2020 In Review

This Covid year has been so weird and difficult for us as I'm sure it's been for everyone. Thinking about it, the year hasn't been a total loss with lots of good things that have happened.

The year started with Mona and me making our annual trip to the southwest to get some sun and out of the snow and ice in North Idaho.

 

Along with some of our usual stops at places like Lake Havasu and Quartzsite we spent a few days in Borrego Springs. We stopped there to hike and to visit with my brother Palm Springs. An amateur radio friend there let us drop our trailer at his place so we could go to LA for several days to visit Mona's Son and Daughter in Law.

 

We were not able to spend a month in Yuma this year as the resort we like there has been discovered and had no spaces available for folks like us who only want to stay a month. As a result we thought we would try a resort in Tuscon that was recommended by some friends. We are really glad we did as we ended up liking the Tuscon area a lot better than Yuma. Yuma is warmer but Tuscon has much more to offer us in hiking and bicycling, along with city activities. The above picture is a sign I liked in the East Saguaro National Park just outside of Tucson.

 Mona surprised me on Valentines Day by taking me to a fine restaurant in the city. We were there earlier when a good friend and author, Delia Owens, was there giving a speech. We had a great visit after she was done.

After a month in Tuscon, we went to explore some in New Mexico. We visited the new White Sands National Park, the Three Rivers National Monument, the City of Rocks State Park, and Chaco Canyon National Park. And then Covid hit hard. For us, the first effect was having things start to shut down like the visitor center in Chaco Canyon, then the complete shutdown of Canyon de Chelly

Given the rapid increase of Covid we decided to head home earlier than planned. We did stop at Lone Rock on Lake Powell. We liked it so much that we ended up staying several days.

Here's a picture of the Grand Kids. I know everyone's are the cutest and smartest, but you must admit, these six are among the best. They are Raif 9, almost 10, Celine, 8, Mila 3, Lincoln 1, Saray 15 (and just got her driver's license), and Caanann 3. Raif, Celine and Saray are Michele and Stan's, Mila and Lincoln are Christine and Clint's, and Caanann is Teresa and John's.

This summer wasn't a total loss as we were able to partake in outdoor activities. One is riding the Hiawatha trail. This has turned into a family tradition each summer.

Another was family visits outdoors. This is Eric and his Girlfriend Julie on Christine and Clint's new porch. Christine and Clint moved to their new house in Kenmore at the start of the Covid mess. Fortunately they were able to complete the move before things got too bad.

The family has been really good about keeping all of us safe, especially Mona and me. Whenever the kids got close to us they would put on masks. Their parents have trained them well not to get to close to us. It's really hard not to be able to hug them all but this too shall pass.

Those of you that see the blog know that Mona and I had a great sailing vacation in the San Juan Islands for 3 three weeks. We bought the boat from a friend of mine last November with Christine and Clint and another couple friends of theirs. It was sure nice to get back on the water again. We missed going to Canada but maybe next year once the border opens again after Covid.

We motored to Friday Harbor one day in the fog when suddenly we encountered a pod of killer whales, several of which dove under the boat. What a treat especially since we were starting the trip back to Seattle.