We celebrated the arrival of the new year, by sitting on our couch, how 2020. We watch two new, year-end comedy specials, Death to 2020 (Netflix) and Yearly Departed (Amazon). Both shows made light of what an awful year that we have had and they each had their moments. Following them, Anne finished up The Queen’s Gambit, with its final checkmate coinciding nicely with the stroke of midnight. Then like clockwork, the usual gunfire erupted outside. 

An ice storm moved in overnight. In the dark, I thought that I had heard the sound of a tree limb cracking (It could have been the crack of a gunshot.), but looking out the windows this morning, nothing seems to be amiss. I’m certainly not ready to venture out there, to further investigate, even to fetch the paper. Precipitation is supposed to turn to rain this afternoon, followed by snow and then followed by rain again. It is a good day for a fire, even just a virtual one.

This morning, our stimulus checks were deposited. That is the good news that we received from the Federal government. Yesterday, Anne got the bad news by way of an email from the postal service. They unilaterally closed her complaint about the still as yet undelivered package to Dave and Maren. The USPS said that there are many other people who are also waiting for mail to be delivered, waiting quietly and patiently. So, if you too could just sit down and shut up that would really help us. We’ll deliver your package as soon as we are able. Thank you very much. Anne was not at all pleased with this response to her now closed service request and then staring up at the ceiling, imagining packages shuttling back and forth upon it, she plots her next move in her chess match with the Feds.