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Now we are squarely in the doldrums of a Downeast winter. Unlike the actual doldrums, located 5 degrees north and south of the equator, the winds are blowing. But in other ways, we are all becalmed. It’s still a long way to spring in Washington County. The weather might keep us inside. Torpor might keep us inside. But it’s alright because if you, like me, were raised in rural New England, this is the season you’ve been training for. This is why you have 14 pounds of dried beans in your pantry. This is why you have enough unread books to start a small library. This is why your front entryway looks like a polar expedition just stopped by for dinner. We all have our strategies for passing through the doldrums. Some of us are happy by the fireside. Some of us head to points south, to stock up on homemade vitamin D. Years ago I decided to buy a bouquet every week beginning when the Christmas tree comes down and ending when the daffodils come up. This year, I’ve turned some of my doldrums attention toward games, like Settlers of Catan or Backgammon if anyone is around, and online word games if I’m alone. Of course, there’s the New York Times Wordle, which is a little like Hangman, in that it tells you when you’ve guessed a word correctly, and you have a limited amount of guesses. But recently I’ve begun to play a very different kind of word game, Contexto, whose instructions are simply, “Find the secret word.” You have unlimited guesses, which is good because the answer could be any of the words.
For near-instant gratification, I also enjoy the New York Times Mini-Crossword. Today’s puzzle slowed me down, asking, “Biden’s home state: Abbr.”
Knowing Biden was born and (mostly) raised in Pennsylvania, I tried Pen. But the correct answer is Del, for Delaware, where he moved when he was 11.
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