Taking a Shot

Covid-19 booster

It's hard to believe that we are entering the fifth year of Covid-19! Certainly when the reports of a new virus first started coming out the end of 2019, I never expected we would still be having to deal with it in 2024. 

My husband and I have had all six of the Pfizer shots, which included the two original injections as well as four booster shots. Since it has been more than six months since my last booster as well as the fact that a new booster was released last fall, I received my 7th shot yesterday.

The injection itself was not bad at all, and the only weird thing that happened is that when I got home (about 30 minutes after the injection) I started to feel a little dizzy. That has not happened with any shot I have ever received. I just laid down for a bit, and that went away. My arm is a little sore at the injection site, but other than that it has been smooth sailing.

Getting this additional shot made me wonder how many Americans have taken advantage of this latest booster? According to the CDC, about 12% of adults in the U.S. have gotten the new vaccine. That is a remarkably small number. So how many Americans have had seven shots like me? I can't find an answer to that, but it is obviously less than 12%.

Covid is still a big deal, even though most people act like it has gone away. CDC statistics indicate that 16,000 Americans are hospitalized each week with the virus, and 1,200 die each week. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that as of 4 February 2024, there have been nearly 775,000,000 cases reported in the world, with 103,000,000 of those being from the United States. Worldwide there have been over 7,000,000 deaths, with 1,200,000 of those occurring in the United States. I'm suspicious of the WHO's U.S. numbers because so many places are not reporting their data anymore in this country. Plus the U.S. statistics are less than what I reported in my July 20, 2023 post. 

Regardless, losing 1,200 Americans each week to Covid is not an insignificant thing. And we know those numbers are higher due to the lack of adequate reporting since early 2023. I don't want to become a statistic, so I'll take the shots.

Covid Booster Shot

Covid booster shot

My husband and I got a second Pfizer bivalent Covid-19 booster shot today. If you are over age 65, the CDC recommends a second booster if it has been 4 or more months since your last bivalent shot. We received ours last September, so we easily qualified for the shot. 

We debated waiting until this fall, when it is rumored that a combined flu/Covid shot will be available. But we have some travel coming up, so we decided to arm ourselves prior to that.

A friend of ours got Covid following a cruise but while she was still in France, and she thought she was going to drown in her own fluids. The hospital there refused to treat her. The thought of being so ill in a foreign country is very scary to me, so I'll do anything I can to avoid getting Covid.

It seems most people do not take Covid into consideration anymore. But I think it is important to understand that it is still around, and people are still dying from it. Here are the latest stats:

North Carolina has had 3.5 million cases and 29,279 deaths. In the United States there have been over 107 million cases and 1.2 million deaths. Worldwide there have been nearly 768 million cases and 6.9 million deaths. It is notable, however, that reporting is no longer required so the statistics are not necessarily accurate. One thing we can say for certain is that the numbers are certainly higher than what is being shown online. So I'll take a shot in the arm to hopefully avoid becoming one of the statistics.

Oh, My Corona

magnolia in bloom

Coronavirus. Are we still talking about this? Why yes, yes we are. Ugh! We have some travel plans coming up, and we are locking ourselves down even more than usual to hopefully avoid getting sick. Jim and I have not had the virus yet, which is kind of a mixed blessing I suppose. We have had all the shots, including the boosters, so I'm sure that has helped. But in some ways it feels like we are waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

World-wide, this virus shows no signs of abating. The latest statistics are: North Carolina has had 3.44 million cases and 29,279 deaths. In the United States there have been 102 million cases and 1.1 million deaths. (That statistic is down from the 1.5 million I last reported, though I use the same website for the statistics each time. Makes me wonder what someone is doing with the stats.) Worldwide there have been over 672 million cases and 6.85 million deaths. The number of cases is no doubt vastly underreported since so many people are taking home tests and those results do not need to be reported. I also think that the health care systems have changed their reporting habits regarding Covid as well, due to a lessoning of federal reporting guidelines. Regardless, the numbers remain staggering.

