By David Fortier 

Come Sunday morning, Mary and I will finally have gotten to the leaves, which have been on the list of chores, but there have been other priorities, and so it will have waited for until this weekend. Originally, we had planned to get some done on Friday. The weather did not cooperate, and neither did it on Sunday morning, but we made the best of it. 

Leaves have always been a big deal, especially when Grandpa was around. He was meticulous about the lawn—in the fall, the leaves; in winter, snow. I am not that meticulous.  

Grandpa, the snow remover, is legendary for getting every last bit of the white stuff from any and all surfaces that must be cleared of snow. I will have finished clearing the snow and, thinking that the effort was well-worth a rest, would just get settled in a chair, feet up, when I hear the scrape, scrape, scrape of the shovel on the driveway or a sidewalk.  

I might have thought the effort was enough. Apparently, Grandpa did not. Which brings me to Mary, who has inherited her father’s penchant for perfection. When it comes to yard work, she tolerates me as a laborer, but she will not tolerate shoddy work. I know now that when I think I am finished, someone will be cleaning up after me. It’s fate. 

And so, a little rain or flurries is no excuse for not getting the leaves raked and bagged. 

Other than that, the week was subdued, if a week can be subdued. I always look forward to Thanksgiving, even in these strange times, but there is no way to know what tomorrow brings. The offspring had plans with the respective in-laws, so we planned a quiet Thanksgiving—a small gathering at my mom’s house—and it turned out to be a small and quiet gathering but without mom who took ill. And then, for at least one of the offspring and family, COVID struck, and quarantining began. No matter how careful, and all the offspring have been vaccinated and careful, this virus is lurking. 

So raking and bagging leaves was a fitting way to cope, a very concrete activity with a specific goal and work that is physical, rather than mental, with a definite beginning and ending, and therefore very satisfying.  

And of course, with Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas ahead of us, the tradition of 24/7 Christmas songs has officially begun. 

On the local political scene, our state senator held a hearing, in Plymouth, about Covanta and its prospective plan to burn medical waste—a hearing that, if he had thought it weas an important issue to his district, he might have called over two years ago when Covanta’s plans became public. Our report about the meeting will be published shortly. Of note—invitees including the mayor and council members did not attend nor did they send representatives in their places. 

This week’s homework:  once again it’s The Ezra Klein Show (Klein is away on paternity leave, so Nicole Hemmer, author of Messengers of the Right: Conservative media and the transformation of American politics, hosts). This episode is called, “It’s Time for the Media to Choose: Neutrality or Democracy.” Click here. 

Have a good week! 

“Come Sunday morning” is intended to be a weekly review, a recounting of the past week and an anticipation of week to come. Among its features will be reviews of old and new books, sharing of favorite podcasts, some family news, Bristol events and happenings and issues surrounding education, work and community journalism. He can be reached at dfortier@bristoledition.org.