2020- The Covid-19 Year.
Reasons to be cheerful
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, but the QCC Caff has been open 24/7 as usual. No social distancing or masks required, no limits on how or when to meet. We have done our daily crossword every day, moaned about it, laughed about it and kept each other company.
As the year comes to an end we reflect on the positive aspects that this unusual time has brought us.
(Remember to click on the pictures to get full size)
As the year comes to an end we reflect on the positive aspects that this unusual time has brought us.
(Remember to click on the pictures to get full size)
ChrissyK
Realising we really want to make the move to Suffolk and rediscovering baking- Christmas treats for goodie bags to be delivered to my Re-engage group of elderly guests tomorrow. Best wishes to everyone in the Caff wherever and whoever they are.
Joy Amanda
I wanted to contribute as it's been such a lousy year but wasn't initially sure I could think of anything positive. However, if you spend a bit of time it's still possible to find some small glimmer of hope, things that would not have happened without the virus. Once I found one positive I kept finding them amongst the photos. Below are my favourite 3 events that would not have happened without covid...
The Upside of Joy Amanda’s 2020Keen gardener but never grown veg before. Lockdown and conservatory gave me the opportunity to grow my first ever tomatoes, salad leaves, courgettes and peppers. Bowl shows my early produce, that served us well, maintaining our physical and spiritual wellbeing over the summer.
The bike I got for my 13th birthday, rescued from my old family home when Mam came to live with us. Made roadworthy again using a £50 government voucher scheme offered during the lockdown. Clocked up many enjoyable and revitalising pre-breakfast miles over the summer and autumn mornings.
My 58th birthday. Normally a large family event with two of our three daughters having their birthdays one day either side of mine. Lockdown has made it so much more difficult as a family but it has brought my husband and I closer, so fortunate to have such a wonderful companion (and chef).
The Upside of Joy Amanda’s 2020Keen gardener but never grown veg before. Lockdown and conservatory gave me the opportunity to grow my first ever tomatoes, salad leaves, courgettes and peppers. Bowl shows my early produce, that served us well, maintaining our physical and spiritual wellbeing over the summer.
The bike I got for my 13th birthday, rescued from my old family home when Mam came to live with us. Made roadworthy again using a £50 government voucher scheme offered during the lockdown. Clocked up many enjoyable and revitalising pre-breakfast miles over the summer and autumn mornings.
My 58th birthday. Normally a large family event with two of our three daughters having their birthdays one day either side of mine. Lockdown has made it so much more difficult as a family but it has brought my husband and I closer, so fortunate to have such a wonderful companion (and chef).
Spanishscot
Good and bad times these year but looking on the positive side:
A chance to consider what is really important in my life and being thankful for the good things I have and the people I love and love me.
For the first time I did tai chi in the open air and have continued to do it even in the middle of winter.
I walked around a beautiful and empty Edinburgh, revisited many places I hadn't been to for years and discovered some new ones I didn't know. Those solitary walks in continuous brilliant sunshine will be a very good memory of 2020.
Zoom helped me to keep in touch with friends all over the world. Those friendships have been reinforced in this difficult year and our regular distance meetings have been real comfort and joy.
All the best to everyone and best wishes for the year to come.
A chance to consider what is really important in my life and being thankful for the good things I have and the people I love and love me.
For the first time I did tai chi in the open air and have continued to do it even in the middle of winter.
I walked around a beautiful and empty Edinburgh, revisited many places I hadn't been to for years and discovered some new ones I didn't know. Those solitary walks in continuous brilliant sunshine will be a very good memory of 2020.
Zoom helped me to keep in touch with friends all over the world. Those friendships have been reinforced in this difficult year and our regular distance meetings have been real comfort and joy.
All the best to everyone and best wishes for the year to come.
MrsMatisse
During these dark times it’s lovely to look back and see what carried me through....
The beautiful Sussex countryside, grand meals Chez Nous from Him Indoors, the ‘blossoming’ of a more carefree summer and a chance to meet all my babies again.
