Friday Rambling

Hi everyone, on a bleak looking morning and after a really blustery night which had Kasar the cat scooting around the house in a frenzy at about 2am, miaowing madly as he did so. I was determined to ignore it at first but after the third or fourth brush with a furry cat part whizzing past my ear, I gave up and there was a noisy eviction, with complaints continuing through the bedroom door for a few minutes before calm was restored.

I'm not a good sleeper at the best of times and didn't really settle again, which was a good thing as after a couple more hours I heard an odd and noise and got up to investigate. I found one of my wall pictures hanging from one of its hooks, the other having dislodged itself from the wall, so I was able to save the whole thing from crashing down and being damaged. It had knocked my calendar down too and it rested on the floor, open at last January.

It was interesting to see how busy things had still been then. I had a smart meter fitted, a cooker installed, my Scottish country dancing resumed, I went out for coffee with friends and for a pub lunch with my husband. There was a shopping trip to a neighbouring town on the train and a car MOT looming. It all looked a bit alien, like reading a history book.

This December's entries by comparison are two! 'Pay council tax' and 'reorder prescription'! I had to laugh. I might well have entered, 'loaf around' for every other day!

I know that there might be some disappointment today that restrictions on life due to covid19 are set to continue for some time, or some fear about the relaxation of rules over Christmas leading to ever rising cases.

This area remains in Band 2 so no change for me, and I have decided to take advantage of the 5 day 'amnesty' and go and spend a little time with my daughter at Christmas.

I think it's necessary to take some personal responsibility and to think things through so that the rules work for you in as safe a way as possible, but without punishing yourself unnecessarily.

So just an encouraging word to say 'keep on keeping on', today. Just like the shortest winter days, this will all be over one day, and we now have the tool to help this vicious virus on its way.

But what a year it's been. And when the time comes to hang up the calendar for 2021 I'm hoping that, before the end of the year, entries will be a little more exciting than 'pay the council tax'!

Stay safe everyone, and be happy!

[Hellebelle]

Hi Callendersgal,Happy Friday to you. I always enjoy reading your entries. My calendar is very similar to yours I am afraid! Only the bare essentials on there and all the Christmas fairs and other enjoyable gatherings have all but disappeared this year. Fingers crossed it will be different next year. I really hope so for everyone's sake.

I hope you enjoy your time with your daughter. It has been so hard for everyone to decide what to do this year as we have to balance risk but also take into account mental health and wellbeing. Christmas is usually a time for celebration and it feels very different this year. We too will be spending a few hours with our daughter and little granddaughter on boxing day. I will be seeing my elderly mum after she has had her vaccinations. Luckily she isn't on her own as she is in a bubble with my sister.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a more hopeful New Year.

Helen xx💕

[Hidden in reply to Hellebelle]

Hi Helen, I'm so glad you'll be getting to see your loved ones over Christmas. Wishing you all a really happy and safe one and here's hoping for a dramatically kinder year next year! 🎄🎅😊🙏🌈

[sassy59]

Hello Callendersgal, what a year it’s been! We’re still in tier 2 but some friends of ours are now in tier 3. Our daughter and family have all gone off to Cornwall today for a long weekend. Hope they have fun but it looks like very wet weather. Oh dear.

We have a diary for appointments etc. but there’s not many entries this year. We are having our son, daughter in law and granddaughter here for a few hours in Christmas Day. I’m cooking dinner for the 6 of us, eating separately, ventilating the house, wearing masks etc. It will be fine. Our daughter and family will be here in Boxing Day for dinner but it’s cold meats and salad so easy. All safety measures will be in place. I will be glad when it’s all over though.

We will definitely keep on keeping on. Can’t wait to have our vaccination now.

