7/23/20

Today was a day for eyes and vacation planning.  6 eye evaluations (everyone but Ken and Anna had 2 visits (one was for contacts....which we decided to pursue while at appointment number 1)).  Here she is with her contacts in....but she looks the same since March, since her glasses are for distance vision and socially distancing doesn't count!  (ha ha)  She really uses her glasses to see the Whiteboard at school and for when she drives (in the future)....

Masks make glasses fog-up....so we are planning ahead for school in the fall!!  She didn't have any trouble putting them in or taking them out.  It was way more work for me (and I gave up after my first set of contacts LONG AGO)...I found them uncomfortable, which is less surprising now that I knew I was developing hyperthyroidism, which effects the eyes.  I could try again now that that whole thing resolved, but now I would need reading glasses to make up for the distance vision correction....sigh - I don't think they are for me.  Matthew's contact trial never stuck either and Carolyn is a minimal contact wearer (show choir and sometimes for work))  Of course I Anna is they type of person who is up for any challenge!

We cancelled our planned vacation in March when it was obvious that we did not want to go places where others were and certainly not inside.  Then we discussed going to Lake Okoboji, but there are many things there we would want to do that would involve being around other people (like Arnold's park).  So we are saving that trip too.

We decided that being outside and away from people was the answer.  Monday are going to Maquoketa Caves.  We are staying in Maquoketa at a place with a pool....Anna promised that she will get up when the pool opens, before other people are there!!  She hasn't swam all summer since that is way out of my comfort zone.  Joel might get up too to swim, pretty sure Matthew and Carolyn will skip!! 

Tuesday we are going to paddle some water-craft on the Turkey river (likely canoes....that is my next mission).  We probably will stay in Oelwein, since I found a hotel that can sleep 6 there and that is very unusual.  Lately we have needed to book 2 rooms (like in Maquoketa), but since we don't plan to be in the hotel long, it is nice to pay for only one room.

Wednesday we are going to hike in Backbone State Park and then head home.  (Joel and Matthew have been to the caves and the park for Boy scouts and I drooled over the photos.  Iowa isn't known for it's beauty to be honest, but both of these places feel special.)  We feel like the places we are going shouldn't be too crowded, since we will be there during the work week.