We made it!
Six weeks of sun, fun, family and sheer happiness. A normal summer. Invaluable. Priceless.
An enmasse gathering of geographically spread out family for Rosie's 2nd birthday that week worked beautifully, unspoilt by unseasonable drizzle.
This summer too I got to spend precious regular days out with my two more local granddaughters , time truly special. Last summer felt more circumspect, contact time more limited as families wrestling with the dilemmas of post Covid lockdown fears were trying to catch up with everyone and everything. Not enough time to go round. And all too soon lockdown struck again leaving me bereft with a scant paucity of memories. Not so this year. My heart is full of hugs, cuddles, kisses.
My own birthday family gathering was the only time Covid touched the family, missed by my daughter in law who fortunately was not too unwell and passed it on to no one at all. A minor blip in am otherwise glorious, happy and healthy holiday season.
My birthday also coincided with the Gov declaring that the double vaccinated no longer had to isolate on contact with anyone testing positive. Surreally bizarre. Issue was simply that with high numbers of Covid circulating, contact tracing and isolation was creating such a staff shortage throughout every industry that this was the only answer. In fairness, since introduced in mid August, the policy has not made much difference to the infection rate , still high, and it has released an imprisoned workforce. Fair enough.
It seems that those of us double jabbed, the vast majority of the country now, when unlucky enough to get Covid are no more or less likely to pass it directly than a person picking it up from the supermarket. It is everywhere. You either get it, or you don't.
Odds of being seriously ill when vaccinated are low so, like most people, I simply got on with enjoying my summer. Mask wearing, yes, most of the time, but in a soft play area with kids, its impossible. I took the risk, I am not missing out on anything else because of Covid.
Wonderful times too when my now too big house filled once again with children , rooms heaving with children, mess, paint, glue, music, dancing, every inch once again in use. Meals cooked with love for a family gathered round a table. Dawn starts with little ones sleepy bodies curling into mine. Bath times, story times, bug hunts, playground fun, the summer I wanted it was the summer I had and I am so grateful.
Now the children are at school. The house is silent. My weekdays are bare of grandchildren , only the youngest far away in Norfolk not at school now. There is a chill in the air. The Government announces the winter Covid plan as rates continue to soar, hospital admissions rise and deaths are creeping up.
Winter plan includes booster vaccines for the over 50s, single vaccinations for 12 to 15 year olds, controversial and not compulsory, and basically keeping your fingers crossed. Watch this space..........
But for now I am content. The bonds of last years stilted emotionally restrained reunions have loosened and broken free. I have had my normal summer, the time I longed for to fully restore family connections after so many lost months. Beyond words precious.
