all of the yard waste ( twigs, sticks, leaves, and such). I am quite happy with the way the yard looks this evening. Around 3:00 pm, I took a break from the yard to attend a meeting of the Department of the Chesapeake SUVCW officers using Zoom. We are putting the finishing touches on the plan to conduct our annual meeting of the Department via Zoom in a couple of weeks. The meeting ended about 5:00 pm and I then went back out to finish the yard work. Supper was Hamburgers with all the fixings and Baked Beans. If I must say so myself the burgers were perfect. Following supper, I decided to sit on the porch for a while and had, utilizing safe social distancing practices, a conversation with my neighbor Chris. At a little after 7:00, I attended my second Zoom event of the day; a campfire meeting of the New Jersey Light Infantry. This organization is a Revolutionary War reenacting unit, which I have belonged to for many years. How good it was to share some fellowship and general conversation with these friends. Well after about an hour and a half we said our goodbyes and made arrangements to have another Campfire in 2 weeks. Right now Barbara and I are watching Jumanji, the original with Robin Williams, and just relaxing. Yup, today was a very good day and I am so thankful for the great friends and comrades I have. I hope that each of you, my friends and family reading this post, had as good a day. Tomorrow is Easter and I look forward to singing "Jesus Christ is Risen Today Alleluia." May your Easter be a blessing to you and may you all stay safe and sane

COVID19 Log Day 32 04/12/2020 (Star date 87880.55) Easter Day.
Today is Easter, though it feels somewhat different to not be in church. We awoke late in the morning, about 8:45, and had a very late breakfast of sausage and pancakes. We watched the Easter Services from our church and then I went outside to secure our property for the storms they are predicting will pass through Lynchburg late tonight and early tomorrow. What, I could not put in the tractor shed, I secured with bungee cords to the post of my trash can enclosure. I then checked out the weather radio and our emergency lighting system in the basement. If we need to take shelter there are two areas in the basement, which offer the most security. I have installed emergency lighting in both those places for instances like this. Well that is enough about that. Hopefully, none of that will be necessary. We decided to just have a snack lunch and then have a large Easter dinner of Pork Tenderloin accompanied by our traditional side dishes. Right now I am watching the last few minutes of "Ben Hur" on TCM. I have always enjoyed this passion play because it speaks to our most human of emotions. the need for forgiveness, and healing of our brokenness. Ah the key scene is on now, the rain that washes away the stain of human sin and folly. Well so much for that I am unsure what Barbara and I will do with the rest of the evening but I think we shall watch the performance of "Jesus Christ Superstar" on CBS at 7 pm. I guess that is going to be it for now. Stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 33 04/13/2020 (Star date 97883.89)
Well its almost 9 pm. This has been a very long and somewhat eventful day in my government imposed exile. As, I wrote earlier today we had a very bad weather event during the night. This resulted in a loss of much needed sleep, which can never be made up. Breakfast was a Fried Bologna, Egg, and Onion sandwich coupled with 3 cups of Coffee. The rain did clear out by 9 am and within a short period of time the sun made its appearance. I held of on lunch until about 1:15. My meal consisted of a English muffin with butter and Jelly. I know that doesn't sound like much but its what I wanted. This afternoon our daughter called to see how we are doing. Our son had called last evening for the same purpose. Nice to know they are keeping up with us. Supper was left over pork loin with beets and potato. As usual we watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Right now we are watching Antiques Road Show on PBS and I am yawning. I think it will be an early night for me. Well that is all there is folks. Perhaps tomorrow will be more interesting. Stay safe and sane.

