I’m a three-quarter hermit. While the pandemic has really affected many, it hasn’t been a problem for me as regards being stuck in the house. I just really don’t go outdoors much. I even joined a gym because I can exercise indoors. Not that I even go there much. And not at all while it was closed because of covid-19. And actually, truth be told … I haven’t been there since it opened.
What do I really miss? Travel! Big time. Since my last post, you know that I was a participant in the Pfizer clinical trial for the vaccine. They notified me in February that I had, indeed, received the vaccine and not the placebo. I went in March for them to draw blood looking for antibodies, I suppose. Jim became fully vaccinated in March, so we’re ready. But, I still don’t feel comfortable going to any of the hotspots … Florida, Georgia, Texas, Michigan, etc. Too many people feel no responsibility to help keep others safe. Don’t want their personal rights infringed upon.
We have reserved a weekend in Daytona Beach for a 4 day Smooth Jazz concert in November. Since I got my shots in July/August 2020, I hope I will still be protected with antibodies. I do feel comfortable that if my blood draw in March shows my antibodies weakening, I will be notified to get a booster. Fingers crossed.
We just booked a Smooth Jazz cruise out of Amsterdam next May 2022. So far off! I want to go now! I keep telling myself a year isn’t sooo far off.
The travel company we have used for our travels the past number of years, Gate 1, has started booking tours again but the prices are so high! Much higher than we’ve paid before. And Europe is such a virus hotspot that I’m not comfortable even considering it. Being crammed into a plane for all the hours it takes to get across the ocean with people who may or may not be carriers is darn right scary. Getting a temperature check doesn’t insure that in an hour you won’t become sick.
This brings me to a comment I heard David Brooks make on the PBS News Hour. He is a Republican conservative writer for the New York Times. For all you who believe PBS only promotes far-left liberal ideology … well, you are wrong. He’s on a segment on the Friday broadcasts and I hate to miss it. On this particular one, they were discussing the vaccine passports. Should we have them … should we not. He was all for having them. His reasoning was that if people are taking the virus seriously and doing what is needed to be done to get this pandemic under control, they should get perks … rewards. We should be the ones allowed on planes. We should be the ones to go to sporting events. We should be the ones to eat out in restaurants, etc. Those who don’t want to do their part should have to stay home and miss out. Right on, David! I’m tired of people who feel my rights don’t equal theirs. That I should respect their right to infect everyone, but I should just stay home if I’m afraid of getting sick. Afraid of getting a needle stuck in your arm? SUCK IT UP. It’s not going to kill you, but the virus might.
I’ll fill you in on what fun I’ve had this past year. It wasn’t rollicking, but it did use up time! Till then ……
Retired and Happy in Murrells Inlet 