Pandemic Chapter 5

 June 9, 2021

The next phase has begun. With over 70% of eligible British Columbians receiving their first dose of vaccine, the government ramped up giving out second doses, from 16 weeks between doses to only 8 weeks. We got our second dose a few days ago and it went very well. Despite some people getting a reaction for a day or two after the second dose, we had no problems. In another week or so, we should be well protected. The problem now is to get things opened up. While restaurants were allowed to operated indoors again, the next phase of relaxed rules was just delayed another week, from June 15 to 21, despite the fact that the daily new case counting hospitalization have been steadily declining. This will allow travel within the province and better not be delayed again, since we go to Blind Bay on Shuswap Lake for a week starting June 26. It does feel good to begin to see a few more people. We can even entertain a few people indoors, a no no for months now. The plan at this time is to see some rules slackened beginning June 21, with another easing of rules in early July, and full opening September 5. That bodes well for the CFL, which should announce next week whether they will play football this season. I really miss my Canadian football and have even resorted to watching hockey in June! I have never watched playoff hockey in June unless the Vancouver Canucks are still playing, which is not likely.

It has now been about 5 months since I developed plantar fasciitis and I am still not walking. My physio did not do much good, and every time things feel a little better, I seem to get a setback. Fortunately, I am often distracted by the heartburn that flares up often. This has also limited my red wine intake, offsetting my lack of exercise. To be safe, I am still not going to step on the scale.

We now wait with bated breath for the pandemic to be over, or at least that business returns to a form of normal. Borders remain closed with not clear indication of when they may be opened and international travel resumed. We have secured our trip to Bonaire and Aruba for late January, 2022, trusting that travel will be allowed by then. The problem is that we are unable to even plan out flights. Airlines have grounded most flights until things open up, except in the USA, where things have opened up much more quickly. Currently the Air Canada website only shows American flights to Aruba, and these require two stops in the US. Hopefully Air Canada and Westjet resume their Caribbean flights this Fall. We have lived with total uncertainty for almost a year and a half, so I am getting used to this.