Spring is around the corner, and we saw magnolias and daffodils in bloom on our bike ride today. Perhaps once people spend more time outdoors, the virus numbers will once again be on the decline. We will have to wait and see. In the meantime, I am always so grateful for where we live and the beauty that surrounds us as we navigate these challenging times.

this morning's sunrise

The United States of Mind

For 246 years our country has been observing its independence from Great Britain. July 4th is celebrated with parades, picnics and fireworks. This year was no exception, but the tone might have sounded a little different. The U.S., and indeed the world, is still reeling from the lingering effects of Covid. Just when it seemed we were recovering, the war on Ukraine began. Gas prices have soared, followed by drastic increases in food, airline tickets and interest rates. Continued mass shootings and the overturning of Roe v.  Wade have also contributed to a general feeling of anger and distrust in America.

All of these things have overshadowed the fact that the coronavirus is still a major problem in this country. People seem numb to the fact that we are losing 295 citizens each day to the virus. Most have adopted the attitude that it is no longer if they will get the virus, but when. As Covid continues to mutate, people who appeared to be immune from earlier variants are succumbing to the new strains. Only time will tell if the current shots and boosters will continue to protect us. Ive said this before, but I think the real story that will come out of this pandemic is a study regarding why certain people never got the virus.

Here are the latest Covid statistics: North Carolina has had 2.87 million cases and 25,219 deaths. In the United States there have been 87.7 million cases and 1.02 million deaths. Worldwide there have been over 550 million cases and 6.3 million deaths. The United States is at a 67.5% full vaccination rate. Worldwide that number is a discouraging 61.8%.

Tension, like the air here in North Carolina, is thick enough to cut with a knife.

Mountain Island Lake

One Million Dead, and Counting

The U.S. has now recorded over a million deaths due to Covid. Many experts feel that is an undercount due to lack of tests/testing and reporting. At the beginning of Covid the press speculated that perhaps 200,000 Americans would die from Covid. We were appalled, and thought that couldn't possibly happen. Yet now look at the number! And where is the outrage? Are we just so numb to the numbers due to the amount of time we have been battling this virus? While it may be true that Covid will never really go away, similar to the flu, I hope it can be controlled to the point that we aren't looking at this number of deaths in the future. Too many people have not lived to see another sunrise.

sunrise

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

sign at winery last week

It's been awhile since I have written a post exclusively about Covid-19. But nearly 1 million Americans have now died from Covid. A million!!! Never did anyone imagine that we would lose so many people in our country due to this virus. And we are far from being out of the woods.

Unfortunately, signs everywhere are pointing towards an uptick in Covid cases. This is predominantly due to the mutation of this virus. The current variant, Omicron (BA.1), now has a subvariant called BA.2. Each new variant seems to be more transmissible than the previous one. The good news is that the new one does not seem to cause more severe disease in patients than the previous one. However having vaccines and boosters does not seem to prevent one from getting Omicron, though symptoms, hospitalizations and deaths seem to be less in those who are vaccinated.

Current thinking by the experts is that the coronavirus will never go away. It will continue to mutate, and will be somewhat controlled by vaccinations. Most people have gone back to their pre-covid routines, filling stadiums, concert halls, churches, etc. It is rare to now see anyone with a mask on. Though we have had our vaccines and the two boosters, we still wear a mask in places we feel we are susceptible to exposure. We are not going to large venues, or traveling outside the country yet. It's not perfect, but we also need to live our lives as safely as we can.

Here is where things supposedly stand: North Carolina has had 2.69 million cases and 124,598 deaths. In the United States there have been 82.6 million cases and 999,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been over 522 million cases and 6.3 million deaths. I say "supposedly" because most people believe the numbers are under-reported. Many requirements for reporting have been dropped, and with the availability of home testing there is no way to know how many people have tested positive.

Will I still be writing about covid at the end of 2022? I would like to think that I won't, but we are a long way from this being over. The supply chain in our country is still a mess, businesses cannot find people who want to work, inflation, fuel prices and interest rates are up. The airlines are a mess with staffing shortages and higher fuel prices, so even country-wide travel may be off the table for us. At least those involving planes. We tried to book tickets to Denver from Charlotte for June, and the cost (even with flexible dates) was nearly $1,900 per round trip ticket! It's just crazy. Fortunately there is nowhere we have to be, so we will plan more regional trips where we can drive the new car. And staying here and enjoying Mother Nature is no hardship. Below was yesterday's sunrise. We are blessed beyond measure.

