Kim Tullis

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“For there is always light…

If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

Amanda Gordon, Inaugural Poet

As I waited to get approval to go to Canada, Bill and I Facetimed daily, talking to each other more than in person. (Well, maybe not.)

Zooming was the thing that kept everyone connected.

2020 was a year that very few of us will forget. We were confined, scared, and frustrated.

There was a learning curve, that at times was funny.
Weekly dates with my So. Cal friends
The Thanksgiving Pageant, featuring Chief Hamsammy.

For the first time in 38 years, I spent the whole Spring, Summer, and Fall in Park City. Can’t complain as it is a wonderful place to be, near friends, family, and Brighton. (Our Spring and Summer events are all shown in the previous post)

We had a lovely fall in Park City. I was able to attend Abby’s soccer games,

Abby is in the front on her knees.

met Andy and family for great bike rides. I was able to do circles around them with my beloved e-bike,

In front of the famous white barn

and do a totally different but fun Shotski in Brighton!

Although it doesn’t look like social distancing, we were all very careful except for that moment!

As I think back over the year and look at my posts, I realize that actually many good times happened too. That in many ways, we have gotten closer to the ones in “our bubble” and communicated more with those far away.

In October, 2020, Canada finally changed the requirements for who could enter. I qualified under the “significant dating relationship” and quickly applied. It was a somewhat complicated process but was finally granted permission at the end of November. So after Thanksgiving, I did a few last activities,

My brothers, Rick and Jim, and my niece, Grace
Cross-country Skiing with Andy, Jana, Emma, and Abby

packed up the van and headed north (instead of south).

My passenger, an Abby created snowman!

You may ask what Bill was doing all Fall. He was getting in a lot of walks with Russo, social distancing with the neighbors, painting up a storm,

talking on FaceTime to his daughter and son-in-law, Sara and Tommy, as well as me, and playing with the Stock Market.

I finally made it to Canada, safe and sound.

Had the Covid test, was negative and was able to carry on. For the most part, Bill and I stayed very close to home, playing cards to see who would walk Russo and doing jigsaw puzzles.

We play Skipbo and I usually lose, even though I taught Bill

We celebrated Christmas in Canmore. I even added a little Christmas decor, much to Bill’s humbug attitude about Christmas. I also introduced him to some of the Whitney/Tullis traditions.

Using Nanny’s recipes, I made caramels,
Nana-great’s cinnamon rolls,
and introduced Bill to the Whitney scones!!!

And, thank you Bill Horne for the Christmas present, cleats!!! I’m sure they saved my life more than once.

New Years was spent in front of the outdoor fire and heater, celebrating with neighbors, Doug and Heather.

There were several very cold weeks with a lot of snow but once it warmed up a little, we started to get out more.

Canmore and Alberta are really beautiful in the winter.

Canadians kn ow how to take advantage of the weather!
Elk in the yard
Sheep licking the salt on the road

We cross-country skied at the Nordic center. Our skies were so dull, we couldn’t even coast downhill. Once waxed, we were in a better position.

At the Canmore Nordic Center

We were also able to get season passes at a small resort about 30 minutes away near Banff. The passes were $90 for the whole season, as we are in that certain age bracket. It was great, we could ski for an hour or two and then head home.

Bill still has it!!!!

Bill still tries to maintain his 2 hour a day work code. So, stacking wood filled that quota and provided us with lovely fires on cold days.

The big excitement of the winter was Bill finding out he is going to be a grandpa in October!!! Congratulations Sara and Tommy!!!

By the end of March, I knew I needed to get home to get vaccinated (my visa would also run out). Canada is taking a little longer to vaccinate but Bill has one down, waiting to hear when he can get his second shot. I am now totally vaccinated, and sighing a big breath of relief.

Postscript: My daughter Whitney and her whole family contracted Covid-19. They all weathered it well except Whitney. She was in the hospital for about a week, with breathing and lung issues, but is home now and on the mend. Please spread the word the importance of vaccines, no matter your age or how healthy you are. With these new variances, it is affecting everyone. You don’t want anyone you love to go through the scare of Covid!

Happy girls with their mommy home!

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