COVID19 Log Day 34 04/14/2020 (Star date TBD)
It is now 11:37 pm and I am about to head to bed. Today has been somewhat interesting. Barbara and I both arose around 8:00 am and we had breakfast. I chose to have a Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwich from the freezer and I am not sure what Barbara ate. After breakfast we took a walk trough the neighborhood of about 6 tenths of a mile. I worked on some minor projects till lunch time. After lunch which consisted of Ham and Cheese sandwiches and fresh fruit, I put together a second short video about the Bedford Branch N&W Railroad. This time, I introduced the audience to the portion of the layout that is in a second room in the basement, but connected to the main train layout via tunnels through the adjoining walls. I really enjoyed doing the video and posted it to both my Facebook Wall and the Bedford Branch Facebook page. The rest of the Afternoon passed quietly as Barbara worked out on the stationary bike and I watched the American History Channel, which was showing a documentary about Western Films. After supper, which Barbara prepared we sat on the front porch until it was time for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Around 8:15, I decided to do some channel surfing and discovered that Indiana Jones "The Last Crusade was on and we watched that until around 10: 00 pm. Barbara decided to go on up to bed but I stayed up to watch a movie called "The Man Who Never Was." That movie ended about 10 minutes ago and now, I too am headed to bed. Well that is all for this evening. Please stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 35 04/15/2020 (Star date 97889.52)
Today has been busy. As I posted earlier there was a necessity for me to make a pre-dawn grocery run. I was pleased to find the store very well stocked with bread, meats, and other essentials. I was even able to score paper towels and Kleenex. The store was busier than it has been the last few times, I was there. Returning to the house, I divided out the refrigerated goods from the pantry items and with the assistance of Barbara we wiped down the refrigerated foods and stored them away. The pantry items went down to the basement where they will reside for a couple of days before being brought upstairs. Barbara and I decided after breakfast to take a walk around the neighborhood and get some fresh air. I need to do more walking for exercise. I am concerned about sitting and becoming sedentary. Around noon a friend came by the house with some books on Civil War history, which he has been trying to get to me for more than a month. We talked, maintaining our distance, for a while and he left the books on the porch step for me to bring in later. Lunch was a meat sandwich and potato chips. In the Afternoon, I did some laundry and worked on the train layout. The postwoman had delivered a package containing a part needed to completer one of the buildings on the layout. I was very satisficed with the finished look of the structure. Supper was Chicken Patties on rolls with Corn as the vegetable. Barbara suggested that we sit on the porch after dinner and so we did that. As usual we watched Wheel and Jeopardy until 8:00. It was good to have my friend come by and to receive the part for the layout. It gave the day some variety and broke up the monotony of the routine we have established. Well its 10:00 pm and my bedtime. So long for now my friends and stay safe and sane.

My apologies for this belated posting. I wrote it last night but failed to upload it to my FB Wall

COVID19 Log Day 36 04/16/2020 (Star date TBD)
Well it is after 10 pm and I am just getting ready for bed. Barbara is playing Solitaire while siting in the bed. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is playing on the Flat Screen. Today was another decent day. I arose around 7:00 am and remembered that, I had forgotten to post my Day 35 Log. So before anything else could be done the Log had to be posted. Breakfast was two cups of coffee, a Cutie, and English Muffin. Barbara had Cheerios with Orange Juice. After Breakfast Barbara and I took a walk in the neighborhood. I was a tad cold; mostly due to a west wind. I decided that today would be a railroad work day and proceeded to the train room when we came home from the walk. The important element, I wanted to complete was the covered conveyor between the coal mine and the coal tipple. The parts for this had come in yesterdays mail. I installed the last section of the conveyer and then modified a pair of support piers to carry the load of the conveyor. Lunch was Chicken Noodle Soup and some Cheese and Peanut Butter Crackers. In the afternoon, I had a few odds and ends to finish cleaning up around the Tractor Shed. While cleaning in the shed, I found a replacement spool for my Weed Wacker and got that tool in working order. The mail came at its usual time about 2;30 and so I went out to the road to get it. Now by this time it was getting late in the afternoon and I went back down to the layout and put together a short video of the work, which had been done in the morning. Supper was Kielbasa and leftover vegetables. We each had a small bowl of Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream for desert around 6:30 pm and then sat on the porch for a short time watching the birds and letting my foot get some air. The story of the foot is a tale in itself and perhaps, I will tell that story at another time. I missed all of Wheel of Fortune and half of Jeopardy because, I wanted to do a little more work on the layout. Following Jeopardy Barbara and I played Yahtzee and for a change, I won. We finished up the night by watching 'True Lies" on one of the cable channels. Well that is it for tonight. Hang in there my friends and stay safe and sane.