Good morning, sunshine

North Carolina Pickle Festival

With our new wheels we decided to head to Mount Olive, North Carolina for the Pickle Festival. Mt. Olive pickles happen to be my favorites, so what could be better than a pickle festival in the town where they are made? After a two year hiatus due to Covid-19, the festival was able to resume it's 35 year history.

We arrived on the 22nd so we could have some time to visit the town of Mount Olive before all the crowds arriving the next day. I'm glad we did as we were able to view the downtown area and the murals unobstructed. That would not have been possible the next day.

Mount Olive, North Carolina

After spending the night in nearby Goldsboro, we drove back to Mount Olive early in the morning as we knew parking was going to be a challenge. We had to park at the University of Mount Olive, where they were providing shuttle buses to take festival-goers to and from the downtown area. That actually worked out pretty well. 

The festival consisted of pickle packing and eating contests, a small carnival, a tractor show as well as a car show, and free pickle samples. Rows upon rows of vendors tempted attendees with all kinds of food, beverages, art, and trinkets. By the time noon arrived, it was incredibly packed in the area. (I read later that it was the largest attendance in the history of the festival!) We lasted until around 1:00, and then took a bus back to our car.

North Carolina Pickle Festival

From Mount Olive we drove to New Bern, North Carolina for a few days. To the left is a beautiful field we passed along the way. I had said once we retired that my motto is "Make the U-turn". When I passed this scene, I made a u-turn so we could go back and photograph it. It was worth it!

We had heard a lot about the colorful little town of New Bern, which was settled by Swiss immigrants in 1710. They named the town after the capital of Switzerland. New Bern is the second-oldest European-Colonial town in North Carolina, and was once the state's capital. It is also the birthplace of Pepsi Cola. Invented in 1893 by Caleb Brandham at his drug store in town, it was originally called Brad's Drink. He renamed it Pepsi-Cola in 1898. In 1902, the Pepsi-Cola Company was formed with Brandham serving as the first president. 

We stayed at a wonderful VRBO condo, which was located on a harbor along the Neuse River. It was perfect for us with a great water view (as seen below), indoor and outdoor pools, and tennis courts which were striped for pickleball. The little duck family outside our unit were an added bonus, as was the ability to catch the sunsets from the dock.

views by our unit

We very much enjoyed New Bern. It's very historical and well-maintained. The downtown streets contained a lot of unique shops and restaurants, and the old churches and cemeteries were interesting to explore. If you are so inclined, you can seek out the more than 50 fiberglass bears which were installed in 2010 for the town's 300th birthday. Hand-painted by local artists, they are scattered throughout the area. It reminded me a lot of the painted cakes put out in St. Louis as a celebration for the city's 250th birthday. These types of installations are a great way to not only get people excited about learning the history of the area, but also encouraging them to visit sites they might not otherwise think to go and see. We did not go bear hunting, but did photograph the ones we came across.

New Bern, North Carolina

Pickles and bears - a winning combination!

Two Years of Covid Fears

Two years ago yesterday the coronavirus was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Covid has been a world-wide event that has caused pain, suffering, death - and at times panic - to millions of people. In the early days we had no idea how our lives would be impacted, and certainly never dreamed the effects would still be felt two years later.

Here are the latest Covid statistics: North Carolina has had 2.61 million cases and 22,932 deaths. In the United States there have been 79.4 million cases and 966,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been over 455 million cases and over 6 million deaths. The United States is at a 65.7% full vaccination rate. Worldwide that number is a discouraging 57.3%.

As health restrictions eased, many US citizens have gone back to resuming their lives as if the virus has been eradicated. While it is certainly true that the number of positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths has been on the decline, there are over 42,000 people in the US testing positive on a daily basis. Though many mask mandates have been dropped, the US government has extended the one that applies to flights, buses, ferries and subways until at least April 18th. This is no doubt an attempt to try and limit exposures during the spring break season.

