2021 becomes 2022

I haven't done a year end reflection in years. The last couple year ends haven't been too exciting. Well, last year we bought a house so I guess that was worth writing about even though I didn't. 

2021 was, well, different. Started the year still on virtual school. Ending the year in real school but with masks. So I guess things are better. I've stayed healthy, as has Dad. Dave and Loni both got Covid in October. It was scary for Dave who had breathing issues but he's come out the other end and will be okay. Thank God. 

GOALS:

I had seven goals and met one of them. Well, I will by midnight tomorrow. I read the Bible! I have half of Revelations left and have no doubt I'll get done. As the last post discussed, I had planned the multi-night camping trip with Slugger but we didn't end up camping. 

I have finally taken "buy and use a paddle board" off of my list. Not that I don't want to paddle board but it just hasn't happened and I'm not sure it will. I keep saying i'm going to do Captain John's summer special thing so I can see how often I'll really go. 

I intended to hike Sugarloaf and had it on the schedule a couple times but it just never happened. It WILL happen in 2022!!!

For 2022, I've added memorizing Bible verses, going to TX, getting a generator and fencing my property. I have, of course, kept the losing weight goal. I really just want to be healthy and fit. And for my clothes to fit.

REFLECTIONS:

It doesn't seem like there's much to reflect on. I love living in Baldwin Lake, except right now with the muddy road. I am much happier in my job now that I have a better classroom and am a little more connected to the rest of the faculty. Slugger is awesome. Oh wait, we knew that. I love living in BB where it's almost always fabulous weather and beautiful. And I'm close to the Whites and the Floyds and can see them, in theory, whenever we want. 

LOOKING FORWARD:

22 is my lucky number. It's almost 2022. Regardless of the world's issues, I think this year will be good for me. Maybe not excellent, but that's okay. Maybe this is the year I actually accomplish all my goals!! And then some :) 

School's Out Road Trip 2021

 Because the world is only sort of opening up, and because I wanted Slugger to come too, I decided to take a little road trip as soon as school was out. The plan was to camp the first 3 nights and then motel the last night. As with any good road trip, plans changed. 

Slugs and I set out about noon on the Monday after school was out. 

I had run the HVTR 15 miler on Saturday and my toes HURT. I also had a weird foot pain that could've been a stress fracture (feels better but still not 100% so who knows). About 2 hours into the drive I started to realize that driving wasn't helping and I had no desire to set up camp. SO I got online and reserved a room in Bishop. This was a little further than we had been planning for the day. But without all the stops to hike/walk we got there about dinner time anyway. Once we were in Bishop, I changed up the rest of the trip too and it all worked out marvelously. 

Anyway, the trip: We stopped in Lone Pine at Gardners hardware which hasn't changed. I didn't shop long though because Slugs was in the hot car and my feet hurt. And it was crowded. 

After a decent night's sleep in Bishop, we went to a local bakery recommended by a friend who used to live there. We went to the local park to eat. We sat on a bench in the shade in front of a small pond, watching the ducks and enjoying the green grass. It was splendidly relaxing. 

From Bishop we drove North. We saw a lot of amazing scenery and sang a lot of good songs with the radio blaring. 

We stopped in Mammoth Lakes and had a little hike. Pretty sure Slugger thought we were back home - it smelled the same, looked a lot like it, and was finally almost not hot.

Next we stopped to look over Mono Lake.

The next stop was one of Slugger's favorites! A river!! I *think* it was the West Fork of the American River. I'm took lazy to look it up. 

THEN Slugger went to Nevada for the first time!!!

I decided that we should go over to Lake Tahoe and drive up the CA side. I forgot about all the casinos on the NV side. Weird. And two totally different places on each side of the state line. Once we were back in CA though, we got out so Slugger could swim again :)

Driving up to Truckee from Tahoe was a lot like driving at home. Slugger even thought so and kept getting excited. I was really tired of driving on foreign mountain roads though. Strange that I do it all the time here at home but there it made me nervous - I guess because I wasn't familiar with the terrain.

We spent Tuesday night in Auburn. I am familiar with Auburn due to Western States. I wanted to take Slugger to see some of the trails and sights. When Dad and I are there for the race, we don't usually see much more than our aid station. After driving into Forest Hill and talking to Dad, we drove back into Auburn and went to Robie Point. This is the VERY end of WSER. Where they come off the trail and hit the last mile of uphill on road. It was a very steep road, as advertised. 

We followed these footprints up the road to the high school track that they run around to the finish.

I don't remember the track being quite so fancy! That's TURF!!

After we left Auburn, we drove down I5 to Stockton to take a walk around University of the Pacific, my alma mater. I kinda felt like I was doing one of those trips where the parent drags their kids to all the places they lived growing up. Pacific was nice and quiet and beautiful as ever. Lots and lots of grass for puppy to roll in and even a well-watered tree! 

Then we had an excellent visit with Christy (freshman year roomie and forever bestie) at her house. Slugs got to meet Tobie (totally chill older lab/pug mix). 

Thursday we drove home. We were both done driving. And tired of the heat (hot at home but not THAT hot!)

Not the trip we set out on, but definitely an excellent trip!! 

It's been a while

 So life got busy. And boring. Pandemic and all. Slugger and I enjoyed walking and hiking and being together. I ran. Oh, he had another knee surgery. I taught some math. Online. Oh, we bought a house! So yeah it was a boring yet exciting 15 months of pandemic life. 

I feel like we're coming out of our cocoon. 

There are some things I hope don't change - space between you and me in line at the PO or grocery; masks when you're sick or in allergy season; people appreciating the outdoors and nature. 

And hopefully some more posts here :)