By David Fortier 

Come Sunday morning, the war in Ukraine will have reached its 11th day and I will have started to moderate my exposure to the news, taking in just enough to stay informed but not too much to derail my being able to function. I am still shaking my head in disbelief, somewhat heartbroken—Syria and many other conflicts still fresh in my mind and wondering how these things keep happening. I keep praying, and I hope, somehow, this helps. 

I will also have learned of the passing of one of my oldest and closest friends. Jay labored with many physical issues these past years, but when we talked over the phone, we still entertained a post-COVID trip where I would travel to Florida where he lived with Mary Lou and we would chat over a meal about old times, escapades dating from first grade through late adulthood. Hope is characteristic of living, and it remains until the end. 

On a happier note, Mary spent Saturday with a grandbaby. She will be babysitting a couple of days over the next month, when grandbaby’s parents are teaching on the same day. Mary reports that everything is well, and that she needs to be on her toes, especially with her words. Grandbaby has a thing for correct usage. This time around Mary mentioned that she liked the red Duplo mat, it has the connectors so that grandbaby can attach the large Duplos and build stuff. Grandbaby paused, looked up at Mary, and said, “red pad, red pad, not mat.” 

Not bad for a two-year-old, who also likes to narrate what is happening as it happens. When I Facetimed, grandbaby announced, “talking to Papa (my grandfather name) over FaceTime.”  “Yes,” Mary responded, “we are talking to Papa over FaceTime.” I never get tired of the stories and the FaceTiming.  

The most popular story at TBE recently is Jack Krampitz’s “news report” about a Dairy Queen coming to Bristol, “Is there Royalty in Bristol’s future? Not soon enough,” making a bunch of our readers nostalgic over the former Dairy Queen located further down Farmington Ave. where Poke’s Works Mexican Grill stands now. The newly approved location of Dairy Queen will be next to Kentucky Fried Chicken across from AutoZone.  

This week at the City Council meeting one of the big items is a vote to buy land for the relocation of the fire station in Forestville. The fire house is a small older one, and it is on a tiny footprint which does not allow for proper maneuvering of trucks and equipment. In addition, the current fire station is on a curve which leaves it susceptible to accidents, including ones where cars have hit the building. Let’s see what happens. 

There are two recommendations for this week’s listening/reading. The first is another Ezra Klein podcast that features Fazeed Zakaria, titled “Fareed Zakaria Has a Better Way to Handle Russia — and China.” Click here. At a time when it appears things are unwinding rapidly, not only in Ukraine but also here in the states when it comes to our own democracy, listening to a thoughtful, well-spoken conversation provides a foothold for sanity. 

A second is this week’s On The Media, another podcast, titled, “The Fog of War,” with four segments addressing different issues, such as, fake news there and here, how open-source technology is changing our experience of war, white Christian nationalism there and here, and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories in eastern Europe. It is not light fare, but it is highly informative and necessary. Click here. 

Have a good week and remember the clocks spring ahead early Sunday morning.  

“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.