Here we have an April day at Pooh Bridge, a summer’s stroll through Hartfield churchyard with Grandad and big yellow taxi, my big handful of gorgeous people at Kew and my highest score to date when playing Feud with my US sister cousin. (My newly discovered lockdown activity. We play every day now.)
All things must pass.
Wishing you all many good things to come.
The beautiful Sussex countryside, grand meals Chez Nous from Him Indoors, the ‘blossoming’ of a more carefree summer and a chance to meet all my babies again.
Here we have an April day at Pooh Bridge, a summer’s stroll through Hartfield churchyard with Grandad and big yellow taxi, my big handful of gorgeous people at Kew and my highest score to date when playing Feud with my US sister cousin. (My newly discovered lockdown activity. We play every day now.)
All things must pass.
Wishing you all many good things to come.
Deelfi
I've always known I live in a beautiful place but this year has made me appreciate it even more..
AussieK
2020 NSW Australia, horrendous bushfires moved into pandemic.
January to March were busy and full of music from my (adult) musician children. Then lockdown, concerts all cancelled but they moved to online recordings and zoom gigs. Two cats from the RSPCA joined our family. Recently a few live concerts, outside, socially distanced, reduced audience. A glimmer of hope. Hang in there everyone, stay safe and smile as if you know a secret - it will drive everyone else mad!
1. My daughter (in blue shirt) with Steel City Strings. Isolation Strings, online concert series.
2. My son (on violin) and flatmate recording from their balcony in Brisbane.
3. New family members, Freya and Minnie
January to March were busy and full of music from my (adult) musician children. Then lockdown, concerts all cancelled but they moved to online recordings and zoom gigs. Two cats from the RSPCA joined our family. Recently a few live concerts, outside, socially distanced, reduced audience. A glimmer of hope. Hang in there everyone, stay safe and smile as if you know a secret - it will drive everyone else mad!
1. My daughter (in blue shirt) with Steel City Strings. Isolation Strings, online concert series.
2. My son (on violin) and flatmate recording from their balcony in Brisbane.
3. New family members, Freya and Minnie
Daisy
Sunny memories, a portent of flowers to come & hopes for a better 2021.
Susanhenna
I suppose all clouds have a silver lining if you look hard enough. I have missed travelling, but not the packing, unpacking, and airport queues. I have missed family visits, but not all the extra laundry and worrying about meals. I have cooked and baked more at leisure, communicated more with old friends and family, done more armchair travelling, discovered Netflix, attended zoom events without having to brave the cold and rain, or look for parking. Here are a few photos representing disparate elements of the year - walks in light and dark - some masks (a few of them with experimental mouth visors) so kindly made for me in smaller sizes by Encre Violette - our recent Chanukah lights at home - cooking experiments - the baby photo, a reminder of our trips into the loft to rediscover our past - the neighbourhood cat, our only visitor allowed to make himself at home.
Subernoj
The four stages of Living with a Covid Pandemic - as demonstrated in one afternoon's sleep by our wee nipper, Travis.
Stage 1 (Picture 1) - Virus? What virus? Ok, things seem to be fairly normal for a nearly-two-year-old, so I'll just have a nap and it'll all be good when I wake up.
Stage 2 (Picture 2) - Things have changed a bit in the world since I fell asleep. I'm still asleep, but I needed to change my outlook and cover up for protection.
Stage 3 (Picture 3) - It's getting fairly dire now. Yes, I'm still asleep, but maybe if I bury my head, all the world's troubles will disappear. I've abandoned my covering up because I really can't see the problem now.
Stage 4 (Picture 4) - Right, life seems very uncomfortable now but bugger it, I think I'll just stay asleep for the time being. Wake me up when it's all over, will you.
Stage 1 (Picture 1) - Virus? What virus? Ok, things seem to be fairly normal for a nearly-two-year-old, so I'll just have a nap and it'll all be good when I wake up.
Stage 2 (Picture 2) - Things have changed a bit in the world since I fell asleep. I'm still asleep, but I needed to change my outlook and cover up for protection.
