2021 - Finally

To everyone here, my family and I wish you and yours an ever improving and eventually a great 2021.  As a group and in our nations we have just been though what might have been the most difficult year since the war years.  We have been through tough times in the past, personally and wider, but nothing as widespread as Covid and with it the devastating impact on people's health and our finances and the wider economies.   Our Rugby world, which binds our group is doing whatever possible to keep going and keep us involved and entertained (maybe a little less as a Saints fan).  

The truth about 2021 is we have a virus to overcome, starting with the restrictions which no one likes but need to do.  We need the vaccinations, even though they might not be perfect.  Then we have jobs and finances and our economies to revive.  And all that in the new Brexit world, in which if we are honest with ourselves, we really don't know how it will play out, especially in a post-Covid world.  I truly have faith we can and will beat it all back because it is our character and because it is what we have to do.  

Reminds me of two of my favourite quotes from famous speeches:  

President Theodore Roosevelt wrote: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Sir Winston Churchill wrote: "We shall not fail or falter. We shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down. Give us the tools and we will finish the job."

Best to all........

Well I for one aren’t just going to rush into 2021, I need to see the terms and conditions for 2021 first before I sign on.

Other than that, best to all for 2021.

Some great sentiments - happy new year Doc!

Love that Teddy Roosevelt quote. Lovely stuff.

Thanks for the comments, boys.

Just a quick update for everyone, for whatever it means. At my hospital we have both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. So far, there were no severe reactions reported. Just a few people commenting about a bit of soreness (as opposed to actual pain) at the injection site. The organisation records this information and updates every few days. So maybe a bit of good news for 2021. The distribution is just so slow here......

Not that great here either. Even if the government are getting their act together over few vaccinations not many will trust any numbers they give us.

It is going to be a very tough few weeks.