Two Noras: March 7, 1914 and March 7, 2021

Nora Bauer: Saturday, March 7, 1914

The rivers [Wabash and Eel] are rising and the ice in the Wabash is starting to go out. Came home at 4:30 P.M. with an awful headache and went right to bed. 

Nora Spitznogle: Sunday, March 7, 2021

What a wonderful start to my week off! I started with Mass at Saint Joan of Arc followed by getting the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Spontaneous Sunday followed. 

Every time we drive through Logansport, Dad asks if I know what two rivers run through the town. Yes, Dad, I do...Logansport is located in the valleys of the Eel and Wabash Rivers. According to Powell's History of Cass County published in 1913, eight wagon bridges and eight railroad and interurban bridges span the rivers. The canal was crossed by another eight or ten bridges - that's at least 24 bridges in Grandma Nora's time. 

The great Logansport Flood had happened just the year before and I'm sure everyone was watching the water level with an eagle eye. From what I can tell of the flood's level, I think it would have affected her Dad's tavern. 

I find Nora's headache worrisome, knowing that she suffered from high blood pressure and died from a stroke. I wonder where she was coming home from - work? Church? 

I had an exciting day - I received a COVID-19 vaccine and one of my favorite places in town, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I'm not a race fanatic, but I love the history of the venue. Five year ago I wrote a 100 day countdown to the 100th running of the Indy 500 for NUVOThe Two Noras project feels much like that - a little research and writing. 

The whole experience was organized and smooth. The Indiana National Guard soldier who gave me the vaccine asked if I could relax my arm....I don't think that I've relaxed anything in the last 12 months, buddy. 

I'll admit to being nervous, I'm allergic to shellfish and even though there is nothing like that in vaccination, I sure got in my head about it. I spoke to my doc about it, she reassured me that I would be fine. I asked if there was any reason that I couldn't take an anti-anxiety drug before hand and she said that as long as I had a driver, that would be okay. As it turned out, I only took half of a low-dose of Xanax. I am thankful for the option of the one dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

After the vaccine and waiting time I treated Schaun to lunch at Mug and Bun - crinkle fries, yummy! I asked Schaun at the last-minute to take me, my original plan fell through, and he was kind enough to do so. That led to Schaun and I meeting his brother at a tile store to pick up tile and looking at options for another bathroom wall. Schaun joked that he should sell his truck - I suggested that he should sell is trailer too. 

Home early and drinking lots of water to help ward off any possible vaccine side effects.