I think that the biggest thing that most have learned in dealing with the Covid virus is just how connected we all are. It happened so fast, and spread so quickly, via air droplets. Just being around people, and lacking a mask, caused the virus to spread.

It was said that if we all self-isolated that we would have knocked it out. But we could not do this. The holidays, after-surges were predicted and sure enough, the numbers picked up. Now we are learning to live with the high numbers because many cannot keep our distance.

The vaccines, this supposedly will put an end to this. My question is, why couldn’t we self-isolate? Would it have been that difficult? Apparently so.

From the onset, all predicted when it would be a done deal. The months continue to drag on, and estimates keep being thrown out there. Maybe, some are now saying, it will be a done deal by next fall. Maybe so, maybe not.

The question is, will I get the vaccine? I’d been thinking not because I am at home most of the time and have little contact with others. But this is changing as the Bright Lights Book Project is requiring that I have contact with people. Tomorrow I am going to be at the recycling center. Monday I will be at the meeting house, sorting books. And Tuesday I’ll be distributing. I’m for now going to be very careful. But should enough doses of the vaccine be available, I might go for it.

There is an ethical reason why I’d refrain from getting it, and this is that I don’t want to keep someone who needs it more, say someone over 65 who is in poor health. I’m in good health, and again, semi-isolated.

I do believe that the malaise that most feel, which is the sense of impending doom, is lifting. And this lifting is sort of an immunity boost. We are all more suspectable to illness when we’re down.

Right now, what is doing my heart the most good is spending time with all our animals. There is the routine part – this is a good thing. There is the physical aspect, this is a good thing. There is being around other healthy creatures – this is a good thing. It would not altogether be such a good thing if our animals were hard to deal with, which is aggressive or needy, or high strung, or overbearing.

I have been getting great joy out of riding the horses and watching the dogs run on the trails. Shadow likes to leap, into and out of snow drifts. I think she was a snowboarder in her previous life. Today she went for her first mountain bike ride with Pete. He rides with a waist belt, and she is tethered to this belt, via a nylon cord. I was worried, I thought she was a bit young for this. However, upon their return, Pete said that she did very well.

My step, at the day’s end, is lighter in bringing these memories back to mind. And where would I be if we didn’t have animals? I don’t want to know.

Next: 9. 1/9/21: A Conversation with Hrimfara fra Lough Arrow II