A year ago today, my husband and I arrived in Riverview, Florida, picked up our keys, and moved into our new home after a seven-day drive from the San Francisco Bay Area.
In the past year, and in spite of the pandemic, our adventure has continued, albeit a bit slower paced than we would like due to all the restrictions and our own paranoia.
We ended up moving to a new home late in the year for the waterfront view, lack of stairs, and last grasp before the real estate market really went boom a month later. Inventory is low, and I’m glad we’re out of the market now.
We also bought a sailboat, which was the perfect pandemic purchase. We really got into cleaning it out and finding treasures from at least three previous owners, including a Bluetooth speaker and a knife sharpener.
However, we didn’t finish cleaning before the weather turned and we both got really busy. Pictures to be posted at a later date when we finally get out on the water!
Oh, and how could I forget about the cat? We adopted our sweet gray tabby in January and have been adjusting to being rescue kitty parents in the midst of a pandemic ever since. Gemma has been a great help in my SEO research (picture on the right) and adjusting my ergonomic posture (left).
The one trip we managed this past year was to Busch Gardens in Tampa. I’d say about 90% of other patrons were minding the mask and social distancing rules, and it was a welcome respite in our busy home-bound lives.
The elephants were the highlight for me and the giraffes for my mom to whom I sent photos.
However, this past year has also been stressful as I know it has been for many. After various COVID scares in my family, I sighed in relief when both my parents were fully vaccinated earlier this month.
I hope to be vaccinated in the next couple of weeks — Governor DeSantis just announced today that my age group is eligible on March 29! — and finally be able to travel up north and hug my mom and dad after almost two years.
So has pandemic fatigue gotten to me at all? You betcha. I miss having friends to grab a quick beer with and movie theaters and festivals (in spite of the crowds) and block parties. And, of course, visiting my family has been an impossibility.
Sure, living in Florida in the midst of a pandemic hasn’t stopped a lot of people from doing those activities. Did you see what was happening in Miami over the weekend? Geesh!
But for those of us a little more — read, a lot more — cautious, the lack of social opportunities has become a strain. I look forward to the cloud being lifted just like spring in the Sunshine State, and I hope that comes sooner rather than later and certainly not later than some folks forecast.
For now, I’ll try to be calm and carry on as we near, hopefully, the end of this pandemic.
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to start from the beginning and read my entire Midst of a Pandemic series: (1) Leaving California in the Midst of a Pandemic; (2) Moving to Florida in the Midst of a Pandemic; (3) Living in Florida in the Midst of a Pandemic; (4) Becoming Floridian in the Midst of a Pandemic; (5) Adopting a Rescue Kitty in the Midst of a Pandemic.
