We have now entered the second year of Covid-19. We continue to mostly stay at home. But in all honesty, it is getting weary. Mental health is impacted more and more. Physical health is not what it could be and it just all feels daunting. Our family has opted to make some choices to help restore some balance. We are not only in choosing to take a vacation, go for hikes with others (masks, distances mostly kept) and even recently out door dining. The first time in California in over a year.
We vaccines available since December, it is slowly starting to feel like we are heading toward the light in that symbolic tunnel. Yet masks remain essential. Safe distancing too. For now. In the meantime, this is how we have been coping in our little corner in Pinole.
(photos are newest first but what we've done listed in the opposite)
1: A quiet Christmas and Hanukkah at home. The girls were gifted a trip to Universal Studies. It may be years before we can do that.
2. Mom got her vaccines through her work at Kaiser.
3: We went to the Big Island of Hawaii. A much needed respite. It was safe, warm and there were serious restrictions and requirements to be able to travel there. But it was the best rx for us all.
4: Our 9th season of Girl Scout Cookies started. Pandemic safe, there were no booths or knocking on doors. We did contactless delivery through digital sales and orders from family/friends. Even with all the restrictions, Amara sold 600 boxes and Havana 204.
5: Amara tie dyed a bunch of shirts, socks and bananas for a fundraiser project for school. She wanted to buy tools to pick up trash in our community.
6: Amara had our GS troop meet at the beach and park for our first in person gathering in a year. It technically was a school project with GS pals but it was a great outing for all.
7: As we began to open up more, our GS troop did hike but not before each girl (at their own home) making sandwiches, which we brought to a food bank. Our troop made 300 sandwiches!
8: We have gone hiking at Pt. Pinole and a new favorite spot along Pinole Shores.
9: Don put in a new toilet and while that was much needed, Samson got to get the box it came in as his new fort! He loves it outside.
10: Kai continues to be our cutie patootie! He is also very mischievous. He is often rough with Samson (who growls whenever Kai gets close) and likes to knock everything over all over the house. His favorite annoyance is to reach under the door and shake the door stopper; when we are sleeping. But we still love him so very much.
11: Dan and Amara continue to look for deer antlers. It was a good year. Mom found a skull on one hike, which she liked better than antlers (we have about a dozen so far!)
12: Mom's friend moved up to the coast in Gualala where she has several airbnb's on their sacred property, Mom and the girls spent several days there during Winter Break. Beach, redwoods and quiet time was good for the soul.
13: A cat showed up in our yard. No chip and no responses to multiple postings on Nextdoor, and his having now made himself at home, in our home, has meant that Simba (Havana named him) is now cat #3. (oy vey!-but we love him already.)
14: Dad continues to work during the day and then switch to his second job as teacher. His spends up to a couple of hours many nights, helping with math and other work.
15: Mom sadly lost a two friends in recent weeks. One was the son of her dear friend, whom she knew since he was a little boy. The other a childhood friend. Another close friends is on hospice with cancer. There has been alot of talk about dying and life and holding space for this deep grief.
16: We did a sweet valentine drive through thingy at Bentley, one of the the three schools Amara applied to for high school. Decision day came on March 19th. There was not immediate decision but the following week, Amara was accepted to Bentley (her first choice) and was given a very (very) generous financial award, making it possible for her to attend. We are over the moon proud of her extremely hard work in Middle School (and all her school years.)
17: We continue to get along, fight, get along. It is not easy being cooped up but we are grateful each day and when we come together for dinner, we continue to say what it is we are grateful for. There is much suffering this past year but we are lucky to be together, to be safe and to have so much. Gratitude has been a daily conversation.
18: Dad got his first vaccine.
Alot of things these past few months and at the same time, life feels the same. Days and nights blend into one another. One big groundhog day. But we blessed in many ways and for that I must remain grateful. The pandemic has allowed for deeper inquiry and there has been much inner work for all of us and so in that regard, the pandemic has been a gift as well as a curse. But I will be very glad when we can move into the tunnel and come out the other side.
