Back Home Safe (?) and Sound

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

6/11/22

Aloha Everybody!

We got back home last Monday night after our three weeks in the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Georgia, and

Baku-- The Old and The New

Armenia) and a week in Chicago.  Except for a dandy case of jet lag (14 hour time difference), we are sound -- we both passed our Covid test for our return to the US (as did everyone else on the tour).  To be sure I didn't pick up something on the long flight, I did a self-test on Thursday which was also negative. I'd say we are also safely back, but I'd have to ignore the danger in our country from crazies with assault rifles and concealed handguns.  Anyway, we really enjoyed the trip and learned a lot about a region that has had a very important and complex history, and that currently is caught in the push and pull of geopolitics.  In general, all three countries are very beautiful (of course, we're biased toward mountains and high plains), and the three capital cities are surprisingly modern, sophisticated, and livable.  Travel, as usual, corrected our inaccurate conceptions of the destination and the people who live there.

While were were gone it was unusually cool and cloudy.  This was good and bad.  It was good because the lack of sun kept the jungle from going berserk, which it usually does at this time of year.  There's lots to cut back and get back under control, of course, but not as bad as we feared.  It was bad because our solar production is sucking air, and our pool temp is way below our minimum comfort level.  We left it uncovered while we were gone but now we have started covering it at night again. Hopefully we can get it warm enough for our daily workouts sometime early next week.  It will depend on how cool it gets at night (66d last night!) and how much sun we get during the day (remember, we have solar panels that heat the water for the pool -- no sun = no heat).

Speaking of workouts, I managed to do a light one at PF on Thursday -- boy did I feel the lack of working out while we were traveling!  Ouch!  Karen didn't go -- she was having lunch with a friend who is leaving for a visit to the mainland (this is our friend whose cats I take care of when she travels, and I'm looking forward to that starting next week).  Very few people were masked at the gym, which made me a little nervous even though I was wearing mine.  Cases here are on the uptick, as are hospitalizations, but so far it hasn't overwhelmed our health care facilities. 

Today I see my retina doctor again.  It is about 6 weeks since my last Eylea injection, and I think things are ok.  If the tests justify it, I'll probably go another 4-6 weeks.

Unfortunately my eye exam will prevent me from enjoying one of the unique events here -- the annual King Kamehameha Days parade.  This will be the first since Covid, and it's really special because this is the parade that features horses with leis, and a group of riders representing each of the islands.  The parade route is along the shorefront through town and it is a lot of fun.  If my exam doesn't take too long I might be able to catch the tail end (so to speak).

Ok, that's it for this week.  Hope you are all ok and enjoying your early summer.