These three photos of my older brother Don, taken sometime in the late 1930s, were passed along to me by my Aunt Barbara Hinman. Aunt Barb and Uncle Bill, have since left this life and undoubtedly enjoying themselves wherever they are. Warm, kind and generous they always referred to my big brother as "Donnie".
As for "Donnie", he suffered much in his life but with a loving wife and a rock-solid belief in himself he persevered through it all. I could only wish for such strength of character.
He had his flaws to be sure, and unfortunately I kept pointing to those when he was alive and not focusing on his strengths. I owe my life to my father who rescued me and my brother who protected me.
He was my older brother and while we rarely agreed on anything -- except our Dad -- he was always there for me, especially when I was the age he was in these photos.
Self-portrait with daughter Julie, detail, 1789, by Elisabeth Vigée Lebrun
Update from west Michigan. Nearly 34,000 cases reported with more than 2,700 deaths. While the state has fallen to 7th place nationally in number of cases, it still ranks 3rd in total deaths. Not good. Numbers fluctuate to be sure and testing is haphazard. The governor is extending the stay-at-home order which continues to evoke protests.
Tragic times indeed..
Life in self-isolation is taking on its own unique rhythm. Rising late, going down late, reading, baking, puzzling, working on the computer, some of which we would have done under normal circumstances but now define our world. And of course who would've thought we'd be chatting with family and friends via teleconferencing. Zoom is an incredible bit of software.
We are truly fortunate but like so many millions, tens of millions of folks around the world, wonder what the gods have in store for us next. . .
The world we knew, comfortable or not, for good or ill, was, though what we knew. We are becoming suspicious that that world is quietly falling away, to be exchanged with one that has great potential but is also fraught with even more dangers.
Gorgeous weather here in west Michigan. The temperatures have been a bit on the low side but we have incredible sunny days and our nights have given us here an extraordinary glimpse of the planet Venus.
Other news is not so good. The number of cases of Covid-19 in Michigan are now over 31,000 with almost 3,400 deaths, and yet many folks are clamoring to be let go from the stay-at-home restrictions. One can understand the frustration of inactivity and, more to the point perhaps, the growing concern over a stagnant economy. But, if an incurable, lethal virus wasn't bad enough we have the double whammy of an in inept, incompetent and uncaring national leadership to see us through to the eventual kickstarting our federal infrastructure. Scary, indeed.
We remain safe and healthy, thank you, enjoying meals at home, lots of fresh-baked pastries, good books and the company of each other. No gunplay yet.
The Fighting Temeraire, detail, 1839, by J. M. W. Turner
As of late Wednesday, yesterday, the state of Michigan reported a little over 27,000 cases and a total of more than 1,700 deaths. Even though Michigan finds itself deep into this pandemic a large group of folks came to Lansing to protest the governor's stay-at-home order. Human nature continues to amaze and astound. Not surprisingly, from the various signage used at the capitol it was a thinly disguised promo for the Trump campaign of 2020.
In our own little corner of Grand Rapids we do very little out-of-doors aside from Susie going for her daily constitutional and I might stroll to the mailbox. Otherwise we're inside, reading, puzzling and on the computer. Dinner is usually followed Foyle's War capped off with an episode of Modern Family before bed and more reading.
Finally, something to bring a little joy to your life. . .
On his holidays, Norway, 1901, by John Singer Sargent
You know things are bad when the Weather Channel app adds a feature that gives you up-to-date Covid-19 information relative to your county. Sheesh.
So, the update from Michigan.
As of Sunday, the state reported nearly 24,000 cases and almost 1,400 deaths so far. Kent County, where we live, reported 270 confirmed cases, a 63% jump from last week and 13 deaths, a 550% increase from a week ago. And yet so many voices still cry out, "It can't happen here, let us get back to work." Very difficult choices lie ahead. Now all that's missing is an informed, compassionate federal leadership to help make them.
We made one outing this past week to get groceries at Meijers, cheese from the Cheese Lady and wine from Martha's near downtown. We also stopped briefly at Pilgrim Manor to drop a few things off for Susie's mom. Otherwise we've stayed inside, Susie playing with new (and old) recipes and me on the computer trying to locate the final resting place of Parisians long dead. . .
It's beginning to look like our upcoming summer road trip scheduled for June won't be happening. We had hoped to visit family and friends in New York, stop overnight in Rutland, VT, before heading to D & D's for a few nights. But I got an email yesterday (Saturday) from the Hilton property in Rutland where we had reservations informing me that we would not be allowed to stay there due to ongoing travel restrictions. It was pointed out that the state police were monitoring accommodations. Strange world, eh?
We trust you are well, safe and staying home. In the meantime, here's something you can smile about:
Strolling along the seashore, 1909, by Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida
Michigan ranks number 3rd in the nation in number of Covid-19 cases and deaths, 20,346 and 949 respectively. Seventy-two of 83 counties report cases and at least 41 counties have had at least one death from the virus.
