Dreaming of better times ahead

It has been over a year of Covid headlines. 

Rob didn't know what was ahead and retired just a week after the first lockdown started. Who knew things would drag on the way they have?

I'm still reluctant to set my own retirement date. Work is relatively stress free; I know the job quite well and there are no undue expectations. Realizing I'll be leaving within the year does put things into perspective! I might as well be earning if all I can do is sit at home.

Things I can do under stay at home orders: yoga, gardening, walks, reading, Hot Docs, ukulele, book clubs, Epitourists, MasterClass courses, yoga intensives, take out from great restaurants, cooking classes, streaming concerts, Netflix...

I think in June we should be back in the Grey Zone again. Launch!  Sailing! Although the sailing season will probably have restrictions like last summer, with limited reciprocals along the lake and no access to ports in the U.S. 

Overall, summer should be much better, and most of our friends and family will have been vaccinated. We can have small get togethers and family dinners. Outdoor cafes will open. Inter-city travel will be possible again.

In the fall we'll be on the road to a 'new normal.' Koerner Hall and theatres may open at reduced capacity, which would be fantastic! We'll probably be wearing masks in most public indoor spaces. Hopefully deaths and hospitalizations due to Covid will be a thing of the past due to vaccinations, but there will likely be a lot of people getting sick, either from Covid variants or other flus and colds. I know I will probably avoid large crowds and gatherings for many, many months to come.

I'm wondering about international flights... I'd love to take a trip. Costa Rica, Greece, New Zealand, Ireland, Japan are all on the list. Given the air quality on planes and the need to wear masks,  long flights to Japan or Australia probably aren't likely. But who knows? Probably not until January 2022, and even then, with some kind of Covid passport, surtaxes, additional health insurance, restricted access and inflated prices.

If the US/Canadian border opens up by the fall, maybe a driving vacation along the East Coast in September/October. We've wanted to do that for quite some time. However, pent up demand may make the route far too travelled. Maybe a Canadian road trip is in order.

Won't that be fine.