I am a little over a month behind you, and really appreciated reading your post. I'm a bit envious that you live in CA and can be more active year round. Living here in Colorado where we've had a lot of cold temps, snow, and ice, I don't feel like I have been as active as I'd be if I lived somewhere warmer. Just not wanting to risk falling, and a bit uncomfortable in the icy cold weather. I noticed the cooler weather still bothers you a bit as well, even in California.
When I went to visit my son in the Dominican Republic for Thanksgiving I was tickled at how active I was able to be, considering where I was last year---very similar to your before and after experience.
Spring is coming, but in Colorado that typically means a lot of heavy wet snow, mixed in with nice days, so I'll have to be careful, and patient until things consistently warm up in terms of longer walks and hikes outdoors.
That's cool that you teach chair yoga
I'm doing an online chair yoga class right now--just finished one on overcoming body stiffness which was good too. I always love hearing how folks who had their surgeries a little ahead of me are doing!