See you on the highway.
Brent
2020 Year in Review: Missing in Action
What a year it has been. Or, has not been is more like it. Self-isolation has been the standard operating procedure. Staying home. Wearing masks when running the necessary errands to sustain life. Eliminating travel.
Staying safe created a horrible, lonely year, and in review, I made a short list of all the things I have missed.
Things I missed:
- Handshakes and hugs
- Eating at a restaurant
- Going to the movies
- Fishing with friends
- Horizons Unlimited Virginia Motorcycle Travelers Meeting
- Wandering through the vendors at art fairs and festivals
- The Labor Day Taildragger Fly-in Breakfast at Red Stewart Airfield
- Hugs and handshakes
- Motorcycle camping with friends
- The Family Picnic
- Entertaining friends at our house, or their house
- Motorcycling to coffee/breakfast/lunch with friends
- Did I mention handshakes and hugs? The human touch
Using the internet and technology, I found a way to stay in touch with friends. Maybe you have too. Do you Zoom?
Things I managed to do:
- Walks with Lin
- Motorcycle rides, but no touring
- Cooking, but I’m the cook at our house anyway
- Zoom meetings with family and friends
- Drastically reduced my alcohol consumption despite the pandemic, which really goes against the grain in these circumstances
- Binge-watch programs on Netflix
- Watch more college and pro football than ever before
- Spend way too much time on Facebook
- Bought and sold motorcycles
- Turned 70 years old in November. BTW, 70 is the new 50.
- Made love to my wife, Lin, 24/7/366. 2020 was a leap year.
Yeah. What a year. 2021 starts tomorrow, and vaccinations are just around the corner. Can I start planning now?
See you on the highway.
Brent
The end of November
Today is the last day of November. The 30th. It seems like the year has gone by so fast, and yet perilously slow as caution and quarantine take priority.
The weather has finally turned. What was a comfortable temperature in the low to mid fifties, is now in the mid to low thirties, raining and forecasts of the first snow that will slow down traffic and cause a little havoc on the roads and highways.
For the most part, the flowerbeds have been cleaned. The hydrangea have been cut back and hostas trimmed of their wilting leaves. It is hibernation time for the plants, and feels the same within the house.
It is a curious time going into winter. Outside activities are being replaced with indoors. Daylight is dwindling still, and yet only three weeks remain before this globe of ours starts its path around the sun to a place when a minute here and there of daylight will be added to our days. I am already anxious for that.
See you on the highway.
Brent
D. Brent Miller 