Inevitable

For over 2 years I have avoided knowingly catching Covid.  I have tested routinely and regularly wear face coverings.  However, in the USA, while many continued to wear masks in the cities we visited, many did not. While we were in Philadelphia they re-introduced face coverings indoors due to rising infections (only to rescind that rule a week later).  But all the time we were in crowds and amongst people.

So it was no real surprise that as we began the journey home yesterday we began to feel as if we had a cold, were a little bit hoarse and had an irregular need to cough.  

My last test on Sunday night had been -ve but once back home the +ve reaction was almost instantaneous.  Our carrier - Lufthansa - required everyone to wear a surgical mask (albeit of the thin type) so we hope that if infectious we did not pass anything on.  The criteria for travel was that we had been vaccinated and boosted.

So a period of self-isolation now esnues.  Time to catch up with the garden and housework - and sleep.  And no doubt blips of flowers in the garden.  


Sadly, also, time to reflect on the passing of our nephew's wife from cancer yesterday.  As reported on 15 April, our trip had been planned around celebrating with family and friends their wedding last year but we knew that despite her resilience and optimism the outlook was gloomy.   We did not know that the end was to come so quickly. May she rest in peace and may her family be comforted by those around them.  My brother and sister in law are staying on to be with their son whose world has now crumbled around him..  

Some things may be inevitable - but you wish they were not.