It’s a time when odds and ends come to mind, so let’s start:

Joe Biden’s Assault Scandal

My daughter has always felt Biden’s touchy-feely nature was rather creepy, so she was not surprised when allegations of a sexual assault surfaced.

I felt he was just an over-friendly older guy. But the question now is should he allow a records search of his archives at the University of Delaware related to anything mentioning Tara Reade. So far, he’s refused. But an online poll at Smerconish.com this morning found that 55 percent of the public believes he should open those records, while 45 percent say “no.”

As for me, I believe Biden’s contention that the allegations are false. I’m sorry to see this sullying his campaign attempt.

The incident frankly reminds me of a time when I was the reporter assigned to cover the Orange County Board of Supervisors. It was my 30th birthday, a milestone I felt marked the time the world would take me seriously as a mature woman. I told one of the supervisors it was my 30th birthday. And the supervisor, a retired Marine general, gave me a kiss on the cheek! He wasn’t assaulting me; he was just being friendly and being himself! Appropriate today? No way. I think Biden knows that too.

How We Buy Food

I’ve been having our groceries delivered since the pandemic started in earnest. While it costs a bit more and makes me do better planning, I really like this. I used to go to the store every couple of days because I didn’t plan. Now I get a delivery about once every five days.

In his annual letter to shareholders, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos claimed each item we put in an online food basket reduces carbon emissions by some 43 percent.

This is assuming a warehouse is filling our grocery order so trucks aren’t having to run so often, not to mention our car trips. That’s not the case with the way I’m purchasing from the local grocery. But it does mean I’m not driving. I’ve had three-quarters of a tank of gas in my car since the get-go.

Bezos, of course, has everything to gain by having Amazon/Whole Foods as our grocer. But this is interesting to think about.

Mom’s 100th Birthday

My mother lives in the nursing home where my daughter is Business Office Manager. She turns 100 on July 28 and has outlived all of her eight brothers and sisters, along with their spouses. We’d planned quite a fete for her big day.

But it seems unlikely the nursing home will lift quarantine by July 28. It’s also unlikely the relatives I hoped would come from out of state will bother if all they can do is wave at her through a window.

So, we’re planning a big card shower, will decorate her window inside and out and share a planned sunflower themed cake both inside and outside.

Mom Has Deteriorated During Covid

If the virus doesn’t get into the nursing home, Mother should make it to 100. But she is deteriorating from the social isolation she has experienced. She’s eating less and really misses the nursing home activities, especially Bingo. She often mistakes my daughter for me and forgets my daughter works there.

Covid is claiming victims in ways the virus itself doesn’t touch.