So far we made it through 2020 and half of 2021 with no ill effects. Last year we watched the news assiduously and tracked the number of cases in various places including Italy where we were scheduled to go in June of 2020. This, of course, was cancelled. We will try again soon. We kept busy with puzzles, books, and television, and eventually invested in a treadmill to have an option for exercise during the winter.

A tremendous boost for me during this time was the purchase of a Dyson V8 Animal. I read that the actress, Helen MIrren, had said the two key items sustaining her during the lockdown were watching birds at the bird feeder and her Dyson Animal vacuum. With us being home more – like all the time – the Dyson Animal became my new best friend in the cleaning department.

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Ross, who missed having breakfast out with friends, decided to invest in an egg poacher, and his cooking repertoire expanded to poached eggs, as well as omelets and crepes.

Cooking and meal planning became my nemesis. We scheduled grocery store trips once every seven to ten days and once home, wiped everything down before putting it away.

My new interest was junk journaling. I had already been a scrapbooker for several years but now discovered a whole new world of YouTube videos to watch and supplies to acquire including digital downloads from Etsy, new multi-media items from Amazon, etc.

While keeping busy with new activities, we missed all the usual family events that were postponed. We basically had no physical contact with kids and grandkids until 2021. This was replaced by drive-by birthday celebrations and a Zoom Christmas in 2020.

We did have the occasional dinner with family at a distance on our back patio when weather permitted.

We were, however, able to see the granddog and possibly spent more up close and personal time with him than we did with the kids. At least it seemed that way.

The grandkids began having virtual school around the first of April, 2020. And, in May, we missed our granddaughter’s high school graduation but so did she. Sadly, in July, she got to go to the school auditorium, walk through in her cap and gown, pick up her diploma, and walk out. About a five-minute event. We also missed visiting her at college during her freshmen year. She got Covid there but with minimal symptoms.

Zoom became our contact with the outside world. We used it for things such as social gatherings, church meetings, Sheila’s book club, Ross’ men’s breakfasts, and family updates.

Travel-wise, we had to cancel a family trip to one of the national parks as well as a bicycle trip to Italy. It made us realize that we are aging out of the ability to do active vacations; that travel window may shut down very soon. We did get away for a long-weekend in the fall and fit in some bicycling then. Traveling included carrying a hefty supply of alcohol wipes, bleach, paper towels, and hand sanitizer as well as masks. Meals were all essentially take-out. No eating out at restaurants most of which were not open anyway. And if they were, their hours were limited or they were only open a couple of days per week.

We got more exercise with occasional bike rides with friends but managed to gain the Covid 15 pounds.

Part of this was due to our new craving for Rice Krispie Treats. Never really ate them previously but on a trip to the grocery store, discovered they were available plain or with M&M’s. This became a daily snack. We eventually got a treadmill but had to wait three months for it to arrive.

So here we are slightly more than halfway through 2021, vaccinated but cautious about the Delta Variant. We have returned to our health club but on a fairly limited basis, we have returned to church but masks are still required, and we go out to a restaurant for breakfast once a week. And, most importantly, we have hugged the grandkids. Some semblance of normality at the moment.