Not the usual birthday month.
Beach Day at Brora
At the beginning of the month my friends and I travelled en masse to Brora, and had a meet up at the award winning beach just outside of town. After a truly awful global pandemic and accompanying lockdown this was our first big group meet in a year and a half, with lots to catch up on. Sun screen, snacks, shorts, and a chipper takeaway afterwards, it was great seeing everyone, and genuinely the best day I’ve had in ages. Lots of love, lots of good feels, lots of positive endorphins. One of my big epiphanies last year in lockdown was the importance in my life of friends, and seeing everyone so suddenly, at once, really reinforced that. Very thankful. The week after, I went to head back to Brora once more, but we ended up at Golspie Big Burn instead.
A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II
For my birthday this month, in place of a big party with friends, I only had one other request than the walk at Golspie; a cinema trip. A Quiet Place Part II was a film I’d been waiting to see since March last year, and after thoroughly enjoying it’s predecessor at home, it was one of the big films I really wanted to see live in the cinema. Trusted film critic Mark Kermode frequently talks about the audience tension and atmosphere in showings of the original, and I definitely feel that was replicated with the sequel, at Merlin Thurso. Narratively I feel like the sequel misses some of the clear focus of it’s predecessor and feels looser. It is excellent in different ways however; changing protagonist, continuing a longer plot, and peeling back the layers on a fictional world already established. I definitely found it just as tense. After two short films I’ve found myself incredibly invested in the outcomes of the characters- I’d appreciate a third film if it happened but also just as happy to have it wrapped up here. Eitherway, John Krasinski has done really good work with the series, and I really cant wait to see what he does next.
The Birds
Ailish’s birthday was mostly ruined on account of a) continued lockdown and social restrictions, and b) the story below this one. Amongst other things, I got her a Bird Feeling Station, and after some front garden rearrangements, we installed it near the front door. This took a few days to get going but over the month we’ve had numerous visitors, with at least 20 chirpers present at one point. So many birds! We have now had Dunnocks, House Sparrows, Starlings, A crow, and the most spooked pair of Collared Doves I’ve ever seen. It sounds stupid, but this was all incredibly rewarding and weirdly fascinating- I LOVE WATCHING THEM! Feeding the birds outside and spying on them, I am now the oldest I’ve ever been, I am very aware of this.
Covid Positive
The month ended with this bombshell. After a coworker had a recurring cough and a whirlwind of subsequent days -involving countless negative lateral flow tests and a sore throat like glass- I tested positive. This was incredibly jarring, I spent so long scared of something possibly happening, and then it just did. I didn’t panic as such, but I remember feeling distinctly worried about what would come next, and just accepting it. There was lots of days in bed, and while I felt run down as hell it’s only looking back now that I stop and realise how bad it actually was. Lots of sleep, lots of sweat, and losing my voice for a bit of it. I’m thankfully getting over it now and recovering more and more each day, getting strong, and back to where I was.
This month marks the one year anniversary of these status updates. Born last year out of both the whole nasty global pandemic business and deactivating Facebook, writing monthly status updates has been a great way to reflect, pass time, and check in remotely. I’m not sure how fully enjoyable these posts -or even this blog- are but it’s something I’m looking to continue doing as a kind of go-to centre point for anything and everything I’m upto. It’s been great breaking down habits and activities into months, as seasons change and mental health varies. If these posts are interesting, enjoyable, or helpful in any way, please let me know.
Onwards and upwards!
