We finally, got our Christmas tree up. First, we tried the VFW/Boy Scout tree lot down the street, but they weren’t open then. Not to be denied, we headed over to Ted Drewes our regular go-to tree lot. It being noon on a work day, they were not mobbed. Snagged were a Scotch pine, an evergreen swag for the front door and concretes for lunch. Hey, it’s the holiday season, plus I didn’t have to make lunch. After lunch, we visited a couple of gift shops in U-city. Anne picked up a present that she had ordered and with permission, I snapped this pic. I found this graphic quite striking.

We were cautious on our errands. We wore masks, as did those we met. Yes, we took risks. Were they necessary? Probably not. Time will tell if we were foolish.

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Via Dr. Slaoui, the government official charged with distributing vaccines, has said that the expected number of people who can be vaccinated each month are: Dec 20M, Jan 30M, Feb 50M. That’s almost a third of the US population. Even if they can’t ramp up production any further after February, there should still be enough vaccine for all Americans by summer. In this country, we could put Covid behind us in six months, but the next few months look to be brutal. Despite soaring caseloads, we still have not seen the post-Thanksgiving peak.

But relief is coming. The NY Times has an interactive article that allows one to estimate their spot in line for the vaccine. Inputs include age, location and occupation. Since this article appears in the opinion section there is some wiggle room left. So, don’t start queuing yet, but the prospect of a vaccine does offer a return to a happier time. A time not so far distant that you cannot remember what you were doing at this time last year. Do you remember?

It is also a prospect that allows one to dream and make future plans. While, I’m not ready to start booking flights yet, I have not exactly been idle either. We have a new car that has been sitting in the driveway for a year and we are both roaring to get going. I think that my first destination will be California, which also happened to be the first trip to fall off of this year’s calendar due to Covid. Hopefully by spring we could drive there, see some sights along the way and visit with my dad. It would be just about a year from when we had planned to go. By driving, we could also recreate part of this last summer’s big camping trip, another trip that also fell by the wayside.

These thoughts are intoxicating and I am giddy at the prospects. Closer to home, I am looking forward to going to the store again. Doing my own shopping. Feeling the vegetables before I buy. Seeing all of the new products that have been rolled out in my absence. I would also like to dine in a restaurant. Have the night off from the kitchen, be waited on again and watch other people while I dine. I would like to sip a beer in a bar. All of these things I have missed and hopefully soon, all of these things will soon be returning, but first we have to get through the next few months. Wear the Mask!