Happy New Year 2022!

 

Happy New Year
Czech Off the Beaten Path

Hi Everyone,

I hope you've all had a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year! This is a little late, but things have been busy here! Even so, I wanted to put together a short update on what's going on here. 

Quiet Holidays

Jiri and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary in the first part of December! It's also the anniversary of my moving to the Czech Republic. It's now been 15 years since I stepped off the plane to my new life as an expat. It's hard to believe so many years have gone by! 

We had a quiet Christmas and New Year's. Our Czech family and friends didn't get together because of Covid. However, we still managed to celebrate with family and friends online. Even so, we still had a very nice holiday. It's been a great time to relax (after baking and cooking) and to spend a little time together. 

Covid Christmas

Covid Still Rules

Like the rest of the world, we're still dealing with Covid here, too. People are so tired of the pandemic, lockdowns, wearing masks, etc. There have been protests against the anti-Covid measures in this country; however, most people are abiding with the mask requirement and getting vaccinated. 

Vaccination has been a problem here, too, as it has in the US and other parts of Europe. However, with the onset of Omicron, there's been a slight uptick in the numbers getting vaccinated for the first time and those who are getting boosters.

They're expecting the Omicron variant to start causing problems once everyone is back from the holidays. So, we've been preparing just in case things get back. We're not hoarding! 

Instead, we've bought OTC meds a little ahead. For instance cough syrup. The kind of cough syrup I can take has been out of stock since before the holidays. So, I've bought the tablets instead. The freezer is also full. I've made some meals ahead and we have plenty of ingredients on hand. 

So, we're prepared as much as we can be.

Covid Vaccine

My Vaccine Experience

I'm an advocate for Covid measures, including vaccinations. That's in spite of continuing to deal with the side effects from the Pfizer vaccine. I've been dealing with neurological issues for the past few months. My last shot was in August. 

I'm due for a booster next month. However, I've got to consult with the doctor to see if the booster is safe for me or not. I'm concerned that the 3rd one could really cause some problems with my health. So, we'll have to see what happens. 

New Year Weight Loss Goals

New Year Weight Loss

As many others have done, I've also gained some weight since Covid started. So, I've decided it's time to start a weight loss regime. There won't be any specific diet used. My doctor has ruled out anything like the Keto diet or others that are trending. So, I have to use common sense. That means cutting out the garbage stuff, eating smaller portions, and exercising more. 

In the past this program worked pretty well for me. I'm older now, so it will be interesting to see if this type of weight loss program still works! 

I'd love to get an e-bike, but Jiri says they're too dangerous. Ach jo...that means walking and other types of exercise will be needed. That's OK. I can manage it, even without an e-bike! 

Writing on my Blogs More Often

Another goal is to write on my blogs more regularly! I've been busy with other projects and haven't had time to write here or on my other blogs. 

I have about four blogs with my own domains now. Each one is on a different topic, which keeps things interesting. But it's necessary to include these blogs in my writing schedule, which is already very full. 

It might be more realistic to write a blog post a month for each one. However, I'd love to write on my sites more often. We'll see how it goes. 

Never Stop Dreaming

Content Writing Work Continues

My work creating content for websites also continues on Fiverr. This is what keeps me pretty busy, with not much time for my blogs, etc! 

Creating Designs

I continue to create designs as often as possible. There, again, I don't always have enough time to devote to this work/hobby. However, I do create new designs every so often. 

My stores are on Zazzle and I have a new one on Gumroad, too. My main Zazzle store does OK. I don't do any promotion, so the sales are organic. This shop doesn't bring in so much, but it's OK. 

Then there's a new Zazzle shop Angelfire Mountain Designs (there's also a new blog that goes with this shop: Angelfire Mountain Designs). These are both new, so there aren't many products or articles yet. However, it's something new, which is always fun to work on!

I'm also looking at creating Canva templates and selling these on Gumroad. We'll see. These are some ideas. 

Then there's KDP low content publishing. I've also gotten into that a little bit. So far, there are only five books for sale. However, I hope to make more. It's fun and challenging to come up with original designs to potentially sell!

Wind Turbines Renewable Energy

 The Energy Crisis

As you may have heard, Europe is experiencing an energy crisis. I won't go into all the politics and issues with that. However, we've been told blackouts may be coming our way, especially if the winter is very cold. 

Blackouts are pretty common in the US. Where I used to live in the US, we would sometimes be without power for days! My folks installed a generator, which was a huge help. So, I learned how to manage when power outages hit. 

However, here, power outages have been extremely rare. I can count on one hand the number of power outages I've experienced since moving here. The power outages also didn't last too long--may 2 or more hours, but that's about it. 

But now things may be a little different with the energy crisis. No one really knows! So, like my Dad always taught us, I've been preparing ahead just in case. We invested in a small backup power source and a solar panel. These aren't very large, but would provide enough power to get through a day or so. 

I'm also looking at ways to change my work a little bit. I usually work online quite a bit. However, a new plan would be to do research before I write, saving it on an external hard drive. That way, I could still get work done and use my phone's data plan to upload the work when finished.

So, we're prepared as much as we can be if there really are blackouts and other energy problems. We'll have to wait and see what develops (or not)!  

Closing Thoughts

Well, that's about all for the update today! I just wanted to say hi and let you know what I've been up to! Even though I can't get out too much right now, there's plenty going on! 

