Goodbye, 2023

All things considered, you weren’t a bad year. (For me, at least. There are plenty of people around the world who would beg to differ. But this is about me.)

There were walks with Joe and Georgie and almost every Saturday I got together with my friend Scott for dinner and a film. Not much of a social life, but lovely nonetheless.

A watercolour class early in the year, during which I produced several paintings.

Not bad, but nothing original here. Everyone in the class did their best to produce the same painting every week. Still, it was fun. And gave me something to write about. (God, I had to think twice before finishing that sentence, but somehow “something about which to write”, although correct, just sounded silly.)

The Ladies Lunch Club for a few weeks. 

Afternoons at my friend Ray’s place helping him learn his lines for the two-hander play he was doing, whilst also getting together with Ben to work on Ruby Red Lipstick.

Rehearsals for the latter and then performances in June, which were very well received and (bonus!) attended by my dear friend Catherine, who came for a visit timed to allow her to see my little play. 

Gardening, guitar lessons, reading on the garden swing with Stella.

And then in August, a visit from my friend Krys.

Seen here taking a photo of the lighthouse we’d just painted three ways in a one-day watercolour class.

Sadly, no panto to direct this year, the autumn instead filled with rehearsals for Halfway There, in which I got to play lovely Rita, a character I absolutely adored. And got to show off some cleavage for the first time in years.

Along with multiple other costumes. Although the rehearsal process was a bit bumpy, doing the actual play with a wonderful cast was an absolute delight.

The first draft of a one-act play, The Waiting Room, written and almost ready to submit for possible performance next year. 

All in all, pretty good stuff. 

And then the heartbreak of having to say goodbye to Stella, my lovely companion for over a decade.

Was it undue haste to invite a new companion into my life ten days later? Some might think so, but the Marvellous Miss Maisie was nonetheless a Christmas miracle who has helped fill the gaping hole left by Stella.

We left it late to try to get a reservation, but my friend Jean and I managed to get into the island’s best restaurant for dinner last night – just for the halibut.

Well, it wasn’t just for the halibut (but the joke had to be made and the halibut was indeed delicious). She announced she was going to dress up, so I figured I should, too. Time to pull out Rita’s dress, although minus the push up bra, with a lacey camisole instead. 

Home by ten to share the last of the year with Harrison Ford in the latest Indiana Jones film. (I feared it would be disappointing, but I did really enjoy it.)

Then it was time to say goodbye to 2023 and go to bed with Maisie and my book.