Covid-19's first birthday

It's been about one year since news of the pandemic started circulating.

A writer on The Guardian asked people what they were missing and this was my response:

I'm not a huggy person, so I don't miss personal contact. In fact, it's a relief not to have people lunge at you to give you a hug.

However, I miss being able to mingle with people, to sit with like-minded people in a dark cinema, eating popcorn and enjoying a film together.

I miss going for a walk with my walking group and having conversations on all sorts of things with different people throughout the walk.

I miss being able to sit back in a cafe with a friend and chat over a coffee while enjoying the sunshine.

I miss being in a library and trawling through the newspapers and journals to see what interesting information catches my eye.

I miss going to the monthly 'oldies disco' and to the fun quiz evening and 'Anjas Singabend', what I call 'mass karaoke', and enjoying being with lots of like-minded people all having a great time with no worries about what other people are thinking of them.

I miss being able to teach English in evening classes with all the people sitting so they can all see and interact with each other.

I miss going to my evening classes and singing together or relaxing while we all draw and sketch together. That's my 'mediation'.

I miss seeing the early morning crowd in the gym and feeling my muscles get to work on the various weight machines.

I miss browsing in bookshops. I miss browsing in shops, full stop. I need a new address book. Too many people I know move a lot. Yes, I could order it online, but I want to feel it in my hands first, though.

I miss going to the outdoor swimming pool in the summer months. A nice swim and then sit in the shade of a tree with a good book, occasionally watching the other bathers enjoy themselves.

I miss a lot. And I'm really angry that people are just not getting the message about keeping their distance.