Annual Letter for 2020

 Annual Letter 

Greetings on this first day of 2021. The last sentence of my last years letter wished you good health, peace and happiness. I hope that my wishes came true. Needless to say it has been an extremely difficult year for all of us. When I last wrote I could never have imagined what was coming. In fact I still have to pinch myself to be sure it’s all been real. A pandemic and the ensuing deaths, poverty, hunger, homelessness. The death of George Floyd and the ensuing battle for racial justice. The political chaos.  Each alone brings stress and anxiety but together it is truly almost too much. That said  let me say that I am blessed and grateful for the health  of myself and family and friends. Some have had Covid but have recovered.      

You all know my passion for travel. I did get a little in at the start of the year. Finished a holiday cruise with good friends Nita and Rick thru the Panama Canal. Enjoyed our many stops in beautiful places with lovely people. you read about that in my prior letter.

Next stop in my travel was my place in Arizona.  I went down in January to meet Debbie and Scott, Nancys brother and sister in law. I love them dearly and spending time with them is always a treat. We did some exterior decorating with pottery, benches and wall art. Great fun. And going to such fun places to find the treasures.

Next up friends Beth and Denise came for a visit. We spent some fun time at the house and around town including a concert with Ann Hampton Calloway doing Linda Ronstadt Song Book. Such fun. But the best was yet to come. Off we went for a week in Southern Arizona.

We took the back roads toward Phoenix. Stopping at a few interesting spots including a Tom Mix Memorial. For you young folks go look it up. It was a hoot. 

Next stop Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Interesting place.  A good lecture by good docent. Learned a lot about local indigenous tribes and the history of this once very rich area.

Stayed in Tucson at a nice place.  Explored the city and surrounding area. Visit with a friend of Denise and Beth at her retirement place where she treated for dinner. Very nice of her. Movies and did the Turquoise Trail in the city proper. Takes you on a historic walk around downtown. I quite enjoyed it including fun lunch in a little cafe. We did not do the museums which will be on the next trip. 

We did visit Saguaro National Park. It is divided into East and West. Did one part one day and the another the next. Gorgeous park with wonderful hiking. The sun is hot even if the temperature is not!

Denise and Beth did tougher trails. I did the wandering trails. Loved ever minute of it. Desert scenery and Saguaro are stunning. 

I might not have this in order but we stopped at a beautifully preserved Mission San Xavier del Back. Fascinating architectural site that even today serves the surrounding community. Preservation continues on this site which started in 1783. 

Another great spot-the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Full of interesting plants, animals,  and art. Could have spent several days here. This is a living museum of the Southwest. 

Then headed off to Tubac. Tubac is a small community filled with art galleries and shops. Rich in history It is believed that the Tubac area has been inhabited over 11,000 years. First to come were the Elephant Hunters, who hunted in the dense Arizona forests and along numerous lakes and streams for the huge elephant-like mammoth. The Hohokam lived in the area between 300-1500 A.D., followed by the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and native Tohono O’odham, who greeted the Spanish. The Spanish occupied the area with the Jesuits converting the locals until they were replaced by the Jesuits. Eventually the Pima’s were moved to Mission San Xavier del Bac.  We would visit that mission the next day. We spent a delightful couple of days enjoying Tubac and the Presidio State Historic Park. The B&B we stayed at in town was just great. Hope to visit there again.

So it was off the the mission and then Tumacacori National Historical Park. This Arizona national park preserves the ruins of three Spanish mission communities. These include the well-preserved Mission San José de Tumacácori, which was built in the 1750s to replace the much older Mission San Cayetano de Tumacácori — the first mission in southern Arizona. A very interesting and compact place to visit.

Next up we leave the desert and head to the mountain town of Bisbee. It is an old mining  town where copper, turquoise, gold and silver. It now can be  best described as a funky or even hippie town. I so enjoyed the entire place.

We took a golf cart tour up and down the hillsides getting lots of local color. The small downtown museum was an absolute highlight. Who would have thought a display of minerals would just captivate me. Plus the colorful history of this community. 

Our last day we stopped at the Lavender Pit and Erie Street with its old buildings and cars.

Breakfast at the famous Bisbee Breakfast club before hitting the road back toward home.

But surprise along the way we found Old Tombstone. And we could not pass up the reenactment of the shootout at the OK Coral.

Just old fashioned fun.

After a drive thru lovely countryside with its scenic mountains we started a search in the small Dollar Stores for sanitary wipes. We were at the start of covid and already we had a keen sense that sanitary wipes would be scarce. Success in the middle of no where. 

We all began to realize Covid was spreading rapidly. With that realization Denise and Beths plan to fly to Albuquerque became a driving trip. They were to return to Phoenix after their visit and after a brief visit the plan was we all were going to the airport. I home to MN for a week and they back to NYC. But before then came another small adventure.

Arriving from Mexico was a new friend Cheryl to see friend Bev. As promised I took them for day trip to Sedona and Jerome. But alas, the rapid spread and dire predictions change all our plans. 

Cheryl returned to Mexico after a very  short visit. D&B drove back early from ABQ changing their flight plans to earlier. I decided to close up the house sensing I might not be back and flew home early. 

And here I have stayed ever since. Sleeping in my bed more nights in a row than I have since high school.

The balance of the year has been spent Zooming, golfing and outside visiting.  And lots of work on family ancestry and cleaning out. Still lots to go. Highlight of the summer was Mary Margaret and Kates wedding. A small delightful outside backyard event. Congratulations! Also have enjoyed my backyard wildlife photography. Reminds me how lucky I am. And I will admit watching way way too much political stuff.  The great news is I spent everyday with my best buddy Jessie Cat.

So what are my hopes for the future. Good health for all. Food and security for all. To see and hug family and friends. And for me to return to travel. Six trips were cancelled but two remain. One in August and one in Dec.. Time and a vaccination will tell if that will happen.

Until next year, stay safe.