If I've done my math correctly, we're nearly 300 days into an order to remain at home as much as possible, avoid eating in restaurants or gathering in groups. We are still wearing face masks in public and in the workplace. Schools have switched to remote learning. Visitors aren't allowed at nursing homes. Hospitals are at capacity in parts of the country, and according to the Johns Hopkins site, there are currently 83,689,541 cases of COVID-19 reported, with 1,822,467 deaths (346,043 in the US). A new, more contagious, strain, noted previously in Britain, has now been reported in California and Colorado.
Before it finished, 2020 also saw the death of two wonderful and wise men (both lost to cancer): Marvin Bell and Barry Lopez. And just a couple of weeks ago, we learned that our beloved Tango, nearly 12 years old, has bone cancer, and is not a good candidate for surgery+chemo and radiation. We are spoiling him and telling him how much we love him and how wonderful he is for as long as we have with him (days? weeks? months? We don't know.) I lost one hive a couple of months ago and the other a couple of weeks ago, and so for the the first time in four years, I am hive-less, but that is nothing to the emptiness we know will arrive when Tango leaves us.
And although none of the above has changed since midnight, we were very happy to say good-bye to 2020 and hello to 2021.
In other news: Biden has been elected. Trump is still acting out. But in theory, in nineteen days, a new President and Vice President will take office, and they are likely to behave very differently from the current, soon-to-be former, POTUS.
Jupiter and Saturn just appeared in a Great Conjunction in the night sky; I wanted to see it in person, with our little telescope (why else have it if not for such opportunities, at the least?), but I didn't manage to get clear of Christmas lights and fog at the right time of night to view this thing that only happens in this way every several hundred years.
We have refinanced our house and are now in a position to do some home improvement in preparation for a move to the country. A little land and a shop are the main requirements, but we still have a lot of work to do to get there. It's daunting and exciting and stressful, and we have moments of overwhelm at the mere thought of all that has to happen for this next step in our lives. But as we often say, quoting Anne Lamott, "bird by bird."
More important than any of the other updates, however, is the news that N. and A. were married by their beloved mentor in NJ and are expecting a baby boy in the summer. They both have jobs, and move into an apartment this coming weekend.
We are in a time of many changes, and (especially after last night's excessive snacking of junk food, wine consumption and Cards Against Humanity binge-session with the kids), I know it will be especially important for me to continue to do the things that keep me well: drinking water, eating healthy fresh whole foods, the yoga/tabata workouts, reading and writing. Hence this entry. I don't know that this blog is the best place to journal - I have other options, of course - but it seems important to add an update after such a long period of silence, for myself more than for the one or two people who might happen upon this disjointed entry.
