Ending 2021 much as it started

I didn’t intend to not blog for over a month. I am not sure I feel like it today but I want to reflect a bit before 2022. I have really enjoyed blogging – until December hit and I temporarily lost my voice. I was incensed by the Supreme Court case that looks like it truly could make meaningful access to abortions illegal in many states. I wanted to write about it and scream about it – but to what end? Adoption is not a solution for unplanned/unwanted pregnancies. Pregnancy can be lethal for a woman. Women can die in childbirth and bear severe consequences of pregnancy for the rest of their lives.

I watched the first season of Handmaid’s Tale in January after Donald Trump was elected and I feared we were heading in that direction. I couldn’t watch further seasons. I wonder what would happen if women simply stopped having vaginal intercourse unless they were trying to get pregnant?

If that was not enough to harsh the positive vibe I was feeling at the end of November, omicron came into our lives The first case in the US was reported on December 1st and now it represents about 70% of US cases. I have tried to be careful even after 2 vaccinations and booster. I mask indoors around people if I am not 100% sure everyone is vaccinated. I have-not been masking outdoors. I am very aware of distance between people indoors and out. I am fearful of getting Covid again.

The morning of the 24th. I woke up energized to clean the apartment to host my son and his wife for Christmas Eve dinner as I had done last year on our first day out of Covid quarantine. I noticed my eyes felt a little scratchy that morning but didn’t think much of it. A couple of hours later, I found out that the 10 y/o I had a brief close contact with on the Tuesday had tested positive for Covid on Thursday. After checking my temperature and finding it slightly elevated I decided to go get PCR test done. Frustration/apprehension/fatigue set in as I quarantined, canceled dinner and waited. Christmas morning the PCR test came back negative for Covid and influenza A so I decided to enjoy Christmas – everyone that gathered had tested negative with rapid tests. It was a lovely day.

On Sunday, the 26th, I woke up fatigued with loss of appetite, mild aches and elevated temperature. On the Monday I decided to cancel my trip to cycle with friends that I had really been looking forward to. Wednesday I felt “less unwell” and Thursday I started to feel better as my temp dipped back to normal for the first time. I went to some pretty dark places on the 26th and 27th – almost exactly a year from my Covid experience. I felt so fortunate that I did not have any long lasting effects from Covid besides loss of taste and smell. After several days of fatigue this week, I feared not getting my energy back to do all the things I want to do. I didn’t retest because I wouldn’t do anything differently. It may have been a different virus all together. During most of my adult life, I would have worked right through the degree of symptoms I had – because I could have. I have a entirely different perspective now after my attempt to exercise fatigue away resulted in Covid. 2021 started with Covid and ends with a week of isolation with a virus, perhaps omicron. I ventured out today for groceries and my energy level was OK so my fear is subsiding.

I want to end this blog in a good place. December was not all bad. On December 2nd, I had my orientation visit at the Nashville Tools for Schools workshop. It was great and I started working immediately. The workshop is quite large with all kinds of big saws and cool tools. The group meets Mon-Wed mornings for about 4 hours and builds various structures (including outdoor classrooms) for schools. The group is all older retired men – mostly over 70. They created a Ladies Room for me and on my last day before holiday break, they turned me loose with a table saw cutting scrap pieces.

When we restart next week, the group will go back to full Covid precautions – only 4 people working in the large shop at a time.

2021 was a crazy year: Covid, retirement, spending 2.5 months on the road visiting friends and family, starting to build my community in Nashville and discovering my love of carpentry. My joy of owning Carli has surprised me the most. I never understood people who dressed their dogs before and now I am one of those people – it makes me laugh (and she doesn’t mind). I will end with a couple of Carli pictures and hope they make you at least smile.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I have no idea what to expect from 2022.