The death of Jon’s mother earlier this month, while sad, was not unexpected. For the better part of the past two years we have traveled monthly to stay with her for several days at a time, sacrificing our regular camping life along the way. Now it’s time for us to recalibrate our camping life, directing our financial resources once again to more frequent excursions and planning to resume visiting our beloved national parks.

We began with a winter weekender at Loyd Park, arriving on Friday afternoon with temperatures in the lower 60s. After performing a quick, albeit incomplete, winterization several weeks ago, we were pleased that the rig survived many days of sub-freezing weather unscathed. After getting set up and completing our work day, we turned our attention to cocktails and Date Night. Part of our recalibrated life includes reclaiming daily televisits with Jon’s mom — in the morning and the evening — often stretching beyond 30 minutes each. Instead, we focused on watching the evening news, listening to music, enjoying a perfectly prepared steak with grilled asparagus and peppers and a baked potato, accompanied by our favorite Coppola claret. We ended the evening by watching another new episode of “Severance,” the sci-fi psychological thriller streaming on Apple TV+. Hard to believe it’s been three years since the first season debuted!

Saturday found us relaxing throughout the day with The New York Times, “CBS Saturday Morning,” bloody Mary’s and brunch. Our camping buddy Scott stopped by to extend condolences while he was biking around the park. Jon fixed the shower door, which had dropped on the hinge side and was catching on the handle-side frame (a fairly common issue). The fix, which involved “MacGyvering” a nylon spacer, worked, but it’s only a temporary solution. A late afternoon nap brought us again to cocktails and evening news, followed by a supper of pan-seared pork medallions, cob corn, and ranch style beans. We spent the rest of the evening watching “A Parisian Food Affair with Julie Neis,” “Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation” (marveling at the hideous design choices people make), and yet another dreadful installment of “Saturday Night Live” (even “Weekend Update,” usually a highlight, was meh). We also spent some time chatting with our friend Bud and making plans to visit him in Austin in February.

Part of our recalibration is re-engaging with long-neglected friends near and far.

Sunday typically provides time for reflection on the week just passed, so we immersed ourselves in Baroque music and talked about the whirlwind that is President Trump. Scripture says those who have sown the wind will reap the whirlwind. Voters did in fact sow the wind last November, and now we are reaping the whirlwind. In just six days, Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization (which the U.S. helped establish). He pardoned hundreds of supporters who assaulted police on Jan. 6, 2021; revoked security clearances and Secret Service protection for critics; and floated dramatic proposals such as eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He began rounding up immigrants and transporting them back to their home countries on military transport planes. He eliminated federal diversity programs — some dating to the 1960s — and paused offshore wind projects while also lifting restrictions on drilling. He declared that the policy of the U.S. is that there are only two sexes, male and female, and that any person born in the U.S. to parents who are in the country illegally would not be considered a citizen.

Trump’s whirlwind approach to governing has left us bewildered and alarmed. As we spend time recalibrating so many other areas of our lives, we’re somewhat disoriented by the shear pace and breadth of change. It’s time for us to focus on our friends and family, our home, our jobs, and our camping trips. We’ll happily leave the chaos and confusion to others — at least for a while.

On Friday night, one of his most controversial Cabinet nominees — Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary — squeaked through the Senate on a 51-50 vote, with Vice President J.D. Vance serving as the tiebreaker.

Pressed to respond to the news that former Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell voted against Hegseth’s confirmation, Trump brushed it off.

“No, I didn’t even know that — no, I didn’t know,” he said. “I just heard that we won. Winning is what matters, right?”

Also, in a late-night purge on Friday, he fired 18 inspectors general who monitor departments for corruption and abuse, ignoring a law requiring him to give Congress 30 days’ notice and provide specific reasons.

Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.