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 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 vaccine landed.
Cue, scenes of 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.
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 news and views from the town I know and love 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 launch. 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 last 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.
But wasn’t that just lulling us into 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 a Omicron nightmare. Drat!
Since then it has all slid downhill faster than when I tackled the Trinity Street slope on a tea tray in the snow of 2010. #truestory.
Along came the Marvel villain sounding Omicron. Wales ramped up the restrictions, the battle of early boosters began, lateral flow testing took over the world, and we once again became an isolation nation.
Ever the optimist, I believe though that this year is the start of the recovery.
And I like forward to our beautiful Barry becoming a cracking community again – from Scouts Fete to Firework Fiesta, GlastonBarry to Goodsheds, and everything else in between.
I’m crossing everything.
Speak soon
Mrs SVJ
The Voice Of Our Community
Sue Vincent-Jones, writing as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and communications specialist. She blogs about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
Sue’s Views, the reboot of her much-loved infamous B&D opinion column from back in the day, is where Sue gives her take on the hot topics we are all talking about in our beautiful Barry, and beyond – the good, the bad…and the ugly.
This section includes the popular ‘Passing Comment,’ columns, written exclusively for the Glamorgan Star, and all opinion pieces written for local, specialiast, and national media.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.