[Marti talbott]

I had two major surgeries, spent a month in rehap, and ended the year with someone stealing my debit card. However...I didn't get covid! 

 

[NikOK]

Happy new year!  It sounds like you've had a rough one though, so, at least you can look forward to next year not being 2020.  I feel like a lot of people are doing that.  But I see that they are making a sequel to Coming To America, which is one of my favorite movies, so if it's good, 2021 might be looking up.  I don't really think it needed a sequel, but I'll watch it.

Anyways, hope things are better in the days/weeks/minutes to come.

 

[Marti talbott]

Happy new year! It sounds like you've had a rough one though, so, at least you can look forward to next year not being 2020. I feel like a lot of people are doing that. But I see that they are making a sequel to Coming To America, which is one of my favorite movies, so if it's good, 2021 might be looking up. I don't really think it needed a sequel, but I'll watch it.

Anyways, hope things are better in the days/weeks/minutes to come.

Thanks. I wonder how many books have been written this year about plagues. Hopefully, not all of them turned into zombies.

 

[Decon]

Happy New Year.

Worst year ever, considering most of it has been spent in isolation with Covid rampant. Hopefully next year will turn out better.

 

[jb1111]

2020.... It could have been a lot worse. Got through it. Happy New Year and peace to all.

 

[Doglover]

I suppose I am lucky; my only major trauma has been trying to get my driving licence renewed! I was sent a form at the beginning of December, which said save time and do it online, which I have always done in the past. So, I filled in all the details, including my passport number so they could verify my identity from that and use the same photograph. After all that, it informed me that I couldn't renew online as my passport wasn't valid. It is; I only got it last year for a trip to Australia. It also said my driving licence had expired; it hasn't. It expires on 13th January.

I waited in a queue on the phone helpline, only to be told after ten minutes that there were no agents available and I should call back later. I tried the chat line with the same result.

So, I filled in the paper form which clearly told me I don't need a new photograph, so I didn't send one. It was sent back to me because I didn't include a photograph. Unfortunately, the dog got to it before I did, so I had to queue up at the Post Office for a new form. Got all that together, including a new photograph, then discovered that to change photographs I needed £17 (only £14 if I do it online, which it won't let me do). But I can't fill in my card details; I need a cheque or a postal order. I don't have a cheque book and even if I did, they would likely need to wait for it to clear, time I do not have. So, I queued up yesterday at the Post Office to get a postal order, only to be told they haven't got any and I should come back on Saturday. Of course, they are only open in the mornings on Saturdays, so that's going to be a pain in the rear end.

I am running out of time. I am 73 and I don't fancy taking my driving test again. I think I would pass, as I was a driving instructor for twenty years and have always kept up my standards, but I only drive automatic now and that means I would have to get an automatic only licence. I would like to hang on to my manual licence, just in case. And I have no idea whether I would pass the theory test. This after having a full driving licence since 1970.

I did try phoning them again, but they are all on holiday until next week.

I suppose I'm lucky, but I am beginning to panic now. 

 

[cecilia_writer]

My mother-in-law died in February and my husband died at the end of November, somewhat more unexpectedly. Although he didn't die of Covid, the pandemic made everything worse as we were not allowed to visit him once he was in hospital, and the funeral had to be done in a socially distanced way and without some of his closest family there. A couple of weeks after that, my daughter-in-law's mother was in intensive care.

On the plus side, like Marti, we didn't catch Covid, and in fact right at the end of 2020 my daughter-in-law got her first vaccination as she is a pharmacy worker. Also my own close family live near me so I've been able to see my 2 year old grandson from time to time.
And I've carried on writing throughout all of it.
Happy New Year!

 

[Lydniz]

My mother-in-law died in February and my husband died at the end of November, somewhat more unexpectedly. Although he didn't die of Covid, the pandemic made everything worse as we were not allowed to visit him once he was in hospital, and the funeral had to be done in a socially distanced way and without some of his closest family there. A couple of weeks after that, my daughter-in-law's mother was in intensive care.

I'm sorry about your husband and your MIL, Cecilia.

 

[unkownwriter]

Sorry about your losses, Cecilia. I lost my brother unexpectedly in July, about 18 months after our father died. Luckily, he didn't have Covid, but he was alone, no family. He did have a nice roommate, who got him help when he started hemorrhaging in the middle of the night (due to very high blood pressure). Oddly enough, we got to go and see him shortly after he passed, without an issues, even got to spend time with the roommate. It makes no sense, but there you are.

So, 2020 was a sucky year. Mourning, watching the world fall apart, and not being able to get my own health checks, as the clinic doctors are all busy taking care of Covid patients. (We found out my 90 year old aunt, who is in poor health, apparently had Covid, and never a symptom or side effect at all!)

 

[cecilia_writer]

Thank you both. We all had complicated relationships with my husband as he had mental health issues. However my sons and I have grown closer to his sister and her family since he became ill so that is quite a big silver lining.

 

[Gareth K Pengelly]

A terrible year, but have my health, my partner, and my dogs, so I consider myself luckier than many.

Sorry to all of you who've had bad things happen, wish you all a better new year.

Doglover - can't you do it all online now? I swear every time I've had to do anything with my licence lately, (change address etc), I've done it all online.