it’s the last day of 2020, as if fortunes will change dramatically at the stroke of midnight. Realistically, we’ll be facing the same viral and economic concerns tomorrow, but optimism prevails with the start of vaccine distribution. The last nine months have been tense with health fears and isolation. We were so looking forward to our first year of joint retirement and travel, but trips to Bali, Egypt, and Hawaii were soon cancelled. The two of us then compromised with some long cross-country drives into Glacier National Park and to Florida via San Francisco. We will see what next year brings in the way of planned cruises from Barcelona and on Russian rivers, but I’m skeptical they will happen. At least, we will have a new Florida home to look forward to enjoying in 2021.

The Florida Keys and Miami are our first travel targets for 2021. We’ll arrive in Florida just in time for my granddaughter’s dance recital and grandson’s birthday. Two days will be spent with  some Indiana friends, vacationing near the Gulf Coast. We also get to check-out construction progress on our house. We’re expecting a video conference update next week before the interior drywall goes up. Time will pass quickly as we anticipate the move in March and first cruise in April. I will likely miss Spring Training in the neighboring Braves stadium this year but the following year will be exciting. 

My wife has special dinners planned for tonight’s New Year’s Eve celebration and tomorrow evening’s dinner with family. Last year we were in Florida exploring building sites and enjoyed a dinner at Bern’s Steakhouse. The year before we had just returned from our last venture back to our Indiana roots. It was the last time we spent with my wife’s mother before she passed. The New Year prior to that my wife spent several uncomfortable nights at her hospital bedside, so despite the stay-at-home isolation, tonight is a big step up in terms of celebration. Happy New Year!