So, who spotted the difference between 2020 and 2021? OK, 2021 was not quite a re-run of the previous year, but there were moments when it felt like it. Covid dominated everything, travel was a non-starter, even the occasional lock down in case we felt nostalgic for darker days of 2020. But that’s where the comparison should stop really, despite the surface similarities, it was a different year.
The main big item of news from us this year, we moved! When we penned this annual missive last year, we had just put the house at Raby Bay on the market. It did not take long to sell. We had an extended settlement period to March to give us a little time to find a new place, but the pressure was on. Our attempts to find somewhere in Jacky’s preferred suburbs did not go well. The handful of houses on the market that met the exacting list of requirements came down to less than a handful, and they were all rejected or fell by the wayside for other reasons. In the end we had no option but to alter the search criteria and widen the search area, which is how come we ended up in Wellington Point. Not that far from where we were but at least vaguely in the direction Jacky wanted to go in. We moved in March. The scope of the downsize has taken some adjusting to, in fact Jacky is of the opinion that we may have overdone it. So, watch this space for another move, maybe, who knows!
Australian Citizens were blocked from overseas travel for almost all of 2021, currently we can leave the country, there is just no certainty we could get back into Queensland as each state has made up its own COVID rules and regulations. On the plus side this has meant that for QLD (so far at least) being hardly touched by COVID. The flip side though has been that even interstate travel has been blocked. So, for the first year ever over here, we had been limited to travel only within Queensland. But that’s not quite a bad as it might sound, it’s a big place with much to offer. Highlight trips this year have been to Port Douglas (twice) and the Bunya Mountains for a long weekend with a group of friends. We spent a few days in Toowoomba to see the festival of flowers, which was very nice and may be down for a repeat visit year. We also did a few days up on the Sunshine Coast at Caloundra and just soaked up all the nice things the Sunny Coast has to offer.
Family wise there have been some nice things happening. Amy hit a ‘significant’ birthday, impolite to mention a ladies age of course, but let’s just say the first digit changed! Her fiancé Jacob organised a fun surprise birthday dinner for her. Amy and Jacob had their engagement party in May, a big full on ‘Rockabilly’ style event. The wedding is set for next April and we are really hoping that travel restrictions will have opened up to let several family members travel over from the UK. Flights and accommodation are booked, so fingers crossed! Amy’s was not the only significant birthday though, John also reached a key milestone birthday (you can do the maths) and never being one to pass up an opportunity to celebrate, a dinner event with around 30 or so close friends and associates was arranged. Unfortunately, the dark hand of COVID reached out once again, the very morning of the dinner, a snap lockdown was imposed on Brisbane! A few of us managed to convene on-line via Zoom for a virtual alternative that evening, which was fun, especially as doing that meant John’s sister Joan could join from the UK. But not quite the same as the real thing of course.
On a more sombre note though, it was not all good news this year. In October we lost Jeremy Wallis in the UK, an old friend of John’s from Sony days and, through that connection, father of Jacky’s sister Jo’s three daughters. Although we had lost touch in more recent years, it was still a sad and premature loss. Also, in November a friend and business associate of John’s over here passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. It would be easy to get a little maudlin and reflect that the grim reaper gets a little closer each year, or on the other hand you can resolve to do the very best you can with the time you have left, we choose the latter option.
On which note we are very much hoping that travel will open up and that we can see friends and relatives overseas again. Plus, Jacky is determined to get back to Antarctica and South Georgia once again, we were originally scheduled to be back there again at the moment as it happens. Jacky needs her fix of Penguins and vast white spaces though, so maybe this time next year all being well. As for getting to Europe in 22, well that’s a bit more of an open question. If we can, we will, but this COVID/Omicron thing will need to get sorted first maybe.
So, here’s hoping that you and yours can all stay safe and whatever passes for ‘normal’ can be restored again soon.
Happy Christmas and Happy New year from all of us.
