Well, I only wrote one post in 2021, but my blog continues limping along due to my insistence on still writing the annual naval-gazing questionnaire (ANGQ).
1 What did you do in 2021 that you’d never done before?
Ride with Mini W on my bike. Visit an ICU. Grow Jerusalem artichokes. Send a child to primary school. Do an overnight sleep study. Make chutney. Co-write a children’s book (not yet published).
2 Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year I wrote “Resolutions for 2021? I think I’ll take a do-over of 2020’s please!” These were more patience, more activism, more productivity during work time, more workshops to learn craft and dance, more calligraphy, more trapeze and more ‘small luxuries’. I succeeded with the more patience and more productivity, and more small luxuries, but failed on the more trapeze and more craft/dance workshops, mostly due to workshops not really happening in the first half of the year. I did do a very nice soap workshop though that’s increased my soap stash by 50%.
3 Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my friend had a baby girl in March, which was a lovely addition to our little gang.
4 Did anyone close to you die?
My mom died on Boxing Day after three weeks on a ventilator with Covid. It’s too soon to write about this as everything is so raw. Needless to say it was the worst Christmas ever. Worst January too.
5 What countries did you visit?
As with last year, nowhere. We didn’t even bother to plan anything abroad as there wasn’t any point. We did have a holiday to Cornwall in May and Yorkshire in July, plus Christmas spent in the Staffordshire Peak District. There are tentative plans for France this year but who knows?
6 What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?
Complete freedom and relief from worry about infecting people – while 2021 was better than 2020, we still spent three months in lockdown and the worry still continued.
7 What dates from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
3rd December when Mom went into hospital. 26th December when she died.
8 What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Mini W making a happy and contented transition to primary school. Professionally, working really hard on some clients’ SEO and getting their websites on the first page of Google. I’m currently having hypnotherapy to rid myself of a lifelong habit so hoping my biggest achievement in 2022 is knocking it on the head.
9 What was your biggest failure?
Persuading my parents to get vaccinated. Strictly speaking not my failure but it does feel like that.
10 Did you suffer illness or injury?
My TMJ is much better this year but it still flares up. I fell over with Mini W in our rocky back lane in March and my knee hasn’t been the same since.
11 What was the best thing you bought?
Our electric cargo bike, which has transformed how I transport Mini W. He was getting too heavy for S’ standard bike, and I’d never felt confident putting him on mine. But now I can whizz him around places really easily, not having to use the car, and that just feels so nice.
12 Whose behaviour merited celebration?
When my mom died, I received (and am still receiving) so much love and support from my friends and family. They are truly wonderful people. And my beloved husband S continues to be the love of my life and the rock of my life.
13 Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Yet again, our government. No surprise there, really.
14 Where did most of your money go?
We spent marginally more this year than in 2020 but restrictions mean it wasn’t exactly a spend-heavy year. Our biggest purchase was the electric bike which was an expensive item but one we’ll hopefully reap the rewards of for years to come.
15 What did you get really excited about?
The lifting of lockdown in the spring when things started to open up again. Mini W starting school in September and all the fun adventures that has brought.
16 What song will always remind you of 2021?
‘Moving On’ by James, ‘Ten Years’ by Dadi Freyr (best Eurovision song ever) and ‘In the Back of a Cab’ by Rostam.
17 Compared with this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder?
Sadder, sadly. 2021 was better than 2020 in many ways, and with the advent of vaccines we’re in a better situation than we were this time last year. But I’m grieving for my mother, and dealing with a lot of emotions.
– thinner or fatter?
Thinner, as I’ve really got into doing online Pilates and HIIT workouts. I walk to school and back every day, and I’ve started swimming again.
– richer or poorer?
Richer. Now Mini W is in school I can work five days a week, and add that to not spending much because of the situation and we’ve built up quite a lot of savings.
18 What do you wish you’d done more of?
Last year I asked for seeing friends and family, and going to places I wanted to. Post April this definitely happened, and although it still feels a little odd at times and it definitely isn’t ‘back to normal’, it is a lot closer than 2020. I wish I’d talked on the phone to my mom more.
19 What do you wish you’d done less of?
Phone fiddling, overthinking, getting cross.
20 How did you spend Christmas?
In a cottage in the Staffordshire Peak District with S’ family. Mini W was crazy excited about Christmas and loved hanging out with his cousins, so that was a lovely distraction in an otherwise trying time. I cooked a vegetarian Wellington that was a culinary triumph, and S and I actually got out for a long walk just the two of us.
21 Did you fall in love in 2021?
Only ever more so with my husband and son.
22 What was your favourite TV programme?
I watched all series of Schitt’s Creek, mainly so I could understand what other people were referencing all the time – it was OK, but not one of my all-time favourites. I loved Only Murders in the Building and Bump. I specifically bought Prime for a month so I could rinse through the outstanding series of This Is Us, much to S’ disgust. The stand-out series was It’s A Sin on Channel 4 – amazing acting, moving storylines, all-round fantastic.
23 What was the best book you read?
I read 64 books in 2021, which was one more than the previous year. I really enjoyed The Family Upstairs, The Last House on Needless Street and Little Fires Everywhere. Behind Her Eyes had the most out-there twist I’ve ever read. The Midnight Library was predictable but well written, and The Thursday Murder Club was a lot of fun. Expectation was probably the book that resonated the most with me, as the characters were of a similar age and background to me, so a lot of it felt very real and true.
24 What was your greatest musical discovery?
Dadi Freyr, thanks to Eurovision. Who knew Icelandic electronic pop could be so good?
25 What did you want and get?
Dancing at two friends’ wedding (postponed from 2020). Mini W to like primary school. Christmas away with my family.
26 What did you want and not get?
The Tories to be kicked out. My mom to survive.
27 What did you not want and not get?
Covid (fingers crossed this continues).
28 What was your favourite film of this year?
Free Guy – not especially earth shattering or anything, but a lot of fun and well-written, and Searching, about a guy trying to find his missing daughter where all the action takes place entirely on computer screens and smartphones.
29 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 39 and S made me another epic cheesecake. We went over to the border to Wales to visit Dewstow Gardens and Grottos, something that made very happy and officially completed by entry into middle age. I had a belated birthday trip to Portsmouth with Mini W to see my parents and brother, and my mom made Mini W and me a joint birthday cake with marzipan Scrabble tiles.
30 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My mom not dying. Covid not being so rampant.
31 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2021?
Exactly the same as the last few years. I did buy a couple of beautiful skirts which make me very happy every time I wear them.
32 What kept you sane?
My husband. Wine. Reading. Friends. Hypnotherapy. Exercise. Walks in nature.
33 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No-one I can think of!
34 What political issue stirred you the most?
The Conservatives in general. I still can’t understand why anyone votes for them when you see their utter contempt for people. We started reading Private Eye more this year thanks to a subscription from my parents, and it’s opened my eyes even more to the corruption and shitness of our government.
35 Who did you miss?
My mom.
36 Who was the best new person you met?
I met a lovely lady through Mini W starting school, and really enjoy hanging out with her. Her daughter’s pretty lovely too and Mini W really likes her, so it works on every level.
37 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2021.
I already knew this, but this year just made it even more obvious: friends and family are everything.
38 Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“Gone, didn’t see it coming/
Never said I love you, hope you knew”
I did tell my mom I loved her but not enough. Sadly I did see it coming.
Postcards from the Edge (of the West Country) 