Wrapping up 2020

I cruised, before the world stopped. The other cruise we had planned was of course canceled.

My cruise mate fell and mashed herself up really badly. But was wonderfully and miraculously okay, and sooner than you’d imagine. Joyously, thankfully, miraculously.

I was the last member of my small team to work in an office before we went into lockdown. I’m the only member of my small team whose office did not reopen (and, incidentally, re-close).

I watched the world in general and my country in particular struggle with coronavirus. We don’t seem to all agree on how to help ourselves. But at least vaccines are here for some, coming for the rest of us. Slower than we’d like, but coming nonetheless.

For us, family get-togethers went into spaced & distanced outdoor mode only.

Face masks became a regular thing in my life.

Restaurants closed, and grocery delivery was, for a while, quite the challenge to schedule.

I baked bread once I could get my hands on yeast. I made tzatziki on the regular. I tried new recipes.

We had an election here, and I will just say: I never thought I’d long for the relatively stress-free days of the 2016 election, and that was utter garbage.

My friend lost her mom. My BIL lost his dad.

I walked 100000 steps in a day, just to do it.

My cruise mate and I became Sanity Buddies. That means a daily check in. It also means she introduced me to virtual challenges, which I was deeply skeptical about. (Hahaha.)

I walked 3 marathons, plus several half-marathons. I walked the Ring of Kerry, the Inca Trail, the English Channel (no pool to swim it, no rowing machine but those options would have been even cooler), and Hadrian’s Wall. I walked the UK with friends (and will do it again with family).

I also set myself personal challenges to go alongside these, just to get myself moving, and virtually walked back to my friends in NY/NJ. I’m still walking the Pacific Northwest and a loop of Africa.

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Step by step, I progress.

Meanwhile, we prepare to step out of 2020, and into 2021. May it be a bright and better year!

Happy New Year! 🎊 🥂