But just as people were beginning to think it would be safe to travel outside the country again, last month Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, ordered the largest full-scale invasion of a nation since WWII as he tries to regain control of Ukraine. Obviously a devastating turn of events for the citizens of Ukraine, the economic implications of this war will be felt globally.

It appears 2022 will be another year unlike any other. And there's nowhere to run.

safe statues

Unmasked

As anticipated. Mecklenburg County voted to lift its mask mandate effective February 26th despite the fact that none of the the criteria for unmasking has been met. The Covid positivity rate is still at 15%, nowhere near the 5% they said would be required to remove the mask mandate. My observation has been that Mecklenburg County businesses have already removed their "Masks Required" signs. Most people thought it went into effect last Saturday anyway. 

Time will tell if this is a premature decision or not. The last time everyone removed their masks, Covid cases sky rocketed. As people return to venues with 60,000 plus attendees, all unmasked, what will happen? Everyone has to make their own decisions about what feels right to them. I'm still going to avoid large crowds, and wear my mask indoors. I'd still rather be safe than sorry for awhile yet. My booster shot was five months ago, and I have no idea what my immunity is at this point. Keeping a mask on seems an easy precaution to take at this point.

Is Covid Over?

heart and sole

Walk into any store, restaurant or building around here and you will be hard pressed to find anyone wearing a mask. Unless I happen to be there, because I STILL don't want to get covid. The greater Charlotte area is in Mecklenburg County, which has had a mask mandate in place since August 31, 2021 because Covid cases continued to rise. When that mask mandate was put into place, the ruling said that the Covid test positivity rate must reach 5% or less for four straight months before the mandate would be lifted. In November, 2021 the ruling was revised to state that the mandate would be lifted when a 5% or less positivity rate existed for seven days straight.

To date, we have not reached that benchmark. In January the positivity rate was around 32%. By last week it had dropped to 20.8%. The latest number from February 13th shows the rate at 15.7%. The numbers are definitely trending in the right direction, but how much of this is due to a decrease in Covid cases versus the fact that many people are utilizing home tests? The home test numbers are not often reported to officials.

Tomorrow the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners will vote on whether or not to keep the mask mandate in place. They are getting a lot of pressure from employers, schools and businesses to drop the mandate. The states of California and Oregon have already dropped their mask mandates. I suspect Mecklenburg will do the same.

Does anyone else see the irony of our federal government paying for and distributing 400 million N95 masks right before we are all told we don't need to wear one anymore?

February - What's Not to Love?

It's the first of February, and we are at the threshold of going into the third year of Covid-19. The omicron variant has had at least two mutations of its own, and while they appear to be less deadly they are also seemingly easier to transmit. Hospitals are again near capacity, and the beds are filled with mostly unvaccinated people. The vaccines and boosters do not protect as well against the omicron variant, but vaccinated people are less likely to get as sick and/or hospitalized as unvaccinated people. There is a growing sense that we are all going to get covid at some point. When this pandemic is looked back on in the future, historians may well be examining who DIDN'T get covid - and why?

free Covid-19 test kits

The U.S. government is offering two covid test kits free of charge to each household. We ordered ours through the government-provided link, and they arrived in a couple of weeks via the postal service. I had previously ordered some from Amazon just to have on hand, so we are set with tests for the moment. Too bad I can't get reimbursed for those as they are costly at $19 per box.

Health experts are now saying that the medical paper masks that most people wear, as well as cloth masks, are not sufficient in protecting you against the spread of omicron. They recommend wearing an N95 mask (normally only used in hospital settings) instead. Those were in really short supply earlier in the pandemic, and we were all asked to save those for health care professionals. Somehow our government is now distributing 400 million N95 masks to citizens at no charge. Where did these come from? Who knows. It looks like you have to go to a pharmacy to get the masks, and each person can have three. 

