Thursday 9th
I am on the train back from London. Yesterday was the final iprovision trustees meeting, and also my final meeting as I had decided at the end of last year not to seek a second four-year term. I hadn’t told anyone, as there wasn’t much point; if I’d stood down we’d have been unable to properly conduct business, and I wasn’t about to do that during the pandemic. But we have a ‘ninth’ now, so I can step down safely.
After that, check in at my hotel and then go for a walk from St Pancras to the venue when a PR chum was holding a book launch. And attend the Yorks & Lincs AGM via Zoom while walking there (I was listening in rather than speaking any). The walking route took me parallel to Regent Street, which meant I could have cut across Langham Street and walked past new Broadcasting House. Except I was preoccupied with the AGM, and didn’t. Last time I was that was in the mid-1990s, with Tracy; she took a photo of me outside Broadcasting House as-was. Ho hum.
Monday 13th
I’m working, but apart from the Communications drinks last Thursday (which I had to miss, as I’d already booked an evening meal with Charmaine) the only meal is with the regulars down the pub in town we gather in. Ironically, this is the pub next door to Wellington House, where I used to work and should be working now were we not all working from home (although I’d spend time in City Exchange as well – it’s complicated). Anyway: it was fun, and the food was good too. And I left at a sensible hour so that I could get to bed for work the next day 😉
Tuesday 21st
The flat is looking like Santa’s grotto, but with stuff to be returned rather than presents for others (they all want gift cards). There’s two 10” LED lamps with dreadful stands (I had to use my own), and an XL dressing gown for my up-coming hospital stay, which isn’t the size I ordered. Having bought lots of things on eBay for camera reasons (and I really must do that photography post!) some of them will be going back on eBay early in the New Year.
Thursday 23rd
It’s cancer. Bugger. And I didn’t need the replacement dressing gown I’d ordered (which is still too large) so I’ll wrap that up, unused, for return as well.
Saturday 25th
Christmas Day. Hurrah! I’m not one for Christmas; neither is my brother. But he still drives up and we go to my sister’s for some decent food. This year it’s just the five of us (down two from 2017) and as we have literally not been physically close for two years thanks to Covid it was, actually fun.
On the way out I even got a hug from my niece. She’s not the hugging type, it’s about once per decade. I must be ill…
My brother did give us the must-have gift this Christmas though; a pack of lateral flow tests!
Friday 31st
I’ve enjoyed working the last three days (two on my own). This might be because I’ve not worked for so long; or it might be because we’re working from home, so I can sort-of have a lie-in and still make the 9am daily team meeting.
It’s a strange end to the year. I’m sort-of in a good place, and better than the one I’ve been in for the last two years. It might get even better, professionally, for a few months in 2022. But the big ‘C’ is hanging over every plan I might make. The appointment letter hasn’t arrived yet, and it won’t be until a week or so after going under the knife (no actual knife involved) that I get closer to any sort of certainty.
Ah well. Bring it on, 2022!