The highs and lows of 2020!

For the last few years I have done this tag on recapping the last year! I think I originally got it from Woman on Thin Ice and I think it is a great way to remember the year although there is plenty that I want to forget about this year.

What a year 2020 was, words can not even begin to describe it! This time last year who'd have thought we'd have been wearing masks, had many lockdowns and couldn't see our loved one's. We didn't even know what social distancing was. Coronavirus has hit the world, our country and families hard.

1. What was your happiest event?

I would have to say spending time with my family during lockdown! We had got to a point where my girls had their own life with there friends and I was seeing very little of them. It is selfish of me but the first lockdown meant that they couldn't go out to meet them and had to spend time at home, with me! There was a lot of silver linings to the lockdown. Spending less money, appreciating people more, walking and doing DIY jobs around the house.

2. What was the saddest thing to happen?

I have 2 moments that were so sad. My dad testing positive for Coronavirus. Thankfully now he is recovering well, I wouldn't go as far to say he has fully recovered but he's getting there. It was awful to see what Covid did to him. He is 70 odd year old and was very active for his age. Having Coronavirus has aged him. He now looks his age and has to act his age, there is no more working 12 hours a day or lifting and carrying things.

We also lost a family friend to Covid. Ellie's best friends mum. She was an amazing woman. Kind, thoughtful, funny and just a good egg. When I read the news on Facebook all I thought was why? We were devastated for the loss of a good person and Ellie's friend who has lost her mother way before she should have. Sending love and hugs to you "R" if you are reading, I know you sometimes do.

3. What was the most unlikely thing to happen that actually went ahead and did?

Home schooling! I had always thought about home schooling Ellie especially when she was being bullied at her old school but after having to home school her for a few months before the summer holidays I have realised it isn't for us. We did try our best though and will be doing it again for a couple of weeks in January. I am sure we'll be fine. Eek! 

4. Who let you down?

I can't name names or say much about the situation but a family member did. They were given a fantastic opportunity and they screwed it up massively which caused a whole heap of stress for the rest of the family!

5. Who supported you?

So many people, especially when my dad was ill. We moved here knowing no one apart from my dad and his partner and now it feels like we have real friends and people we can rely on, especially when things are tough!

6. Tell us what you learned?

People are more idiotic than I ever thought they could be! Those who don't wear masks when they have no reason not to, Dominic Cummings, Boris, the idiot Hancock and those who think COVID-19 isn't real. I have probably been to the local shop about 10 times at the most since March and each time I have lost it with people who don't know how to social distance.to me.

7. Tell us what made you laugh?

Donald Trump and the US elections. His dancing and the farce it became. I can really see him having to be forcibly removed from the White House in a few weeks. I think I would pay to watch that. lol

8. Tell us the things that made you cry?

My dad being ill, Ellie's friends mum dying, Coronation Street, Captain Tom and all the videos of key workers, NHS staff and most things to do with Coronavirus.

9. Tell us three things your child or children did to make you feel proud. Please miss this question out if you are not a parent.

Becky my eldest made me so proud by coming out to us as gay. She had to really as she had a girlfriend that wanted to meet us and I am glad to say they're still together now and it's been nearly a year! 

Ellie has just been plodding on making us proud every day. We had a shaky start to home schooling but did get on well with it eventually.

Both of my girls being amazing and just dealing with Coronavirus the best they can.

10. Tell us the things that made you proud of yourself.

I have stood up for myself and my girls. I am not a person to argue back face to face with people but I have this year! I prime example of it was when we had Ellie's yearly hearing test with an idiot doctor who hadn't read her medical notes.

11. Tell us the challenges you overcame?

Not relying on my dad to help us out with things around the house and giving us lifts places because we had to keep our distance from him. It has been hard especially when we had an appointment in town and the buses stopped running for a few hours because of a crash on the Humber bridge. Usually I would have rang him to pick us up but couldn't because of social distancing. I did ring him to ask what the hell was going on and told us way more than the bus drivers told us.

12. Tell us the things you would like to change about your life in 2021.

There isn't much that I can think of. I say this every year, exercise more and eat better but that's about it. I would be happy to just get through the next year without stressing as much as I have this year.

Happy new year! Wishing you all the best for 2021.