COVD19 Log Day 37 04/17/2020 (Star date 97896.01)
Today was a very active time for me. I was up around 7:30 and per my routine the first thing, I did was check my email. Finding nothing very important, it was time to go down stairs and make the coffee. Barbara got up around 8:00 am but we had to wait an hour for breakfast, her medicine requires you to wait an hour before eating. Breakfast was very simple toast Coffee, and fruit for me and cereal for her. Following breakfast I first worked on layout for about an hour and then decided it had warmed up enough to get outside and mow the lawn. I knocked out the front yard and then began cleaning up around the tractor shed. This is a wooded area and there was quite a bit of leaves, broken branches, and other stuff that, I wanted to get up in order to create a clear area between the shed and the woods. Some of this area is actually on my neighbors property, but he and I have an agreement that allows me to maintain the area around the shed. I came in for lunch at about 12:30 pm and we had ham and cheese sandwiches with potato chips and pickles. With lunch done, we decided to take a ride, just to see some other scenery. We drove down Rivermont and into the city. A quick trip into the River Front Park was made just to see if people were congregating there. We saw maybe 10 people in the entire park. Everyone was practicing social distancing. Signage was in place telling you to stay off the playground equipment. Leaving the park we went down to the intersection with 5th street and then turned right in order to head over to Old City Cemetery. We figured that though there are many people there, for the most part they are practicing a 6 foot distance from anyone who might stop by. Driving through the cemetery we saw some Public Works people doing upkeep and a couple of folks walking around. Two ladies had brought lawn chairs and were setting up in the garden across from the Chapel, they were more than 10 ft apart but looked like they were having a good conversation with each other. Heading out of the cemetery we went over to Kemper Street Train Station and then out Kemper to Campbell and ultimately Rt. 460. We took 460 back to the Candler Mountain Exit and then headed for the house. It was a nice ride on a sunny day. When we returned home, I went back to cleaning up the area around the shed. I toted eight 30 gallon cans of yard debris down to the compost pile in the back corner of our yard. I came into the house around 4:30 and Barbara cooked up supper, which consisted of Macaroni and Cheese, Peas, and the left over Kielbasa. After supper, I mowed the back yard; cleaned and put up the tractor. I sat on the porch watching the squirrels and the birds until about 7:30 pm when Jeopardy came on. After Jeopardy went off, I found a John Wayne movie "El Dorado" on one of the cable channels and that is what we watched until about 10:10 pm. Yup today was a very active one and I got quite a bit of exercise and fresh air. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy and so is Sunday. I suppose that means a lot of time just sitting around in the house. OK, its almost 11:00 and I am about to turn into a Pumpkin. Goodnight my friends please stay safe and sane.


COVID19 Log Day 38 04/18/2020 (Star date unknown )
Well tattoo has sounded and another day is in the books. This morning started off at about 6:45 am. I had a really good nights sleep of about 7 hours. Had to wait for Barbara to get up before cooking breakfast so it around 9:00 t cooked up a Omelet for us to share. Cheddar Cheese, ham, and onion were the primary fixings. I watched North by Northwest, with Carry Grant and Eve St Marie, which I had recorded on the DVR: its a Great movie. With North by Northwest done, I proceeded to the basement and worked on a small project which had been put of for months. I wanted to put details in the Gulf Gas Station on the train layout and so I worked on that until about noon. While, I was doing my railroad thing, Barbara did the laundry. For lunch we had the leftover Macaroni from last night and bowls of Tomato Basil Soup. I am particularly fond of that kind of soup. In the Afternoon Barbara rode her exercycle and I continue to make adjustments and repairs to the train layout. I was able to repair some buildings upon which the glue had started to weaken and things needed to be tightened up. I also did some touch up painting and dusted the scenery using an attachment for my shop vacuum, which allows me to have a low pressure air flow to blow the dust off and then reverses to pick the dust up. I had a call from Vern L. Vern is a member of an organization that I also belong to. Vern is about 10 years older than me and he was calling to check up on me and Barbara. I spoke with Vern for about 15 minutes and then I thought it would be a great idea to call my friend and college professor Clif P. I had not spoken with Clif for over a month and just as Vern was checking up on me, I was checking up on Clif and his lovely wife Bundy. Clif and I talked for a while and then it was time for supper. I prepared some pork chops, mashed potato and beets for Barbara and I. The meal was very good, if I have to say so myself. After dinner I had an on-line meeting with the other members of the SUVCW Council of Administration. This was a test to see what connectivity problems we might face for out actual meeting in early May. It was good to see and have chance to hear the voices of the 18 or 19 guys who checked in. After the test meeting ended Barbara and I took a walk around the neighborhood. It was a little chilly but it felt good to stretch my legs. Around 8:00 pm, I made us a couple of Bourbon and Cokes, which we drank while watching "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" staring John Wayne in one of my favorite roles, that of Captain Nathan Brittles. Weil that brings us to the present and I will be signing off for the day. Stay safe and stay sane my friends.