I think it's important to note that these mask are not washable and aren't meant to be reusable, so I'm not sure how that's going to work. In the meantime, I'll keep wearing my washable cloth mask - the one I made with a pocket to insert a filter. It's fitted, has a nose piece, and gives me four layers of protection, so I think I'm good as long as I continue to socially distance and stay away from crowded venues.

layered face mask

A Cold January

I have been sick for the past week. It began with a slight sore throat, which went into a runny nose and coughing. With Covid on everyone's mind, of course that is where my mind went. But I didn't have any other Covid symptoms - no headache, body aches, loss of taste and/or smell, or fever. It has been pretty much classic cold symptoms. But the weird thing is that I have not been around anyone besides the people in my house since December 28th. (With the exception of being with five neighbors in the back yard socially distanced on New Year's Eve.) And none of them are sick. It didn't seem possible that I could have caught a cold much less Covid. 

Despite that fact I tried to schedule a Covid test as our daughter was flying back home today and obviously had been exposed if I was positive. Home tests are pretty much unavailable, though I have some on order through Amazon. But none of the testing sites had appointments available for the next four days. One of my neighbors offered me a test this morning, so I gladly took it. As expected, I am negative for Covid. That was a relief to all of us.

But we are in a bad situation in this country when people who have some symptoms cannot get a Covid test so they don't expose others around them. Across the country people are waiting in lines for 5 hours or more to do the drive-thru testing. It's ridiculous! The government has had over two years to get this figured out. No wonder the virus is still spreading at an unparalleled rate. We are in for another rough winter in more ways than one.

What Will 2022 Bring?

We rang in 2022 with a drink in the back yard with five neighbors, followed by the three of us in our household working on a jigsaw puzzle. We haven't celebrated New Year's Eve in a big way since long before the pandemic arrived, but with Covid-19 our options were quite limited. We are choosing to try and remain safe from the virus.

Covid continues to be the story of the day. Omicron is now the most prevalent variant being seen among the new cases in the US. Omicron seems to be affecting the vaccinated as well as the unvaccinated, though vaccinated people tend to have milder symptoms and usually don't end up in the hospital unless they have underlying health conditions.

On December 31, 2021 North Carolina had its largest recording of new cases in one day reported - 19,174. It is difficult to find a place where you can get tested, and even harder to find the at-home tests that can be taken. Our state is not alone in seeing skyrocketing numbers. Here is where things stand: North Carolina has had 1.69 million cases and 19,436 deaths. In the United States there have been 54.9 million cases and 824,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been over 289 million cases and 5.4 million deaths. 

North Carolina has only achieved a 57% full vaccination rate, close to the the United States rate of 58.3%. Worldwide that number is only 48%. Despite the huge rise in cases, governments seem reluctant to reimpose restrictions to limit exposure, such as banning large events, limiting indoor numbers in restaurants and other public spaces, and reinstating mask mandates. 

Normally as we begin a new year we sit down and plan out what activities we want to do in the upcoming year. Covid has been around for over two years now, and there is no end in sight. We are not making plans, and instead are taking a wait and see attitude. It's a delicate balance in trying to live our lives while being safe and still having a life to live.

blue heron on Mountain Island Lake December 31, 2021

Merry Christmas Eve

We are spending Christmas in our home on Mountain Island Lake again this year. With Covid still the news headliner, especially with the prolific spread of the new Omicron variant, our celebration will be very small. Our kids have come, and the five of us will stick close to the house except for outdoor activities.  

All the meals have been planned and the groceries purchased, so we are all set. We love to play games and work puzzles, so occupying ourselves will not be an issue. And with temperatures hitting 70 degrees on a couple of the days, I think some kayaking will take place as well.

The photo on the left is of a Santa that we purchased for my mother-in-law many years ago. She collected Santas, and it was always fun to shop each year to see if we could find a unique one for her. This one was perfect as we felt it captured her love of all things Santa while at the same time representing what Christmas is all about. She loved it, and it sat out all year long on the fireplace hearth next to her chair. After she died in 2020, we brought this one (along with several others) to our house. I smile each time I see it, and remember fondly the wonderful woman I was blessed to call my second mother for most of my adult life.

