Wednesday

It's a wet, drippy day. Warm for early March. Ed shrugs when I relay this to him. It's been an insanely warm winter, period. He answers.
Not insanely warm. Just warmer than last year.
No, actually insanely warm.
We had Arctic blasts. We had plenty of snow and ice.

He brings up the data. 8% warmer than average. I suppose "insanely warm" is not inaccurate.

Breakfast, relaxed.






The morning is reserved for emails and travel cancellations. And I have to say, it's a smooth, if time consuming process, with positive outcomes at all fronts.

Delta is reviewing my request for a refund. I'm sure they will approve it. Perhaps with a fee, but no matter. The bulk of the airfare outlay will be saved.
Air France instantly issued a travel voucher.
And my sweet tiny hotel in Paris waved its rule of no cancellations and no refunds on my booking and issued a voucher as well.

My financial losses will be minimal. Let's correct that: I will likely benefit from not traveling, as the expense of eating out, of local transportation -- all those little things that always cost more than you thought they would -- disappears.

My friends in Warsaw are glad I'm not traveling. And of course, I am too. It's interesting how quickly things changed in the last weeks. A month ago, most of us lived with innocence coming out of our ears. Three weeks ago, I was already on edge, sending messages to the young families about stocking up for quarantines. It seemed inevitable.

But then, one week ago, it was no longer simply inevitable. It was now. And now means protecting the vulnerable, protecting your local health care system, doing your bit to get good outcomes for nearly all who fall ill.

There was one other reminder from one of my Polish friends: stay optimistic! And I'll add to that -- stay cheerful. If you do your bit, you should be able, I think, to turn away from the constancy of this topic. Take a deep breath! (So long as you are not in a crowded place and no one has just sneezed at you!) We are, after all, at the brink of a beautiful season! The most beautiful season!

Still, do your bit! It's like voting: your small act, coupled with the small acts of others moves mountains. So learn to love your home. Revel in its wonderfulness. Use your phone, write letters, listen to music and watch the flowers begin their blooming season.


I pick up the kids. We play.





















They go home. For dinner, I scramble up a frittata: eggs from our cheepers, spinach from our local farmers, a diced potato, cheese. So much good stuff in our pantry! How can you not marvel at that!
Don't forget the mushrooms, Ed reminds me.

No, I wont forget the mushrooms. Sauteed in olive oil, with a squish of garlic.