Looking through our photos, it does look like we eat a lot! Grandmother noted this when we were young, and Dad pointed out that since we are all sitting and still, it's a good photo opportunity. In any case, thematically the year has been a lot about prep ... and patience!
Example: Just before the world went into lockdown nearly two year ago, Brian saw his family in New Zealand for the first time in decades. It was fortuitous because his mother passed away last month — but he was unable to re-enter his native country because of travel restrictions to and within. Although it's sad to participate in a funeral via video and asking your future nephew-in-law to read a eulogy for you ... but it was a special event nonetheless, and we are grateful for Brian's family and for being able to see Lucy last year.
Maki's siblings and some of their families came to visit Mom this year for the first time since the first lockdown; except for the anxiety of the pandemic, much seems to have been unchaged — which we are taking as a win. :)
With more contagious virus variants floating around, the lessons learned from more panicky lockdown days are standing us in good stead this time. We moved fast to get all in our pod dosed with available vaccines ASAP, and we navigate the transport systems in our city pretty well on a as-needed basis. That means Mom can go out for groceries herself, that Brian can pick up various gigs for work (including crossing the country and indulging in his interest in geology, astronomy, photography, etc. -- check out the photos!), and Maki can commute to work more. We are still very careful and don't take excessive risks, because why would we? ;) Frequent and timely testing is simply a regular part of life these days.
Mom is still working on developing masks and clothing for us. Examples of these are in the photo slide show from 2021. It's also a way for us to pay attention to our health and stay the same size; the latest findings that show that the coronavirus uses body fat to protect itself from immune system detection! :O clever little so-and-so virus ... so stick to the "healthy" habits that we prefer to ignore ;) No matter how you may think of what's going on, let's try to see each other face to face on the other side, okay??
As we hoped for us all last year: keep safe and healthy, for your own sake, as well as those of your loved ones, past, present, and future.
P.S. Those bird-like-kind-of-femaleish-long-haired doodles that show up in the slide show have a purpose — those are AMABI. Some yokai (Japanese ghosts) do good things and one called Amabi (a bird-beaked mer-creature covered in scales with three legs and long hair flowing to its feet) is said to ward against an epidemic, "If a plague spreads, draw a picture of me and show it to everyone, especially those infected." So, I figured I'd scribble some Amabi yokai ... what could it hurt?? Please draw Amabi and show it around, too! (The Edo-era tile book reference of the yokai encounter off the coast of Kyushu Island where Dad was born ;) )
A postscript: From the Oatmeal, for having sponsored a new card game. We know you saw it last year and the year before — hey, *TOOT TOOT!!* |