On the eighth day of Christmas...

My true love gave to me,
Eight glasses a-toasting,
Seven seed heads a-frosting, 
Six crumpets a-toasting,
Five gol-den rings,
Four chirping birds,
Three french wines,
Two golden doves,
And a fluffy cat sitting by a Christmas tree!

Sending you Somerset and Singaporean New Year greetings!

I came across the following, which would probably have been more suited to yesterday’s journal, in seeing out 2020. But I think it probably is just as relevant today, in heralding in 2021, hoping for, and looking forward to, a much happier and healthier year. So a quote from Emmerdale’s Marlon, in wrapping up 2020, and looking forward to better times...

“...everything we took for granted in life was snatched away from us overnight, including so many who lost loved ones to the virus. It hurt, it really hurt. And it will for a long time, maybe forever. We all lost something. Sometimes this felt like the end of the world. Just the small, little things, the precious things — being close, holding someone close, hugging them, shaking hands, a kiss on the cheek, a kiss on the lips or anywhere else, just seeing family, people we care about, people we love, friends, being normal. Just being us, and all that comes with it. It's a year none of us will forget, for all the wrong reasons. ...while the problems haven't gone away... and the virus is far from gone, we won't let it win, simply because we can't let it win. Stronger together might mean nothing to some, but we are. We really are. We're down. We're not out. So, 2021, we'll look forward. We'll look forward to hugging tighter, shakes firmer, kisses sloppier, laughs louder, singing badly, dancing like idiots. Groups of 20. Groups of 120. Seeing the smiles behind the masks. Getting our lives back. We won't forget what happened, and we'll never forget the others who got left behind. But maybe, just maybe, we'll remember a little more, those small, precious things..."

(Coronavirus Tier 3 - Day 2)