The positive results of our "Palm Springs" vacation, together with the then CDC guidelines for fully vaccinated people (both my wife and having gotten both flu vaccinations and the Covid booster, allowed us to follow-up the vacation with a pair of one day excursions and a family Thanksgiving celebration. 

Our first excursion was a visit to the Kimberly Crest House & Gardens, which is a California Historical Landmark in Redlands, California, and which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  This trip involved an approximately 78 mile (2hr 20min) road trip each way.  The property is owned and maintained by a charitable foundation and staffed by volunteers.  The volunteers we met were, to a person, warm and friendly and informative.  There is a small entrance fee for a tour of the house but there is none to visit the gardens.  The property is not generally handicap accessible and their website advises "Some areas may be difficult to navigate with a cane, walker or wheelchair. If someone in your group needs special accommodations please call in advance and we will advice accordingly."

To get from the parking lot to the house requires walking up a road (ramp) and a number of steps.  Both a challenge for me.  The ramp was a challenge due to its length but the larger challenge were the steps as there was no banister nor other item to hold onto for balance until you reached the front patio of the house.  The house interior does not have any accommodation for physically handicapped.  That being said, since my major limitations are long walks with elevation changes (not steps) and post-traumatic anxiety about balance on steps, I was able to have an enjoyable and informative visit to the 1897 house, viewing its interior and hearing about its owners, its history and its renovation.  I recommend both a visit and a tour.

Our next excursion was to the Nethercutt Museum & Collection, in Sylmar, California, a world class collection of vintage automobiles and automated mechanical musical instruments all in working order.  This trip involved an approximately 23 mile (1hr) drive each way.  Details about the facilities and the items on exhibit are discussed on the Nethercutt website.  Admission to the Nethercutt Museum is free and the museum is handicapped accessible.  It houses an extensive collection of vintage automobiles.  Admission to the Nethercutt Collection is by a 2 hour guided tour only and has a modest admission fee which is paid in the museum building. The Nethercutt Collection is housed in a multi-storied building across the street from the museum and is also handicapped accessible.  It houses an additional extensive collection of cars, musical instruments and memorabilia.  The collection includes a beautiful "vintage" 1933 Duesenberg which is younger than I am.  How depressing.  A visit to both the museum and collection are worth a detour.

The balance of 2021 into we limited our outside the home activities due to the surging Covid Omicron variant pandemic.  Looking back over 2020 and 2021 we are forced to wonder whether there is some cosmic message about aging.  After approximately 30 years of use our major appliances reached their own age related end of life.  As of February 2022 we have replaced a washing machine, refrigerator, and dishwasher.  We are not complaining but replacing these appliances using only online websites was challenging and stressful.