The year 2020 was one that seemed to last forever with ever more horrible events.
The hopes for a better year began badly with the daily news of the wildfires in Australia — a place we have always dreamed of visiting.
Was the whole country going to burn up?
We discussed another big trip, having missed our bi-annual travel in 2019. That discussion became more urgent when my singing, songwriting doctor advised if we planned any bucket list trips to do them within a year before my kidney condition made travel near impossible.
Briefly we discussed where to go. The beautiful mysterious Yukon we enjoyed in 2017? Or Newfoundland of which we didn't see all? Or the same for Nova Scotia?
Hopes of travel anywhere were dashed as this new virus spread from China like volcanic ash over the globe.
The lockdown changed our lifestyle. We agreed my partner and wife would get the groceries as I faced risks from underlying health conditions.
Her first trip ended in near disaster when the driver of a one-tonne truck T-boned her. Another foot ahead and she might have been killed. She still suffers pain; he probably paid $200 for running a red light.
We slogged on, hunkered down, listening to the daily reports advising us to stay home. We did.
The COVID-dominated news was refreshing at first, steering the news focus away from the Trump circus. Not so refreshing was Trump’s suggestion we inject bleach to become immune to coronavirus.
Even the Trudeau WE Charity scandal failed to take the COVID focus out of the news.
Three months of isolation — except for banking and buying groceries ended — allowing us to widen our social bubble a bit.
On weekends we made up for isolation with day trips into the countryside, having always enjoyed them.
Summer passed with the occasional coffee with a few friends and tending the vegetable garden.
During the spring I connected with a cousin in South Africa after 40 years. He is a musician/chef who has spent 20 years living on that continent building a media organization in video, radio and print. It has been wondrous and a diversion from virus matters.
Fall came with two uninspiring elections. Our mayor won by 800 plus votes over an unknown candidate.
The year was about to end on a positive note. Vaccines to create immunity to COVID were near approval. The vaccine development is one miracle out of the pandemic. Too bad we couldn’t create the same miracle to resolve global peace, poverty and homelessness.
Mother Nature threw another curve when a mutant strain of the COVID appeared. More uncertainty ahead.
Meanwhile, Yours Truly buckled down on a rather restrictive diet — no/low salt, low protein, potassium and phosphorus intake — no ham, bacon, sausage, cold cuts, limited dairy.
I used to live to eat. Now I eat to live. Fortunately I like berries, fruit, veggies and nuts.
Whatever happened this year should prepare me for the worst in 2021. And I’ll try to make that bucket list trip in 2022.
Hope you had a better year than us and hope you have a happy, healthy one in 2021.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
