A dog, Sam, a beagle, just a year old, has been missing on the island since Christmas. Nancy, at the Island Store, has seen him twice, but he is very shy, and runs away when she tries to catch him, yet her sightings mean he is still alive. He is wearing a collar. You can see a picture of Sam at the Island Store. If you see him in person, please call 380-6247 or 380-3617. As you can imagine, the owners are very eager to have him back.

Thanks to our firemen who were on deck at the firehouse to help extinguish a house fire on Barters Island on New Year’s Eve afternoon about 1:30 p.m. You can find a story about the fire elsewhere in this paper.

Smoke from chimneys and cars in driveways tell me that people are here. Almost always I see people at Hendricks Head beach or walking our roads for fresh air and exercise. But the island has a quiet feel now. I see a few new roads cut into the woods, either indicating logging or new home building, so workmen are busy. The school children are back at their studies. But life is quiet. Mike says even his mannequin among the figures in his front yard, who usually goes to Florida in the winter, has decided to stay at home. “Mike, that big, black silhouette that looks at quick glance like a large baboon, is a bit scary.” Yet our island store is open and always smells of good food when I pop in for news on Monday morning. Nancy and Mike say the best selling items are pizza and homemade dinners such as meatloaf, mac and cheese, and shepherd’s pie. You can also get other meals such as lasagna and chicken pot pie.

Comments continue to come in from around the world from folks who viewed the Christmas Eve service at All Saints by-the-Sea. Here are several of them:

“The Christmas Eve service with Kit, et al., was wonderful! I sent the link to my family around the world. They thought it was beautiful and so well done.”

“Betsy forwarded to me the link to your Christmas Eve service. It is beautifully done, so simple and heartfelt. And of course I sang along with the Youth Choir. I am so glad those students have this opportunity.”

It was great fun for Kit and me to be able to share the service with several of Kit’s cousins who live in England, and consequently could not attend any service in person. Although these days of restrictions have been uncomfortable, there have been some benefits. I am so proud of our little community that they could put together and film such a service. Thanks to all.

Not to be a pessimist, but although we have the troubled year of 2020 behind us, I fear 2021 will not immediately bring relief. Calling a local doctor’s office today, we were told they have no idea when vaccines will be available even for those in the very susceptible group, so I think our isolation and struggle with COVID-19 will go on for a while. Other struggles emanating from Covid also probably will continue. I have a Christmas present that still has not arrived, and I hear other stories of mail delays. When you call to untangle other problems either you get only a recording or else someone who cannot fix the problem because ‘the systems are down.”
But we have the beauty of our island, the connection with friends and family though Zoom groups, the ability to play bridge with others online, time for various projects around the house.

“All will be well again, I know.”