It'll soon be the end of 2020 and if I have a resolution for next year, it's to live life to the full. All the limits that have been placed on our lives this year have really brought this home to me. There have been things that I wanted to do that I couldn't do which, it struck me, I could have done in the past but didn't. Never again, I hope, will I say to myself, 'next year, perhaps', when I could do whatever it might be sooner.
Near the top of my list of things to do is to go down to Kent and Sussex again. I think I've said before that I want to visit the shingle at Dungeness at least once and I'd like to revisit Virginia Woolf's house in Rodmell. I have friends down there (and in and around London) I'd like to see. I'd like to go to London, too. I want to go to North Wales - this has been the first year for almost thirty years when I've not spent at least a fortnight of my life there. We've never owned a 'second home' there but have often thought of emigrating in the past - perhaps to somewhere near Porthmadog. We're not likely to do that now and in a way I'm pleased we didn't. If we actually lived there, where on earth would we go if we wanted to get away from it all?
I'm not getting too excited, though. I'm not a toddler anymore: I know there's more to life than listing all the things you want and getting them. And there are still dark days ahead, even if the government gets everything right for the next few months. If their record so far is anything to go by, though, that's highly unlikely.
It may be, of course, that when it does become possible to resume our ordinary lives, the things I actually want to do will be the simple things: browsing in second hand book shops, visiting a coffee shop, having friends to stay. And it would wrong to say that our day-to-day experience through the lockdowns has been all bad. I didn't realise I enjoyed cooking as much as I did. I have no intention of traipsing round supermarkets again if I can possibly get stuff delivered. We've used a lot of delivery services (a mix: some local, some not) and see no reason to stop so doing. It seems to be good for us and good for the businesses involved. For example, we've started getting milk delivered. Milk delivery services, I believe, have done really well this year.
That's all still in the future, though, and if 2020 has taught me one thing, it's to be circumspect. We're going to be washing our bananas here for a while yet.
When I think about what I'd like to do when this pandemic is over, my first thought is to visit my twin brother who lives 350 miles (563 km) from us. This is the longest it's been without seeing him. It would be nice to visit with family everywhere. The best part of when this is finally over will be feeling free to take a deep breath, breathe freely, and to stop worrying.
ReplyDeleteIt must be difficult for a lot of twins. I'd not thought of that. It will be good to see my grown-up kids. My son and I don't see a lot of each other anyway as he lives in China! (There are a few aspects of being locked down that are quite like our lives here most of the time!)
DeleteAmen.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Cautiously optimistic that some sort of normality might be restored in the coming year.
DeleteI've enjoyed your post. There has been a lot to be learned from this past year. In the past I think many of us have taken a lot for granted, even visiting our loved ones. Once this is over family visits will be at the top of my list. I also look forward to a lot of the basics like going to the library, a concert or the movie theatre. I miss eating out and going to coffee houses. It will all come back in time. I guess that is the question - time.
ReplyDeleteThe video on Monk's house peaked my interest in the Woolf house and led me to visit several web sites about it. It is a lovely home and garden but I have one question. Why is it called Monk's House? I could not find that information on any web site I visited. It's a silly question I'm sure as it probably once belonged to someone named Monk.
Thanks for that. It's annoying me, too, now. Why is it called Monks House? I'm sure she says why in her diary somewhere but I'm darned if I can remember where, or what she said! :)
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I've found an answer of sorts. I asked a Virginia Woolf Facebook group I belong to. It's said that in the middle ages there was a religious institution there (a house for monks) at the watermill in the reeds. Hmm. However, Leonard Woolf has been quoted as saying that he had no idea where the name came from and that it must have been made up.
DeleteIt is at least some consolation that Leonard Woolf had no idea either.
Well that's interesting to know. Thanks for the information!
DeleteBowling greens are dying out after over 500 years of bowls. It's sad.
ReplyDeleteThese things happen, I guess. The thing I regret is the passing of the valve radio. They were part of the magic of my childhood. Silicon chips are seemingly miraculous but not magical.
DeleteInteresting that you mention having milk delivered and that may continue after the pandemic. 60 or so years ago milk was always delivered to a house. Funny how things go around.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it will continue. There are a lot of dire things happening right now for a lot of people but there are just a few things -insignificant by comparison with the bad stuff- that feel better and ought to stay that way. It's probably true of many great calamities.
DeleteI cannot even let myself think to that point yet. I am not sure why. I suppose that I don't want to find myself getting discouraged when the 'end' is postponed multiple times.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I sometimes find myself thinking 'in 2021... Or 2022...'
DeleteWhat a lovely summery vision of Monk's House, something indeed to look forward to. And that is what we must do - look forward to better times. I miss my children and grandchildren most and therefore look forward to being vaccinated. From there who knows?
ReplyDeleteNot all by any means, but the vast majority of the most important people in my life live a long way away and have done so for most of my adult life. It's quite normal for me to think of getting together with someone next year rather than next week. Some aspects of many people's 'new normal' were part of my 'old normal'. I suspect there are quite a few people in that position.
DeleteI too look forward to being vaccinated. Being 62 I might have to wait a bit. I just hope that as the vaccination programme rolls on, the government doesn't find some way to bungle it!
Looking forward, I am cautiously optimistic. I suspect there are many of us who are hoping to seize previously missed opportunities and have dreams to be realised.
ReplyDeleteWe need to hold onto these and not let them pass us by like unfulfilled New Years resolutions. X
Cautiously optimistic... Same here!
DeleteI'm not sure if I fulfill my new year resolutions or not. I can never remember what they were.
Somebody said it's better to travel hopefully than to arrive - there were so many places I wanted to go, so many places to see, so much to do. Now I am no longer mobile enough I still get pleasure from the memories.
ReplyDeleteYes. Memory is much underrated. It's certainly helped me keep going through this.
DeleteWe have, not surprisingly, watched a lot more telly than usual this year and have learned about so many places in the British Isles that we would love to visit when it feels safe to do it. One of the things I would dearly love to do asap is to go for a ride on a train. The one from Matlock via Cromford to Derby would be lovely. Or to go to York just for lunch then back home again would be sheer joy.
ReplyDeleteIn the past we have taken so many things for granted and not bothered to do stuff because there was always another day. Like you, we will not be putting things off until another day quite so much.
Yep. In future, if we think of something we want to do, we'll go for it.
DeleteLike you, I have lived some distance away from my family for many years. I am relatively safe over here for the time being but my biggest wish is just for them all to get through this in one piece.
ReplyDeleteQuite. My son lives in China. When this crisis began we were horrified and wished he were back in the UK. Now we're pleased he stayed there!
DeleteI have found a lot of positives in lockdown (especially exploring the local cemeteries which are real wildlife havens) but hope that we can find some sense of normality again quite soon. I'm expecting some sort of lockdown to last until March at least though.
ReplyDeleteWe've basically stayed with same regime as the first lockdown right through. We're lucky, of course, that the countryside is right on our doorstep. The cemetery here is very much mown and managed - the wildlife havens here, I should think, are the verges and forgotten-about bits on the edges of the village.
DeleteWhere ever you go, go with your whole heart ~ Confucius
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