Its been a while but we are getting there. Much of Europe has said it will be interested in our presence once the Foreign Office lifts its restrictions and the year can, albeit with differences, get back underway.
I've lost pretty much all of the holidays I had planned for this year and am waiting for various codes to come through telling me I can now safely start asking for a refund.
So this year is a non-year?
It's been profitable, not necessarily from a financial position because I think my savings will have taken quite a hit, but in terms of jobs completed around the house and garden, most certainly.
I am now thinking about future plans for the garden, planting fruit trees, introducing more soft fruits, it'll be good once done. Then there's the front garden, either sodden in winter or baked in the summer. Facing almost due south it takes a beating most of the year so a beautiful grassy lawn with pretty flowers is out, instead its going to morph into a gravel garden with continental plantings of grasses, rosemary, Californian poppies, Sedum and the Yukka which seems to be all too well established.
Next, where to go in this country?
I've already organised a cruise for next year which will take me around the islands of the UK, but I'm looking at getting to different places as a foot passenger; places like Isle of Wight, Orkney, Hebrides, Channel Islands......
So far the hunt has proved very interesting and am getting excited at the prospect. The combination of train, ferry and car is exhilarating and stopping in somewhere like Kirkwall (which I fell in love with when I last visited) would be about the cost of a two week continental holiday. OK, not the cheapest but it would be exciting none the less.
Then there's the concept of train, hotel, train, hotel et al where I get to go to different towns and cities and stay over for one or two days, depending, and then travel on to the next destination.
As I was typing this, I saw myself with my small suitcase in tow heading for Kings Cross/Euston/St Pancras and shimmying with great excitement towards the departure board. OOH, I can feel the excitement now, seeing the train and the sign, "platform to be announced", then going off in search of coffee, cake and a packet of sandwiches or something similar to have on the train, then walking to the platform and getting on board, settling into the pre-booked seat, case in the rack above me ready for the off.
For me the fun is in the travelling and the exploringing, I don't need the stopping and the vegetating.
So, a New Normal yes indeed and I am really excited at the prospect.