I hope & pray that each of you stays safe and healthy! And I'd like to wish you all the very best in this new year of 20221

God bless,

Sher 

Current State of Covid in the Czech Republic August 2021

Me Wearing a Mask in 2020

 Hi Everyone,

My last update was almost a year ago! Time flies when you’re having “fun!” The good news is that Jiri and I are still OK. We survived another lockdown, which wasn’t easy. But we made it through!

We've led a relatively quiet life through the last year. We've not traveled at all, though I really wanted to go back home to visit family this summer. It wasn't possible due to my vaccination status, etc. We've also not visited our Czech family for the same reason. Some family members, on both sides of the pond, have health issues that would make getting Covid very dangerous. 

So, live has been very quiet. We go for walks and get out. That's not a problem! But seeing family & friends has been next to impossible. I'm looking forward to a time when we can meet everyone again. 

Rollback of Restrictions

Just like last year, the government began easing the restrictions once the warmer spring weather arrived. Fortunately, they learned an important lesson from last year and have slowly been releasing pandemic requirements.

By the end of May, or so, it was possible to be outside without a mask if there weren’t many people around. This was a welcome relief for those who hate the masks.

Czech Countryside

Covid Vaccine Issues

Just like in the US and other parts of Europe, we’ve had major issues with the Covid vaccines. When they first became available, the number of vaccines was very low. This continued well into the spring. However, about the middle of May a larger amount of vaccine was on offer.

They are predominantly offering Pfizer and Moderna here. Some hope that the EU will also allow the Russian vaccine Sputnik V into the country. But with the current political issues between the Czech Republic & Russia, that doesn’t look very likely.

We have anti-vaxxers here, too. The government has tried incentive plans to get people vaccinated. The two I’ve personally heard about were for some high-end tennis shoes and the other was cash. However, these were not awarded once you had the vaccination. 

Instead, the government was going to offer drawings for these prizes! When you had your shot, it was then possible to have your name entered to win one of these awards. As you can imagine, it didn’t seem to be a very good incentive for those who are against being vaccinated!

My Experience with the Pfizer Vaccine

I was finally able to get my first shot in July and my second shot last week. They have Pfizer where we live. I’m happy to have had both of my shots, but to have say the vaccine has been rough on my system. I have a lot of allergies, asthma, and other health issues that are playing into the reaction to the vaccine.

So, my system is definitely unhappy. Even so, for me, this was the best decision. Having the vaccine will hopefully provide some protection against the current threats. However, we’ll have to see if a third booster will be needed at a later date. My system is cringing at the thought!

Berlin Train Station

Traveling to Europe – Things to Keep in Mind

Again, like last year, the Czech government worked with other EU countries on travel requirements during the pandemic. For a while this travel season, Europe was almost completely open. But the Delta variant has become more predominant over the last couple of months. The growing number of cases has begun to force some countries to increase travel restrictions again.

So, if you’re planning on traveling to Europe any time soon, my first recommendation is to buy some excellent travel insurance. The insurance should cover everything from medical bills (in case you get sick while you’re away), travel interruptions and cancellations, and more. This way, you’re covered if something goes wrong on the trip due to Covid. 

Be sure to read through the terms and conditions to ensure the specific insurance covers Covid or pandemic issues. Some travel insurance policies do not cover pandemics, so read all the information in the terms & conditions before buying travel insurance. And if you have any doubts about what the travel insurance does/doesn't cover, then call and talk with an agent to get some clarity. 

Many people also forget to check the Covid restrictions of countries they may transit through! This is also important! The last thing you want to happen on your European vacation is to get stuck in transit! So, be sure to also research all the transit conditions for each country you may travel through.

You’ll also want to be sure you understand the Covid restrictions at your destination BEFORE you leave on the trip! Why is this important? Because we’re currently going through an increase in Delta variant cases all across Europe. This means the travel restrictions may change every day. In other words, the restrictions for people entering the country are changing at a very fast pace. You want to know what the current requirements are right before you leave.

In many countries, you’ll need proof of vaccination, may be required to stay in quarantine after arrival (depending on your destination), and more. And many countries also have mask mandates. Learn about these before you leave!

Cesky Krumlov

Current Situation in the Czech Republic – August 10, 2021

Today, things are relatively open. The average number of Covid cases is about 200 a day (sometimes a little lower). However, this is expected to rise once everyone returns from vacation. When everyone heads back to work and school, the expectation is that the Delta variant will really take off. This is expected to happen in the next 2-4 weeks.

For now, however, it’s relatively nice and moving around is not restricted.

You can find the current restrictions and all other pandemic information on the Czech Ministry of Health’s website (in English): https://koronavirus.mzcr.cz/en/ .

It’s also an excellent idea to check out the information on the US embassy website for the Czech Republic: https://cz.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-71/. Here, you’ll find the latest information on conditions, restrictions, and more.

Panorama of Prague, Czech Republic with Charles Bridge

Closing Thoughts

The pandemic has hit everyone hard. We’re all ready for this to be over. However, the reality is that it looks like we’ll have to deal with another round of Covid, at least. The virus continues to mutate. What will this mean for the effectiveness of our current vaccines? No one is quite certain about this. Everything is very uncertain at this point.

Personally, I believe Covid and its mutations will be around for a quite a while. I don’t see us going back to what we once called a “normal” life. So, the key is to adapt to what’s happening and stay up with the current information. Be prepared and stay alert. These are the things that can help us through to our "new" normal and be able to enjoy life at the same time.

In the meantime, do what you can to stay safe and keep those around you safe. I keep you all and your loved ones in my prayers, asking for good health, safety & security in all ways.

Stay safe and healthy!

God bless,

Sherry