Dan and Nazy 2021
Thrust into the cosmos by an exhausted, pandemic-wielding 2020, the New Year, 2021, was welcomed with high hopes and great expectations. And, easily surpassing the disaster of its predecessor — admittedly an exceptionally low bar — 2021 delivered. Nazy and I enjoyed a wonderfully happy and healthy year.
Pandemic panic subsided somewhat as vaccines became available. During one particularly well-timed session on the web, Dan was able to schedule vaccination appointments at Dodger Stadium. The resulting mass vaccination process was, unlike the baseball Dodger’s performance, done superbly. By early March, both Dan and Nazy were fully vaccinated. As the year progressed, the brand value of ‘fully vaccinated’ depreciated, so we were boosted. And, given the various variants, a boosted booster future is a good bet.
Our grandchildren had an equally exciting year. Tiger (7), who spent most of his first grade with Zoom-enabled remote learning, returned to live, second grade, sessions at the beginning of the year. Arrow (5), started in-person Kindergarten in the fall, Leandra (4) began Pre-Kindergarten at the same time and Azelle (3) started pre-pre Kindergarten. Auriane (2) is still too young. Experience with remote learning made it clear that children enjoy, and need, the social activities that take place in (what used to be) a normal school environment. They have all made friends and have all become more self-confident as they returned or began classes.
The family now resides in the same time zone. Nevertheless, we discovered that there are major weather differences between the northern and southern parts of the ‘same time zone’. On a visit to Washington State to see Darius and his family we saw…
“… water falling out of the sky, Dan!”: Nazy exclaimed.
“There is, I believe, a word for that,” I replied. “I’ll ask Siri or Google.”
Amazingly, a few weeks later, rain, in fact substantial rain, fell in Santa Barbara. This unusual event was caused by an ‘Atmospheric River’ which was explained by the Chief Meteorologist on the local news:
“An atmospheric river occurs because there is a lot of moisture in the ocean.”
“Getting a degree in meteorology should be simple,” I thought.
At the end of the summer, Nazy and I flew Delta to Alaska taking care to arrive before Omicron. We explored Alaska on a float plane, by scenic train, tourist bus, hearty boat and even on foot. We saw giant mountains, including Denali, the Alaska pipeline, glaciers, Aurora Borealis, whales, seals, caribou, bear, otters and, surprisingly, lots of flowers. Nazy’s charm landed us an ‘impossible’ sunset viewing seat at the Crow’s Nest Restaurant in Anchorage. (A feat that I had been working on, via the web, for two months.) We met helpful and pleasant people as well as the occasionally science-challenged taxi driver. One cab driver was convinced, simultaneously, that COVID was a myth, that COVID was a disease created by Bill Gates, that ‘big pharma’ vaccines were actually microchips and that vaccinations caused sterility. But, he added, “My wife works at the university so she got vaccinated.”
As the year draws to a close, the entire family has assembled in the same city within our favored time zone. We’re enjoying each other’s company.
Best wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous 2022 — a very special year for Nazy and me.
Pandemic panic subsided somewhat as vaccines became available. During one particularly well-timed session on the web, Dan was able to schedule vaccination appointments at Dodger Stadium. The resulting mass vaccination process was, unlike the baseball Dodger’s performance, done superbly. By early March, both Dan and Nazy were fully vaccinated. As the year progressed, the brand value of ‘fully vaccinated’ depreciated, so we were boosted. And, given the various variants, a boosted booster future is a good bet.
Our grandchildren had an equally exciting year. Tiger (7), who spent most of his first grade with Zoom-enabled remote learning, returned to live, second grade, sessions at the beginning of the year. Arrow (5), started in-person Kindergarten in the fall, Leandra (4) began Pre-Kindergarten at the same time and Azelle (3) started pre-pre Kindergarten. Auriane (2) is still too young. Experience with remote learning made it clear that children enjoy, and need, the social activities that take place in (what used to be) a normal school environment. They have all made friends and have all become more self-confident as they returned or began classes.
The family now resides in the same time zone. Nevertheless, we discovered that there are major weather differences between the northern and southern parts of the ‘same time zone’. On a visit to Washington State to see Darius and his family we saw…
“… water falling out of the sky, Dan!”: Nazy exclaimed.
“There is, I believe, a word for that,” I replied. “I’ll ask Siri or Google.”
Amazingly, a few weeks later, rain, in fact substantial rain, fell in Santa Barbara. This unusual event was caused by an ‘Atmospheric River’ which was explained by the Chief Meteorologist on the local news:
“An atmospheric river occurs because there is a lot of moisture in the ocean.”
