DAY 31: My Hope for 2021

[Jennifer1673]

Happy New Year to my fellow Hosts!

Who would have know at this time last year what 2020 would bring? The hosting year started off well, having six bookings until the California Governor shut down hosting in March. We went three months without know when we could re-open. 

Once re-opened, my housecleaner and I had already studied all the new cleaning techniques and committed to clean, even including a UV light hand-wand and UV air purifier to keep our guests, and ourselves, safe. It all worked. Everyone was safe and no signs of COVID.

In June, I surprised my daughter with a visit to her home in Kentucky. Much to our bigger surprise, she woke up the morning after my arrival saying, "I can't taste anything!" so I spent a week in her home socially distancing, washing hands constantly and avoiding her air space. It worked! She tested posted for the immunity a couple months later. I donated blood twice after that and I tested negative for the immunity.

I had wonderful visits from several guests who sought refuse from the illness and a quiet getaway from the big city. One guest turned out to be a friend of my other daughter, we didn't realize it at the time, and she gave me my only 4-star review in 2020, by accident. We all had a big laugh over it!

One guest in particular had the same love of animals as I. As we chatted on my deck, I saw movement on the ground near her feet, it was a bat! The poor thing was alive but not doing well. We caught it, nursed the little thing back to life with water and tender care. I placed it in the tree and the next day it was gone. We were very happy with our rescue efforts. 

A friend moved into my Airbnb space in September because she was looking to buy a home after her last lease ended. It's been perfect for me since December brought a new COVID stay-at-home order in California. 

This year was unusual, weather wise too. Last year we'd had two large snow storms; one on Thanksgiving and the next on Christmas. This year, one small dusting and a moderate storm (finally) a few days ago. I looked out one evening to discover a full moon shining over our little valley and snapped a picture from my phone. I was in awe of nature and her beauty and it gave me hope that 2021 would be a better year. 

 

It was announced December 28th, we're remaining under a stay-at-home order because we have NO ICU beds in California. I fear we are getting worse here, not better. I know the only thing we can do is follow the order and do our best. I have so much hope that 2021 will be better; but not for a while. 

I hope all of my fellow Airbnb Hosts remain well, stay vigilant and look forward to a New Year when we can re-open and get back to meeting new people and helping them enjoy a much needed vacation. 

Be well everyone and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Jennifer E in Pine Mountain Club, CA

[Katie]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience here @Jennifer1673 - it's a really lovely post to read, and it sounds like there have been some real highlights in spite of the difficulties. I think many people share your cautious optimism about 2021 - the virus might not be going anywhere but hopefully we will get better at dealing with it 🤞 🤞

Your view is amazing - it looks pretty epic in the snow! 

I love that you nursed a bat - I find them really fascinating creatures even though some people aren't a fan. Did you just use your instincts to care for it or do you have experience with other little critters given the location of your lovely home? 

[Jennifer1673]

My guest looked up ideas to rehabilitate bats but giving it water in an eye-dropper and keeping it warm was common sense. 

[Laura2484]

Thank you for sharing your post with us @Jennifer1673 - Farewell 2020 and welcome , to a brighter 2021 . 🌞

[Cathie19]

Thank you @Jennifer1673 for sharing your story and the wonderful images. I can’t begin to imagine what stresses you have gone through across 2020, as our Covid19 plans have been very fortunate.

I don’t think 2021 will be a wizz bang better year until covid19 is controllable in some way. But I love the human gift of hope and the abundance in our lives to see good. 

Stay well Jennifer, stay vigilant, stay hopeful and if you were in Australia, you would also be asked to stay away from bats! (unless vaccinated against their disease) lol... 🦇💐

[Lisa723]

@Jennifer1673 it's  important to be very careful about handling bats-- especially any that are behaving unusually, as you can get rabies from them, even if they don't bite you.

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/RabiesFactSheet.pdf

[Jennifer1673]

Thanks! We were aware of the danger and wore gloves. He wasn’t acting rabid .. more like dehydrated or stunned. 

[Helen427]

@Jennifer1673 

Have you ever climbed Mount Shasta?
Is this the same mountains you have in your beautiful photos?

There's images in the link

Climbing Mount Shasta -1898

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/auckland-star/1898/08/19/6

Our American Letter -1881

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18811001.2.20

UNTAMED Movie starring Rory Stewart in 1919 filmed at Shasta

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT19191224.2.2.6

[Jennifer1673]

Hee hee ... Thanks Helen, no. I live in Pine Mountain Club, CA - 500 miles south of it. I have no idea when my profile location changed. I finally found where to change it but the article is still showing Shasta Lake. A friend lives in Redding so I see Mount Shasta on occasion and that's as close as I get. 

Thanks for the articles though! Interesting reading... Happy New Year!

[Jason1470]

Hi @Jennifer1673 ,

Happy New Year.

Thanks for such a lovely post which overflows with hope and positivity. Your story paints a grim picture of pain, loss, hopelessness and relentless turmoil against the backdrop of a universal malady which appears to have hit US the hardest.

Yet, just like the image you’ve shared of the valley in the moonlight with its light reflecting in the snowy landscape, it exudes a soft glow of gratitude which transforms a sad story into one of hope and eternal beauty.

Yes, I do believe we will overcome COVID-19 and once this is all over, everyone around the globe will feel a shift in mindset - from thinking as an individual to thinking as a world citizen.

Bring it on 2021...we are ready for you!

Best,

Jason

[Mary996]

@Jason1470

Yay! World Citizens..... Bring it on xxx

With love

Mary

[Jennifer1673]

Thank you Jason. It's very scary here but we can't dwell on it or we'd go "bat" crazy!! Very hopeful the vaccine is the savior we hope for. People here have politicized mask wearing when it's the humane thing to do. Wish us luck, we need it.

[Helen427]

cheers @Jennifer1673 it was coming up with Lake Shasta so I delved..

Good you got it changed as now you may have guests who could have been 500miles in the wrong place!

A little heads up - If you use the @ button before a person's name who you are replying to it sends a Notification, best

[Jennifer1673]

@Helen427 that was only on my profile (Shasta Lake, CA) not the location of my Listing (always showed Pine Mountain Club, CA) That's what is so odd, I never knowingly, changed my "Profile" location. 

[Bronwyn38]

Wishing you @Jennifer1673  all the very best in California for a vastly different 2021 in all the right directions!!! Thank you for sharing your lovely views and good fortune in sharing your Airbnb with friends at such a critical time.