… or perhaps forget? It’s been the strangest year of our lives I’m sure for pretty much everybody. I hope that you and your families have managed to stay safe.

I do my best to remain optimistic, so some personal highlights for me have included…. spending lots of time in nature with my dog - she has made life a lot easier during all of the lockdowns and we have had some beautiful walkies together. We are lucky to be surrounded by some stunning countryside in Berkshire and it’s been great to explore a bit more to find new places to walk safely. Spending time on zoom with my small family - it’s been hard not being able to see my Mum in person as she lives 200 miles away but it’s been fun to teach her to zoom! During the relaxation of lockdown last autumn we had a really lovely week away in Norfolk - I have never visited before and instantly fell in love with the vast skies, beautiful beaches and pretty villages. I can’t wait to go back again this year, assuming we are allowed to! I’ve also really enjoyed cooking a lot this year, I did some great online Italian cookery classes in the summer and have learned some new dishes that I love…. this will require a bit of a diet soon though I think! Skillshare has been a lifesaver as well - I’ve been rediscovering the joys of illustration, which I studied for my foundation course many years ago.

Above all I am so grateful that all of my family and friends have stayed safe and healthy this year, and most of us have been able to have the vaccine already.

Lockdown life has taught me to appreciate the little things - just enjoying hearing the birds in the woods, foraging for tasty leaves and berries, a bit of peace and quiet away from the traffic and airplanes, reading a really good book or eating some vegetables from the garden. All the same I do miss being able to pop in to London on a whim to see a gig or an exhibition and have a really nice dinner, and I will never take that freedom for granted again!

As a self-employed sole trader it’s been a tough year for sure, but I feel very lucky to have been able to continue working throughout the last 2 lockdowns. Of course I miss photographing events and weddings so much but I’m grateful to have had a steady stream of commercial briefs to work on, as well as some property photography for local agents.

So today on the anniversary of the start of the first UK lockdown I am having a quiet day and reflecting on the good and bad times of the last twelve months, and thinking about all the people who sadly haven’t been so lucky.

Stay safe, big virtual hugs….