Yule Blog: The Game of Life

Another three hundred and sixty five and a quarter days come and go, another glorious trip around the big old yellow fireball and in some ways it feels like we are back to the start of the game. Go directly to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect £200. I’m finding it difficult to discern 2021 from 2020 - still no nativity in school, no work night out and uncertainty and general confusion remains. Deja vu as Christmas conversations that used to start “Do Yorkshire puddings belong on a Christmas dinner, yes or no?” now begin “Do you think we’ll be locked down again?”. It hopefully won’t be as restrictive as before but it does amaze me how people adapt to new ways of living. Like remote goats navigating nigh-on vertical mountains, we somehow push ourselves to cope with the rockiest terrain. Those who have lost partners, children, siblings and parents yet manage to carry on helping and supporting others inspire my utmost admiration and empathy in a cynical world. As is sadly true for many of our friends, we’ve lost people very close to us during the past twelve months. But we’ve also happily welcomed new family members, as well as receiving the exciting news that a grand-child is due to join the Patrick posse in 2022. This all adds to a feeling of continuity, of handing traditions down to the next generation and the sense that we’re gradually transitioning into the roles our parents and grandparents played previously. A ray of hope flickers in the sky.

In the fifty spins of the planet since I joined the ride there’s been a whole host of game changes although some things have stayed much the same - such as intolerance and the relentless Yuletide misery of tv soap opera storylines. You can see differences and similarities in the seasonal presents we buy each other - this year a gift of liqueur chocolates put a huge smile on my face, taking me back to Christmases past. Musical gifts in the form of an LP or a CD have evolved into tickets for live events. The calendar is filling up pretty quickly with 10CC, Joe Satriani, Twenty One Pilots, Years and Years, Paul Young, Ed Sheeran, Abba, Duran Duran, Alan Partridge and Derren Brown all lined up to entertain us. I treated my husband, as tradition dictates, to some new underwear this year and even then there was an unexpectedly modern twist to them - turns out nothing says “I love you” like new “anti-bacterial” under-crackers for your partner. In the hurried mania of Christmas shopping, I’d failed to notice the description on the garments but it gave us a good giggle when opened. The scientists have really excelled themselves lately.

Last year my husband bought me this website to encourage me to write and share my scribbles with others, which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing. I’d like to say a massive thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read what I’ve written - it means a lot. These blogs are a way to set down thoughts, feelings and ideas that I’ll be able to look back on further down the line when my memory isn’t so good or if I just want to reminisce about old times. This year one of David’s very original gifts was sponsoring a seat at the Tyne Theatre. Not only does this help support local theatre but also it gives me a tiny bit of longevity. Like initials carved romantically into a tree, or a tattoo or a poem, it represents a sort of semi-permanence in an ever-changing world. Of course nothing is assured forever; trees fall, tattoos fade, buildings are replaced by shipping containers and student accommodation and all games come to an end sooner or later. All you can do is try to enjoy and endure the ride with all its ups and downs, twists and turns, friendships, fallouts, gamesmanship and out and out frustrations. You may not have the right set of instructions and they may not make much sense but hey! those anti-bacterial undies and liqueur chocolates will come in handy. I’m ready as I’ll ever be to buckle up and see what 2022 brings.

I don’t know how it will compare to a 2021 that included both me and the husband hitting a half century, our daughter turning 18 and heading off to University, a new job, the Euros, the superb Para-Olympics and Olympics, Emma Radacanu’s amazing journey, an incredible Strictly series and the emotional strain of a new Adele album being released on the world. Whatever 2022 brings may I wish all the best to you and your loved ones as we move from another bewildering cheese-filled season into the new year. We’ve got this!