Wishing you all well for a special Christmas and a much anticipated New Year

When I was at school, I used to hate it when Christmas fell on a Friday, one week away from when we had broken up. A week of anticipation, hidden parcels and mounting frustration. Then finding oneself with only a week left to pack full of enjoyment before the January return to school.

It’s a little like that this year. Work done, and only the odd zoom call this week with four days more before we can have what remains of Christmas.

We are very lucky that our plans were to spend Christmas at home for only the second time in our 24 years together. Having cancelled a visit to see a friend in pantomime on Sunday, we are not going to Devon to see Richard’s family after Christmas. Yet we are on course for the Christmas we wanted.

I’m using this week to send messages to those people I haven’t contacted during the past year.

It’s not that I want my address book to be any thinner,

But it has sometimes been hard to keep in touch with people one sees. There have been no lunch meetings, no afternoon teas. No quick drink before the theatre. As a result some people whom I would see every couple of months have been absent from my life since March.

If you’re one of them and you’re still reading my blog or following my Twitter, then please accept my apologies.

I want to take a moment to thank everybody who got me through 2020. It has brought along unique challenges for so many of us. Not sure how well I’ve done, in trying to meet the principle of adapting to new things.

Old dog, some new tricks. But not too many please.

My gratitude is great to those who have kept me busy. To those who gave me work, made creative demands on my time, and helped my finances. To all those who have taken the time to arrange a zoom call. To the fabulous group of people in our Thursday night quiz group ( and in many senses, support bubble.)

To those who have enjoyed my rants on Twitter, or laughed at my ravings, thank you. Anger is a valid outlet, but so is a sense of humour and I hope I haven’t lost mine. Thank you for following me and for the great comments.

To those of you I haven’t heard from and to those I haven’t been in touch with, let’s put something on the agenda for 2021. In all honesty, I suspect we all have a few months to fill yet, before things get back to a life we recognise.

I hope I’ve done my bit. To reach out to people with advice or friendship. To care and to listen, even when my anger or blackness has blinded me.

And above all, to the one man who has been through this with me. Who is my rock and my star. My aspiration and my inspiration. And with whom on Wednesday I will celebrate 24 years together.

We may not be out at a good restaurant. It may be something with chips on the sofa. But they are our sofas and our chips and long may they be so.

Have a very Happy Christmas and let’s hope that at least some of our dreams and prayers for 2021 become reality.