News that Water Street Kitchen closed for a few days because one of its employees tested positive for Covid should not have been a surprise.  It certainly wasn’t to us.  

Here in Hilton Head, South Carolina where we live during the winter, restaurants have been confronting the Covid challenge for months. One of our favorites has shut at least twice, and for several days, while the premises were cleaned and everybody tested. Thankfully, the last incident was several months ago.  It’s believed there are some 200 restaurants in Hilton Head so Covid is, of course a big deal. By now, you have to assume everybody is well aware of the need to be cautious because I haven’t heard of another restaurant  taking a hiatus.

Locals here have the same concerns that Mainers did in the spring - the arrival of tourists and even long-term home renters and buyers who’ve realized they can tele-work and home school on the island as well as they can back north. 

In the island’s favor, as we approach winter, is the fact that it’s warm here.  So, while the doctors and scientists warn about cold weather and the need to be indoors up north, we can be outside. (BYO dinners in the driveway for neighbors are common.) It's not all roses and moonbeams.The number of new Covid infections here far exceeds those in Maine, and while masks and caution are everywhere, the new cases keep on coming. 

So do the home buyers. The Maine Assn. oif Realtors reports business is booming. In the third quarter of the year, the number of homes sold in Lincoln County increased 43.5% The median home sale price was up 21 percent.  Same story is being told here.  Real estate people are used to having a 12-month supply of inventory.  Now, they're saying they’ve got listings for only one month.  Daily our mailbox delivers pleas from agents for us to list our property.

Sadly, there are very few Halloween decorations.  I haven’t heard of any plans for a parade of costumed munchkins, and i don't think the Harris Teeter store has done much of a push to sell cookies and candy. They did, though, have their quarterly wine sale.  The deal is 20

% off a case and, if you buy Thursday, seniors get another 5% discount. That is a good deal!

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