Like most of you we stay hunkered down -- except for a foray out yesterday to get groceries at the nearby Meijers -- which does NOT offer pickup service any longer, and a stop at the Cheese Lady for, well cheese. Duh.
One month since Susie and I began self-isolating. We can only imagine how difficult is must for the rest of you.I continue my work on identifying dead French people and Susie keeps baking and blogging and blogging about baking while holding on to our insanity in the midst of a government apparently run by megalomaniac amateurs.
I mean would you ask your financial planner for a second opinion for that prostate exam or cancer diagnosis? I mean, what they hey, they've got a Ph.D. in something, right?
May the gods see fit to keep you all well and out of harm's way. I like to think the British queen spoke for us all the other day -- inspiring words missing in US national leadership, sad to say.
It's not everyone who has had the pleasure of being at their parent's wedding.
Of course, you can make the argument that Don and Helen were not, as a couple, technically my biological parents. Don was my dad but Helen Bork Jones was my stepmother, although I never thought of her that way. She was always my mother. Maybe because she always treated me like her son. Plus, she was for a time by babysitter and used to let me in to the Avon Theater in Decatur for free.
Happy 62nd anniversary, Mom and Dad!
wedding day
Mom and Dad with Grandma Bork
Grilling out with friends at 510 S. Victor, Champaign
Visting the Watts family in Colordao Springs, c. 1963
Michigan is now number three in the nation in number of Covid-19 cases and deaths: 14,225 cases confirmed with 540 deaths. Most grocery stores are trying to implement processes to limit the number of customers in the store at any given time but this must certainly be challenging for the big boxes like Meijers. For us, we plan to move to start using Shipt this coming week.
The past few days Susie has turned to making masks for us and prepping for a couple of upcoming pastry blog projects. If you haven't been following her projects so far, check out her website.
Tonight is family Zoom night so we'll be videoconferencing with Susie's siblings and our nieces and nephew this evening. The future of long-distance communication, perhaps? Anyway, it's worked well so far and makes us feel more connected with a larger world, no doubt about it!
rotisserie, outside a butcher shop, rue Mouffetard, Paris
Gotta end with a laugh. . . God knows we could all use one right now.
Entry by Navigator LT Tunis Vanden Berg, in a log recording his 8th mission flying on the B-24 "Raunchy But Right". Home base, Stornara, Italy. Outline is used for all his 35 missions.
Target: Budapest, Hungary
Bombs: 10 500-lb demolition
Enemy opposition: no fighters but heavy, intense, accurate flak
Damage to enemy: no planes shot down
Damage to plane: almost completely destroyed
Remarks: The roughest mission ever. Our controls were shot out and we crashed near our home base. Everyone got out with a few minor injuries, how I don't know. We really laced up the target, but good. The Lord was with us.
According to Capt. Roy Lassiter, pilot, they lost power to three of their four engines. "I felt helpless," he told a reporter years later. "I had six to eight seconds to put the plane down. We hit a stone fence. the plane broke in two under my seat, and I fell out on the road." The co-pilot was thrown clear into another field and several Italian boys helped out out the fire.
Crew no. 12, 745th sqd 456th bomb grp B24 raunchy but right - Kneeling: SGT Holliday nose turret gunner; LT Lassiter, pilot; LT Richards, ex co-pilot; SGT Natoli Upper turret gunner; SGT Hill Engineer; Standing: SGT Keefer belly turret gunner; LT Eckert bombardier; LT Vandenberg, navigator; SGT King, tail turret gunner; SGT McNeil, radio operator. The men never again flew as a crew but they remained lifelong friends
Michigan stands at some 10,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and that number is most certainly higher. Some 337 deaths have been reported so far.
It's been three weeks since Susie and I sequestered ourselves. We stay in touch with her mom regularly along with a few friends and relatives. A Zoom conference the other day allowed Susie and her siblings to meetup and chat and that was trés cool indeed. . . .
This past Tuesday we took advantage of special hours for seniors to go shopping at the nearby Meijer's and D & W Food stores. We both felt oddly anxious, particularly at Meijer's which was packed at half past seven in the morning. I mean, really, feeling a bit nervous about buying groceries? What must so many others in our world be experiencing right now is beyond my comprehension.
We are in the midst of a pandemic not seen in modern memory and the two of us wonder what we will learn from this terrible crisis. Certainly one lesson is how totally bankrupt the GOP has become: the values and ideology that once gave the Grand Old Party its strength are no more. But this is really old news. It's the mind-numbing realization that the greater good is anathema to many -- but not all -- Republicans who seem to be unable to grasp the singular importance of saving lives no matter the cost. Bidding for ventilators on ebay? Seriously?
While some companies in Michigan are taking advantage of the crisis for profit -- and I'm thinking of Menard's here -- others, such as Long Road Distillery has turned it's operations from making spirits to making hand sanitizer. That's the real American spirit come alive.
It's going to be a very long month. . . and the last one for so many.
Let me leave you with a smile, compliments of an old friend -- if you think you've got food problems. . .