COVID19 Log day 39 04/19/2020 (Star date 97900.6) 

Another Sunday has come and gone. Another week is starting. The weather for the upcoming week looks bleak. It was nice today but rain returns for Monday, Thursday. Friday, and Next Saturday and Sunday. Barbara and I both slept in until almost 9:00 am. Of course once up all the usual morning rituals and routines were accomplished. Breakfast this morning consisted on Blueberry Waffles with Bacon, Coffee, and Milk. I spent some time this morning photographing and posting the repairs and additions that were made to the Bedford Branch N&W RR. The photo's were well received and there were a great many complementary responses and likes on FB. As has become our habit we watched the Sermon and service from our church. Following that we had lunch. Barbara made herself a salad and I had the left over pork chop from last night on a roll, with pickle and mayo. In the afternoon, I started to transfer my COVID19 post into my Google Blogger site. That proved to be a tedious process and I encountered some difficulties in the process. By 3:30 pm, I had transferred about half of the COVID Logs into a single document in Google Blogger. Tiring of the tedious nature of that work, I returned to the basement and ran some trains. I filmed a short video of the two trains that were in service and posted that to FB and then to the Bedford Branch N Scale RR FB page. Around 4:30 I decided to take the last couple of loads of yard waste, collected on Friday, down to the compost pile. Seeing that, I was done with the trash Barbara asked what supper would be. I gave her two choices. Sloppy Joes or Pizza. She chose Sloppy Joes. To give the meal a little class, I also made some French Onion Soup. Following supper we took our usual evening walk in the neighborhood. Returning to the house we watched a little TV and then played Rummy 500, which I was fortunate to win. Around 9:00 pm we turned the TV back on and watched "Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle" until time to turn in. Well that is the exciting news from Boonsboro for today. Stay safe and sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 40 (Early Edition) Star date 97901.63

It is raining. I awoke to the sound of it hitting the roof. My first thought was damn its raining, I wonder if this is the sound Noah heard first thing on the 40th day. Rolling out of bed and standing up, the thought of it having been 40 days and 40 nights just made me laugh. I wonder if we will get a sign today that things are going to het better. This whole COVID thing has the makings of a modern biblical story. I wonder if there is someone currently writing a modern version of Boccaccio's "Decameron" or perhaps there is a modern Daniel Defoe to write "A Journal of the Plague." I hope so, we will need to deal with these times by using humor and whit, while also remembering the tragedy of it all and the impact it had on humanity. Oh well enough of this musing. I will write more later


COVID19 Log Day 41 04/21/2020 (Star date 97905.99)

