New Years Eve

 Only a week ago we were waiting for Santa and a few toys, and now we wait for a whole new year.  A new year without all the heartache, hate, upheaval, and even an election result that won't go away.

But come tomorrow morning, we have a new year to decorate with all the things that make living in America special.  All we have to do is apply them. 

But first, we have to overcome a virus threat like none other.  And we can't defeat it without everyone's cooperation.  

By now we've all lost someone we at least know by name, and some we know in person and some who are family.  Those are the people who probably encountered someone who transmitted the virus because they were not wearing a mask.  And it grows from there.

So with the help of approved vaccines and the cooperation of all of us, we may be able to stim the tide of death that threatens us all.

Meanwhile, we can look forward to a new President and Vice President who will be taking over at the most challenging time in American history since the Civil War.  

Since we are all in this 'America Thing' together, we should help the new President's Administration fix everything that needs fixing, including our belief and support of our democratic ideals.  To do less is to contribute to the problems we must overcome before we become great again..

Right now, the best we can hope for is that 2021 will be a good year for each of us and for America.  Let's do our part to make it so.

Happy New Year.

Christmas Eve 2020

 WOW!  Christmas already!!!  

After a horrendous year, even a muted Christmas will be a blessing.  

Although the holiday is not a cure for the world's problems, most of which revolve around something we can't even see - the COVID-19 Virus, it gives us a moment to pause and try to make it a happy day the best way we can.

Even so, we can't hide from the effects resulting from the pandemic.   Each of which affects all our lives in so many ways whether we contracted the virus or not,  Death and suffering, closed businesses, an unstable economy, monumental failure of government intervention, and most of all, the loss of loved ones we could not even say goodbye to.

And it is far from over.

But today Judy and I will join her sister and husband for a very suppressed lunch, gift exchange, and brief time together.  Then we will return home.  It's definitely not what we have done in years past.  And this could be the 'new normal.'

Yes, and I will be wearing my funny Christmas Hat.  Some things never change.

Merry Christmas to all.

Judy and Leroy

COVID Update

Like everyone else in the world, we're ready for our Anti-COVID vaccinations.   And since we're in the high-risk (old age) group, we hope to be in the first wave of those receiving word to 'come get it.'

Meanwhile, Sweetie and I have been trying hard to stay away from crowds (larger than 1 or 2 people), wearing our masks when away from our house, washing our hands frequently, and just being mindful of our surroundings no matter where we are.  It has worked so far but LOTS of people are dying every day, some of whom were doing the same thing as us before they contracted COVID.  

Scary....

Even so, there was one large-gathering event that we just didn't want to miss - the annual Terra Mariae Christmas Luncheon at Keith Young's Steak House.   

A lot of thought went into planning it and, so far, that planning seems to have paid off.  We had a good crowd, yet small enough that we could have some extra breathing room if we felt the least bit uncomfortable.  

The result was a delightful gathering and delicious meal with our neighbors and friends, something we all needed.

I made a video if you would like to see what I'm talking about.  

Then we all returned to our routines of self-preservation, mostly through isolation, caution, and bewilderment that we wait patiently for it to end.

So far, so good.