Hi, how are you all?  I know I popped up last week with my 'new year goals' but I am hoping that this week is my proper return to routine.  Is there really such a thing post-lockdown?  I cannot believe what has happened in 2020 ... it still feels surreal and well you couldn't make it up could you?  I have gone from mild acceptance in the early days back in March to feeling totally lost and confused and frustrated with the conflicting decisions and the inconsistency.  I really worry about the long term implications that I suspect could be far worse than the number of Covid deaths, whilst these are all terribly sad, any loss of life is, but we are ignoring the implications for mental health, for disadvantaged children, for victims of domestic abuse, for those with dementia, the lack of healthcare and testing for cancer, heart disease and the like, the rise in the number of suicides, I could go on and on.  We have virtually shut down our travel industry.  We were asked to 'eat out to help out' at the same time as the Government announcing that we had to tackle obesity.  I appreciate that any Government put in this position would have struggled but I am feeling more than a bit let down I will be honest.

From a personal perspective, my plans for 2020 changed rather rapidly!   I had been expecting an empty nest from early spring.  My son was in the process of buying his first home and then it got delayed.  My daughter was at uni but had to come home.  So a lot later than expected, some sort of normal is back this weekend.  My son has finally been able to move and my daughter heads back to Bath on Sunday.  I appreciate I had it easier than most though, although there were times when things did get pretty bad!

I'm not back back quite yet to a full blog schedule but I am back to talk about my new year which always feels much more appropriate in September  with the new school year than in January!  I love setting my goals at the beginning of September and this year feels more relevant than ever.  It feels like the World has been asleep for the last 6 months (well actually it has) a bit like Sleeping Beauty and now we are all beginning to wake up and get on with life - the new normal. 

​I am pretty horrified at the slow pace though, you know that I am a big supporter of working at the office and not at home.  I am also really keen that we find a better perspective on the Covid-19 statistics, I am afraid I fall into the more relaxed camp and as long as we are all sensible (keep a bit of a distance in public places, wash or sanitise our hands regularly and watch out for symptoms) then I think life should get back to normal.

So what will be on my planning list this year?  Well to understand myself better, I like to look back at the previous year and of course my blog is great for being able to do that.  I also love to use my bullet journal to plan and look back (lots of bullet journal ideas here if you need some inspiration).

In September 2019 I was talking about the beginning of my empty nest and I had a very nervous daughter about to go off to Bath for university.  Well that was one hell of a bumpy ride initially, I did wonder if she'd make it, the homesickness was so bad.  But she did and now we are getting ready for her second year.