“Getting a degree in meteorology should be simple,” I thought.
At the end of the summer, Nazy and I flew Delta to Alaska taking care to arrive before Omicron. We explored Alaska on a float plane, by scenic train, tourist bus, hearty boat and even on foot. We saw giant mountains, including Denali, the Alaska pipeline, glaciers, Aurora Borealis, whales, seals, caribou, bear, otters and, surprisingly, lots of flowers. Nazy’s charm landed us an ‘impossible’ sunset viewing seat at the Crow’s Nest Restaurant in Anchorage. (A feat that I had been working on, via the web, for two months.) We met helpful and pleasant people as well as the occasionally science-challenged taxi driver. One cab driver was convinced, simultaneously, that COVID was a myth, that COVID was a disease created by Bill Gates, that ‘big pharma’ vaccines were actually microchips and that vaccinations caused sterility. But, he added, “My wife works at the university so she got vaccinated.”
As the year draws to a close, the entire family has assembled in the same city within our favored time zone. We’re enjoying each other’s company.
Best wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous 2022 — a very special year for Nazy and me.
For the previous issue, please click here
Tiger
Arrow
Leandra
Azelle
Auriane
Comments
sorry hidden iPad awaits museum and swing
What kind of a store mandates appointments to make purchases? Is there a way around mandates? Have the global supply chain problems come to Santa Barbara? Or, more specifically, how long will it take Dan to get a new iPad? Can Azelle aim an iPhone accurately enough to take a photograph? Where is the ‘absolutely fabulous’ fairy garden? If you’re sorry (Azelle) is it smart to ask a third party (Dan), to convey the message to Nazy? Did you see the (crescent) Moon and Venus?
Read More...angelic thunderstorms deliver rainbow mustache pains
Who is ‘the coolest grandmother ever’? Would you wear wings for your school picture? Is there a ‘best way’ to protect your mustache from a gooey dentist? Hint: novocaine doesn’t work on upper lip, firmly attached mustache hairs. What is the chance that rain will interfere with outside dinner plans? Could an October rain be in the cards for Santa Barbara? And, who washed the car? When did a pile driver become a standard dental instrument? Read More...
surprise smokey sunset lights autumn birthday festivities
Does Dan always celebrate his September birthday in autumn? Will the grandchildren agree to let Dan have the biggest piece of birthday cake? (On Dan’s birthday.) Was the sky really filled with cantaloupes? Why was it necessary to ‘make sure that Arrow’s cough’ was not worrisome? Who reads in the dark? (And Why?) How do 2021 car seats compare to 1960 car seats? We all know that grassy knolls are found in Dallas — but what about rocky knolls? Where was the Lucky birthday dinner/? Read More...
Pink Bear and Red Volkswagen presage soapy beard
Will Nazy and (especially) Dan, get back to Anchorage before ALL the restaurants (and room service) closes? What did Nazy think of Chateau Coke? And did she really drink wine with a straw? Are there any animals in Alaska that are bigger than 4 pixels? Why did Dan rent a turbo charged, red, convertible at LAX? Does he still get ‘cool points’ if it was a beetle? Why did Azelle think that Dan could ‘not read that book very good’?Did Tiger really grow a beard? And, finally, how did the Taliban take over Texas so quickly? Read More...
Nazy grabs Crow’s Nest Sunset on Jupiter Coastal trail
How did Dan and Nazy walk to Saturn (at the speed of light) on Anchorage’s Coastal Trail? Is there a ‘right’ side of the airplane when you’re flying from Fairbanks to Anchorage? (Hint: Right. Denali.) So… Dan used the internet and early access in an attempt to book a table at the Crow’s Nest in Alaska. In contrast Nazy used in person charm and flattery. Which approach worked better? Hint: We had sunset dinner at the Crow’s Nest. Where did we get a photo of Nazy with a pink bear? Is there a better train trip than the one to Seward from Anchorage? Read More...
Fairbanks’ Foggy Northern Lights Obscure Denali Peak
Do sled dogs eat mushrooms? What happens to a road built above permafrost when the ‘perma’ becomes ‘tempa’? Will the fog lift in time for Dan and Nazy to see Mount Denali? Can anyone see Mount Denali in the fog? Why won’t wild Alaskan animals pose — close to the camera — for Dan? Can you see the Northern Lights in the fog? Or, more to the point, will the fog lift in time to see the Northern Lights? How busy were the beavers at Horseshoe Lake? Hint: They should have called it Beaver Lake. What did the taxi driver recommend as the ‘most exciting site in Fairbanks’? Can you drown in lemonade? Read More...