Pandemic, Week 89 (Thanksgiving)

This week, the three men that ran down and killed jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia while claiming it was a citizen's arrest, were found guilty of murder. A jury awarded $25 million in damages against organizers of the Charlottesville Unite the Right Rally of 2017. In Wisconsin, a man drove into a Christmas parade, killing at least 5 people and injuring 48 people. Ohio revealed its new, heavily gerrymandered congressional map despite a state constitutional amendment that bans such practices. Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim died. Clair, a four-year-old Scottish deerhound won best in show at the National Dog Show. 

The world reached 261.3 million cases and 5.2 million deaths, of which the US accounted for 49.1 million cases and 799,000 deaths. 231 million Americans (70 percent) have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 196 million (59 percent) are fully vaccinated. Cases in the US jumped by 18 percent this week with Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Hampshire and North Dakota each reporting per capital increases of over 60 percent. Meanwhile, a new COVID variant of concern, Omicron, has emerged in South Africa that may be more more easily spread and who's mutations may make current COVID vaccines less potent. As a result, both the US and EU have issued travel bans to South Africa.

For us the week was about family and Thanksgiving. The kids only had two days of classes, though Owen's last day was longer than intended when Dave Chappelle arrived an hour late for a surprise meeting with students to discuss the recent controversy involving his statements regarding transgender people and renaming Duke Ellington's auditorium after him. In response, we decided to watch his latest special as a family on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, Elaine worked and baked before joining a friend for premier seats (and free food and drink) at a Capital's game, while Allen and the kids mostly hung out. Thursday, the whole crew went up to Nancy and Danny's for our traditional Thanksgiving meal complete with three different potato options and lots of photographs. Friday, Allen and Elaine purchased, set up and decorated the Christmas tree while Owen and Nora watched videos, though we did manage to get them out of their rooms to meet up with some friends for dinner and a movie. The week culminated in John's 78th birthday on Saturday, whose celebration involved a yurt, beer, and not as many blankets as initially expected (given it was 34 degrees).

(To see this week's pictures, click here.)