Stage 3 (Picture 3) - It's getting fairly dire now. Yes, I'm still asleep, but maybe if I bury my head, all the world's troubles will disappear. I've abandoned my covering up because I really can't see the problem now.
Stage 4 (Picture 4) - Right, life seems very uncomfortable now but bugger it, I think I'll just stay asleep for the time being. Wake me up when it's all over, will you.
Boveyphil
Here's a couple of pictures for the extravaganza.
Springtimeflowers
Lockdown epiphany for Springtimeflowers.
Our lockdown epiphany began a little while into the process; as far as I can remember it was in April, after Mr Springtime had been in hospital. We were so grateful for him having come though the experience in one piece that we turned from railing against the constraints imposed by Covid to deciding to take pleasure instead from our immediate surroundings; to delight in doing what we could do, rather than being upset about what we couldn’t do.
Photo number one is of Billy Bongo on our balcony, which he loves. It’s the vantage point from which he can keep tabs on everything that’s going on outside. And, of course, it’s wonderful for us to sit out on, weather permitting; which, happily, it has been on numerous occasions. Beverages have been consumed, books have been read, and chit chat with passers by on the riverbank has cheered our days.
Photo number two is of a ship. Well, of course! This is Tharsis, one of the very first that we noticed after we’d moved in. She passes by regularly and sometimes we get a wave from the crew, which is lovely. And the clouds! Never have we lived anywhere with such fabulous cloudscapes.
Photo number three is of one of the beautiful plants in our flower bed. It’s the first time in many, many years that we’ve had a clean slate for building a garden from scratch. The RHS has done very well out of us this year but we don’t mind at all, the more the merrier.
So, there it is in a nutshell. Well, not quite, because I do tend to ramble on …
Our lockdown epiphany began a little while into the process; as far as I can remember it was in April, after Mr Springtime had been in hospital. We were so grateful for him having come though the experience in one piece that we turned from railing against the constraints imposed by Covid to deciding to take pleasure instead from our immediate surroundings; to delight in doing what we could do, rather than being upset about what we couldn’t do.
Photo number one is of Billy Bongo on our balcony, which he loves. It’s the vantage point from which he can keep tabs on everything that’s going on outside. And, of course, it’s wonderful for us to sit out on, weather permitting; which, happily, it has been on numerous occasions. Beverages have been consumed, books have been read, and chit chat with passers by on the riverbank has cheered our days.
Photo number two is of a ship. Well, of course! This is Tharsis, one of the very first that we noticed after we’d moved in. She passes by regularly and sometimes we get a wave from the crew, which is lovely. And the clouds! Never have we lived anywhere with such fabulous cloudscapes.
Photo number three is of one of the beautiful plants in our flower bed. It’s the first time in many, many years that we’ve had a clean slate for building a garden from scratch. The RHS has done very well out of us this year but we don’t mind at all, the more the merrier.
So, there it is in a nutshell. Well, not quite, because I do tend to ramble on …
FriedFish
In 2020 I learned to find pleasure in little things on my own doorstep.
Mummi5
Exploring, watering, welcoming, returning and happy Christmas!
BermudaRhomboid2
I’ve attached a picture of the fire I’m currently sat in front of as something that makes me smile a lot in all this greyness! The beach is the one I metaphorically walk to when I can’t sleep- it’s just outside Barmouth and beautiful!
Dunnock49
My life hasn't changed too much, other than fewer visitors and extra video and telephone calls, and daily messaging with daughters.
I spent as much of the summer as possible in the garden, sometimes with visiting local friends, or out in the front chatting to neighbours.
Both daughters did manage to visit for separate weekends in July. My gardening daughter found a fine thistle and made a lovely posy with other flowers from my meadow - lesser knapweed, yarrow, ladies' bedstraw, with some osteospermum - for the kitchen windowsill. Ladies' bedstraw smells strongly of honey and it filled the kitchen with its lovely scent.
The dead willow that I had taken down last year, leaving the main trunk/stump to nature, produced a glorious display of bracket fungus.
