UPHEAVALS: The end of last year our pastor of 5 years resigned, irreconcilable differences. This was a very painful time. A lot of strong feelings. What a way to start 2020. Mid-summer we finally voted in a PNC (Pastor Nominating Committee) Don Ludwig our Associate Pastor said that he would be our interim pastor until September at least. This would get a started in the process of figuring out what we were going to do.
DISEASE: In February, my best friend, Jeanne, came down with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Guillain-Barré (gee-YAH-buh-RAY) syndrome is a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves. Weakness and tingling in the extremities are usually the first symptoms. These sensations can quickly spread, sometimes paralyzing the whole body. If you want to find out more go to the Mayo Clinic site. Usually there is complete recovery but it is very slow. All Jeanne's ability to move her muscles stopped. Within a few days she was in intensive care in Duluth and on a respirator. I was able to go visit her in the intensive care. It certainly was a different sort of a visit but I was very glad to be there.
PESTILENCE: In March COVID – 19 really hit the USA. We were slow to react. By the end of March, we started a lockdown process. Social distancing, wearing masks and hand washing started as recommendations but soon became mandates. Businesses closed or people started working from home. Schools shifted to distance learning. Everything has changed. All personal activities and fun events were canceled but luckily, they were canceled right after my 70th birthday and the Celebration of Creativity. I have a lot of zoom meetings, walks with friends but very little else. My record was 4 virtual connections in one day and 12 in a week. I can't beat Rebecca though. She does 4 zoom church services a day, every day: 2 in Nepali with Marry's church, 1 in Marathi with Nisha's church and 1 in English with the church she attended while in India.
Purple - zoom, orange - walks, green - Viva Village and blue - other
Wedding, funerals, graduations, and all other gathering had to find other ways of happening. Schools went to distance learning. People were very creative. Zoom became a major source of communication. Churches, synagogues, and mosques shut down. In June things slowly started the process of reopening but it was very gradual. Many businesses and restaurants totally closed and went out of business because they could not make ends meet. March 8th was our last church service in the building. Easter certainly was different. We still felt confident that things would be back to "normal" soon. Don Ludwig, started recording a service which we could listen to later. August 1, they started live streaming church service on zoom. In September most schools started up with distance learning. Some schools did a hybrid system of some distance learning and some face to face. Some states went back fully to face to face.
Mask wearing or face shields were required.
My Viva Village job shifted to working from home. At first the only service requests we would take were grocery shopping or errands. Many of the activities shifted to zoom activities. We gradually added trips to doctor's appointments and yard work to the list of services.
We canceled our AWEsome June trip to Chicago. We canceled our family trip to DC and Ohio. All the Rick Steves’ tours were canceled for the year (though they officially canceled month by month). Sharon and Glenn's trip to Tokyo and then their September Rick Steves trip to Italy was canceled. No plans for any travels until 2021. Then we will see. We need the vaccine!
The end of October, Jay and Jeanne were both tested positive for Covid 19. They had very mild cases. They had a lot of company this summer. The most recent was someone who had just come from a wedding where there were 200+ people all not wearing masks and who later was tested positive.
November, we started a new spike in cases. Around the world the numbers are way up again. Much worse than the first spike. Oregon is doing a 1 month pause - or modified shutdown starting Nov 18th. On the hopeful note, there seems to be some progress with the vaccine. They are hoping for the end of December to start vaccinating high risk professionals and then maybe by June the vaccine will be available for everyone.
WEATHER: We had snow March 14th! Very unusual to have snow this late. Of course, it was only 1/2 an inch!!
DEATH/VIOLENCE: Then on May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black American man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. ... Floyd's death triggered subsequent protests against police brutality, police racism, and lack of police accountability. Portland has had demonstrations/protests every night for 100 plus days.
FIRES: Then in August and September, Oregon, Washington and California have been dealing with the annual summer forest fires. But this year because it has been so hot and dry the fires have been much worse than usual. They have not been able to control them. On Wednesday, September 9th we had high winds and this sent the smoke far and wide.
The sun was very red but my photographs did not capture that.
Someone (not me) took this series of pictures of Portland. It really was like this.
The air quality index was high in the Hazardous range. Not much walking for me. They have suggested that everyone stay indoors. This felt like adding insult to injury. It lasted about 2 weeks before our air quality was back down to the "good" range.
Sunday, Sept 13, 2020
View from our front door, Sunday.
By Monday the numbers were up to 346. The highest it got was 418!
Heading out to Ely with mask and shield
TRAVELS: I did go on one trip after all the lockdown stuff. In the middle of September, I went to visit Jeanne in Ely. She was home alone for 2 weeks, so it seemed like the best time to try to visit. Delta Airlines did a very good job of trying to keep people safe. Airports were pretty empty. I had a great relaxing visit with Jeanne. I missed some of the bad air stuff in Portland. Luckily neither of us got sick. Each day we did a different lake tour. I got to see all the lakes where they go canoeing or fishing.
EARTHQUAKE; Jamie and Pam in LA had a 4.6 earthquake in September. It scared the cats and shook things up. They are fine.
