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Published: July 15th 2020
May 2019 was my last overseas trip...to find ancestors in Devon, England (see
Solving a Mystery In My Devon Ancestry) and to walk the Old Way Pilgrim route to Canterbury (see
My Old Way Pilgrimage to Canterbury). In October 2019 I wrote a Planning blog about a trip to Scotland I hoped to visit in September 2020 (see
Planning for Scotland Ancestral Visitations). Covid-19 deferred that trip for a year. Since May 2019 I have taken a couple of road trips, but nothing deemed worthy enough at the time for a blog. However, with Covid-19 affecting everyone's travel plans I thought I must write about what visits I've done in the last year.
Prior to my trip to England in March I flew to South Carolina for a week long reunion with my three sisters. We promised to get together every few years after our Mom died in 2016, and this was the first. We had a great time sharing family stories.
Upon my return from England on 21 May it was Linda’s turn to take a vacation for three weeks. On 23 May she flew to Pittsburgh to be with her brother and sister and her Mom for her 90
th birthday on 29 May. She then flew to Connecticut to visit our daughter
July 2019 Visit to Laguna Beach
With Linda relaxing with Bonnie on Will's porchRosanna, husband Evan and two grandsons Connor and Logan for his first birthday. While she was away I got the good news that my prostate surgery in early April had been successful with an undetectable PSA level. Linda returned home on 12 June. Towards the end of June, a dear friend from our time in Germany, Stacy Hull, and his new wife Ann, visited us briefly on their tour of the Southwest.
On 1 July we received word from our son that his liver might be failing. On 2-3 July we drove to Orange County, California, arriving in time for his doctor appointment. We met his girlfriend Mercy, who took the week off of work to be with him at this trying time. We like her! We celebrated the 4
th of July, seeing the fireworks up and down the coast from Will’s balcony. On the 5
th we took in the scenery at the beach and saw the doctor again where Will was informed that the liver had not been damaged. The doctor changed his prescriptions, reducing the dose for the medication that likely caused the bad blood test readings. He has been fine ever since. On 6 July we
July 2019 Visit to Laguna Beach
With Bonnie relaxing on Will's porch relaxed at his home making jigsaw puzzles. We took three days to drive home; arriving there on 9 Jul and only stopping to see Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado on the way.
Right after our return, our daughter Tamara and family visited us to drop off our grandson Liam as they continued to Washington DC and thereabouts for two weeks. We had a great time with him! They then spent a couple days with us on their way back to California.
On 10 August I flew to Portland OR to celebrate on 11 August my dear friend Darryl’s 80
th birthday with his wife Marilyn, daughter Melissa and son Derek and many of their family and friends. We have been friends ever since my junior year of high school. He was my mentor in becoming a civil engineer. He was very surprised to see me. On 12 August I drove through the Columbia River Gorge to The Dalles before returning to the Portland airport for an evening flight home.
From 28 August to 7 September Rosanna and family visited us. As they wouldn’t be able to be here for my 70
th birthday on 16 November. This
July 2019 Visit to Laguna Beach
With Will and Mercy grilling 4th of July lunch visit was that celebration. I was totally surprised when Will and Mercy also showed up! We also celebrated Will’s 30
th birthday two weeks early. It was a wonderful week.
On 16 November Linda and I celebrated my 70
th birthday with dinner at the Broadmoor Hotel (note: where George Bush celebrated his 40th birthday and gave up drinking). Thanksgiving was also just the two of us. We thought this would be the case for Christmas, but on the day before Christmas Eve we got a call from Will saying that they were coming for Christmas, and that they were already on their way! They arrived in time for the Christmas Eve service at our church. They were able to stay through New Years, leaving on 6 January 2020. So 2019 was a year of many visits to and from family and friends!
Then in January the Covid-19 virus struck. I wrote an email to our friends Tom and Wendy who were our neighbors in Falls Church VA. She was the first U.S. Consul General in Wuhan since 1949. I wrote on 27 January 2020 "I bet you are happy not to be in Wuhan now! I hear the consulate
July 2019 Visit to Laguna Beach
With Will, Mercy and Linda eating is evacuating U.S. employees. When you were stationed in Guangzhou, you were quarantined there for months when SARS hit. Times are changing." Little did I know that the Wuhan virus would spread beyond Wuhan to become a pandemic that would lock us all down for months, restricting all travel. Oh how I have missed travel. But we can still travel within the States in 2020, which my next blog will cover.
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Two Good News!
Yes Bob, first it's good to hear from you after a while. And two good news: First, your PSA dropped next to none...wonderful! Second, your son's liver is fine. Amid the disastrous news lately from all over the world, your two good news brought some peace of mind. And of course, the pictures from the reunions are priceless. Thank you and stay safe!