Monday 14 December 2020

Seasoning

Let rip, like you drank all of the tequila
Tokyo Drifting - Glass Animals

I'm alright, jack

Somehow I have felt no urgency to post, these last few months. There's been no myeloma news. I don't know my light chain number right now, but the indications are it's not moving too fast, I'm certainly not experiencing anything approaching symptoms. Indeed, I've been as good as it gets - little fatigue, and even my back has been OK.

So, I bristle each time I hear someone wishing for an end to 2020. This is a good year, thankyouverymuch.  If we're sick of 2020 merely for the inconveniences it has contained... well just take it from me things can be a lot lot worse than that. If you think 2020 was bad, go re-read my posts from 2018. That year really was a shocker.

Of course, for some covid has been a much more significant trauma. And indeed, other sources of personal trauma haven't ceased either. If 2020 has been hard on you, or those you love, I offer - as always - a little shared strength to get through.

In our house we have retained as much sanity as possible. It's hardest for the boys, with this on-again-off-again life we all lead, and their social lives have been really curtailed. Marisa and I have both at least had work to distract us. (I've ended off taking a part time role managing the local community centre of which I had previously been a trustee for a number of years - it's a long story.)

The biggest trauma in our lives, during 2020, was probably saying farewell to our little red car. For the authorities it was a polluter that should be off the streets. But for us it was also a link to the past since it was once upon a time my grandparents' car. Still, if waving her off to scrap was the worst thing that's happened this year... I clearly don't really have anything to complain about.

Back in March, the first lockdown prevented us taking a trip we had planned to Mexico and Belize. In the familiar spirit of living-for-now, we've concocted another of our mad little schemes for Christmas. It is dependent, though, on successfully getting on a plane... I won't jinx it by writing it up here today. Assuming the plan comes off, I'll tell you about it later.

In the mean time, have a Happy Christmas, and stay safe. Here's hoping vaccine derived immunity releases us all to a more "normal" 2021. Our collective New Year's resolution better be to make the most of the opportunities we get?