Thank you Covid for making a return visit after our first introduction to you. We are so excited to see you and the baggage you bring with you: headaches, runny nose, nagging cough and that general feeling of ennui.

Your first visit was three summers ago. The construction worker remodeling our condo informed us that he had a “cold” but kept on working. We were naïve. We believed him.

That visit from you resulted in the same uncomfortable symptoms plus a lot of panic. The local clinic recommended an infusion of Regeneron, which we received free of charge at the Venice hospital. We followed that with two vaccinations and three booster shots, plus a lot of mask-wearing.

We have been convinced we are home free. Then this new variant struck and to our surprise all those precautions were for naught. At least that’s what the nurse at the clinic told us yesterday when she called with the test results.

My man was the one who tested positive. Obviously, I can’t be far behind.

Since we tend to stay at home during the long hot summers in Florida, I think I’ve figured out where he picked up this newest unwelcome visitor. The gas station down the street is the meeting center for local workmen looking for coffee and a snack. Ian paid the establishment a visit the other morning to grab a cup of coffee. He noted that the woman behind the counter coughed all over him. My guess is that she was in denial, and now we are paying the price.

The diagnosis meant a cancellation of the rest of this week’s slim activities and maybe next week’s too. As well as a call to the church to let them know that Sunday’s ushers — that’s us — were probably infectious. I told the pastor to use our names when notifying the other members of the congregation that Covid came to church on Sunday. She decided to keep us anonymous. I’m not embarrassed about having Covid again; just annoyed.

I’m still wondering why big government, big pharma and big blowhards can’t seem to get this pesky virus under control. And why people who feel sick don’t cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze. If you figure it out, let me know.

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While I’m lying low, I’m going to be reading Tangle, the newsletter by my new friend Isaac Saul. It’s a throwback to the good old days when media covered both sides of an issue. You may not agree with Isaac’s view, which he throws in at the end of his coverage of both sides of an issue. Then again, you may. He’s not predictable but always fair. To check him out, go to www.tangle.com.