Christmas Holidays in Sonoma County

We left Fiji on Tuesday, December 19 at 10:35 PM in the evening and arrived at SFO in California on Tuesday, December 19 at 12:30 PM in the afternoon. By flying east across the International Date Line we got back the day we lost on our way to Fiji. The Fiji Airways flight took nine and a half hours returning to the US and was smooth. Our group cleared Customs, picked up our baggage and took the parking shuttle out to the long-term parking garage where Bill Bullard had parked his truck. We picked up our Budget rental car and drove back to Healdsburg in Sonoma County for the remainder of our trip.

We both spent the next day catching up on sleep, The last ten days have been a mix of whirlwind travel, relaxing multiple massages, diving adventures and countless moments of laughter and joy. Another memorable diving adventure in the books! Now begins the conversation about the next diving adventure...maybe a live aboard in the Maldives? Maldive Maniacs maybe, huh...?!!!

Thursday, December 21 Karen went into the Total Concepts office to work and I went to the Veteran's Administration Clinic in Santa Rosa for my annual physical and surgery to remove a suspicious mole on my back. I left the VA Clinic with stitches in my back and a sore arm from my flu shot. By Friday, December 22 I was sick with a head cold and a cough. This is why I don't like getting a flu shot! It's not uncommon to feel tenderness at the injection site and experience mild symptoms within the first few days. Everyone was concerned about Covid-19 but honestly I think it is more the reacting to a foreign antigen and triggering the production of antibodies plus traveling fatigue. Karen started getting congested after me but with milder symptoms.

The plan was to travel to El Dorado Hills for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and return on Tuesday evening, but our son Nick and his family are all sick too! So we will isolate to be safe, hunker down at the AirBnB, enjoy Christmas music, read, relax and rest up. It is weird to think we are spending Christmas Eve in a barn. But the accommodations are far superior to what Joseph, Mary and Jesus were provided with on that first Christmas night.

Christmas Eve we enjoyed watching Handel's Messiah on the TV and a meal from Safeway of hot meatloaf, mushroom ravioli and a salad. I've been catching up on blog postings, if you haven't already noticed. Despite the less than desirable circumstances we still find joy as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. And like the shepherds in the field of Bethlehem that amazing night, we rejoice with all people of faith!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory. Lord, King, God of heaven, Father almighty: Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.

To all our family, friends and blog subscribers, here's wishing you all a joyous and blessed Merry Christmas!