More Tears...

 Dear Marmite

It was a great shock when a message bleeped through on my phone last night that we were going into tier 4. This obviously is worse than the tier 3 that started just yesterday. I had no time at all to experience tier 3 so I cannot say that life is worse now we are in tier 4.

The big thing is that Christmas is cancelled. All my plans have been scuppered and the turkey will now last well into February. When I first heard the news I went into denial. This could not possibly be so. In addtion to this year's cancellation, being in Hanoi last year means that for two years I will not have celebrated in the Woolhead traditional style. I like to go big with my Christmas Day plans. One day I will again.

When the news started to sink in, I saw myself sitting with a full Christmas dinner in front of me - all by myself. The Christmas tree lights would be twinkling, the Christmas decorations would all be up. I imagined myself having to hold both ends of the cracker to pull it and  it would be foolish of me not to drink the whole bottle of prosecco - who drinks flat fizz the next day?

Richard and Danielle were going to stay at his mother's place but travel between areas is off the cards too so at least I have company to pull a cracker with. Now we can all look ridiculous together wearing our paper hats for the day. It will be a Christmas but not as we know it. 

You are probably out of the loop with this. In southern England there is a mutant strain of the virus that spreads even easier. This is why the government have suddenly jumped into overdrive with new rules and further closures of anything remotely pleasurable. 

Billie Bumps arrival is imminent. Danielle probably won't have room for too much pudding this year and she certainly won't be raising a glass. As much as I feel anger with the way the whole crisis has been handled over here, I do feel protective of Danielle and Billie Bump so I am being cautious - so cautious in fact, that we had to climb on the railings of a bridge to get over a flood today! We were well away from any contact with potential viruses but we could have got quite wet. No sweat!

This is the first year I won't be thinking of how I can sort the turkey out to make treats for you. I used to boil down the bones for broth and flavour rice with it. Thinking of things I did for you like that make me miss you more. I know you are in good hands though and that life is good for you. You are in a good place altogether.

To you and all my friends in Singapore and around the world. Merry Christmas. However, you spend it, it will be different. The world is a different place.

Love you loads, Marms

XXX