Still Waiting

It seems very sad that it has been over three months for these properties to be cleared. Their occupants have found other places to live, but what remains of a lifetime are still scattered, open to the elements and the prying eyes of passersby, waiting to be cleared. An upstairs window in a partially destroyed house next door stares at the wreckage with warped blinds like sightless eyes.* Brightly painted rocks with slogans of support and encouragement left at the curb are in stark contrast to the desolation. Across the street are houses untouched by fire yet tainted by these sad reminders of tragedy.

We were going to take Spike on a more salubrious walk but a dispiriting drizzzle was threatening to turn into a proper rainstorm, and we didn't want to go far. He didn't seem to mind and found plenty of sniffs to interest him.

We were happy to get back to our warm house and a hot bowl of soup for lunch.

John has finished his jigsaw and is at a bit of a loose end, but I have been reading an exhaustive history of the pandemic in the U.S. in the latest issue of the New Yorker magazine. Fascinating reading with lots of clear explanations as to why it took so long to get protective equipment to health care workers, and to develop, manufacture and distribute effective test kits. It also covers how they were able to develop a vaccine in record time and why they are unable to distribute it in a timely manner to those who so desperately need it. There are a lot of heroes and a lot of villains and a great number of ordinary people just trying to do their jobs. 

Bureaucracies are never speedy, but they can still accomplish a lot with competent leadership, something that doesn't exist here yet, but at least there is hope....

*extra