2021 – the year that was

Hi. Happy New Year’s Eve.

I’m just looking back on my photos from this year, to remind myself of the highs and lows.

This time last year I was enjoying a walk to Budgen’s supermarket to buy our New Year’s Eve ready meal. I looked forward to the outing for quite a few days, as I hadn’t been in any shops for ages, due to the pandemic. Sad but true.

That was all a bit quiet, but fine, and then at the end of January my father had an emergency hospital admission for an abdominal aneurysm. He survived but it was very serious. And very stressful.

Then the snow came.

It was really beautiful. Until I put on my snow boots upstairs and, probably partly due to lack of sleep for a week and worry about my father, I fell down the stairs at home and had an awful ankle sprain that took months before I could walk properly again. I did all the physio, but if I’m honest, that ankle still is not quite the same as the other side.

So that was a very rocky start to the year.

And we had another whole year of this ****** Covid pandemic. Who wanted that?!

I’m depressing myself now so let’s look at the positives…

1 We got vaccinated, and then again, and then boosted 😊.

2 I kept my job and my financial security. Tina left her job to work with me 😊😊😊. The Friday coffee club was born.

3 When we were allowed to eat outside again in April I took a week off work and dined al fresco for lunch every day! Cheers!

4 I went to Wimbledon to watch tennis with Julie.. surreal to be in a crowd again, but a fantastic day!

We were all wrapped up in jumpers.. it was not a good summer weatherwise in the UK this year, especially compared to the amazing weather we had in 2020, wall to wall sunshine from April onwards.

5 Julie and I also climbed up and over the O2 in London on a particularly glorious September day. Living the dream 😊. Oh, and my hair got long!

6 I joined Odeon limitless for £12.99 a month when the cinemas reopened and I’ve seen 16 films with my friends Pat, Sue and Erica. (and Moya once!). Happy hours lazing about in the comfy lie flat seats. I never fell asleep but I think Sue did once (it was a boring film).

7 I went to the theatre… 3 times. Twice to The Theatre Royal Windsor and once to The London Palladium.

8 I met up with my good school friend Sarah for a delicious lunch at Chelsea Physic Garden, a beautiful little oasis of calm in the City.

9 I ate a lot of fabulous food, some of it made by me! I drank some delicious wine and cocktails.

10 We went on holiday for a short break to Cromer, Norfolk.

11 I had a great catch up with “the Swansea girls” in London (more food and cocktails).

12 Debs and I discovered a new café in Imperial Park, Windsor. Great coffee and cakes. We also visited The Savill Garden on a surprisingly hot day. I went to The Savill Garden twice more with David.

Credit to Debs for this photo.. you can’t beat a bit of tree hugging.

13 David was here and good company throughout. His band got to play again and we had some fab evenings watching them play and dancing to their music at The Swan and below at Royal Ascot Golf Club.

14 I read so many good blogs, enjoyed writing my blog, taking the photos, made new blog friends, grew existing friendships with my wonderful blog buddies around the world. (Seem to have got over my shyness now of posting pics of myself on The Waffle, but maybe a few too many here for comfort).

15 Moya and I played tennis, had a laugh, and went to the bar for après tennis!

16 David and I didn’t catch Covid…. (yet).. even though we went out a lot, being careful.

17 We started updating our kitchen…

And got the oven cleaned.

18 My bookclub restarted.. 😊 and we also started cultural outings together such as seeing David’s band play and going to a painting evening called “Sip and Paint”. Great fun.

19 I continued my capsule wardrobe project.. sort of successfully! I didn’t buy so many new clothes and had tidier cupboards.

20 I enjoyed the wonderful trees, nature and skies of Windsor and shared them with the world on The Windsor Waffle.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!! Here’s to lots more fun and good health in 2022 😊🥳🍾🥂Xx (my apologies if I missed anyone in this post).