Snowy Isolation - The End Game of 2020 in Italy

 

View from hotel room at Milan Malpensa Airport, Italy

Back to Italy in December to attempt to complete flying on the last F-35 jet of the year, despite the snowy, foggy weather and resurgence of COVID in Europe.  This deployment was different than others during this COVID year. We stayed sequestered in our Milan Malpensa airport hotel rooms unless at work. All restaurants were closed except for takeout.  The stay was punctuated only with weekend roundtrip commercial flights to Amsterdam and back to comply with Italy's 120 hour stay limit. Our team surprisingly got it done! But "the thrill" is missing without the opportunity to enjoy the la vita bella di Italia.  One bright spot was meeting a brilliant young waiter while dining at the Schiphol Airport Marriot hotel in Amsterdam.  He saw me working on my Stanford Machine Learning homework while waiting for my meal and amazingly recognized the Coursera content as he is planning to take the same course (for fun).  Stevens Connor is a 24 year old working on his masters in financial quants.  His acumen and energy was impressive.  He represents the hope for a brighter future. 

Back in the states the norm is to hunker down and isolate in the prison castles of our own making.  Precious time is passing by!  My decision... employ prudent COVID protocols and minimize unnecessary interactions, but take journeys to see loved ones, sing songs and experience the outdoors.  

San Diego and nearby mountains

Laguna Mountains east of San Diego




Fort Worth with daughter & grandson
Grady Hank

Washington DC with Kids - You Got a Friend Sing-along

Daughter & Granddaughter
Washington D.C con famiglia 



Frosty Oklahoma per la pesca!










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