It has been a somber year for all of us. Being self-contained here at our tiny mountain cabin has given me MUCH time to relax, reflect and grow sprouts while sitting on my couch. Both of us now have longer hair that has remained uncolored. I think I kind of like the new look with both of us sporting silver pony tails, lol.
Tim and I have really maintained a low profile, stayed safe and thankfully healthy. Although the pandemic did not hit us, or our son, we did have members of our extended family, as well as close friends, get the disease. I hope and pray that you and your family have managed to avoid getting COVID.
Thankfully, I now have had both of my shots, but Tim is still not eligible. I have been keeping my eyes open for when California opens up slots for under 65, but we are not there. When I checked this morning, the county health page indicated that it could take until May for that possibility.
In the meantime, I am chomping at the bit to get back out there!
I realized that I never properly completed writing about our RV trip to Southern Oregon, and plan to sort through my pictures and see if I can share a bit more from that get-a-way in the very near future.
We also took a brief sojourn to Mexico last February to see the whales, as well as an RV trip to Puerto Peñasco. My memory sometimes flakes out over time, which is largely why I have tried to keep up with my blog as we travel. BUT, since I did not do that, I may just have to let some of our pictures do the talking.
Until recently, I kept going delete, delete, delete, whenever I received emails from some of my favorite tour/travel companies, as I knew traveling Internationally was not in the cards. Now, thankfully, more and more countries are starting to open back up. There are still significant regulations in place to try to prevent more virus spread, but at least there is a crack in the door.
I will continue to research some options and do another post before long to share some potential destinations, what hoops we will need to jump through to get there, and equally important, get back home.
So, how about you? Are you, too, looking forward to when it is once again safe to travel and you can get back out there?
I would love to hear from you to know how you are doing, what you have done over this past year, and what, if any, travel plans you currently have booked, are researching about, or if you (like me) are simply in the dreaming stages.
Gratitude Moment: First of course, I am thankful to be healthy. After a year like this, one really does remeasure what is important. Like most of you, Tim and I have dearly missed spending time with friends and family. But we do see the light at the end of a very long tunnel.
It has been a LONG year, Let’s reconnect!
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A Note From Abroad 
So glad you both are doing well!
We are looking forward to your travels again. We just went to see family in mid-March after we both had been vaccinated. But that is the most we have done in a very long time and not sure how soon we will travel again. As more opens up and more people become vaccinated, who knows, next year at this time or the fall????
Love to both of you and yours,
Linda and Paul
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Linda and Paul, I’m so glad that you are both now vaccinated and safer from infection. At least you got to see family recently. I’m hoping that by this summer, or this fall at the latest, that Tim will be covered and we will be able to safely get back out there. Big hugs to you both, JJ
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Glad you are doing well! We did a little bit of social distanced camping last year in tents and cabins. We also got married! It wasn’t quite the wedding we had planned but it was beautiful! Looking forward to your travel stories!
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Congratulations on getting married!!! That is huge news. I’m sure that your wedding plans were modified, but I’m betting that the ceremony itself was still amazing and that the memories made are priceless. Wishing you much happiness!!!
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Put Australia on your travel list. Very happy to say our State of Victoria is completely COVID free. In fact as is most of Australia. Vaccinations are slowly starting to happen, we hope to have ours in 3 weeks time, things will now move faster because approval has been given to produce our own. Allowed to have 75,000 at our football this weekend in Victoria.
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That is wonderful that your area is now COVID free. How I wish I could say the same about anywhere here in the states. I saw your cute picture from the football game. Sorry it did not end the way you had hoped. We would both LOVE to return to Australia. About all we have seen so far is Sydney and Melbourne. I still want to see the Great Barrier Reef, Ayres Rock, and Coober Pedy (for the opals). Tim wants to take a long road trip to see the west coast. We could easily spend a couple months and not even hit the highlights.
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Let’s travel again. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!! 👍🦾
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I’m sooooo ready!
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😀👍🦾
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Maybe it is time for an RV trip to Arizona for a shot.
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I’m so happy to report that Tim will get his first shot tomorrow!
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We feel blessed to be officially part of the ‘herd’ having both received our doses of vaccine. It gives us a bit more confidence venturing out (spending a weekend in Helen, GA with a group of YouTube creators, couple of them in the RV genre) and are looking forward to our travels this Fall provided Europe gets their act together and opens up.
