Here and There

 

Good morning, Columbia/HoCo-land! Happy Saturday!

Thanks so much to all of you who gave me such positive feedback after yesterday’s post. It gave me the kind of a lift that I imagine one gets from a rousing retirement send-off, and that truly helped ease a bittersweet moment for me.

I have a bit of a round-up for you this morning. First up, a correction. I can’t find anyone who agrees with my take about the stuffed plush creature at Hickory Ridge estate in Highland. So I will go back and edit my original post to reflect that. It does appear to be a fox-hunting reference, and not a nod to the cast iron lawn jockeys of yore. I’m not too keen on fox hunting either, but that’s another story altogether.

I wasn’t quite sure how I felt when I read the news this week that the two escaped zebras in Maryland had finally been captured. From the @MarylandZebra Twitter account:

Well, Well, Well…they got us. We had an amazing time and it’s all about being outside. On a personal note, I had a very nice time doing this parody account for the Zebras and hope everyone enjoyed it. Everyone stay safe and have a great holiday. #WeOutside #The6

My biggest concern is that they were returned to the original owner. After what we have learned about the owner’s abuse and neglect of the zebras in his care, shouldn’t they have been taken to a caretaker who could do a better job? And what about all the other zebras? 

I’m not feeling so cheery about this.

I am quite happy about the groundbreaking this week for the new East Columbia Fifty-Plus Center. Truth in advertising: I’ve been taking a class at the 50+ Center recently as a way of getting out and meeting people, easing into the concept of retirement, and, to be perfectly honest, trying to overcome the mental hurdle of being “over 50”. Laugh if you will: the cognitive dissonance is real. 

You may have heard by now that the new center will be named after former County Executive Dr. Ed Cochran. My own personal history here does not go back far enough to know him through his work in county government, although I’ve certainly read about him. Of course his children have all made their own mark on the world, notably State Delegate Courtney Watson, who participated in the groundbreaking ceremony.

Possibly the most positive comment on the groundbreaking came from a friend who shared her enthusiasm for the new center by saying that she was excited to see that, by the time the Center was completed, she would be old enough to use it. Now that’s a good attitude. I need some of that.

Over a thousand people read my post about COVID and the school system, which is rather a lot for me. Then the Board of Education came along and had a meeting which defied all reason. That’s really all I can say right now.

Things I’m working on: a follow-up to the We ARE the People Rally at the Lakefront, and an informational piece on the upcoming MD 988 Crisis Line.

Have a great Saturday! Don’t forget the Holiday Market at Clarksville Commons today from 10-2.  I’m going to put the tree up (it’s aluminum) keep writing Christmas cards, and probably listen to some Vince Guaraldi.