Another cold night but no frost here! I DO like this weather, although I DON'T like anticipating what is bound to follow - the snow and bitter cold. All part of where we live, and while I may not always like the weather, I can't imagine living anywhere else.

Yesterday we went to Berlin where I had my usual shots, one in each eye, for AMD. I'm in a sort of "holding pattern" where my vision seems to remain reasonably good as long as I am faithful in getting the shots of Eylea every 8-10 weeks. It sounds worse than it really is - it's a bit uncomfortable and my eyes feel irritated for a few hours afterwards, but all preferable to losing my eyesight. I was fortunate that when I suspected a problem and had it checked by a specialist, Dr. Kim at the UVM Medical Center, he was able to begin treating it early.  He has kept both eyes stable and I'm still able to see very well. Several of my contemporaries have AMD and are virtually blind. 

 After my eyes cleared up yesterday, I came in to check my email, and after being on the computer for a short time, left to do something else, but didn't turn it off. I was gone for half an hour or so, and when I came back, my screen was frozen, i.e., I couldn't access anything, not even the power button. I finally it down off manually. I waited a bit and when I turned it back on everything was back to normal. This has happened to me before when I left the computer on for an extended period w/o using it. My go-to guy when this stuff happens is Fred, and together we figured out that perhaps there was a faulty setting of some sort. I'm not sure that we have it fixed, but it turned out the setting for this computer was that it never turn off or changed mode automatically. I changed that so it now goes into "sleep mode" after 10 minutes, and we'll see if that is a permanent fix. It seems to have worked and hasn't frozen up on me again - yet. Computers are so finicky sometimes - but then they are also straightforward and logical if you can think like a computer. Or so I was told many years ago when I was introduced to my first computer - so long ago I don't even remember where or when. I do remember that the first computer we owned was a WANG - and that was a totally different animal than the Dell I use today. I eventually gave it to the Walden elementary school to use as a word processor.

Every time we have to go Montpelier way, I am amazed at how rough Route 2 is, especially between Marshfield and Plainfield. That road is terrible. It has patches on top of patches and still has potholes. I feel sorry for people who have to commute that way daily. I expect the state will get to that section eventually - but like lots of other things, repaving may have to wait for lack of funding now that money is needed in so many other areas  due to the COVID-19 virus.

Just a passing thought as I watch the colors on the hillsides beginning to evolve: This is an unusual year for many things, and although the leaves will turn as usual, and Walden would normally start the Kingdom Foliage Festival off on the last Monday of September, according to the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce, the festival is cancelled because of COVID-19. No surprise, but disappointing for lots of tourists, I'm sure. Normally seven towns participate and tourists flock to take the tours and eat the food. However, it won't be happening this year. Perhaps in 2021?