The other day, Mr. Handsome and I were talking about our annual photo book, which I had just started making. “Shouldn’t we just skip this year?” questioned Mr. Handsome. “We can pretend it never happened.” I assured him that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we still have plenty of memorable photos worth looking back at.
We recently took a vacation to the Florida panhandle. It really was the perfect “pandemic trip.” Locals consider the panhandle to be more of an extension of Alabama, and the number of COVID-19 cases did not mimic the rest of Florida. At least while we were there, the case count was very low.
We rented a tiny condo with a small kitchen and balcony. The beach was across the street, and there was plenty of space to “social distance” while enjoying the salty air. We didn’t even have to use the public bathrooms. While we were there, a hurricane was hitting a nearby state, so the dangerous riptide prevented us from being able to swim. Even though we were expecting to spend most of the time inside, the rain was not nearly as frequent as forecasted, and we even had some periods of sun.
The “beach ambassadors” were very careful to inform everyone that the double red flag meant that swimming was prohibited. Unfortunately, Little Buddy did not understand any of that, and he desperately wanted to go in the water. We let him walk to the edge, but if we had let go of his hand, he would have gone straight in. That’s just the kind of kid he is.
My niece, on the other hand, is terrified of water and starts bawling when her feet hit the sand, whether she’s at the ocean or a lake. I find it very interesting to hear about the different reactions that kids have to certain situations.
Our vacation only lasted a few days because Mr. Handsome had to return to work. We were able to go biking one day, with Little Buddy in a trailer. Thankfully, it was during his naptime, so he fell asleep. For the short time that he was awake, he was not thrilled to be strapped in.
We found one restaurant with outdoor seating that served fresh fish, and we ate there three times. And that was about all we did. A very laid, back, relaxing vacation.
Anonymous
This is going to sound harsh, but it’s how I feel. Yes, you should have “just skipped” the vacation this year. I am not even taking local day trips or eating at restaurants for outdoor dining and most of the people I know are doing the same thing. Indoor dining is not even open yet in my state. It is so selfish and irresponsible to travel for pleasure during a pandemic. That’s how the virus spreads and how this virus spreads is everyone’s business. Your part of Tennessee is a hotspot! Most of Florida is a hotspot! Your husband is a healthcare worker! What if he is an asymptomatic carrier and infects his patients? You’ll survive not going on vacation and eating in restaurants for a year or two. It’s hard, but sacrifices are sometimes necessary to protect yourself and everyone around you.
Anonymous
How about you let everyone decide for themselves what they choose to do? If it is safe to go to Walmart, it is safe to go to the beach. Being outdoors is healthy and the place looked mostly empty. If you want to stay home due to a virus that 98 to 99 percent of people recover from, stay home. No one is making you leave your house. Let everyone make their own choices. If people go out and get sick and spread it, that is their business. If you are home like you say, then you won’t get it anyway.
It looks beautiful there! I am glad you had a good time!
Anonymous
You don’t stay at Walmart for days, that’s the difference. Plus Walmart makes you wear a mask the whole time you’re there. Your logic of “you’ll be home, you won’t get it” falls apart when you realize you could be spreading it to the people at my doctor’s office, my pharmacy, my grocery store, or anywhere else I absolutely have to have contact with at some point even though I’m home 99% of the time. You’re also asking health care workers to be exposed to you and the virus as they take care of you when you get sick!
If “people go out and get sick and spread it,” that’s MY business and YOUR business and EVERYONE’S business because they could spread it to us or our loved ones! Two people I knew have died of this virus. Two people full of life before that. Two people who suffered and died alone in the hospital. Two people gone too soon. Two people no longer with their grieving families, whose grief was deepened by not being able to be with their loved ones at the end. How many more will I know before it’s over?
Anonymous
We can’t live in fear like some people are living. Most everything has opened up now, schools are opened up, factories, stores, restaurants etc., and a whole lot of people aren’t wearing masks contrary to what the news is peddling and people are living their lives. People are saying, when the election is over the whole country will be opened up everywhere. lol. Most of us have worked full time through the whole thing and we are alive and well. We know this is now all political and so we don’t take what we are told by the news serious. We have seen first hand being in the public everyday what the truth is. Example, when people are being paid 600.00 extra a week in addition to their unemployment which is way more then they were making working and are taking none of the risk then you have to ask yourself, why would the government pay people so much to stay home, and we people who worked in the public in this ‘dangerous pandemic” get our normal pay? Why would the government allow riots, anarchy with hundreds in the streets and yet shut down Churches and tell law abiding folks to stay home? Hmmm is it to ruin President Trumps economy and to allow mail in voting for people who can get to stores but can’t get to the voting booth? It’s all political!
