My-Better-Late-Than-Never New Year’s Blog Post - Part I

We made it to 2021! Yay!

Who would have thought last New Years Eve, when we were clinking glasses and snogging the faces of random strangers (not me of course, I’m a happily married woman), that 2020 would be quite the shambles that it was? No-one could have predicted that a bat-derived virus could bring the whole world to a standstill like some badly directed science-fiction B-movie. Yet that it did.

Sadly this year has caused a lot of sickness, pain and financial hardship for many, many, many people. I don’t want to be glib about what anyone is going through, but in this Better Late Than Never New Year post, I want to think about the positives. In particular the positives in my own life as well as some thoughts and reflections on the annus horibilis that was 2020, my silver linings, if you will.

Things I have been thankful for in 2020:

1. A Tripette Away

Myself & the hubster decided on un petit impromptu break to Krakow, Poland at the end of February. Yes it was freezing cold and yes spending a day in Auschwitz isn’t exactly a ‘fun day out’, but it was great to get away and visit this beautiful city. It wasn’t long after we returned that the pandemic hit and pretty much all foreign travel was cancelled. If it hadn’t been for that trip I would have incredibly itchy feet by now.

2. Communication

Thank goodness for Zoom, Meets, WhatsApp etc! I did manage one actual physical meet-up with my parents between lockdowns but that’s all this year. However, we did set up a weekly family Zoommeeting and several friends’ groups, so we could all keep in touch and see each other’s lovely smiley faces.

3. Health

Mercifully, my friends, family and work colleagues have so far managed to escape the dreaded virus. For many years I have tried to keep in shape (no specific shape, just a shape) by walking, running and strength training, so (despite the inevitable overeating blip while working from home) I have managed to keep active. I looked forward to the daily walks down to the seafront with my husband, which were so quiet and peaceful, especially in the first lockdown when no cars were on the road and Mother Nature was left to do her own awesome thing.

4. Friends Old & New

Yes, everyone’s usual social lives were put on hold, but - still abiding by the 2m rule - we did manage to meet up with some of our friends and virtually meet up with the rest. We both enjoy paddleboarding and with the sea only a short walk away, we often tootled down and had the water to ourselves. As more & more friends invested in boards it became a fantastic excuse to get out on the water while paddling up and down the estuary together.

I would also like to mention the new friends we made along our street. Having previously only waved in passing, this year we clapped on our doorsteps together, which grew into a regular Friday night social (ie openly drinking copiously outside in the street rather than secretly behind closed doors) and a fabulously sunny, socially distanced VE Day party, complete with Prosecco and reams of Union Jack bunting across the street (kindly ‘donated’ by the Lifeboat Station - whether they knew it or not). We now have our own messaging group where we can wish each other well and arrange other get-togethers such as a little mulled wine and carol singing.

5. Time to Create & Learn

Luckily I was able to work from home for some of Lockdown, but when work started to dry up I was furloughed. Not one to lay around feeling bored I booked onto loads of free courses, social media, marketing, self-publishing and the like. Although I can’t remember much of what I learned it did give me some ideas and inspiration for my own writing and Author Platform. I finally had the time to dig out my old manuscript from, ahem, let just say ‘several’ years ago (pre Amazon and the ebook revolution) and get to work updating and re-editing. Something I would never have found the time for had I been working full time.

I now have a new lease of writing life and am excited to see where this road will lead.

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