Category: Covid-19

2020 was a year like no other. As we enter 2021, Covid 19 is still going in full force. The case load is rising in many parts of Canada and the vaccines are just getting under way. Fingers are being pointed and blame is being assigned – all a waste of energy because governments of all political stripes are trying their best and hopefully we learn from our experiences. The loss of life is tragic and death is targeting older people, many with underlying conditions. The disappointing part is when individuals flaunt the rules and see themselves with a sense of entitlement not afforded others. Our rules are not the problem – the lack of compliance is.

In a year of such significance and turmoil, we purchased a cabin in northern Saskatchewan in January. We took possession on April 1st just as the realities of Covid-19 were becoming very apparent. The stock market reached its low on March 23rd and we really had to wonder if it was a good idea to make such a major purchase with so much uncertainty. As it turned out, it was the best thing we could have done and we have been reaping the rewards ever since. Now we know what our friends meant when they told us how much their cabin means to their family.

One of the interesting things that has happened with Covid-19 is that people are not travelling so all things recreation have been in high demand. These businesses have done well while other business sectors have suffered dramatically. All things are not equal in a pandemic.

The most noticeable change for us has been the inability to travel and now the inability to see our family as the Covid-19 restrictions have been tightened for over a month. We do video calls with our friends and family but it is not the same. We talk about amazing trips we have had to Napa, Europe, Florida and Las Vegas and hope we have not taken them for granted.

We talk with our friends about the people we all met in Montenegro that created friendships far beyond the few days we were there. We know Montenegro has been hit hard by Covid-19 and we can only hope the country comes back driven by the spirit we saw when we toured the country. When the world is right, we need to get back to taste the rakija and share a meal.

The cabin has been a fantastic getaway. The north is so peaceful and the air is fresh. The silence at night is unlike anything the majority of the world knows. There is something about sitting in the backyard by the fire pit with your family and friends that cannot be duplicated.

We watch the deer stroll by on a regular basis. They leave the area when the people numbers increase over the summer and they return in the early fall. It is common to see them on the walking trails and on the winter snowmobile trails. If you’re lucky you may even see a bear or a moose when out for a drive. The coyotes and fox are also plentiful. All this wildlife reminds me of growing up on a farm in northeast Saskatchewan where we had all the same wildlife around our farm.

From fishing in the summer to snowmobiling in the winter, we have spent a lot of time enjoying the north. It’s really amazing to see the four seasons from a lake perspective. For people who do not get to experience winter, I can tell you it is as amazing as you make it. Snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice fishing and snowmobiling are winter activities that make winter more than bearable!

So what do quilts have to do with Covid-19?

Kathy makes quilts and gives them away to so many friends, family and even people she has not even met. These quilts are a symbol of kindness and friendship that stand out in the Covid-19 year we have experienced. The quilts are also sprinkled throughout our cabin.

Kathy has been making and giving away quilts and blankets for years so 2020 was nothing new. New babies, friends birthdays, children experiencing health issues, friends retiring, accident victims, and mostly because someone either needed one or they are just special people. Pure kindness and no expectation of recognition. Isn’t this exactly what we needed in 2020? Isn’t this exactly what we need all the time?

So where are we headed in 2021? Hard to tell but I know we will somehow beat Covid-19. I know our cabin will be important to our family and I know Kathy will continue to be the kindest person I know!

My second cup is now empty…………………………

When I grew up a handshake was a sign of greeting and it also sealed a goodbye. Of course, in more personal situations, a hug or a peck on the cheek worked as well! Business agreements were consummated with a handshake and nothing more was required. Your word was your bond and the handshake completed the transaction.

We did not get to holiday much as kids but we have been fortunate in our adult life to travel a good part of Canada, the United States and parts of Europe. We have become accustomed to planning a holiday and going away without any issues.

Covid 19 has changed both the handshake and the holiday. They have been stolen from us – at least for now.

Will we return to the past or are we changed forever?

Will future generations know the power of a handshake or the thrill of planning and going on a distant holiday?

The handshake correctly went away early with the onslaught of Covid. The threat of virus transmission was just too much to risk and the replacement with an elbow bump just feels awkward. Time may create normality for the elbow bump but can anything replace a human touch? The handshake was a sign of peace and welcoming that will be hard to replace.

We were in Hawaii in March 2020 when Covid accelerated in the United States and Canada. It almost felt unbelievable how fast things were changing and how little our government health advisors actually knew about what was going on. By the time we got home things were rapidly changing and we were in self quarantine for 14 days. It would be almost three months before we would enter a restaurant again.

In March and April we hoped things would start taking shape and return to normal by summer. We were wrong. It is now late August and more questions remain than we have answers for.

International, national and even regional travel ended by March 2020. We were a country locked down and it was hard to disagree with these decisions. Holiday travel of any kind was put on hold.

So what is the holiday outlook now?

We postponed a September 2020 holiday to Ireland and Scotland for one year and our fall Las Vegas trip is just about extinct. We are not particularly hopeful for a winter holiday as the United States is having a difficult time getting Covid under control. After adjusting for population, the United States is still running at 10 times the daily Covid cases as compared to Canada.

This summer has been very different as all community events and sporting events have been shuttered. As we move into the colder weather of fall and winter, I expect Canadians will be anxious to get away for a warm holiday and it is not looking good right now.

For us and some of our travelling friends, it may take an approved vaccine before we venture out for travel to the United States and Europe. This vaccine is unlikely to be available until the summer of 2021.

We miss the travel, the food and the people you meet along the way – the Beer Haus in Las Vegas, a bowl of goulash in Budapest, the canals of Amsterdam, the beauty of Indian Shores in Florida and the warm winter beaches in Hawaii.

We don’t feel hard done by because we are healthy and enjoy the best of what life has to offer with our boys close by.

It’s just on many days, I could use a good handshake and a holiday.

My second cup is now empty…………………..