Thursday: Day 284 since lockdown 1

[kazzy_cee]

Mr Cee had today off so we've been busy doing 'stuff' today. We started the day walking down to the local town to pay in the Christmas cheque we got from Mr Cee's parents. The town was deserted at 9am and it was trying very hard to be sunny, but it was -1C/30F so it was cold!  We popped into the supermarket as we were virtually the only people in there and got a few fresh things to keep us going over the next few days. I have actually managed to get a grocery delivery on Monday as they are offering longer slots for only £1 and I thought it was worth it so we can get all the heavy stuff that can be stored (like cat food!).

We came home on the empty bus and took down the last of the Christmas decorations which was satisfying. I like to start the new year with a clean, Christmas free house. We had lunch and then we packed all the decorations back in the loft and headed out to our local garden centre to have a look around. It wasn't busy, and it was nice to browse the plants. We didn't end up buying anything, but it was good to be outside for a bit.

We won't bother to stay up to see in the new year as we never bother to do that - no doubt we'll be woken up by fireworks at midnight anyway, but we'd rather just put this year behind us. We survived, it was OK and hopefully 2021 should mean we can move slowly back to normality. Certainly I'm very hopeful we don't get Covid19 as our local hospital has reached capacity and we haven't even hit the peak after all the covidiots who broke the rules over Christmas .... Patients are being transported from the South East of London where I am to the South West of the country as they have spaces in their hospitals. It's not good.

Under the cut is the usual 40 question meme I do at the end of the year which I find useful as a tool to look back over the past year. No obligation to read it - I do it for me really but feel free to pinch if you want to.

1. What did you do in 2020 that you'd never done before? I had a 'flu jab.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't make any, so I didn't break any :)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No
4. Did anyone close to you die? No, thank goodness and everyone I know who had Covid19 only had a mild dose, although a couple of friends seem to have some issues since they've had it.
5. What countries did you visit? Ha ha ha.....
6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020? I'd like to see more friends and family and be able to hug people again....
7. What date from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The first lock down on 24 March.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Not going insane....
9. What was your biggest failure? Not enjoying bellydancing any more because I find it so difficult on Zoom. I need to get over myself.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I started the year with a lot of pain in my sacro-iliac joint which fortunately was sorted out by Dave TJS
11. What was the best thing you bought? The exercise course with Dave which sorted out my joint and by default my knee issues. I paid for 12 sessions in the end and it was really worth every penny.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? Everyone who had to cope with Covid19, all the healthcare workers who cared for everyone, all the teachers who had to suddenly teach remotely, all the other emergency services who tried to keep things on track for all of us. All the postal workers and delivery drivers.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Politicians ... say no more....
14. Where did most of your money go? Online courses (I loved my art courses!), stained glass supplies and online exercise courses. Around the house we bought a Davenport desk, Mr Cee bought a desk and chair to work at home and the biggest expense was two sets of removable covers for our sofas.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The reopening of the art galleries in London.
16. What song will always remind you of 2020? Don't Stand So Close to Me (The Police) LOL
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:  i. happier or sadder? I have been a bit sadder, but I've tried not to be. ii. thinner or fatter? I've put on a bit of weight as the summer was so hot so we didn't do a much exercise as we might have done. I've also probably turned to food for a bit of comfort sometimes. Mr Cee has got thinner (there's no justice! LOL!)  iii. richer or poorer? Fortunately we've been OK with finances as I haven't been buying that much stuff so I have more money in my account than I might usually have at this time of year.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Seen more of my children. Seen more exhibitions in London.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Sitting about feeling sad.
20. How did you spend Christmas? With Youngest Cee and Mr Cee and talked remotely to Eldest Cee as we were limited on who we could see.
21. What LJ users did you meet? I met up wtih lilachigh a couple of times during the relaxing of the lock downs.
22. Did you fall in love in 2020? Mr Cee is always in my heart.
23. How many one-night stands? Nope.
24. What were your favourite TV programmes? The Repair Shop for it's sweet stories and the interesting items. The Great British Bake Off because they could hug and be close to each other as they all isolated for the duration of filming. It felt so normal watching it, which was really welcome.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't hate specific people, but I do hate Covidiots who haven't helped anyone this year and made this whole thing last far too long.
26. What was the best book you read? I read a lot of books this year but the stand out ones were a couple more of C J Sansom's Shardlake series which are so atmospheric of Tudor England.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? I didn't have one this year.
28. What did you want and get? I was spoiled this year - I've wanted a Davenport desk for years and I love the one we found in a local antique shop.
29. What did you want and not get? I am very lucky - there's very little I haven't had this year.
30. What was your favourite film of this year? The one thing I've really missed this year is going to the cinema. The only two things I saw last year were Just Mercy which was a Screen Unseen showing in January and I went to see Rene Zellweger as Judy in February on my own.  I can't say either was a favourite....
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 62 and I went to a local restaurant with Mr Cee and had a very nice lunch. That was about it as we were in demi-lockdown at that point.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Less Covid?
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2020? I don't have a fashion concept and I've lived in leggings this year as I've hardly been anywhere.
34. What kept you sane? Mr Cee as always.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Doesn't really apply...
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Brexit (such a mess with all the promises broken and the lack of trade deals).
37. Who did you miss? So much this year! I miss people the most. I am lucky I don't live on my own and we are OK financially, but I really miss just hanging out with friends. I've also been disappointed that so many of my friends haven't really kept in touch unless I've chased them. I do understand this has been difficult for everyone, but it's felt a bit lonely this year.
38. Who was the best new person you met? I 'met' a new tutor on Zoom who was very good at teaching across the platform. I'm doing another online art course with her as she is so good.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2020? That I need to count my blessings and enjoy the moment and not worry about stuff I can't change.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: As above - "Don't stand, don't stand so close to me" has been on my mind most of this lockdown....

This is the last question of the year long meme which I have to thank fionnabhar for compiling so well. It's been really good to have something to focus on this year and I've enjoyed the majority of the questions!  I'd like to do another similar meme - if anyone comes across a good one, let me know :)

31 Do you prefer beginnings or endings?
I prefer beginnings because there's something to look forward to. Endings are always slightly sad to me (with the exception of the pandemic of course!).