Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2021

This annus horribilis started off pretty nice, actually. In late January, I was a hole captain once again at the Farmers Insurance Open. Oversaw 15-25 marshals on the 9th hole, South Course, 615 yards. Except for my sightseeing days in Berlin in 2019, my personal records for steps had always been set on 9S. You can see more at the full post.

After the tournament, I settled back into my then relatively new routine at home. Drive Alice to pre-school midday, hold her hand as we walk in from the parking lot. Back at home, waited for my next task — walk the few hundred yards to the school bus stop, with Baxter my companion, to meet Adeline coming home. On Fridays, when Alice had no preschool, she accompanied me on our regular shopping stops — first to Costco (she loved the samples) and then the Commissary on Camp Pendleton. 

In late February, a really fun event. Long-time dear friends Marcy and Larry Kenah took advantage of a family wedding in Oregon to stay on the West Coast a little longer and visit us in Fallbrook. With my guest quarters sharply reduced, they stayed in an Airbnb unit just up the hill from our house. 

Marcy was especially interested in visiting Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which Larry had seen on his trip here in 2013. (They were both to come then, to attend the BC-USC game, but Marcy chose to help out with the family’s new grandchild in Georgia.) We rendezvoused with Betty and Wayne White, long-time friends of the Kenahs who live in San Juan Capistrano. Spent most of the day seeing the sights in the desert. Then we traveled to Julian for its eponymous apple pie and on to Stone Brewery in Escondido, traditional end point of my county tours.

Next day started with really good corned-beef hash at Beach Break Cafe in Oceanside. After a stroll along the Oceanside Pier, I took them on a brief tour of Camp Pendleton and we closed out their visit with lunch in “downtown” Fallbrook. They traveled north to stay with the Whites for the remainder of their SoCal visit. Little did we know, of course, that the coronavirus was already around. More at full post.

March 11 was the last time Field Medical Training Battalion-West held a public graduation of classes that produce Navy personnel qualified to be Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsmen. For several years, I’ve represented the Navy League in recognizing the honor graduate of each class. Alice joined me in attending that March graduation and my first/last presentation of the year. 

For a few weeks after that initial lockdown, there was a lot of uncertainty. Schools closed. When would they re-open? Would Meredith and Winter continue to work? My “income” is quite modest, but it is secure. Winter’s work in auto repair has been considered essential from the beginning. Meredith’s work at the local Boys & Girls Club, which continues to provide lots of services to local school children, is mostly from home. Economically, at least, our situation has been pretty much unaffected. 

Mid-summer, I noted in my blog about serving in the Navy 50 years ago that I left USS Biddle (DLG-34) and reported as ordered to Naval Special Warfare Group, Pacific, on Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, Calif. My first time in San Diego. I was able to get in touch with two officers of similar rank who served there with me — Fred Palmore in Midlothian, Va., and Randy Middleton, Normal, Ill. They’ve helped me add to recollections of the year we served together.

By fall, the girls were “going to school” online. Alice in kindergarten, Addy in a combo 3rd/4th grade. They still also attend ballet lessons, with students and instructors distanced and wearing masks.

Except for a single trip to get products curbside at the IKEA in San Diego (roundtrip 100.6 miles, single time in triple digits), my only “excursions” have been Sundays to the Post Office to get mail, followed by a 20-minute+ drive around the area to charge my car’s battery.

There have been no BC football game watches with San Diego Eagles. I have not been out to the desert since the Kenah visit. I fulfill my duties as Vice President of the Anza-Borrego Foundation through email, phone, and Zoom.

I have not had a haircut since February. At least not one by a trained barber. I looked a little like I did in the ’70s, hair-wise . . . except for the color and the amount on top. I finally just took scissors and hacked away at the back and used a hair clipper to work on the sides. Shorter, but quite uneven.

We’ve seen Dillon a few times, e.g., Alice’s birthday, his birthday, Thanksgiving. Distanced and masked. He’s working from home through 2021. I haven’t seen Julia in person since the end of our trip to Europe in June 2019 and Sam for a couple of years. I am thankful I am not alone at home (though I sometimes really miss silence).

We’ve become pretty adept at curbside pickup and delivery. While our house is relatively distant from others, we live in easy range of at least two Costcos, a couple of Walmarts and Targets, and maybe 50 miles from a large Amazon distribution center. In a few instances, I’ve ordered something on Amazon in late afternoon and it is sitting on our doorstep when I take the dog out the next morning. Can’t imagine how we’d do if we didn’t have those options.

In last year’s Christmas letter, I referred to 2020 as “hindsight.” You know, “Hindsight is 20/20.” I am so glad 2020 will soon and forever be in hindsight. 

Merry Christmas to you and may 2021 be filled with fun . . . and be no re-run!