I gave up on that post; you're gonna have to settle for this one.

I had plans. All sorts of plans to write one of those month-by-month summation of the year past posts.

I would have written the post as much for me as for you, as I think you know by now that I do not remember my own life. There are no pictures in my head to help me remember. When Sandy or Pat come for their annual visit, I pull up photos on my computer from their last visit to show me what we did. Otherwise when one of them arrives I might declare "just wait till I take you to Hall's Harbour, you're gonna love it!". To which they of course will respond, "Oh I loved Hall's Harbour when we went there last year."

Exhibit A: Pat at Hall's Harbour. Tide in.

Exhibit B: Sandy at Hall's Harbour. Tide out.

If I haven't taken a photo of it, it never happened. And even then when I look at a photograph, it just proves that it happened, but my mind doesn't fill in anything surrounding that photo. No conversations or memories of other things we did... worse still ... no feelings.

The Old Burying Ground in downtown Halifax

Last March I flew to Ontario to visit family and friends. I'd booked the flight many months in advance. My timing was either appalling or fortuitous. I was due to arrive on March 12 and leave on March 19, BUT Covid-19 became "a thing" mid-visit. Still, I got to see but not touch many folk I love and care about.

A message from Porter airlines telling me to "return home immediately" meant that I flew home two days early. So I got to spend my 70th birthday doing something I love more than just about anything; flying.

Birthday lunch at 25,000 feet !

So, no annual visit last year from my chums in 2020 and let's face it, they won't be able to come again in 2021.

And it's been a year since I was able to celebrate birthdays with Sara and Kelly.

Daily walks in the woods with my dogs are still my sanity savers.

Not to forget gardening, and exploring this glorious little province.

Happily I can still get together with a friend from a distance.

And life goes on.

I'm not sure what I set out to tell you.

Life is different and the same. I think more than anything I miss hugging. Covid has changed the distance between us but not between our hearts. Sounds schmaltzy but it's true.

When it's all done in a year or so will we appreciate so much more the things we took for granted before or will we quickly forget ?