in-person socializing, with iced chocolate

[redbird]

cattitude, adrian_turtle, and I visited with nineweaving this afternoon. We sat on a patio drinking Burdick's chocolate (hot for Adrian, iced for the rest of us) and talking. I had a very good time, and Nine and I agreed to do this again soon, or at least not wait a year. I had last seen her in spring 2021, when we were vaccinated and a lot of other people weren't yet.

I suggested getting together a few weeks ago, when Greer decided it wasn't safe enough for her to go to Montreal for Scintillation next month. I already knew that her and my risk tolerances differ slightly—in particular, I'm willing to ride uncrowded buses and trains when the covid numbers are low, and she's not. So, we were in Harvard Square, which is walking distance from her place and near the buses from Arlington and Belmont.

It was a wide-ranging conversation, including eyeglasses and theatre and movies, and visiting very old buildings, and a bit about our respective pandemic precautions.

When we sat down, Nine reached into her bag and gave me the flashlight that I had lent her at a convention in 2019. I'd lent it to her because there was a construction trench near where she was staying, and I carry a flashlight in my daypack just in case I need it, which happens rarely but unpredictably.