We woke up to another beautiful sunrise this Christmas Eve. Wishing all who believe a Merry (and healthy) Christmas!

Mountain Island Lake

New Covid Variant

The world was still reeling from the rapidly-spreading Delta variant of Covid-19, which was first discovered in late 2020, when a new variant was detected in South Africa in early November. Named Omicron, the first United States case was found in San Fransisco on November 28th. To date, 19 states have reported at least one case of Omicron. It appears to be a fast-spreading variant, but there is not enough data to determine how deadly it will be. 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is now recommending that all vaccinated adults "should" get a booster shot. Previously the statement was all vaccinated adults "may" get a booster shot. The World Health Organization is stating that the variant poses a "very high" global risk. 

As we head into Christmas and all the traveling and gathering that people will do, I suspect every state will have Omicron cases before the end of the year.

The sign of the times are still with us...ho, ho, ho.

sign of the times

Thanksgiving 2021

Virginia highway sign

Well, we certainly didn't think we would still be worrying about Covid when another Thanksgiving rolled around, but here we are again. 

We kept our celebration small, driving to Virginia to spend the holiday with our son and daughter-in-law, and the grand-pup Monty. As we traveled on Thanksgiving Day, the traffic wasn't super-bad.

We had a fun weekend of food, games and pickleball with some nice people we met at a nearby park. To get us in the Christmas spirit, we went to the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens for their Walk of Lights. While it was a little chilly out, there was no wind so it made being outdoors at night bearable. It was a lovely light display for such an inconspicuous little botanical garden.

Thanksgiving weekend

The drive home on Monday was more heavily trafficked, but we still were able to make good time with our travels. Now to tackle Christmas cards, shopping and decorating to get ready for Christmas!

sunset the day we got home

Pickleball in Paradise

Sandals South Coast

As mentioned in the last post, we went to Jamaica on November 7th for a week-long stay at the Sandals South Coast. There were over 30 of us from the greater Charlotte area on the trip for this pickleball adventure. Sandals is an all-inclusive, adults only resort. The only negative is the hour and a half bus trip on precarious roads to get to the resort. 

The grounds of the hotel are fantastic, resembling a botanical garden oasis. There are numerous restaurants and swimming pools, and of course multiple pickleball courts. Though the courts are striped on tennis courts, they functioned well for our purposes.

Due to the heat and humidity, we limited our play to several hours in the morning. This left the afternoons and evenings free to swim in the ocean or pools, rest on the many loungers, or take advantage of the water sport options. We did drills and had coached play, and the week culminated with a round robin tournament on Saturday, followed by a banquet that evening. All the people in our group were super-nice and we made some new friends that we will continue to see in Charlotte. I feel like I learned some new game strategy, and hope to put those into play.

On Friday (two days prior to departure), Sandals provided Covid tests to anyone in our group who had been fully vaccinated. Those who had not been vaccinated had to wait until Saturday for their tests per new United States entry requirements. Our appointments were at 11:15, and we were able to walk right in to the testing room. This test was very different than the one we completed prior to travel. It involved the long testing stick, which felt as though they were literally picking your brain. It definitely brought tears to my eyes. Later that evening we got our negative test results back, thankfully.

flying home

On Sunday the same bus and driver repeated the harrowing drive back to Sangster International Airport. The checkin line at the airport was pretty long, but moved quickly. Our plane boarded on time, and again we had a very civil group of passengers on the flight. With all the horror stories of passengers yelling and even striking flight attendants over the mask mandate, you never know what might happen. But while this trip went fairly smoothly, I am not in a hurry to leave the country again anytime soon. It's just a lot of hassle right now.

First International Travel Since Covid-19 Arrived

Sangster International Airport

For the first time since Covid began and the country went into lockdown more than 19 months ago, we boarded a plane and traveled outside the United States. In January of this year we booked a pickleball adventure to Sandals Southcoast in Whitehouse, Jamaica with the Lake Norman Pickleball Club. Of course at the time we had no idea if the trip would be cancelled or not due to the pandemic. I'm not going to lie, part of me wished it would be rescheduled to next year as we agonized over whether it was smart to travel yet.

