A year like no other started just the same as a normal January. Except that it was fairly mild, and I was able to do quite a lot in the garden. Running was going fine, parkruns at Wendover Woods as the main course at Aylesbury was flooded as usual. Some decent films at the cinema and "An Inspector Calls" at the theatre in Milton Keynes. I had started watching Series 1 of "The Directors" on Sky Arts and this month completed Series 5.
In early February I was even able to give the lawns their first cut of the year. But one of the tall silver birches came down with Storm Ciara. Roses were pruned with still mildish temperatures. A visit to Grant and Stone to look at sanitary ware and fittings for the family bathroom, followed by quotes for the installation.
March started as normal. "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" at the theatre in Aylesbury and then the last performance before lockdown of any play with the brilliant "Pride and Prejudice Sort Of" at Oxford on 12th March. The very last parkrun was Alison's 250th on the 14th March when I volunteered, and now stuck on 249. The day after I ran the Milton Keynes 10K, a third of those who entered did not turn up.
Into lockdown in April, Fortunately, lots to do outside (jet washing pavings etc) and in the garden and still out for runs. Book club now on Messenger. Not very successful. A visit to Amersham Dermatology and a prescription for 5-Fluorouracil Cream for those sun damaged areas on my head. It made a horrible mess while working, but now completely healed.
May was quiet, getting used to lockdown. The weather was superb, lots of days in the mid 20's. More to do in the garden with the arrival of bedding plants. Book Club had found Zoom and this worked extremely well.#
By June I was watching DVD's of films and the National Theatre Live at Home. But great to be outside, and the Premier League and FA Cup returned. The weather became very warm by the end of the month, above 30C two days running. Out for a walk with Alison at 8.30am in the shade of Wendover Woods.
By the end of July, National Trust gardens had re-opened. On Alison's 60th birthday, we went to Waddesdon in the afternoon. We were also meeting friends in their garden and were able to have coffee outside the cafe in Wendover Woods.
Restrictions were easing in August, more garden visits and a meal at The Akeman in Tring. Test matches were back and some cinemas were open.
But "Tenet" at Cineworld Hemel Hempstead in September was a disappointment. In the middle of the month we were off to Cornwall for a week. It was so nice to be somewhere different, and we were very lucky with the weather. At the end of the month the new bathroom was installed. (The fittings had been in store for months).
A lot of sport was back in October. Some nice older films were on at the Rex Berkhamsted. It was almost like normal. Still nice to be outside in the garden.
Later in November restrictions were returning but I was back doing long walks which I had not done for a long time. And we managed a visit to Stowe on a beautiful day before it closed again. The new bathroom was completed with the floor finish being laid.
Lights were going up outside in early December and our tree came down from the loft. But with the darker evenings came a darker lockdown, Tier 3 then Tier 4. And we were back to where we started. But today there maybe light at the end of the tunnel (that's Boris) with the approval of the Oxford vaccine. Let us hope so.
It was easy to choose this year's favourite theatre and films at the cinema as there were so few. Pride and Prejudice Sort Of at Oxford was a delight and I will seek it out to see again when theatre returns. Amelie at the Rex Berkhamsted was similarly uplifting. For books, the highlight was reading the Old Filth trilogy this year. Jane Gardam followed that title with The Man in the Wooden Hat and lastly my favourite book of the year Last Friends. Talk about saving the best for last. I was just disappointed that I had not chosen the Old Filth for book club instead of this author's prize winning Queen of the Tambourine. It has been great to continue book club on Zoom.
The highlight of TV this year has been Ghosts, a comedy brought to us from the creators of Horrible Histories. In sport, it was great to watch the IPL in the middle east without crowds. The England Australia 20/20 and ODI series were riveting in the summer. This year I have graduated from easy Sudoku to tricky and now fiendish, the top level used for competitions. I try one every evening before dinner.
And finally, on the subject of parkrun, the New Year message from Paul Sinton-Hewitt included the following words:
As it is for so many of you, parkrun is my sanctuary. It was born as a result of, and has helped me through, some difficult times.
The regularity and reliability of parkrun provides a comfort that comes from knowing it is always there: the same time, the same place, the same friendly faces, support and encouragement. A chance to escape, or to catch up, to be in the fresh air, and amongst others. parkrun’s mere presence is a reassuring island of calm in often choppy seas.
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