Crazy times?

 I think about writing here every day but then I realize that I don't know where to start!

The coronavirus is getting worse. More people are dying.    There are problems with the distribution of vaccines against virus.     I stay in the house most of the time.   I wear a mask whenever I do go anywhere.  A year ago if anyone had predicted what the last almost year has been like I would not have believed it.

The inauguration for the new president is in three days.   Because of the attack on the Capitol and threats for more attacks in all 50 states, the security is unbelievable.   With the virus, the celebrations would have been much smaller anyway.  But now, all of Washington , DC is closed.  Almost all of the bridges into the city are closed.   There are fences with razor wire surrounding the Capitol.   There are troops everywhere.   

D.C. is making major road and transit changes ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, which includes widespread street and bridge closures and the shutdown of 13 Metro stations.

The U.S. Secret Service said Sunday that all inbound traffic on three major bridges in Southeast D.C. will be closed starting 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19 through 6 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21. The bridges will remain open to outbound traffic.

The bridges affected include:

• South Capitol Street/Douglass Bridge
• Interstate 695/11th Street Bridge
• Pennsylvania Avenue/Sousa Bridge

On Friday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and congressional Democrats said they had an agreement with U.S. Secret Service that authorized the use of Virginia State Police to help with bridge closures spanning the Potomac River during the Jan. 20 inauguration.

That means, from 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19 through 6 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, these bridges and their accompanying sidewalks will be closed with the help of Virginia State Police:

• Interstate 66/Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
• Interstate 395/14th Street Bridge

“The 2021 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony will see the strongest Capital-area security response in history,” reads Friday’s joint statement. “It is very important now that the U.S. Secret Service and its partner agencies communicate road and bridge closures swiftly and clearly in order to keep disruptions to a minimum.”

Arlington Memorial Bridge was originally listed to close Tuesday but ended up mostly shutting down Friday evening. There was limited access Saturday, however, with cars entering D.C. from Arlington only able to go around Lincoln Circle and north onto 23rd Street toward Foggy Bottom. Beware of traffic changes in the area leading up to Tuesday morning. From that point, the bridge will remain closed through the inauguration.

Have we become a third world, developing country?   Should we be scared, or is this fearful reaction giving the crazy people more power?   I don't know. I don't know what to think.

Four years ago I knitted pink "pussy" hats.  There were thousands, maybe millions of people wearing them for the Women's March.   It was a protest against Trump.    But it was very peaceful.   This year there is no such symbol.  No political statement I can make on my knitting needles.  

So we wait.  And watch the news.  And worry.  And try not to worry.  

And we will keep our sign up until after the inauguration!