Holiday Greetings

 

Wishing you joy and peace

Hello friends and family,

      I know this has been an unusual and often difficult year for all of us.   I just hope it was also a year in which you were able to find joys, insights and strengths.  None of us will forget 2020.

       I usually head to cooler summer locations, traveling or finding a fun seasonal work location.  Not this year. I stayed on my lot in Coarsegold, except for an evacuation, and survived the heat.  I socially distanced.  For someone who enjoys being with people, starting conversations with folks I don’t even know, eating out and exploring new places, I thought this would be particularly difficult.  But I found zoom to be a huge benefit.  I’ve enjoyed the services, on-line activities and discussions at the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Fresno.  I have howled in the evenings with a few neighbors to honor front line workers.  Outside, well distanced, masked, we would  stand and visit for awhile.  I emailed and talked to friends on phones.   I couldn’t help but think how different this was from the 1918 pandemic. Being a bit of a Luddite, I found I appreciated the technology more than I ever expected.

      I took on responsibility for organizing and working on a sanitation crew to help keep our clubhouse and laundry safe.  Although the clubhouse is closed to activities, we need access to mail boxes, office and to wash clothes.  A woman in the park offered to make a mask for anyone who wanted one.  Later, Chris’ daughter made me a half dozen more. The time allowed for the wound on my head (melanoma surgeries) to heal and bald spots to start shrinking. And I love the wildlife on my site and worked on bird photography. I’ve been adopted by a feral cat I’ve named Kimchee. 

  The hard parts were the Creek Fire which came close enough to be a concern.   Our park was not evacuated but the warning area (people being told to get ready and stay tuned for orders) ended just across the road from us.  But the combination of smoke, raining ash and uncertainty got the best of me.  I headed to my cousin’s house in the Bay Area.  Since she had a very small “bubble” it was a safe place and we talked our heads off  Another  hard part was discovering how many people felt they didn’t need to isolate or wear masks to protect people around them.   The election was stressful.   I lost three good friends from my early full-time RVing days as well as two others.

     Now that vaccines are available, we can hope 2021 will be a better year and that we can begin healing the divisions. 

    I wish you a happy holiday season, knowing I am a bit late for Chanukah and for Christmas with hard copies of this letter.   May you all be blessed in the New Year.

    Virtual hugs for now, real ones again someday,

     Betty