Anonymous
Anon 9:51 You are exactly right!, and I would add that President Trump is know for being a law and order President, so of course that is another thing they are trying to destroy, Most people are waking up now to what is really going on, Thank God.
Anonymous
I know individuals will survive not going on a vacation or eating out for a year or two, but our economy won’t. So while I’m staying home because I feel it’s the right thing to do, part of me is also glad that others are going out and keeping our economy going. I just wish they would all do it a little more responsibly. And it does make me nervous to think that healthcare providers are travelling. Such a stressful time. All we can do is continue to do our best and think about others, not just ourselves.
Candi
Wow, looks awesome Ellie! So glad you got to have a little getaway! It’s always refreshing to have some time away from the work and house. (You’re quite brave putting this on here during this time with all the naysayers, but don’t let it get to you! cause I for one -and I think others-will be glad you got to go for a few days)
Anonymous
Then you came home, quarantined, and Dr. H got tested for Covid before going back to the office or being around his patients again, right?
anonymous
People must be very skeptical that their health care providers are following proper procedures. I agree following the guidelines is necessary. However we really don’t know the rest of the story here. Let’s not make ourselves the most intelligent person in cyber space…. knowing all, but in reality just finding a place to be flinging around our negative assumptions and accusations.
Anonymous
I know so many people who took trips this summer, including to hotspots like Florida, and then came home to my state that’s doing really well and didn’t self-isolate. This is in violation to the guidelines my state has in place. It’s so disheartening to see how selfish so many people are. This pandemic will only end if everyone takes personal responsibility. I understand wanting to get on with you lives. There are responsible ways to take a trip if you really want to. It sounds like Ellie and her husband did try. I do hope they are self-isolating for 14 days, but it doesn’t look like TN has any travel restrictions in place, so they’re not breaking any guidelines if they don’t.
Anonymous
@Anon 5:36 You will appreciate this.
I read something very interesting last night. The author said that what was happening had not come suddenly like The Flood, that it was man-made. She said the world was in a fearful state, a mess that our actions and inactions had made. She said we had muddled and selfish thinking, or refusal to think at all. It wasn’t just our leaders guilty of this, it was ourselves too. She went on to say that we cannot doge our duty, we must work to make the world what it should be, and that we all must take responsibility upon ourselves. She vowed to have more self-discipline and be less self-centered.
Think she was talking about Covid? No, that was written in February 1942 by a woman keeping a diary in Yorkshire, England during World War 2.
Have we learned nothing in 75+ years?
Anonymous
That’s very thought-provoking. Thank you for sharing.
OhioMama
My oldest is with out fear epically when it comes to water. He has to have his puddle jumper on at all times when we are around water cause he will just go. I joke with him I should have called him fishy instead of monkey
Anne
That looks amazing! I live relatively close to the panhandle but have not ever stayed at the beach there. I would probably like that much better than the AL Gulf Coast. I’m not a beach person but I am very interested in taking my two year old and watching her experience the ocean and sand!
CJOHN
Sounds very relaxing. Seeing the water up close is a nice change in scenery.
Kelly
Sounds like fun! Glad y’all had that time away!
Mom of three
Glad you got a chance to go on vacation. My husband and I wanted to go to Greece for our 30th anniversary in June, but we wound up staying within state lines and went to St. Simons instead. We had a nice time.
Ellie
Happy 30th anniversary! What is St. Simons?
Katerra
St Simon’s is an island on the Georgia coast.
Mom of three
St. Simons is a beach town in southern Georgia near Brunswick & Jekyll Island. Collectively, they are called the Golden Isles.
Ellie
I have heard wonderful things about that area!
Anonymous
If this is summer and people don’t have the self-control to stay home, I don’t want to think about what’s going to happen at Thanksgiving and Christmas. We’ll have case spikes, hospitalization spikes, and sadly, death spikes a few weeks later.
