Well, 2020 sure started off with a bang, and the first 2.5 months were a continuation of my year of travel.
I started out the year in Reno, NV with nubbins and wontons. From there I flew to Orlando where I experienced Disney World, stayed on a horse farm, visited NASA, met a cousin I’d never met, and spent time with more family.
February brought a tour of all things Florida and Georgia. I was captivated on Captiva and Sanibel islands, saw manatees in Crystal River, toured historic Savannah (with a super busted up knee - that still isn’t better), waited in line for 2 hours for home cooking at Mrs. Wilkes’, and fine-dined at Elizabeth on 37th. I hung out in Beaufort with dolphins and sweet tea frappes, ate Gullah Grub, found tree spirits and rich retreats in the Golden Isles and pampered myself with an ocean view on Amelia Island.
Having crossed so many things off my list and secured Titanium member status, I headed back to Texas with stops to visit the Daltons in the panhandle and the McElroys in Alabama. By then, I’d started hearing about a new virus. Nothing major - just wash your hands and you’ll be fine. I stayed in Katy for a week while I ran errands, made doctor appointments, renewed my car registration, etc.
And just the very next week….Lockdown. COVID. Isolation.
Things happened the rest of the year, although not much. Some of it celebratory - Jades married Martin and Mike married Eve. Some of it...hard - Mom had a couple of surgeries and was diagnosed with the thing that will eventually take her from us….she’s already leaving. And during it all lockdown. COVID. Isolation.
This year started with such a high and is ending - somewhere else. I’m hopeful that a vaccine will be widely available soon, that it will allow me to travel in 2021. That it will let us eat in restaurants, and see the people we love, and allow us to cross international borders. I think the world is permanently changed by 2020. I have been. Only time will tell if it made us better or broke this world completely.