In the end, there were many things that aided our decision to go. We both are fully vaccinated and have the booster shot. A negative Covid test is required before entering Jamaica as well as upon departure. The three hour flight was direct, so there was no additional exposure at another airport. We would be staying in an all-inclusive resort the whole week, and the staff there is all vaccinated and required to be masked at all times. There is lots of outdoor dining and our pickleball play would be outside as well. We decided to take the calculated risk and go on the trip.

Within seven days of travel we were required to complete online paperwork and submit it to the Jamaican government so they could authorize our travel to their country. We also had to give them proof of insurance that would cover us in the event we tested positive for Covid while in Jamaica. That policy was included by Sandals as part of our reservation, and they had sent us a copy of the policy.

Three days before departure we went to the local CVS to take the antigen test. This was the first time either of us has needed to be tested during Covid, so we were a little apprehensive. We made our appointments online, then parked in the designated testing spots in their lot. We texted that we had arrived, and were directed to the back door of the pharmacy. There we were met by a nurse, who led us to a back office. The three of us were the only ones in the room. She opened up kits and handed us each a nasal swab, and directed us to swirl the swab several times in each nostril. We then placed our swabs in their respective vials, and that was that. About an hour later we received our negative test results.

Sunday morning we arrived at Charlotte International Airport 2 1/2 hours before our flight. We both have TSA pre-check with our Global Entry Card, so we felt that was a sufficient amount of time. The check in process with American Airlines was completed quickly, and the TSA line was short. I, however, was selected for additional screening. A female agent swabbed my hands with a wipe and then looked for traces of explosives. At the gate both of us, along with a dozen or so other passengers on our flight, were called to the counter to have our passports screened again. It seemed really strange since the passports had already been reviewed by the check in personnel and security agents.

The plane was boarded in an efficient manner, and I'm happy to say that all the passengers were well-behaved. No one had to be reminded to leave their masks on during the flight, and there was no screaming - by adults or kids! I spied a rainbow out the window, and chose to believe it was an omen that we would have a wonderful vacation. I wasn't wrong...more in the next post.

Covember

sign at local Target store

It's been awhile since I did an update on what's going on with Covid-19. For 20 months we have been dealing with coronavirus, watching as it became a worldwide pandemic. While some of the statistics are encouraging, we are definitely not out of the woods yet.

Here's where things stand today: North Carolina has had 1.49 million cases and 18,264 deaths. In the United States there have been 46.4 million cases and 754,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been over 219 million cases and 5 million deaths. The United States is only at a 58.3% full vaccination rate. Worldwide that number is a discouraging 39.9%.

With such a low vaccination rate, you can't help but wonder if the virus will continue to mutate, such as it has done with the Delta variant. And if so, what does that mean to those who are fully vaccinated? Even though we have had the booster shot, will that protect us from the mutations? At the moment, there are no answers to these questions. We continue to mask up and socially distance while indoors. Hopefully that is enough.

A Friendly Visit

We have lived in our new home in North Carolina for exactly two years. The first four months were filled with getting settled, making new friends, and participating in the many activities going on in this community. Then Covid hit, and things came to a screeching halt. Due to that, we have had very little company here. This past weekend Jim's former business partner and his wife flew in for a few days. We have a great relationship with them, and picking them up at the airport was like old home week. 

We had a wonderful time catching up, and showing them some of the sites of our new hometown. Friday we went to Uptown Charlotte (they don't call it downtown here!), walked some of the greenway and explored the urban parks. Ted went to Whiskey Club with Jim Friday night, while Jill and I watched a documentary and then a movie on Netflix.

Saturday some friends took us out on a nice pontoon boat on Lake Norman. It was a beautiful day, and the lake wasn't too crowded. Sunday following brunch, Jill and I took our kayaks out on Mountain Island Lake. The temperature was perfect, and we spotted an egret, turtles and blue herons while out on the water. Their flight left later that day, so we had a quick bite on our patio before taking them to the airport. The visit was way too short, but very sweet!

visit with friends