2020...So Far!
I always begin a new year anticipating the upcoming months and planning all that I will do in that time. I used to call them "new year's resolutions" but now I just add them to my "to do" list. Every upcoming year is a blank slate ready to record another year of my life. Most year's I have a plan or some idea what the year will hold. Of course, life is unpredictable and stuff happens that changes my plan, but generally I have a rough outline of a new year.
But my outlook for 2020 didn't even come close to what has been the reality. I don't even remember when I first heard the term "Coronavirus" but it sure didn't raise any red flags with me. Just another strain of the seasonal flu, I thought. Still not convinced I wasn't right about that, but that's not a discussion for here and only hindsight will expose the truth.
Since the first of the year we've each had one cold...maybe that was the Coronavirus! But whatever it was, it didn't even slow us down, so we've been healthy. However, in the more populace area we were at in Arizona, we did notice a lot of panic and changes. While we had a decent supply of toilet paper and other food supplies as well as cleaners and sanitizers in our Nebraska home, we were concerned in Arizona with our limited supplies. Hence, we cut our stay short by a month since it seemed things were getting a bit crazy and unpredictable.
Since arriving home, a lot of stuff returned to normal as this is not a highly infected area and we are more sparsely populated. The biggest changes have almost been blessings, actually. We stayed home more which saved time, money and energy that we usually spend running around. Every Fast Draw shoot we had planned to attend this summer was cancelled except our own which is planned for September...the Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise! We didn't even have weekly practices for the first couple months we were home. And, while we never missed a church service, we watched them on Facebook not in person. At least weekly Fast Draw practice and in-person church have resumed.
So, yeah, the Coronavirus thing changed our lives, although we are pushing to get back to normal. Some of the other things going on haven't affected our world much but still raise concerns. The race riots feel like a throw back to the 60's with a touch of new millennium thrown in for effect. Living in an area of the country which is predominately white hasn't brought it very close to home.
Trying to defund and dismantle our law enforcement system concerns me, however. Living in rural Nebraska with a crime rate of nearly zero is a blessing, but I'm still comforted to know that Sheriff Kirsch would come to our rescue in an emergency. How much more so would I find comfort in law enforcement in larger areas with a higher crime rate? Some days when I am ranting, I remind myself of my dad! He probably saw a lot of things that had changed from his youth that our generation accepted as normal, and now I'm in that same place.
As we attempt to recall events from the past, it always helps to have a reference point. We can pinpoint events from 2012 by relating them to our local wild fires. 2020 will provide many reference points too. We teased the kids that when they have to clean out our house after we are gone, and someone wonders when the last time we cleaned things out, they will know that it was probably 2020 when we were in Coronavirus quarantine!
So I guess it's safe to say that 2020 hasn't so far looked anything like I thought it would. And in many ways, that's OK. We have spent a lot more time at home without all the running around, spending money and stress that it causes. Being home we have dug into projects here that we've been talking about for years. If it continues long enough we might even get the guest bedroom remodeled!
It has provided motivation for me to putter around in the kitchen and try out some new things. I have been sprouting alfalfa seeds for salads. I attempted a sour dough starter but that's not working out for me so I guess we're doing yeast breads until I get it mastered. I have tried some new recipes inspired by looking into the pantry and freezer to see what I have and making it work. Maybe I will blog some of those recipes one of these days, some were flops but many were keepers.
2020 is only half over so who knows what the rest of the year will bring? Elections aren't until November, so I'm assuming it will stay crazy until then at least...and then it depends on what happens in the elections! Again I hear my dad speaking when I say, "The world's going to hell in a hand basket!"
I realize I've rambled a lot in this blog, but I just want to finish by saying that none of this was a surprise to God. He knew long ago what 2020 would bring. And He hasn't left those who are faithful to him. So no matter what the rest of the year brings or what items get added to my to do list, trusting that God is in control is my resolution for the remainder of 2020. And praying for a better 2021 is a good idea!
But my outlook for 2020 didn't even come close to what has been the reality. I don't even remember when I first heard the term "Coronavirus" but it sure didn't raise any red flags with me. Just another strain of the seasonal flu, I thought. Still not convinced I wasn't right about that, but that's not a discussion for here and only hindsight will expose the truth.
Since the first of the year we've each had one cold...maybe that was the Coronavirus! But whatever it was, it didn't even slow us down, so we've been healthy. However, in the more populace area we were at in Arizona, we did notice a lot of panic and changes. While we had a decent supply of toilet paper and other food supplies as well as cleaners and sanitizers in our Nebraska home, we were concerned in Arizona with our limited supplies. Hence, we cut our stay short by a month since it seemed things were getting a bit crazy and unpredictable.
Since arriving home, a lot of stuff returned to normal as this is not a highly infected area and we are more sparsely populated. The biggest changes have almost been blessings, actually. We stayed home more which saved time, money and energy that we usually spend running around. Every Fast Draw shoot we had planned to attend this summer was cancelled except our own which is planned for September...the Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise! We didn't even have weekly practices for the first couple months we were home. And, while we never missed a church service, we watched them on Facebook not in person. At least weekly Fast Draw practice and in-person church have resumed.
So, yeah, the Coronavirus thing changed our lives, although we are pushing to get back to normal. Some of the other things going on haven't affected our world much but still raise concerns. The race riots feel like a throw back to the 60's with a touch of new millennium thrown in for effect. Living in an area of the country which is predominately white hasn't brought it very close to home.
Trying to defund and dismantle our law enforcement system concerns me, however. Living in rural Nebraska with a crime rate of nearly zero is a blessing, but I'm still comforted to know that Sheriff Kirsch would come to our rescue in an emergency. How much more so would I find comfort in law enforcement in larger areas with a higher crime rate? Some days when I am ranting, I remind myself of my dad! He probably saw a lot of things that had changed from his youth that our generation accepted as normal, and now I'm in that same place.
As we attempt to recall events from the past, it always helps to have a reference point. We can pinpoint events from 2012 by relating them to our local wild fires. 2020 will provide many reference points too. We teased the kids that when they have to clean out our house after we are gone, and someone wonders when the last time we cleaned things out, they will know that it was probably 2020 when we were in Coronavirus quarantine!
So I guess it's safe to say that 2020 hasn't so far looked anything like I thought it would. And in many ways, that's OK. We have spent a lot more time at home without all the running around, spending money and stress that it causes. Being home we have dug into projects here that we've been talking about for years. If it continues long enough we might even get the guest bedroom remodeled!
It has provided motivation for me to putter around in the kitchen and try out some new things. I have been sprouting alfalfa seeds for salads. I attempted a sour dough starter but that's not working out for me so I guess we're doing yeast breads until I get it mastered. I have tried some new recipes inspired by looking into the pantry and freezer to see what I have and making it work. Maybe I will blog some of those recipes one of these days, some were flops but many were keepers.
2020 is only half over so who knows what the rest of the year will bring? Elections aren't until November, so I'm assuming it will stay crazy until then at least...and then it depends on what happens in the elections! Again I hear my dad speaking when I say, "The world's going to hell in a hand basket!"
I realize I've rambled a lot in this blog, but I just want to finish by saying that none of this was a surprise to God. He knew long ago what 2020 would bring. And He hasn't left those who are faithful to him. So no matter what the rest of the year brings or what items get added to my to do list, trusting that God is in control is my resolution for the remainder of 2020. And praying for a better 2021 is a good idea!
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