If we look back to say November 2019 there is no way the
normal person in the street could have seen how 2020/2021 was going to pan out.
No one could have foreseen the death, the sickness, the sadness, the loneliness
and the financial devastation the world has now lived through. On the other
hand we have seen kindness, empathy and people helping each other. What we have
also seen is humour; because sometimes the only way to get through a bad situation
is to laugh.
The first person I always laugh at is myself because you can
never take yourself too seriously and I do, quite honestly have a lot to laugh
at. I really do think I am actually the lovechild of Laurel and Hardy with a bit
of Harold Lloyd thrown in for good measure. This morning I dropped the packet
of Rennies, picked them up and took out a tablet, dropped that and stood on it.
Not a very auspicious start to the day you have to admit.
The winter has gone now but trying to wear a scarf, headphones
and a mask did not work well. Add in my hair being too long and getting in the
way and juggling bags and an umbrella and you have a slapstick routine right
there. I do love a scarf but I walk
everywhere and they can get a wee bit blown about, as can my hair which, up
until recently was suffering from lockdown growth. If you add in the tangle
which is a set of headphones you are already in a state of disorder. I like the
over the ear headphones which runners wear because my ears are small and I
struggle with most headphones being too big. (I cannot consider ear pods, they
are just too big.) My phone, which is attached to the aforementioned headphones,
is in my bag and, if the bag strap gets tangled too I start to look like I am
attempting a clown routine. Of course
throwing a facemask into the mix really hasn’t helped. Now, don’t get me wrong,
I would always wear one as it is for everyone’s health, but they do bring their
own little set of issues.
Masks make your glasses steam up and none of the anti-fog tips work
completely. Then, while already attempting to perform a slapstick routine that
Norman Wisdom would have been proud of, I have to push my glasses on to my head
and therefore I can’t see. Ok, I can see
fuzzy things in the distance but that is about it. I can only conclude that I must look hilarious
to watch with my hair, scarf, headphones, mask and bag strap getting tangled so I am at least doing someone the service of making them laugh.
Now that summer has arrived, some restrictions have been
lifted and a lot of people have had their vaccines, we seem to be heading on
the path to normality. I miss my pixie boots and coat with the frills but the
scarf is also now out of the equation so all is good. I will say that sunglasses on, normal glasses
off is a pain but needs must and it is surprising how many times you can do
that in one short walk. I do have
prescription sunglasses as I would be a total menace if I added an inability to
see into the mix.
It is nice to get out more and see a few people and now I
have had both vaccines I am frequenting the odd coffee shop and the occasional shop.
I have to say that I am very disappointed post vaccine. The anti-vax brigade clearly told everyone that Bill Gates would track us through our vaccines, but
I spent a good hour walking round lost the other day and at no point did that
tracker kick in. I think those anti-vaxxers were lying again. All my hopes of not having to rely on my dreadful sense of direction have been dashed.
Now I have invested in a new piece of equipment to help
monitor exercise, I bought my son-in-laws' Apple watch off him. Sadly this
little piece of apparatus is so dictatorial I have renamed it Mussolini.
It tells you to stand up, it tells you to breathe, it reminds
you to move, it tells you your rings are not closed and it wants to know when
you are walking and whether you are outside.
It’s a sad day when you realise that you have disappointed a piece of
technology. The guilt trips are huge. It tells you how much you achieved the
day before and hopes you will do better the next day. It knows how to crush
your soul and it is already far cleverer than me.
I am sure this year will continue to throw up many a surprise
but I am hoping they will be good and not bad. Unbelievably it is half way
through the year already, and it feels like we are waiting for the year to
start. However, we should be so proud of the people who have kept the country
going on the ground and in the hospitals. I may like a good rant but we should
be thankful if we have survived this year with any sanity intact.
Whatever you do and how ever you feel, please try to find something that makes you laugh and if it is watching a 51 year old woman wrestling with scarves, headphones and masks, so be it.