Well where to start. Oh, I guess I should relate that last evening after writing the daily log, Barbara kicked my butt at Rummy 500. She got 230 point in the first hand and I never had a chance to be in the game. Now for todays activities. I once again did not get up very early. I think it was near 8:30 when my feet hit the floor. Barbara had some Cheerios for breakfast and I, not feeling hungry, just had a couple of cups of coffee. While Barbara rode her exercise bike, I went outside and raked up the twigs and sticks, which had come down on the yard overnight. We had blue skies today but the wind was very brisk all day and into the evening. I took a ride over to the Verizon store on Forrest Brooke Rd. just to see what their hours were. I was surprised to find very few cars at the drive through restaurants or Walmart.. I came home with the idea of calling the Verizon store and heading over to get my phone checked out after lunch but I never went. Instead I got involved with the trains and taking photos for the Bedford Branch Google Blogger page and the Red Hook History in Pictures site on FB. Supper was homemade pizza. I topped it with Onion, Pepperoni, and Mozzarella, which is Barbara's favorite. After supper we took a long walk in the neighborhood maybe a mile or mile and a quarter. Coming home about 7:15 pm we watched the end of Wheel and all of Jeopardy. At 8:00 pm Barbara asked me if, I wanted some popcorn. Of course, I said yes and we settled in to watching the Lord of the Rings 'Return of the King" on AMC. Now its about 10:30 pm and Barbara has already gone to bed and has turned on the movie up here in the bedroom. Well that is about it for today. It was a real barn burner on the excitement scale, just joking. Stay safe and stay sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 42 04/22.2020 Star date (97908.65)
Today was a early start for me. After three consecutive days where, I had not gotten up early it was necessary to make a grocery run for a few key items. So about 5:00 my internal clock goes off and I stumble to the bathroom. Once up there was not going back to bed; so I checked my email and brought up Facebook. About 6:00 the coffee was ready and I started getting my self together by putting on my mask and stepping outside to check the temperature. It was a cold morning perhaps around 40 degrees. I had shifted the order of the cars in the driveway yesterday so the Honda was the duty car. I was the first person in the store when it opened. Had to get some dairy so that was the first section of the store, I visited. They had eggs, but I didn't need them. Milk, Pillsbury Biscuits, and sandwich cheese topped the list. As I went past the paper aisle, I realized they had paper towels and T.P. We didn't need either but I picked up a 6 pack of Charmin. Better prepared than not. There was plenty of Pork, a fair amount of Chicken, some steak and burger. I took a package of chicken tenders and a ham steak. We have several packages of burger already and well the freezer space is only so big. Most of what we needed was pantry stuff. I did want some Tomato's but for the first time they didn't have any. I got home around 7:30 am and we washed the packages that had to be refrigerated. The rest went to the auxiliary storage area in the basement. Breakfast was a Jimmy Dean Bacon, Egg, and Cheese croissant. After breakfast I worked up in the Office Library for a while and then it was down to the train room. I had an idea to make a 10 minute video of the Bedford Branch in some sort of operation. That brought us to lunchtime and Barbara made us each a salad to go with a slice of leftover pizza from last night. Following lunch, I began in earnest to produce the video. There were several dry runs and adjustments to the Camera set up before, I found something satisfactory. I then did three takes before settling on the one which was posted on FB. Posting the video took quite a while too. Having completed that I decided to read through the FB notifications, I had. Seeing a comment from a friend, which mentioned Dr. David Block, I got the camera back out and took a few photos of items, I posses, linked to that esteemed and venerated gentleman. Once satisfied with the editing of the photo's, I posted the whole group to the Red Hook History in Pictures FB page. I think people liked both the Bedford Branch Video and the photo's of Dr. Block's military uniforms / memorabilia from WW2. Barbara now started asking about dinner. I planned to have roasted pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, gravy, and beets. She thought that would be fine. We dined at about 6:00 pm and then took a walk around the neighborhood. Coming home about 7:20 we watched the very end of Wheel of Fortune and most of Jeopardy. Barbara had wanted to sit out on the porch but it proved to be to cool for her and we came in just in time to see final Jeopardy. We wanted to find something on TV. but nothing was really getting out attention, so we came up to the Library to listen to music and relax; in our own way. For me that is writing this post and for her it was logic puzzles. Well now its 10:30 pm and I think its time for this old man to hit the rack (Navy for bed). Stay safe and stay sane my friends.

COVID19 Log Day 43 04/23/2020 (Star date 97911.50)
Well it was a very ordinary day. I arose around 7:00 and did all the daily routine items. Barbara was still asleep, so I went down to the kitchen and made the coffee and then came back up to continue reading the FB posting of my many friends and associations. Around 9:00 Barbara and I had breakfast. i made myself a Bologna, Cheese and Egg sandwich. Barbara had her usual Cheerios and Orange Juice. Following breakfast I headed down stairs to do some laundry and turn on the space heaters. It was pretty cold last night and the weather report for today is cloudy, cool, and rainy. I spent most of the morning down in the basement and the train room. For. lunch we had Beef and Garden Vegetable Soup plus crackers and cheese. I had received an email from the State Store saying that the bottle of Bourbon, I had ordered was ready for pick-up; so after lunch I headed over to Boonsboro Shopping Center to retrieve the booze. While there, I decided to check in Food Lion and see if they had Tomato's, they did. Now, I could have gone home but as you may have read my Cell Phone had died and I was in need of a replacement. Well I thought, lets go see if the Verizon Store is manned and open. To my joy it was and I was able to get a new phone. I came home and got the phone set up and then made a video call to my Daughter-in-Law to check it out. I also called my Daughter. Oh the joy of it; total happiness was achieved. Supper was leftover Pork Loin, Broccoli, and Some Mac and Cheese for a starch. Around 7:00 pm, I signed into a Royal Arch Mason training seminar on Zoom. The lecture was very good and lasted about 1 hour. We finished up the night watching "The Incredibles." Well so much for today. Stay safe and sane my friends.