Postcards from the Ledge: January 2023

Once upon a time there was a pandemic. Toilet paper spiked to ten bucks a roll. People dove for cover; worked from home. Kids attended school from their bedrooms via Zoom (or played Minecraft). Face masks were the new fashion statement. In a nutshell, reality had collapsed into an assortment of paradigms that made your head spin. The pandemic would be over in a year. Oops, the pandemic would be over in two years. Okay, maybe three. Who’s counting anyway? What was factual? What was fake? As the late great Mitch Hedberg once observed: Even fake plants will die if you do not pretend to water them. We just had to be patient. This would all work itself out. And it did! Sort of.

Enter the Barry-Mulcahy Universe of 2021-22: a time for reconnecting with friends and family, of getting back into traveling again—and catching COVID (twice!). Terry got a promotion. I got a new knee. There was a wedding and the birth of a grandchild. But pictures speak louder than words, so here are the photos that express the last two years…

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ♥ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

2021

The Year of the New Knee

This photo was taken March 17th, 2021, soon after Terry brought me home from the hospital. Many of you probably consumed green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, but I celebrated with a fentanyl cocktail and a total knee replacement. Man, I was feeling no pain whatsoever… until the drugs wore off. My granddaughter, Hayden, lent me her Baby Yoda to use as a comfort doll. Every time the pain became too intense, I would chew on its ear. Sorry, Hayden. Grandpa will buy you a new one.

I was taking a passel of meds over the next few weeks, to which Terry administered on a set schedule. By the way, I have no idea why there's a box of NextGard Flea & Tick repellent in the mix.

The right knee, eight weeks after surgery. Physical therapy started immediately, no messing around. My PT, Erika, was intimidating at first, but overall amazing. She assured me that pain was good; promised to get my knee to full range of motion within three months. Or else. 😳

Terry with Wolfgang & Toby at Donner Pass. I was back to mountain-biking by summer, even mellow hiking. Though my new knee was still weak, the bone-grating pain was GONE. And the pups were certainly happy to be romping through the forest again.

Escape from Pandemica

Labor Day weekend in San Francisco.

Family get-together at Big Bear Lake, the weekend before Thanksgiving. Only Randi and Kevin were missing. It’s challenging to get all the kids and grandkids together at once.

My Girls finally meet their Aunt

Christmas Eve in Yucaipa. Heather and Allie FINALY got to meet their Aunt Kathy. Kathy and I are half siblings but didn’t find each other until February, 2020—right before the Pandemic hit. It would be another 22 months before my daughters got to meet her.

2022

Keep on Trucking...

Terry's Kids

Randi explores Seattle. The artist of the Mulcahy-Druz clan.

Doug with little Noah. The fishermen of the Mulcahy-Druz clan.

The Grandkids

Logan and Hayden.

Logan is in high school now. Is that possible? In the blink of an eye.

Noah says “Surf’s up!”

Wyatt: professional off-road Strider racer.

Brianna holds Penny, grandchild #5! Born 11/30/22.

Allie & Brandon's Wedding

Allie and Brandon were married in August, the ceremony taking place in Cambria on the Central Coast. It was a magical day.

Wyatt was Best Man.

What can I say? I’m a funny guy.

Hearst Castle, San Simeon. The entire wedding entourage toured the mansion the next day. We filled a shuttle bus.

A New Job

Meet the new principal of Glenknoll Elementary School. Woohoo!

This is her first year at the new post. I couldn’t be prouder.

Travels

Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River. I took a solo road trip through southern Utah and northern Arizona in the spring, meeting up with Heather and family for part of that time.

Hiking the Taylor Creek Trail in Zion Nat’l Park. L-R: Heather, Hayden, CJ, and Logan. Even nine-year-old Hayden kicked my butt at hiking.

Cap’n Mack and Terry lower the sails in Isthmus Cove. Terry put this fun trip to Catalina Island together after our Big Summer Vacation got torpedoed on the second day by... Yep. COVID.

Our ride, the Amethyst.

Raising the anchor. Arrrg!

Monument Valley. The pups and I took a two-week journey into New Mexico and Navaho Nation. Visited old friends. Met some very cool Diné.

Ship Rock, New Mexico.

White House Ruins, Canyon de Chelly.

Tillamook Coast, Oregon. We spent a couple days exploring this rugged coastline, then drove to Portland for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving Day with the Mulcahy clan. All three of Ter’s sisters were there, plus one brother (not in photo). It was pouring rain outside while pouring wine inside with Karaoke sing-a-longs to moldy oldie hits. And the beat goes on.

Wrapping it up...

December Snapshots