Readers will be stunned to learn that another unfortunate gap in my production of blog posts awaits them in coming days.
I leave tomorrow for the beach at Oxnard, California, where I will meet my brother, sister, and portions of their families. I met them face to face, for the first time since the pandemic began, three months ago when they traveled to Seattle to help celebrate my birthday. We had just been told that vaccinated individuals, such as us, could meet face to face indoors, and shed our masks in so doing. At the same time, restaurants in my state were allowed to expand service to fifty percent capacity.
We took advantage of both permissions, although nervously, carefully, and not entirely certain that our vaccinations would really "work" -- that they would successfully fend off the scary little viruses. After three months, we are more relaxed, more cavalier as to still possible dangers, and willing to close our eyes to the various Greek lettered variants -- Delta, in particular. Experts tell us that even if Delta breaks through the full protection of our Pfizar shots, we'll at least probably avoid serious illness and death.
Well, that's something, right?
My visit to Oxnard was at first intended to be longer, ending in a trip back to Washington state by my sister and me by train. Yes, Kathy is also a train fanatic; it runs in the family. Lots of other people seem fond of trains as well, however, and the only accommodations available were for a Tuesday departure from Oxnard. A whirlwind visit indeed.
As a result, the Coast Starlight's leisurely 33 hours to reach Seattle from Oxnard will account for almost half of my trip. And this time, I'll have someone to talk to in the dining car (I'm assuming Amtrak still limits each table to one family group, as part of its continuing pandemic precautions.)
I'll return to Seattle late Wednesday night. I suspect the next post in this blog will follow not long thereafter.
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Photo -- Beach at Oxnard, January 2019. My niece and her daughter.
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