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I’m glad you are immunized and ready to get out there. I am really hoping that Europe is completely open by late summer or fall. Getting together with a bunch of YouTube creators sounds like fun, especially if RV’s are involved.
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I was wondering how you guys were doing. We are sort of trapped in New Orleans. Normally we would have commuted to Brooklyn a couple of times and we’d have been touring domestically at least. We done about as much as we could do, and are now starting to get a little bored. Maybe around August we’ll be able to get out. Stay safe.
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Wonderful hearing from you Ray! New Orleans is not such a horrible place to be “trapped” 🙂 I do understand being bored, lol. Here’s hoping that by August (or sooner) that we can get out there again.
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Wait until August. Dr. Fauci believes that by then we’ll be 90% vaccinated. We are starting to plan a west coast tour leg for late August early September. How is that Time can’t get jabbed? Doesn’t his stomach thing give him a way in?
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No, not his allergy, digestive issues. I married a youngster, lol. He is not yet 65, and California has not opened up yet for anyone under 65. It may be May before he gets his shots.
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His digestive issues should be an underlying condition which would qualify. Louisiana just opened up for everyone over 18. My wife is younger than me, and she has her first jab. You know I was raised in Long Beach. I used to think that I would love to live back home. But, the more I think about it I’m not so sure.
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A new announcement was made today, that looks like California will be opening sooner than was previously stated. Perhaps as soon as next week they will be setting appointments for 50+ – fingers crossed!
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My year has been only slightly impacted by Covid. I have relatives who were ill, but none extremely. I got out with the Roadtrek several tmes, both on my own and with others. I did lots of kayaking – the seniors group that goes weekly during the season was careful and as far as I know, none of that group became ill. I usually stick close to home during the winter, anyway – I like snow! This is the time of year I usually take off, not being a fan of mud season in Vermont! But my 98 year old mother is in hospice care, and we are permitted to spend time with her (with a few restrictions), so I spend as much time as is reasonable in Connecticut to do that, as do other members of the family, but I am the shortest drive, and the fewest commitments at home. Unfortunately, Connecticut is unwilling to vaccinate non-residents, and spending 5 – 6 nights a week in the state means I am unlikely to get the shot(s) until after Mom is no longer with us. Future plans? The family is talking about New Mexico for Thanksgiving. The Roadtrek and I will spend time finding kayaking sites in the northeast. And I have other friends who are looking forward to camping around New England this season, with boats.
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I’m so sorry to hear that your mother is on hospice but very thankful that you have the time to spend with her. I know that my mom went way too quickly at the end, and I would give anything to have had more time with her. I just popped over to your site and enjoyed seeing the tree bark and geese posts. Enjoy your kayaking and camping with friends!
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I took the shots in February and have a trip planned to visit the grandchildren in a few weeks. I hope your husband gets his soon, here in Georgia starting tomorrow anyone over 18 can get it. They did a good job of distribution and real easy to get appointments
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Oh, how I bet you are looking forward to seeing your grandchildren! I too hope that Tim can get his shots soon, but sadly California is a bit behind some of the other states 😦
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It’s like a spring blossom to see anotefromabroad in my inbox! I, too, have been encouraged with the vaccine rollout and am planning a summer trip to Minneapolis, Apostles Islands in WI and Voyageurs Natl Park. In Ohio, we’ve had very rapid rollout of vaccines; next week the age to qualify goes down to 16. I get my second shot this weekend, so I should be fully immunized by my birthday in April. A great birthday gift! Good to hear you are both well. But where is the photo of you both in your silver pony tails??
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Your sweet comment sure gave me a big grin! And I agree, getting your second shot and being fully immunized is a wonderful birthday gift. I’ll have to see if I can get Tim to agree to take a side-by-side selfie showing our silver ponytails. Stay posted 🙂
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“ light at the end of a very long tunnel.” 💛 I can see it, too. Getting my second vaccine this weekend! We did have Covid back in January, but thankfully recovered.
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I’m so sorry that you had the bug, but thankful you have fully recovered.❤️❤️
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Not only yes, but Hell yes.
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Tim gets his first vaccine tomorrow! One step closer to us being able to get out the door again!
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It’s so wonderful to see your post again !!! Missing your interesting reports with photos (!!!) about your trips. Thank G-d everything is well with you, so can’t wait to travel with you virtually.
