Following the Yellow Brick Road into 2021

Well, lockdown 3. 0 (for those on the western side of the central belt) has just been upgraded, and we're only 4 days in - my haphazard joking of the zombie apocalypse may yet come into fruition.

Jokes aside, I'm trying to remain optimistic and upbeat as we sail from 2020 into horizons unknown. Looking back at 2020, at the dumpster fire memes, at the bemoaning of a year wasted and a record breaking summer of sunshine lost, and... It wasn't all that bad.

I am very lucky. Whilst I know several people who have caught the virus, they have pulled through the other sides and, whilst recovery hasn't always been quick, they are all on the mend. This year we travelled to Chester, to Disneyland Paris, to Perth and our gorgeous shepherds hut and our surprise getaway to Durham. My husband spent an idle summer building me the wartime garden I've always wanted and, between shifts, we grew that beautiful garden together. He also beat a personal goal and lost 2 stone, the bugs bit him and he's determined to carry his good habits into this year.

Redeployment sucked. And it didn't. Seeing people daily whilst everyone lamented loneliness made me realise I was lucky. I got to feel valued. I stepped up and did something important. Of course there was frustrations and long days, but Missy was always ready to greet me with a smile and the hubby a hug. Honestly, they were my rock. 

Homeschooling on Skype wasn't easy either, but that has paid off in ways beyond what I could have hoped. My neice, a girl recommended not to do science, now has her teacher urging her to aim for a higher grade next year.

So I enter 2021 with optimism. Of course this new strain worries me, I look at my whole family, and my extended branch of close friends, who have weathered the year and sit like a house of cards around me, and, as always, I will endeavour to protect that stack in any way I can. So expect more random adventures and photos of Missy either looking like a badass heroine or an absolute goof ball, and expect more ramblings as I try and process the is strange new world. And stitching too, one mustn't forget to take time for thier own mental space.

Enough rambling. My Christmas/New Year break was quiet and refreshing. I slept, a lot. I ate sweets and chocolate, a lot. I crafted and stitched plenty and most of all, enjoyed the company of hubby and Missy. 

I feel refreshed and content. 

I had a really enjoyable Skype call with mum and sis building the family album (I may have got them over keen by enthusiastically pointing out how important 2020 would be in years to come) and today managed a social distanced walk out with my older sister, her hubby and eldest neice and nephew. This weeks letter for #leadthewayatoz was Y, so credit to my nephew who found us a Yellow Brick Road.

We also found some Yellow Girders too! It was very icy underfoot so we bravely skated our way around the Manuel Fire Brick and Refractory Works, abandoned in 2006. Missy looked pimp no matter where she posed and we all laughed about how the photos looked like a zombie apocalypse, and then our phones all went and we realised lockdown had been ramped up. That walk was the last time families could meet outdoors until, hopefully, February 1st. Two people from other households can meet, but not groups.

So a well timed get together! 

In other news, I managed to complete one project between Xmas and New year, this lovely sewing machine cover. It's retro and twee and has baby Lady in her hat box on it and I honestly love it to bits. My plates very full with 3 rather large projects, so it might go quiet on the craft front for a bit!

Well, I've rambled enough. I hope 2021 brings you all everything you wish for, and I wish you all luck and good health, and a dose of optimism.