Joan, my views: Christmas 2021

At an air show in Sebring

I can't keep up with how time is flying, for I had no idea so much time had passed since my interesting and enjoyable Christmas visit to Sebring, covid and all.

Last Christmas, I was invited to spend the holidays with my best friend and her family, who had recently relocated from the crowded city to a rustic section of Sebring in Florida. This is some two hours away from where I live in Broward County.

Also spending Christmas there, were her family from Costa Rica. I had met them all in Costa Rica, and it was certainly great to see them again.

This wasn't my first trip to Sebring, as I did visit that beautiful area some years ago to attend an air show. On another occasion, I visited nearby Lake Placid, which has an annual Caladium festival. (Joan, my views: Search results for lake placid (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)

However, where we were this time, was off the beaten track, where deer and bears roam but where there is no good wifi reception or cable tv to disturb the peace.

These bears were caught on a neighbor's camera in October

The bears there are black bears and according to the records, there has never been any report of these bears killing people in Florida. So, I was most anxious to see one up close and personal, especially after our host showed us a bear's footprint in his backyard.

But to my disappointment, it was not to be.

A bear's paw print

More frustrating was the fact that a neighbor sent us pictures of the bears that her outside camera had picked up in her backyard. ,

Damn.

The entire area is beautiful though, with lots of lakes and open spaces.

Anyway, back to Christmas.

It sure is cold in that area, so on our first night as we sat on the patio, our host Cardiff, suggested that we test out his outdoor heater, as he had a lot of dried wood which had been cleared from the property before the house was built.

It was fun but we still had to bungle up in blankets as the only thing missing was snow. 😁

I have to admit that it did eventually warm up and we had a lot of fun, especially on Christmas Eve and Christmas day when it was time to open presents.

The girls pose in their pj's

Then disaster struck for I picked up what I still insist was the flu. It kept me in bed for three days with a fever, stuffy nose and sore throat. Then my friend who had been nursing me, came down with similar symptoms plus body aches and stomach problems. Anxiously, we tried to find somewhere to do a test for covid, but everywhere was closed for the holidays.

Since I returned home, she has been confirmed as suffering from covid and some two weeks later she has not recovered. To make matters worse, since then too, her daughter and son-in-law have tested positive as have her Costa Rican relatives, since their return home.

So yes, it was a great Christmas in that I spent it in a lovely, peaceful environment with good friends, (though not seeing any bears!) And naturally there was lots of Christmas food plus exotic Costa Rican dishes, and I even got some Spanish practice too to boot.

What was not so great, is that the disgusting covid became an uninvited guest and is still lingering around.

Memories.