Jacqueline and I did what we had to do to survive the past year.

Year Two-plus of the coronavirus pandemic. Well, it might be “plus” for most everyone, but for me it started for real on a day in early March almost exactly one year ago. Hard to forget: I had watched a San Diego Padres spring training game the night before and was anticipating our Iowa Hawkeyes basketball team playing in the Big Ten tournament later that afternoon. First came the word that, because of the coronavirus, spring training—and perhaps the entire baseball season—was canceled. Then, the Big Ten tournament was canceled; no basketball that afternoon.

Then, as if it could get any worse, the NCAA basketball tournament—the Big Dance, March Madness—would not take place! Our amazing San Diego State Aztecs and their 30-2 record would not have a shot at the national title. How depressing was that?

One year later, things are looking up a bit. Spring training is underway, and both of our ranked teams are gearing up for March Madness. But far more important than that, folks are now getting vaccinated against this scourge that has killed more than half a million Americans and over 2.5 million people worldwide. The new variants notwithstanding, there is some (pardon the cliché) light at the end of the tunnel.

The Covid Superstation at Petco Park has been awesome.

Jacqueline and I are still doing fine. My bride had her second shot a couple of weeks ago. I had mine a few days ago at the Petco Park superstation—though not without some post-vaccination drama. I shall explain.

During the four weeks since my first shot, the superstation had been shut down a few times for lack of the Moderna vaccine, delays caused by the nasty storms that crippled the nation in February. I kept looking for my appointment to change, but it did not, so down I went. I received my shot, no problem, then went home. An hour or so later I tuned to the 5 o’clock news, where the lead story was the Petco Park superstation running out of vaccine again and shutting down for at least four days. Holy crap! I got in under the wire.

In his farewell speech at Yankee Stadium, Lou Gehrig stated that he was the luckiest man on the face of the Earth. Okay, I won’t go that far, but I do feel lucky—and extremely grateful—that I got my second shot. Here’s hoping that we’ll all soon join (metaphorical) hands in a herd immunity that will knock this freaking virus on its ass.