Erika hurt her back when she slipped on the stairs at their place. Within a few days Justin called us to see if we could come back to California to help Erika with the kids. A major plus of our full time nomadic lifestyle has been the flexibility to spend quality time with our grandkids for extended periods of time. We have loved being able to help out whenever either Justin or Erika would call. We have had unexpected extended time in Yuma due to the Covid-19 pandemic. When we got off the phone, Barry and I talked it over and started coming up with options. We were a bit confused what we needed to do because the phone conversation seemed to go from us driving the Jeep over to help out for a just few days, to staying with them and watching the kids 5 days for a month. What? We will need Vinny for our bed and nightly retreat.
Connie (Erika’s mom) has been going over for a few days each week to help watch the kids so Erika could get work done, so we thought instead of doing 5 days we should be able to split the time with her as we did in February. Unfortunately, we can’t get into the Pio Pico Thousand Trails park till May 15 where our lease site is. We checked with the Elks. Current members can stay there on a space available basis, but you can’t reserve a spot. We won’t know till we get there if there is a site available, but we should be able to dry camp for a couple days if they are full. We are willing to pay to stay at the Elks, but we can’t leave immediately with everything that we have out. It takes a while to fully pack things up to move when you settle into a place for two months, especially with such nice weather, as is the case here in AZ. Since Justin figured out how to get through this week with the help of a couple local cousins, we could take a couple days to get packed up properly to make the move. OK. Looks like we will relocate for the month of May.
Why is it I’m uncomfortable with our plan? Barry and I talked more and realized we both were nervous about jumping in to watch Isaac and Mona with several unknowns. Number one: Justin is at the fire station each day. He is basically with the same academy recruits that he has been with since January 6, but do they interact with other firefighters who are first responders? Two: We do not know who Connie may be around, especially knowing she just had birthday plans this week. Three: The extra contact this week that Isaac and Mona are having with two additional households this week adds to our uneasiness. Barry and I have been extremely conscientious to self-distance from others when outside our motorhome. No one has come inside our motorhome, nor have we gone in anyone else’s for any reason. We consistently wear a mask and gloves when we go places, like Walmart or Fry’s for needed essentials. We wipe down all products purchased and wash our hands with soap and water every time we come back to Vinny. My niece got Covid-19 in April and was quite sick. Abby has a friend whose dad just died from Covid-19. I have a couple friends who have lost someone to Covid-19 as well, so we take it seriously. The incredible spread of the virus by asymptomatic people is scary. The post recovery effects on various organs in the body, and how the virus has prompted strokes or seizures in some people is a concern that hits a little too close. We agreed that we need to talk to Justin and Erika regarding our concerns.
The governor of California is trying to lift some restrictions and is allowing various businesses to open. What will the effect be? Will additional cases start to escalate again? When we talked about all this, together we realized that as much as we want to help out, and how we want to see and be with Isaac and Mona again, we need to stay put for a while longer. There are too many unknowns about this new virus. A couple weeks ago, we came up with our “plan B” for our summer travel. The original trip up through CA to Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Crater Lake, Seaside, other coastal areas of Oregon, and a couple weeks in WA to see family and friends is on hold till summer 2021.