This is a gratitude post.

We recently returned to the Napa Valley for an extended stay. The last time we were here, exactly two years ago, the world shut down because of Covid. It impacted every aspect of our time away but in the larger scheme of things we weren’t really impacted at all compared to so many others. We were lucky. We didn’t get Covid then and we haven’t since (knock on wood).

So it almost feels like providence that when we arrived at our rental home a car with this license plate was parked right outside.

We pointed at it, chuckled out loud and kept walking. But we also said to ourselves: “Yes, masks!” Not in a partisan or political way. Not to make a point or judge anyone. Not even because we are still wearing them all the time, which we are not as the pandemic becomes more endemic — though we are still wearing them more than most.

For us we just feel immense gratitude for everyone who donned a mask these past two years because they helped protect people like Cassie who are severely immuno-compromised. It’s hard to explain how scary it’s been navigating the pandemic in this risky position.  So if you wore a mask we just wanted to say thank you. It’s in large part because of you that we haven’t gotten sick and that we can return here, to our happy place, to spend some time together that is now less impacted by Covid. We are beyond grateful.