Well, what a year!

Well, what a year 2020 was, although I’m sure it was the year we never wanted or expected.

A year when I found out who my friends are and how much I appreciate the little things.  A massive thanks to Paula and her husband Paul who really helped me out during shielding, getting my weekly shopping for me.

January – Started out with a few dates in the diary to tick off bucket list items, Chelsea Flower Show was one, visiting my relations in Canada the big one.  I had two theatre adventures, one with my friend Rach to see Les Mis and then The King and I with Team Jamie, my mum and dad.  I did my first ever Parkrun and promptly knackered my cartilage in both knees, meaning I got used to working from home, little did I know home was going to be my permanent office in just a few weeks.  Saw my one and only film of the year in the cinema.

February – The month I officially became old and started wearing varifocals.  Lol!  I used a lot of public transport, the train, to get me around the country, making me more environmentally friendly and productive, it’s now the last place I want to be.  I also celebrated my first Kidneyversary!  Coronavirus was becoming the buzzword, replacing Brexit.  I delivered a presentation on my kidney journey to the Wales Kidney Research Unit.

March – The Business Continuity Plan was implemented on 5th March as cases of COVID-19 started to rise in the country.  I also interviewed my young apprentice.  I saw my last Cardiff Devils match of the year, we lost.  Saw my last few shows of Milton Jones and the Banff Mountain Film Festival and bought a new car, it’s only done 1,000 miles this year, I do that in two days usually.   And that was it, I started working from home and shielding a week or so before Boris locked us all down.  I started making bread again.

April – I started supporting local pubs who were doing takeaways and I started to find war ration recipes to eek out my food supply.  I climbed mountains, but only by using my own stairs.  Mental health was becoming an issue.  My young apprentice, Steph, joined and she is a star.

May – The days became the same, although lockdown measures started to be released.  DIY haircuts also started, if only I’d had that haircut before lockdown.  Those who clapped for the NHS to make themselves look good, you know proper community people, started to stick two fingers up to them by having their private little parties.  Shielding was still going, although towards the end of the month they finally remembered about us.

June – My first venture out since March, to the transplant clinic.  Shielding got extended to mid-August and I celebrated, if that’s the right word, 100 days of it.  Finally saw some friends for the first time since the nightmare started for a walk, I was very nervous seeing people.  The BBC started their love affair with me as I was interviewed for TV.  Liverpool F.C. finally won the Premiership.

July – Online book festivals kept me going.  I saw the sea for the first time this year with my friend Rachel.  Boris announced we’d be back to normal by Christmas.

August – I got Distance Aware lanyards and badges for when I returned to walking in public.  My mother and father ventured out for the first time since March.  I celebrated, if that’s the right word, 150 days of shielding, 157 in total although truth be known my life hasn’t changed dramatically since then.  I filled my car up for the first time since I bought it in March.  I was back on the BBC due to the Banwen illegal rave.  

September – I started to gather books that I was going to get rid of, a big step.  Got my best ever kidney blood results.  I had proper chippy chips for the first time this year, also had my first socially distanced cuppa with friends.  Started my regular power rambles around the block.  Things started to get worse again with the virus and we were back in lockdown and couldn’t see any friends again.  Difficult conversations took place at work, but I had a bigger team at the end of it.  Took my first day’s holiday of the year, and last so it turned out.  

October – Back on the BBC and got attacked by cows.  The whole of Wales was back in lockdown for two and a half weeks.  I took a break from Twitter as Wales got attacked.  

November – Wales was out of the firebreaker lockdown and I could see friends again.  I bought nice red walking trousers, much to great offence for some friends.  Lol!  Saw Mr Heron for the first time.  I started writing my Christmas cards.  Went to the hospital for a blood test, cases were starting to rise again after the firebreaker.  It seemed closer to home in this second phase, especially after I heard one of my best friends had caught it.  

December – The COVID vaccine started to be rolled out.  I got exciting news as I was invited to head up my department for the new European group.  I recruited a new apprentice and then lost the same apprentice after the perils of social media.  And then we were back in lockdown again, although I did see one friend who I hadn’t seen since February.
  
And that’s it!