Well, that was mostly a yawn of a year wasn’t it?
Another totally tragic twelve months living the semi-Lockdown life, again – with two no fun New Year’s Eves acting as boring bookends to the latest ride on the Coronacoaster.
But 2021 saw our tough town boldly limping on with a few months of terrible table service, mandatory mask wearing, gigs gone for what felt like for good, and sports played spectator free…until, stands back in amazement, the victorious vaccine landed.
Cue, scores of Barrians battling their way to Holm View throughout the Summer get a shot in the arm, and, maybe, a glimpse of a new normal…well, at least after the second one!
Thank God too it gave me something to write about too – one of the only things that has keep me sane..ish though this pandemic palaver.
So I was super chuffed to bits when I was asked to write a regular opinion column for the brand, new shiny Glamorgan Star.
So sweet to see the stunning success of all the town’s news and views perfect in print, and online too. Thirty-two thousand readers also think so. Thank you.
Shout out to the late, great, Sharon Harris, journalist and friend, who was right there at the start. Rest in Peace star reporter – you are missed.
Autumn though eventually turned out to be a marvellous memory for me. I had my luscious locks at back to Blonde, my beauty therapy was back on track, I went ‘out, out,’ to Gig again, and my Boy was back in College. Hallelujah to the last one, all that constant cooking, cleaning, and child care – it was like being a 1950’s housewife.
Talk about a false sense of security. No sooner could you say ‘light at the end of the Hood Road tunnel,’ it all went Pete Tong and we were flung into an another nightmare. Drat!
Along came the Marvel villain-sounding Omicron strain.
Wales ramped up the restrictions, the battle of bagging early boosters began, lateral flow testing took over the world, and we once again became an isolation nation.
Let’s hope we can get through this month – without succumbing to the virus…or spending it dry… or eating only plants – we’ve all got enough to deal without those grim gimmicks in my view.
And look forward to our beautiful Barry living with crazy Corona to become a cracking community again
I’m crossing everything.
Speak soon.
Mrs SVJ
The Voice of Our Community
Sue Vincent-Jones, blogging as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and communications specialist. She writes about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
My Corona Virus Diary is where Sue gives her view on this pandemic palaver – the long lingering Lockdown, our queer quarantine, the isolation nation, and how our town took to these crazy Covid-19 times.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.