Before I get to our favorite books of 2021, There are a few Senior Nomad highlights to share since I left you in Portugal.
We arrived in Seattle just before Thanksgiving to celebrate with family for the first time in several years. The second reason we head home once a year is to get our annual “100,000” mile check-ups. We are both in good health so we passed our physicals with flying colors. We also saw a specialist or two for ongoing care and our dentist for tooth-scrubbing. And we got our Covid booster shots - so we are “good to go” in 2022.
In late December the entire Campbell clan gathered in Palm Springs for Christmas. Our son Alistair and his wife Jenny welcomed the family to their swanky mid-century Airbnb for two whole weeks! Over that time family members arrived from Seattle, Los Angeles, and France. At peak capacity, there were 14 of us! Our French grandchildren were pleased that Père Noël found them in America, but really, all he had to do was look in the swimming pool. And speaking of grandchildren, we received the greatest gift of all - our youngest son Christopher and his wife Jamie announced they are expecting their first child, a baby boy at the end of June.
Chris and Jamie (and the baby bump) are on the far left.
Michael and I bowed out on the 26th and stayed in an Airbnb about a mile away so the adult’s siblings could enjoy each other and we could come and go for games and meals. The wild winter storm that hit Seattle that week delayed some departures, but no one seemed to mind a few extra days in the sun.
Our cozy Freda Khalo themed Airbnb was really great. Lots of amenities and perfect for a grandparents get-a-way that kids would enjoy, too.
From Palm Springs Michael and I headed to Santa Fe, New Mexico to spend a few days with our good friends Carol and Kent. While we were there we drove about 30 minutes out of town to Saddleback Ranch - a sweeping, 2,400 acres spread near Galisteo. It will become the second campus of The Modern Elder Academy and we wanted to see it for ourselves. You’ll remember our friend and mentor Chip Conley founded the first MEA on the coast in Baja, Mexico, where we spent two weeks in December of 2020. This will become the desert equivalent.
Landscapes from The Modern Elder Academy in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Baja, Mexico
Another reason for a side trip to Santa Fe was for me to get a second tattoo from Guido Baldini, an Italian graphic designer and tattoo artist extraordinaire. Guido inked an intricate feather on my right forearm for my 60th birthday. For my 65th I wanted a stylish fish to match on my left arm. He did an amazing job.
Guido Baldini is the proprietor of Lost Cowboy Tattoo in Santa Fe. He is worth a road trip for your next tat.
We said goodbye to the USA and headed to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for the sixth time! It seems we are drawn to this city, and to the same house. We look forward to spending three months in the sun while we plan our travels for the rest of the year.
And we have a kitten. For the past three years, I have volunteered at the Society for the Protection of Animals shelter that is just down the road. And each time I have been given a kitten or two to care for until they are old enough, or healthy enough to be adopted.
Now to the 2021 Bookshelf. It was an odd year as far as reading goes. Especially for Michael. He usually reads about 50 books a year, but this year he only got through half that number. He started a lot of books - but put them down because he didn’t care for the story or they just weren’t compelling. He also gave up a lot of time he might have spent reading to study French on Duolingo. He started in December of 2020 as a challenge to learn something new, and now has an unbroken streak of 404 days of instruction.
I also read less this past year. I don’t have the same excuse, although I am studying Spanish on Duolingo. But I also found it hard to find a book I couldn’t put down. Finally, in the last few months, I hit the jackpot and now have several great books to recommend.
Puzzles are always a distraction from reading as well. This was our first round one - definitely challenging.
Last year I wrote about book clubs in the time of Covid, and whether they could survive. Just recently I thought small groups could gather in person again and book clubs would be back stronger than ever - but along came Omicron. Now I am not so sure that’s true, so I am reposting my findings from 2020 :
“. . .I did a little research and found a few interesting links to share. First, I wondered just how many ZOOM book clubs formed once COVID put a stop to getting together to dissect a good book over a glass of wine. The answer is thousands! And here’s a link to join one, or create one, if you don’t belong to one already. Then I poked around on different library sites to see how they were supporting their local communities. Here are a few I liked: Our own Seattle’s Public Library site, of course, along with the Los Angeles Public Library, and the New York Central Library. If that’s not enough, here’s Fodor’s 19 best libraries in the USA. And just for fun peruse (and use) the venerable British Library. And finally, along with our favorites listed below, here are a few sources for your next great read: NPR’s Book Concierge, The New York Times Best-seller List, Thirty Books Everyone Should Read Once in Their Lives, and of course Michael’s go-to site Goodreads. And speaking of Goodreads, there is a Senior Nomads Community Page where you can find books recommended by members of our Facebook Group and blog followers. Add your favorites!”
Favorite Books of 2021
Michael’s list:
Know My Name - Chanel Miller
Nomadland - Jessica Bruder
Mrs. Everything - Jennifer Weiner
Detransition, Baby - Torrey Peters
Sea Wife - Amity Gaige
Honorable Mention: The Startup Wife - Tahmima Anam
Debbie’s List:
Cloud Cuckoo Land - Anthony Doerr
Great Circle - Maggie Shipstead
to Kill a Mockingbird / audiobook read by Sissy Spacek
Klara and the Sun / audiobook read by Sura Siu
The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock - Imogen Hermes Gower
Tidelands - Philippa Gregory
Dark Tides (book 2) - Philippa Gregory
Hamnet - Maggie O’Farrell
The Underground Railway - Colson Whitehead
The Four Winds - Kristen Hannah
Before Versailles / audiobook read by Grover Gardener
Currently, I am reading Fingersmith by Sara Waters a “Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals” as per Goodreads. Michael is reading Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell. So we are all set to enjoy another spring in San Miguel where we will enjoy reading in the sunshine. And of course, travel planning! If all goes well, we will head to South America in April and then on to Central Asia.
Here's hoping 2022 is less of a page-turner! Please share your favorite book recommendations in the comments below.
Debbie and Michael Campbell
p.s. Omicron is present in Sa Miguel just like everywhere else in the world. Here the peak is expected at the end of January. Meanwhile, masks are required indoors and outside and you’ll have your temperature checked at the doors of restaurants and shops. Social activities like Bridge and art classes are still on hold, but movies and lectures at the Biblioteca are up and running. Mostly, life goes on.