Well, that was a long slog, January, wasn't it?
For me it was, anyway, though slightly eased last week by the news that two regular people I know (not medical staff) got vaccinated--including my 95-y.o. auntie.
Yay!
February can be a slog too, but at least there's March to look forward to. Here in the northland that's still frozen wintertime, but I expect we'll be sitting outside at coffee shops anyway this year.
In fact, people gather to eat and drink outside now too (in small numbers). Yesterday, at 28ºF / -2ºC, a local brewery hosted winter bicyclists on their outside patio. Biker birds of a feather--outfitted inblack, striped in bright lyrca, and big protective goggles.
I saw them as I was riding past in a car--a treat: I was helping Marz move yesterday. She's gone almost 5 miles away to the Other Side--across the Mississipi River to our twin city, where she'll be walking distance to her new co-op job.
I will miss her. It's not an easy trek in winter.
Though she's been biking back and forth to work, it's still icy too icy for me.
When it warms up, I look forward to exploring over in her new neighborhood--an interesting area. It's between an old U.S. military fort built in 1819 where the Mississippi & the Minnesota rivers meet––a sacred site for the Dakota nation––and the first landing for white traders/settlers on the Mississippi River.
Marz answered an ad to be a roommate in one of the old houses in the area, from the 1880s. It's wonderful.
Not a fancy residence on the register Historic Places, more like an old farmhouse, with wide-wood floorboards and everything at an angle.
As I was carrying stuff including her ukulele into the house, an old guy came out of his house next door, hacking like a chronic smoker (for my sake, though not his, I hope it was COPD and not COVID).
Seeing the ukulele, he said, "Play me something."
I started singing "Tiptoe Thru' the Tulips," and he told me I'd made his day--he'd met Tiny Tim at our airport once.
Tiny Tim the ukulele player had a house and died here.
Hm--there's another field trip I could take--to Lakewood Cemetery, where he's buried. Do tulips grow there?
photo via BBC article
January always seems so long after November/December. February lets us know we are coming out of winter but March and April can be the cruelest months of all. Spring is on it's way but not before we have more winter weather! My last spring in NH we had 6 inches of snow on April 1. That was the best April Fool's joke!!
ReplyDeleteTiny Tim-- I found a large photo of him as a key chain in VA some years ago. And certainly remember when he married Miss Vickie. I wonder what ever happened to her.
Sounds like Marz has a wonderful house to move into.
Kirsten
Good for you for making that guy's day with your impromptu tulip performance! You sent me down an Internet rabbit hole reading about Tiny Tim. I always thought he was British, but apparently not!
ReplyDeleteI hope Marz is happy in her new home and job. I remember Tiny Tim, who wasn't quite so tiny.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a lovely house. I am glad the guy with the cough came out of a different one.
ReplyDeleteTiny Tim ... the uke has become such a 21st-century instrument that I’d pretty much forgotten about him. I remember that my paternal grandparents were very keen on his singing: “a beautiful voice.” But whenever my fambly saw him on Laugh-In, we fell to pieces laughing.
Don’t forget Nick Lucas!
Do you remember that Dale both married (to his last wife) and buried Tiny Tim? Said he was a sweetheart.
ReplyDelete