Hey Ya’ll,
I’m overdue for an update. I’ll do a proper blog with photos later, just need to vent a little bit. This year certainly hasn’t gone the way any of us has planned in good ways and bad. Right now I’m particularly frustrated at the continual cancellation of anything I was looking forward to. Particularly everything travel related has slowly been nixed and been reduced to a smaller and smaller area. I’ll pick up from my last post.
Hiroshima and the area around it was amazing and one of our best family trips yet. My camera is full of pictures, I’m going to enjoy going through them this coming week. It was really something being there, seeing everything in the peace memorial museum, and seeing where it is now. Seeing it today you would never think what happened there did. I was expecting maybe a little hostility or animosity considering the history there but I received as warm a welcome as everywhere else I have been in Japan. Food was epic, weather was better than it was supposed to be, but the ‘most scenic view in Japan’ was undergoing renovations 🤣. I’ll do a separate blog on this later but it’s an interesting reoccurring theme we’ve noticed in my life.
January my son hit 2 and we took him to Disneyland for his birthday. That was fun, less rain than forecasted but Cinderella’s castle was under renovation and just a facade. Not a huge shock with the 2020 olympics approaching but...This was our last family trip of those planned that went. We had fun and he enjoyed his birthday. I’m shifting bases this year so we had been making the most of our family time while I’m here. As all the craziness ramped up we decided to skip going to Osaka for a few days. Universal ended up closing anyway but I have friend down there from WoW I was/am hoping to meet.
March has been rough. My going away party was scrapped then cancelled for social distancing and because I’m now not leaving yet. I was two weeks out from out processing the base when the first stop movement came down. Korea went to category 3 with the CDC and my orders got pushed back a month and halfish. Movers were coming for my stuff the following week but that was cancelled. My next base will be just me for a year then my family and I are headed to *drumroll* Anchorage Alaska! Which I’m very excited about, I know people up there on/off base. I’m super excited to return somewhere I lived before and for my son to follow in my footsteps as I moved there when I was 3 yrs old myself. We got approved for my family to stay were they are until then which was great and a huge relief for us. So staying where I am now and having more time with my family is a blessing. My wife’s family dog Marin passed on at 18 yrs old. We were able to go see her and my wife’s folks a few days before it happened and celebrate birthdays. Mine included, hit the 3 6. My wife talked to Marin on the phone a few hours before she passed as well. It always sucks losing a family pet but we were expecting it for awhile now. Timing was good though. As march drew on travel restrictions piled on and it became obvious our hopes of visiting family and friends back home this April wasn’t going to happen.
It’s not easy planning trips home, when we are changing bases is an ideal time so I have been planning and looking forward to this trip since my son was born. Seeing my grandpa who turned 90 a few days ago being biggest on my list. I haven’t had any luck going to see him the last two years with trips being cancelled on my end or his for health reasons. Even when travel resumes it won’t really be an option to go see him yet or see family and friends. I found out my GA sister (no relation) is near my family in WA. Her twins had a very challenging start but hit their first year and where recently discharged to outpatient care, their immune systems are really weak though. So excited to see them maybe next year now? It sucks >< Hard to believe it’s been 7 yrs since I’ve seen her though, time flys. Plus side Grandpa’s assisted living area is locked down no visitors but even my new Gma can’t go see him. Most of the family had planned to get up there for his birthday too. We decided to put a big photo album together instead.
Work hasn’t been bad, just mental gymnastics switching gears from prepping for my next assignment to running things here again and taking care of my fire fighters until who knows when. Japan went cat 3 with the CDC and I have no new official word on when I leave beyond I know the current day is outdated. All kinds of policy changes have come down and what if scenarios have been addressed. We had a ton of people that returned mid March restricted to home for 14 days just as a precaution. And the base is being very safe. We currently have no cases despite others in our area starting to have a few. We established our own two phase plan for operations and are ready for when shit hits the fan. Social distancing has been a little disruptive and disinfecting like mad every day is a pain but it is what it is. Worth the effort to protect each other and our families. The surrounding area has started to have a few cases and with the Prime Minister declaring a state of emergency in Japan we are now restricted to base except for essential services. Costco is doing a great job other places haven’t changed since before ><
The leave I kept starts next week. I had planned to stay a few days in a cabin with the family in a nearby base resort area considered within our local area but they just closed down too. I tried taking the family last month for my wife’s birthday but they were full, because of everything. Usually week days they have a lot of availability. So I’m frustrated. I was looking forward to the slight change of scenery we still enjoyed here. We were also looking forward to staying out there one last time before I leave. I don’t know if we will get another chance but I’ll try. Something is going to work out, that’s for damn sure!
Things also cancelled (maybe delayed?) softball season. Not sure if I’m playing here or in Korea the way all this is going. I don’t think skype ball is an option yet, wouldn’t be surprised if someone tries.
All of this has been rough, not horribly bad thankfully but rough. This process has been like watching a sand storm blow over you. For awhile you just watch a huge wave just coming toward you, then over you. Then it gets dark, then windy, then visibility is crap and you’re covering your eyes and mouth and staying inside except for when you have to get something. Eventually it’ll all blow over though. Til then, stay safe. Praying for everyone out there!
~Pyrdaemon