Stay safe and well everyone. Take care xxxx🤗😍💜👍

[Hidden in reply to sassy59]

Hi sassy59, I'm really pleased you'll be able to have a little celebration with family. It's very bleak for those who can't risk it, or travel to be with loved ones. But like you, I'll be glad when the whole hullaballoo is over and we can face whatever's to be afterwards.Thankfully there's real good reason to believe that we can eventually start on a road to recovery from all of this in 2021 and it all hinges on those vaccinations, so hoping that we all get them just as quickly as possible! xx🙏🎅🎄🌺🌈💖

[sassy59 in reply to Hidden]

Have a good weekend Callendersgal and a great Christmas. Xxx💕💖🎅🏻🎁

[Hellebelle in reply to sassy59]

Hi Sassy, it sounds like you have covered all bases! Won't it be lovely when we can be a bit more back to normal? It sounds like you have some good things planned. Wishing you and your family a lovely Christmas. Helen x

[sassy59 in reply to Hellebelle]

Yes I think so Helen. It’s been a very strange year so we’re trying to have a little bit of normality. Thank you for your kind wishes. I hope you have a wonderful family Christmas too. Carole xxx

[Lynd]

Sounds like an interesting night Callendersgal.Th wind was very strong last night. It woke me up a couple of times.

Have to take the westie for her jab this afternoon. Had to wait ages to get her in.

We are in tier 3 still so our Christmas lunch has been canceled at a local hotel. They rang yesterday. I hope their business survives. We enjoy going there.

My Daughter is local so she will come to our home and I will cook.

Going to see my mum on the 23rd.she is in my sister's bubble so she will not be alone. We will be very careful when we vist, it's very dreary isn't it?

Hope everybody can have the best Christmas possible. Stay strong.

[Hellebelle in reply to Lynd]

Sorry you have had your meal cancelled at the hotel Lynd. It's so disappointing isn't it. I hope you have a good time anyway with your daughter. Helen x

[Hidden in reply to Lynd]

Thats disappointing isn't it!

I hate that when you are really looking forward to something only to be told at the last minute that it's not happening and it feels like a door has been slammed shut in your face!

That happened to us a couple of weeks back we had a pub lunch cancelled and were disappointed but replaced it with a fish and chips takeaway instead to take the sting out of the disappointment.

[Hidden]

Hi Lynd, It's quite a challenge to get vet visits isn't it, even for routine injections! Hope all goes well. They really seem to have a handle on how to do it safely now. I remember that you had planned a hotel Christmas lunch and it's really late notice to find it's cancelled, but I'm so glad you've managed to salvage the situation. I hope you still have a lovely time together. It's a great thing to be able to be flexible isn't it?

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and let's hope we go forward into a New Year with much better news in store! 🎅🎄😃😊🌈

[klr31]

🙋‍♀️😁🌺💜🎄

[Hidden]

Kasar strikes again with his loud meows!

Baby gives us bad tempered meows when things aren't to her liking as she thinks we control the weather!

Tonight we decided on having a Chinese delivered which we are looking forward to and our usual Friday night dinner party via zoom with our friends.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Chinese sound purrfect! 😺

[Goldenanny]

I enjoyed reading your comments and replies about a ‘different’ Christmas. As I have mentioned previously my sister has been in and out of hospital to a care home since Covid started. I go to her lovely sheltered accommodation flat to water her plants and run the taps even though it is 50 miles away but I honestly don’t think she will be able to return there. I took her big calendar off the wall last week and like you Callendersgal it was filled with appointments and events until March 2020 and suddenly on the day she had her first bleed on the brain the whole calendar became totally blank. It brought a tear to my eye realising all she has overcome this horrible year so I threw it in the bin.

She is still in isolation in the care home after her last hospital discharge but has had the first vaccination. I just hope matters don’t get much worse in 2021 as it feels like our lives are flying by. I wish you all happier and healthier times to look forward to and hope for the future. Take care and keep safe!

[Hidden in reply to Goldenanny]

Thanks so much for your good wishes Goldenanny. Like you I hope that even if we go through a difficult period in early 2021, we will be able to look forward to brighter times as the year progresses. We can only wish and hope!I'm so sorry you've had this sadness in your life through your sister's continuing ill-health. She's really lucky to have you to keep things going on her home front and I send every good wish for a continuing recovery for her. Stay strong Goldenanny and I hope that Christmas gives you both a little bit of cheer and cause for hope for the future! 👍🙏🌈