Dear Family and Friends,
Christmas and New Year’s greetings to you with high hopes that the coming year (2021) will be better for all. And, perhaps we will be able to travel safer and easier in spring or summer.
This past year went by way too fast and our travel plans to visit family and friends around the country were put on hold as we took virus protection cautions. Discovered a lot of outside the house maintenance to do, including a new roof. Still managed to get some river/fish habitat restoration done with two nice projects done on the East Fork Lewis River near our home. Had some great people pitch in and collaborate with our Friends of the East Fork non-profit conservation organization as well as help from Healing Waters Veterans Group and also two large companies that donated materials and equipment.
Our two Labrador dog field help buddies (Tiger and Honey-Bear) were out on the river with me much of the time and our old 2003 Chrysler van smells like a traveling dog house to prove it. Professionally, I miss working with several of my west coast scientist buddies who have retired or moved to other parts of the country.
This is the first year that Sunee hasn’t been able to escape the Pacific Northwest damp cold winter. She can’t go to Bangkok or Singapore on her annual work trip and review of her family’s business operations. Neither place will let anyone in from the USA and if you get in, it is a 14 day quarantine in a special hotel for out of country travelers, and then the same when one returns. This time of year the temperature over there is in the 80s and 90s F, as compared to 40s and 50s here. But, thanks to the internet and “Line” cell phone software, Sunee’s girlfriends keep her up-to-date on almost a daily basis. We do get an interesting Asian perspective on their impression of how the WA DC is or is not functioning, plus some eye catching cartoons. Both of us have been fortunate health-wise so far with just a few small repair operations. Sunee has taken away most of my bad habits — like drinking beer and wine. No more Minnesota meat and potatoes with thick gravy, now more vegetables with Thai rice and noodles and fish and chicken and tea.
We are thankful to be so fortunate and look forward to talking to and seeing more of you.
WARM REGARDS and STAY SAFE
