John Clark elaborating on my fractured elbow adventure and a new look at Post-Covid movie possibilities, but first the elbow. Regular blog followers may remember the fun(?) we had clearing the jungle that was the back of our lot at the home in Waterville. Remnants of Asian Bittersweet vine still hang from several tall trees at the property line. They annoy Beth more than they do me. Two weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon, Beth was napping, so I took our very light ladder and leaned it against one of the oak trees. I had a pruning saw and a garden rake to pull the vines closer and cut them. All well and good until I leaned too far out for a vine and felt the ladder tilting earthward.

I was extremely lucky, able to twist away from the ladder and land flat. Seconds later, I’m looking at blood oozing from my arm and thinking I’m too damn old for this. The rake and saw were flung to the side, the ladder was atop my feet and I missed landing on the rock wall. At first, I thought I’d escaped with a sore elbow and some cuts, but three hours later, I accepted reality (well, as best as I’m able) and we headed to the emergency room. I got pretty fast treatment considering it was a Saturday night. Everyone was great and after CAT scans of my head and torso, plus X-rays of my right arm, I got the following diagnoses. Fractured elbow, bruised ribs, a spot on my lung that needs a followup, and a comment from the radiologist that had me chuckle: “Normal aging changes to the brain.” To which I replied, “Ain’t nothing normal about MY brain.”

After a lecture from Beth and a very fortunate followup the next day at the orthopedic clinic thanks to a cancellation, I was cast free and on the mend. As of today, the elbow is feeling just a twinge now and then, but the ribs are barking at me most of the time. Writing hasn’t happened, but gardening (Watching Beth run the rototiller was fun) proceeded on schedule, Mother Robin has started a second clutch of eggs in her nest on the back flood lights, and we’re building a new stone wall around the lower flower garden.

by Angeline Boulley

Before moving to movie titles, I want to share a great YA mystery I read last week. Firekeeper’s Daughter reminds me in very favorable ways of the late Tony Hillerman as well as the terrific author William Kent Krueger. It blends Native American mythology/culture with contemporary issues many teens face. Think fitting in, drug and alcohol abuse, family violence, prejudice and secrets. All of these are mixed together to offer readers a seamless and enthralling plot. It deserves a place on every library shelf.

Like many cultural venues, movies took a huge hit thanks to COVID-19. I envision a resurgence with many remakes/sequels coming soon. Below is a list of ones I’ve thought of, but I bet you can add plenty of your own.

2021: A Covid Odyssey

A Clockwork Outbreak

Alien?

Cool Mask Luke

Covidbusters

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Face

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Epidemic

Ferris Bueller’s Day On

Finding Newmask

Foregoe (by the Cohen Brothers)

Gone With the Masks

How Clean Was My Valley

It’s A Wonderful Death

Mad Mask

No Country For Old Masks

Once Upon A Time In A Mask

Pandemic’s Labyrinth

Peter Pandemic

Saving Private Patients

Sickfellas

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Mask

The Covid of Dr. Caligari

The Epidemic Strikes Back

The Eternal Safety of the Spotless Mask

The Innoculist

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Social Gathering

The Mask or the Red, White and Blue Death

The Mask That Saved Liberty Valance

The Maskchurian Candidate

The Not so Lone Ranger

The Sound of Mutation

The Texas Chainsaw Mask Removal

The Trumask Show

The Unmask of Zorro

Wear the Right Mask (Spike Lee)