"Begone 2020!"

 A Happier New Year to our Reader!

The media this week has been full of "good riddance to the year", but for Greyrocks the first tears were shed at 11pm local time last night over a very nice pudding and some good white wine when we ceased to be citizens of the EU. Brexit has caused us more anger and despair than the pandemic, from which we have been largely insulated. Plenty of friends and some family have had a very rough time in UK as a result of preventive measures, but none have - as far as we know - had more than light symptoms if they did catch the virus. As ex-pats we look on, however,  at the state of society - particularly the growing inequality, insularity and intolerance, and it seems even worse than Greyrocks bemoaned at this time last year. (At least there has been no hospitalisation this year- just continuing physiotherapy, painful mostly to the wallet!) So - enough of that! 

What have we done and where have we been?

Covid has put a (we hope) temporary stop to the complicated migrations we have been effecting for thirteen years. Yvette has been resting in a barn near Girona Airport since October 2019. As is evident in the pie chart we have spent a much higher number of days in our Fuerteventura home than in any other year. This will take some explaining to HMRC!

It barely needs stating that there are worse places than this (or indeed Paleochora) in which to be stuck! The things which the pandemic has denied us are: most live music, dancing to any music, trips out by bus or ferry, going to some bars we regard as too crowded, menus and other accoutrements on restaurant tables, and recognising masked folk in the street! The only improvement to life has been the ban on smoking on terraces of bars and restaurants.

Who didn't make it?

Just a few folk who matter to Greyrocks popped their clogs this year:

John Le Carré: Probably the most significant of the set! We have relished every book and film or TV series based thereon

Diana Rigg: As Mrs Peel! and Ruth saw her in "Twelfth Night" at Stratford in her O Level year (a long time ago)

Sean Connery: What can you say?

Ian Holm: A fine actor who was on holiday at least once with his then-wife Penelope Wilton in good old Paleochora!

Barbara Windsor: Dodgy politics, some most unsavoury associates and "Carry On" films that got worse as the years wore on, but we have had many un-PC laughs!

Van Halen: We're not into rock that heavy, but some memorable stuff in the back-catalogue!

Kenny Rogers: Nor are we country fans, but for "ear worms" Islands in the Stream" is up there! 

Diego Maradona: Not football fans, either, but we ate at El Rincon a day or so after his death, where all staff (and meat) are Argentine. We had a brief interchange with the waiter we know:- there wasn't much we could say, but an Irish guest took over, was effusive and had his photo taken with the framed picture from the wall! 

Betty Wright: Greyrocks didn't know she had died until researching yesterday, but  her "Clean Up Woman" performance with Jools is joyous and led to this being Ruth's signature tune at The Nest in Palolem, Goa:- especially with the owners' two little boys!

Here it is: Cheer yourself up, Reader!