The end of 2020

It's been one whirlwind of a year.  Lots going on.  And lots not going at all.  The year started like any other.  I paid my cycling membership dues.  I was continuing the reno in the basement, planning out how I was going to do it and how I was going to pay for it.  Then the news kept coming in about China and this SARS like virus that was spreading.

TV started playing movies like Contagion (2011).  I think it was more to ride the hype of the novel coronavirus that was on the news.  Little did we know that the movie was soon going to be a reflection of real life here in North America.   Borders were no longer going to keep things from spilling over.  It was coming and there was nothing we could do to stop the spread.  It was too late.  China had tried to contain the spread and hide the fact.   Allowing the virus to spread to the rest of the world.   Even Antarctica.

By mid March we were in lockdown.  And the virus now had a name, COVID-19.   It was on the news 24/7.  The daily feed of infected, ICU and deaths was stressful.  It was originally believed to be fatal to only seniors and those with pre-conditions, soon was affecting the young as well.

The USA soon overtook every other country in the world in terms of COVID-19 stats.  And will finish the year #1.   I understand why it's like that there.  Yet it puzzles me that they would risk the health of others for what seems like pettiness.  What's the big deal in wearing a mask anyways?

On a positive note, our reno projects went into overdrive.  I saw this as an opportunity.  It was also online-ordering-delivery delays and returning hell.  I like to see what i'm buying especially for the work I was planning on doing.  But that's how it was.  Curbside pickup was the new norm.   But it all worked out.

Basement laundry - major work was done.

Upstairs flooring - done

Garage reno - done

It was a lot to take on, but what else was I gonna do?  It was more of a way to avoid all the COVID-19 drama being shoved down our throats.  Summer was a blur.  I was happy to just have the ability and opportunities to do the things I got to do. 

And I even got some new wheels too.  It was a splurge especially with all the reno costs, but riding my bike was the one thing I could do and escape the reality of this pandemic for a few hours.  Story Telling..

Coming into the last third of 2020 it was about keeping our distance, from basically everyone.  Who knew who had what.   If you had sniffles, a cough, a fever, or no symptoms at all.  That was the scary part.  You didn't know if someone just didn't know they had it.   Schools had to adjust.  Online learning loses something in translation.   Lessons learned to the spikes at Thanksgiving, led to cancelling Halloween, and Christmas isolation.

It is what it is.  Someone observed this when it came to how we got to
where we are.  People with the means, will do what they want because they can.  People without the means are doing what they can to just survive.  And then there's the rest.

2020 brought a pandemic.

What will 2021 bring?  Hope. 

And lots more coffee and home made bread.