DIVISION: This year is a presidential election year. I don't think that I have ever seen such a division in this country over the election of the president (unless you consider 4 years ago). Democrat vs Republican. It feels like it is even in the air. Even the virus seems to have become a political issue. Trump and his wife have both tested positive for Covid 19, but had mild cases. The country is being torn apart. Because so many homes were destroyed in the fire, they had to find another way to mail out the ballots for voting. Not surprising, but there was no decision on Nov 3rd. A few days later Joe Biden won with Kamala Harris as VP. This makes some of us very happy but others not so much. The time until January 20th will probably be very tense but I can always hope for a peaceful and smooth transition.
On the positive note: I have discovered on-line cooking classes. That has been fun. I discovered some fun new recipes and ways of cooking. Mostly it just gives me an idea for dinner.
In September Nathan met Tracy. She is a hospice nurse. All of her family live in Portland area.
Thought of the day: If you are going to say something, is it true, is it necessary and is it kind. Asking forgiveness will not change the past but can change the future.
My new ornament for this year.
On election day, our cat, Manjari, died. She had been struggling for a while so it was not a surprise. She was 16 1/2 years old. Her sibling, Gemini, has been searching the house for her.
The holidays are different this year. Since Nathan is in town, we do get to see him regularly. He comes over for a meal and a walk (depending on the weather), but he does not come to just hang out. Thanksgiving he cooked some dishes and we cooked the rest. He came over like usual, there was just a lot more food. Usually, he comes over early and we all cook together. Also, we usually try to get together with another family but not this year. But our holidays are less different for us than for some people. I can be thankful for that. Christmas, Nathan is planning to "bubble" with us. We will all self-quarantine before he comes over.
Extended Family - 3 babies came into the world this year. On George's side of the family: George (Singer) and Valerie had Amelia Singer in May. Valerie has moved in with George. They live close to Dorothy and Ed, so Dorothy has been able to babysit regularly. Madeline (Singer) and Roman had their baby, Ivan Malinovskyy, in November in Seattle. Dorothy and Ed had planned a trip in December to see the baby but that has been postponed. On my side of the family Perry (Donaldson) and Dan had Willa Ray Reeder Pugh in November. Steve is not sure when he will get to see the new baby. Willa has an older brother, Wyatt Henry Holliday Pugh. Sharon (Donaldson) & Michael are expecting a baby girl in February. Ella Yukari Kiyo will get to be the older sister. Linda is back from Thailand and in graduate school in Michigan. Sue had a replacement of a previously done total hip. She will have the other one done in January.
For Thanksgiving, Nathan made the mushroom cornbread stuffing, sourdough biscuits and pecan, pumpkin cheesecake. Rebecca made the garlic mashed potatoes. I made cranberry sauce, gravy, twice cooked sweet potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts. We had 2 family zoom calls before Nathan came over. We went on a walk and then got everything in the oven to heat. We sat on the deck with our adult beverages while we waited for dinner to be ready.
Dec 13th the church did a drive-thru Advent Faire. George and I made 54 cornflake wreaths. See my event blog for more details.
I decided to try making Pfeffernussen (pepper nuts). The Emericks used to make them every year. I might make it a tradition. It is a good thing to make to give away.
Nathan came over on Wednesday, December 23rd. He made a vodka cream sauce and pasta for dinner. Yummy. He came over with enough food to feed an army.
Christmas Eve we all went on a neighborhood walk. When we got back, we sent George to the other room so that we could make a fruitcake for him for Christmas. Rebecca joined us for the walk and making the fruitcake. George likes fruitcake and every year we try to find him some. This recipe is a very fruit forward recipe. We made one big one and 2 small loaves. I am sure that he will be very surprised with this gift. He may be eating it for the next year. Later we started making the sticky buns for Christmas morning.
Christmas morning sticky bun tradition. yummy.
We did gifts and then a walk - in the rain.
George with his fruitcake
Gemini
We had a light lunch and then 2 zoom calls. One to my side of the family and the next to George's side. Dinner was our traditional Christmas dinner of raclettes.
Nathan and I made an attempt and making homemade pasta. It was a success. We made cacio e pepe with truffle oil. Yummy. It was fun to use the pasta maker. I usually only use it once a year for our boudzas.
Jan 2nd, we had our annual New Year's Eve boudza dinner. I am including it with then end of 2020 even though we did it in 2021. We invited Tracy over for the event.
Nathan cut the circles
I rolled out the pasta
George and Rebecca made the boudzas
Finished product.
I made the vegetable soup.
We had quite the set up on our deck, since it was a windy rainy evening.
Tracy arrived about 4 pm. Warm spiced cider with fireball whisky to warm us up.
Then I went in to heat up the soup and cook the boudzas. We had to serve everyone. I served seconds as well. It was awkward to figure out the logistics due to Covid.
Nathan had made a pecan pie.
We ended the evening playing Scattergories. Another thing we could do that was "safe". This ends my summary of 2020.
Heather Cox Richardson said "We are at the end of a year that has brought a presidential impeachment trial, a deadly pandemic that has killed more than 338,000 of us, a huge social movement for racial justice, a presidential election, and a president who has refused to accept the results of that election and is now trying to split his own political party." (good summary)
Good things that have come about with the pandemic.
1. I discovered on-line cooking classes
2. Zoom - connecting. Ended out connecting with friends more frequently and friends that I hadn't heard from in a while.
3. Zoom - classes, lectures, travel shows - fun stuff
4. Zoom - entertainment - shows.
5. Walks with friends
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