Another kick in the shins from 2020

[Don R Brown]

So after months of nothing, I finally set up a very small gathering to jam. Got a guitar-playing friend who has been up from Florida and today is "return home" day, wanted to play before they leave. The guy across the street likewise plays guitar so Thursday night was good weather. Figured we'd "treat" the neighbors to some informal picking from the back yard. Florida friend was to come at 5:30 and the neighbor was coming over about 6:30.

5:30.....5:45.....6PM....about 6:10 I texted my friend saying are we still on?

About 10 minutes later I received a semi-coherent text "I was in a wreck, in hospital, won't make it."

About 12:30AM his wife or daughter used his phone to text he had just gotten out of the hospital.

Had brief text with him last night - concussion, broken rib, arm lacerations - and has no memory at all of what happened. He remembers up to about 15 minutes before, then woke up in the hospital. They say he got T-boned but why or anything else, who knows?

I simply cannot believe we actually cheered and welcomed the arrival of 2020. Could somebody please see if you can catch 2019 and ask it to do an encore? And we still have 5 months of 2020 left to get through!

[Donny Hinson]

It's a strange time, Don, and unfortunate in many ways. But any time I get "down", I think of the people of London during the blitz. It kinda puts things in perspective, and gives me hope we can trudge through this relatively minor mess for another 6-12 months. The first picture is in a bookstore, with patrons shopping after a bombing. And the second is a postman picking up mail and living up to the phrase "Neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night shall stay this courier from his appointed rounds".

Carry on!

[Don R Brown]

I agree, Donnie, "Carry on". When things go wrong, I tell myself "If THIS is the worst that happens, i can deal with it." There is always someone who is much worse off than I am and would gladly trade their troubles for mine. For example, I didn't get to play music. My buddy was in the hospital AND didn't get to play music. Who has it worse?

But we always have the right to grumble, and sometimes that helps ease our frustrations. This year certainly lends itself to grumbling!

Interesting photos. My Dad was in London during the war while serving in the Army. He had some stories to tell, and no doubt others he kept to himself.

(I'm guessing those books in your pic are expensive - the shop owner's overhead went through the roof! )

[Frank Freniere]

"If you're going through hell, keep going."

- Winston Churchill

[Damir Besic]

[K Maul]

Great pictures of people most of us today couldn’t hold a candle to.

[Fred Treece]

Great pictures of people most of us today couldn’t hold a candle to.

Most of us, yes.
But health care workers? Candles in both hands 60-70 hours a week. Make that Olympic torches.

[Butch Mullen]

Count your blessings and keep on truckin" I mean pickin"!!!