First daughter is mum to grandkitty aka Buffy aka The Boof. She accompanies them when visiting me, so just the once this year. Here she is waiting to help her dad with a bit of gardening. Second daughter babysat a lone Legbar chick for a few weeks. It became very attached to her, and here they are watching telly together during a phone chat. Their lovely, funny, interesting photos have kept me going all year.
I spent as much of the summer as possible in the garden, sometimes with visiting local friends, or out in the front chatting to neighbours.
Both daughters did manage to visit for separate weekends in July. My gardening daughter found a fine thistle and made a lovely posy with other flowers from my meadow - lesser knapweed, yarrow, ladies' bedstraw, with some osteospermum - for the kitchen windowsill. Ladies' bedstraw smells strongly of honey and it filled the kitchen with its lovely scent.
The dead willow that I had taken down last year, leaving the main trunk/stump to nature, produced a glorious display of bracket fungus.
First daughter is mum to grandkitty aka Buffy aka The Boof. She accompanies them when visiting me, so just the once this year. Here she is waiting to help her dad with a bit of gardening. Second daughter babysat a lone Legbar chick for a few weeks. It became very attached to her, and here they are watching telly together during a phone chat. Their lovely, funny, interesting photos have kept me going all year.
GaujardAntigone
I have been trying to think of how to express something up-lifting for the Caff web-site and there is something but it is unravelling rather too slowly! However, the story is still not quite there but maybe by December 30th.
I am sending it to you simply as 'Dungeon Window', which doesn't sound too promising but I think it will be enjoyed in the end.
My best wishes to you all.
I am sending it to you simply as 'Dungeon Window', which doesn't sound too promising but I think it will be enjoyed in the end.
My best wishes to you all.
The picture was taken by a friend, who is an artist and who has an eye for these things. The picture has meant so much to me this year as I reflected on the dilemma of being locked away and of how the pain has been tempered by 'light' filtering through; of pain and joy mingling together. This is to acknowledge that some of the 'light' has come from you in joyful stories and anecdotes but also, and mainly, through honest thoughts about the difficulties and frustrations. Yet, the high points were when folk rallied round and empathised with those who were down. Those were the moments that earned a gold rosette for being among the 'most uplifting' of all.
Dungeon Window
High above my sight line
is a window space
and though I'm closed
off from the earth around me
I have glimpses of the sky
through cracks - for there's
no tongue and groove
in the ancient shutter.
From here I watch and,
when the light is bright,
ghostly shadows of trees
can be seen dancing
as though I'm living within
Plato's Cave but when
the night returns, moonlight
squeezes through the cracks
and bursts as narrowed starlight,
fearless, sparkling like shards
of glass or bone, reminders
of home; carcasses of
a life that once I lived.
Just before Christmas,
a messenger brought news*
of a reprieve, a release
from bondage, but I trembled,
uncertain that I could do
without my cave; this cocoon
in which the darkness and the light
have danced a dance together,
safe. But come 2021,
should they undo the catch,
I won't hesitate for long
before I'm gone, bounding
across the savannah,
in a race to out-run time,
perhaps.
Dungeon Window
High above my sight line
is a window space
and though I'm closed
off from the earth around me
I have glimpses of the sky
through cracks - for there's
no tongue and groove
in the ancient shutter.
From here I watch and,
when the light is bright,
ghostly shadows of trees
can be seen dancing
as though I'm living within
Plato's Cave but when
the night returns, moonlight
squeezes through the cracks
and bursts as narrowed starlight,
fearless, sparkling like shards
of glass or bone, reminders
of home; carcasses of
a life that once I lived.
Just before Christmas,
a messenger brought news*
of a reprieve, a release
from bondage, but I trembled,
uncertain that I could do
without my cave; this cocoon
in which the darkness and the light
have danced a dance together,
safe. But come 2021,
should they undo the catch,
I won't hesitate for long
before I'm gone, bounding
across the savannah,
in a race to out-run time,
perhaps.