We haven't seen our sweet grandson since last year, and it's hard being so far away. But our daughter and son (in-law) are so good about keeping us updated with pictures, facetime and videos, and we are so grateful!
He's a very busy boy, so getting him to sit still for a picture can be a challenge.
He's a huge helper remodeling the kitchen!
But he also likes to take time out for a beverage when the work is done.
The Corona Virus pandemic has been going for over a year now, and we are all ready for it to be over! Vaccines from several different manufacturers have been available for about 2 months now, and are being administered in record time. Since the vaccines were approved for emergency use, there are still a lot of unknowns about all of them, and of course, some skepticism and resistance to getting them. The goal is to reach herd immunity, which will require about 75% of the population being vaccinated or have caught the virus, but as the virus continues to spread, new variants are emerging as the virus mutates. This brings a whole new realm of unknowns.
Steve and I talk a lot about how this past year has changed us. We were very social people before all of this started, but since we have been (for the most part) isolated for the last year, we have kind of forgotten how to be social. I think we've become hermits...ouch!
We have been very lucky to have major indoor and outdoor projects to keep us home and keep us busy, so that has truly been a blessing. But the projects are coming to an end, and hopefully so is the pandemic.
What will life look like at this time in 2022? We have no idea, but we hope it brings back real hair cuts, restaurants, travel and most importantly as much time as we want with family and friends!
One of the things I have really missed over the past year is going to the gym. I really enjoy the social time and was hoping to meet some new people at the gym after we moved. But instead, we have set up a gym in our house, and I have been doing online workouts for the past year.
To break up the monotony, our daughters suggested that we all workout together via an online meeting, so several times per week we pick a time and a workout, and give each other the support we would get if we had an in-person instructor.
Approximately 20 miles east of Mesa (east side of Phoenix) on highway 60 is the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. The arboretum has been there since the 1920's and covers more than 340 acres! Current admission is $15/person, or $60 for an annual pass for 2 people, and includes 2 guest passes. Most of the park has well groomed paths, with a few areas of hiking trails. There is also a picnic area with shaded tables if you bring your own lunch. This is the perfect place to get away from people, and get back to nature.
