What is the plague of the day!? 

My dad used to belong to the Book of the Month Club. As a quilter, I get invites to Block of the Month activities. I’ve signed up for a word of the day on the dictionary app on my phone.

Recently my sister sent me a cartoon showing a man stating that he is going to go outside and see what book in Revelations is being fulfilled today. It does seem like we are experiencing a plague of the day in this unprecedented year.

I don’t mean for this to be a religious discussion, though I believe in the Good Book. But, I also believe in global warming. Seems like a good way for the man upstairs to fulfill some of His prophecies.  

We spent Labor Day weekend on The Mountain, as we usually do. At about three in the morning on Monday, my spouse (who is prone to nocturnal wanderings) woke me to tell me that Mt. Peele had disappeared and the stars were gone.

Now, even in this year of many surprises, this seemed a little too catastrophic. But, a peek out the front door revealed that indeed, Mt. Peele which we’d seen in large majesty just the night before was – just gone! And so were the stars.

Okay, there must be a logical explanation. There was. It was a very thick pall of smoke – everywhere.

At first there was fear that the whole mountain was afire. We’d had a fire the week before on the south flank of the La Sals.

No, a quick reconnoiter indicated that it was smoke from the forest fires in adjacent states. However, when daylight should have come, we hooked up our camper and headed home, cutting our weekend short.

Besides, the weather forecast predicted temperatures 25 degrees cooler and included my most hated four letter “S” word. 

Unfortunately, the weatherman was not wrong. In the next couple of days, temperatures plummeted. Nighttime lows were in the upper 20s.

Plants not covered succumbed to Ma Natures latest mean prank. The winds returned with a vengeance. And yes, the precipitation that fell would have been beautiful a couple of months from now. It was Currier and Ives worthy for sure. 

The winds were so bad that they blew one older doublewide mobile home off its moorings. The home may have to be condemned.

To my dismay, my housemate built fires in the morning. And it was still summer!!

This on top of a pandemic, which is the stereotypical definition of a plague. May you live in interesting times. I guess we are.

And in this vein, our hearts and prayers go out to those in the three west coast states who are suffering so from wildfires. We have nothing to compare to what they are experiencing – loss of homes, whole villages gone, and worst of all, human lives lost. 

On the brighter side of the news: the ladies of the La Sal Relief Society had planned a much anticipated and needed get-together social distancing style.

It was planned for September 12. Fingers were crossed that the weather would return to its late summer normal. And it did.

Ten or so ladies met on the back lawn on what turned out to be a perfect late summer day. Each brought their own lunch – no potluck this time. Prepackaged snacks and drinks were furnished.

The entertainment? It was just sitting and chatting with dear friends after months of quarantine. Ahh. 

The La Sal Literary Guild met a couple of weeks ago to discuss their latest read When Breath Becomes Air.

It is non-fiction and written by a young neurosurgeon diagnosed with terminal cancer. A great read, though not an easy one. It reminds us of our mortality.

The group next meets on the evening of October 1. Reading this time is Night Circus which I must say is one of the strangest books I’ve read in a long time.

Honestly, I probably would not read it if it were not for book club. 

Now for the big news: Tyler Beshoner’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor. October 3 at one in the afternoon is the scheduled celebration of Tyler’s BSA Eagle Scout Award.

After the ceremony, a potluck is scheduled. The main dish will be furnished, but attendees are asked to bring a side dish to accompany sloppy joes. 

Please RSVP to 686-2251 if you are planning to attend. If it takes a village to help raise a child, I’m hoping this village will come out and participate in this happy celebration.  

Aren’t we all tired of being in quarantine? Let’s just hope for no more plagues of the day.

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