All the best,
Mila
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Thank you so much sweet Mila. This has been an interesting year for sure. We feel grateful to have survived and in some ways thrived during this challenging time. Tim has been able to help our son with his business, which was a blessing for both of them. We are still probably a few months away from any major trips, but I’m already looking and dreaming. Thank you for your encouragement ❤
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It’s so wonderful to hear from you again !! Missing your travel reports with photos !!
Glad that everything is well with both of you. Can’t wait to join you on my virtual trips.
All the best,
Mila
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Hi Mila!! Believe me, we miss being able to share traveling!
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You are not the only one who is ready to travel! We recently had a short get away to Florida. We didn’t go far but it did me a world of good.
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How wonderful that you were able to have a Florida get-away. I can only imagine how refreshing that must have been, having a change of pace and scenery!
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Good to hear from you again!
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Thank you! Hope all is well with you and yours…
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I’m glad to read your both healthy which, as you say, is the main thing. Who would have thought that the high point of a year would be getting shots? 🙂 My parents and I have both of ours and my husband will be getting his second one next week. Our girls have to get theirs yet. We’re blessed to be healthy and vaccinated, that’s for sure.
Am I ready to travel? You bet! I did drive from Arizona (where we moved just under a year ago) to our cabin in Wyoming last summer, feeling quite daring and equipped with everything needed to clean the hotel rooms. Our two daughters flew out which was also a bit daring and we had a great time. Before Thanksgiving I drove to California to stay with our older daughter and her husband. Right after I left was when Gov. Newsome locked down the state (except for him and his friends, of course) so I was glad to have gotten that in. Naturally I missed my yearly visit to France and who knows about this year? They’re having a huge spike again.
But California is on my radar again once I get the tax work done and then in a few months a trip back to Illinois to visit all our friends, both driving trips. I’m not excited about airports and planes right now but since I enjoy road trips, it’s not a problem (except for France.) 🙂
janet
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Wow, Janet, you have been busy, and it looks like more travels are coming soon. Yes, France is a hot spot once again, so I don’t anticipate that will be safe in our immediate future. I too think that road trips are a much better solution for now. Stay safe and enjoy whatever opportunities you have to get out there.
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You could always modify your blog title to “Notes from a broad” until you can go overseas again. No disrespect meant just though it was funny 😄
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I have indeed used that many times. ❤
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Good to “see you”. I’m very much looking forward to travels further afield but don’t feel ready to book anything internationally just yet. I was super lucky to do some great local backpacking, hiking and kayaking trips last summer and I’m in the process of planning more. I’m not sure I would have visited these local gems had it not been for the pandemic. They’ve been keeping me going!
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Sounds like a wise use of your time. We have so much beauty right in our own back yard.
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Hi Joanne and Tim!!! so happy to read your blog and glad that both of you are keeping safe. Fred and i will retire at the end of the year and cant wait to travel too. Take care and keep the blog coming!!!
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How exciting that you are both retiring soon. I bet you will be more than ready to head out on another adventure ❤
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Peggy and I have been careful, Joanne, but we’ve used our small RV as our home away from home, basically doing the same types of things we do at home, but doing them occasionally on the road. Our age has allowed both of us to get our Covid shots, so that is behind us. We have a trip up the Rhine that we scheduled for our family last year that was cancelled and rescheduled for this summer. I doubt that it will be a go given what’s happening in Europe, but we’ll see.
So what did you and Tim do in Southern Oregon? We live outside of Medford and Jacksonville in the Upper Applegate Valley. –Curt
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I’m very familiar with the Upper Applegate Valley having grown up in Medford. We parked our RV in Gold Beach for several days, visited family, BBQ’d, picked wild blackberries, and enjoyed some gorgeous scenery along the coast. I’ll probably get that post written up tomorrow or the next day.
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Now you mention it, I seem to remember that you lived in Medford for a while, Joanne.
Gold Beach is fun. One of my favorite bloggers lives there. I’ve been posting on Harris Beach SP at Brookings on my Friday travel blog. It’s all incredible country. –Curt
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Good to see that all is well with you (except for the wanderliust).
Around here (NE Montana) my life has been pretty much the same as any year, except I didn’t get in a trip to NW Montana last summer.
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Maybe this summer??
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