The Long-Haul.

Summer in the heartland.

A blast of adrenaline early Monday a.m. Well-rested, a satisfying and eventful weekend. It is true, the days are one long schmear. The pandemic is still here, relentless, like that shark in "Jaws," that scary, doomy, music playing, always, in the background, death potentially around any corner, but the music seems to be sort of fading away, getting quieter and quieter. An ominous, ubiquitous cloud of doom, but it's sort of vaporizing.

What "phase" are we in today? Who knows? People are still getting sick and dying too, but now it's like just built-in to our daily expectations. Every day we go out, it seems less and less folks are wearing masks, less social-distancing, are we all just bored with the pandemic?

My partner and I are living by the old rules. Covid-19 is still in phase one, mowing folks down willy-nilly. We are doing our best to keep our eyes on the ball, to stay safe, take care. We are in for the long-haul. We wonder how long the long-haul will be.

Taking it hour by hour now.

The a.m. soundtrack - U2's "All that You Can't Leave Behind." (2000). Beauty. Optimism. Faith. Belief. Soul-stirring. A blast of pure, unadulterated adrenaline. Beauty and Optimism in the face of the darkness. No apologies. Pop/Rock songs exquisitely played and recorded. A spiritual experience. "It's a Beautiful Day." Yes. For sure. I believe.