Anonymous
I suppose you’ve heard that Carlin Bates, who traveled and spent time with Joy Duggar in July, has Covid, and so does her husband. Who knows about their baby – wasn’t she born with a heart defect? This is what is happening when people think it’s OK to travel and be around others.
Anonymous
Ecc 7:17
Be not overly wicked, neither a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is foolish to go on vacation during a time where people are dying . I didn’t see any masks in the photo. Please be fair to others and social distance in your house for 14 days. We are staying home because it is important to do our part. The beach will be there when vacation is over. Very Foolish indeed.
anonymous
The only picture of a persons face was lone Mr H by a bike. It is not necessary for him to where a mask for that photo. There were no people on the beach! It was just a while on sandy beaches. What’s all of the lie and death drama about? Its like people have noooooo freedoms left in the United States of America now! And when people behave with their freedoms others think they have reason to be in control of them then!
Anonymous mask wearer
My daughter has no freedoms. She has Lupis and her doctor told her if she gets Covid she won’t survive. She hasn’t left her house since March- she is at least blessed to have an employer who lets her work from home. Thing is if we all stopped thinking of our wants and followed guidelines we could prevent so many deaths. I have a son who lives in Hawaii and masks work- so does social distancing. If you cared you would do some research about Hawaii and also look at Connecticut. I wonder how many of you reading this are pro-life?? My daughters life and so many others with underlying conditions- their lives are important. I wonder if we all just put politics to the side- wore our masks and stayed home- how much sooner would your President have his economy back? Maybe our children would be able to stay in school’? And maybe my daughter would have her freedom back sooner? President Trump has bragged about grabbing women by body parts I won’t mention, has had affairs- some that he paid for, makes fun of people, lies daily and spreads hate. I pray daily for him to be a better person and to take responsibility and do something about this virus he calls a hoax. Stop telling us to live our lives and don’t be afraid- we are trying to do our part to get this awful virus under control. I will continue to pray for everyone. Everyone.
Anonymous
I think you handled this trip the right way with Covid since you were outside and distanced from other people. I’m not sure about the eating out though. Even though the dining was outside you’re touching a lot of potentially contaminated items and coming into contact with more people at the restaurant
anonymous
The food looks delicious. (Somebody had an interesting idea to stick a lemon wedge into the mashed potatoes on the chicken plate, lol !)
Anonymous
People need to stop the ridiculous panic! Getting the virus does not equate to death! Look at the actual numbers and check the ages of the people dying from the virus. Also look at those with pre- existing conditions. People Ellie’s age are more likely to die from being struck by lightning than covid. My whole family got the virus including my 70 year old dad, and we all survived just fine. You die when God is ready for you to die! God is not the author of fear!
Anonymous
It would mean death to me. It would mean death to my friend with MS. It would mean death to my friend who’s a transplant recipient. I HAS meant death to a lot of people who never thought it would, entire families in some cases. Why? Why them and not your family? What’s the difference? Since your whole family survived, I hope you’re donating plasma. P.S. My house and property has been hit by lightning 7 times that I know of, including recently.
Anonymous
My daughter has a pre-existing condition – she takes care of herself so could possibly live another 30- 40 years?? Now if she should get Covid then she would probably not have much more than a week or two to live. Covid would kill her like it has so many others. It actually even kills some that are perfectly healthy. Those who survive- some are left with many health issues. Not sure why anyone wouldn’t want to follow guidelines when it could mean protecting people. Praying for everyone.
Anonymous mask wearer
I wonder how many of you are pro-life? I am so I wear a mask and listen to the experts – I do what they recommend. You say it’s so exaggerated- I wonder if someone you loved was ONE of the 180,000 plus who have died it might not seem like it’s exaggerated?? And you talk about Freedoms? My daughter has no freedoms- she has Lupus and her doctor told her she will not survive if she gets Covid. So she can’t leave her house because this has become so political too many refuse to wear a mask. Masks work- do some research. I hear if we all put politics to the side we could have our economy back- and maybe our kids could stay in school. And maybe there would be so many more lives saved. Someone says everything is opened back up- not sure where they live? Must not be in the US? Praying daily for our world- and that means everyone.
Anonymous mask wearer
I’m so sorry I didn’t mention before that I’m so glad you had a nice vacation- seems like you were pretty smart about it. Thank you for all your positive and helpful stories!