Twenty-Twenty three had like the preceeding years its challenges of which one dominated the year although the background went back to the last month of the previous year when Mum and I became very ill with covid and while I recovered of sorts, she didn't, and that lead to complications with her pre-existing conditions such as COPD which after one return from hospital within the space of a few weeks was to lead to a return and sadly death.
The formalities took time, that didn't aid the grieving process with home being the control centre for making most of arrangements so it was difficult to mentally escape and it times it seemed to crush everything.
At an Easter littles event which I did make a point of getting away to attend for instance, I was very withdrawn and in a daze although by the Summer I did feel better, focusing on other things.
Into that like last year considerable industrial action by a variety people was to cause issues such as delayed playthings, anxiety inducing logistical nightmares as train services were curtailed even if planned, difficulty in weekend travel as no train drivers were rostered so servces were cancelled at short notice and so on.
Like a number of people I had Covid on a few occassions but being helped by being high risk medically and run down although I did take up the autumn offer of a booster vaccination being out on the day in question in temperatures of around 1.5 degrees c in short trousers which proved a conversation point to various folk I encountered.
On the otherhand I did have a great time with friends at a halloween party, making things, running around in competitions hunting for things and a great fireworks party which is really part of the stuff I loved as a boy.
Despite the odds and a bit of internal politics I did get away in the Summer for a few days in the Lake District where I was able to shake off the sadness of the previous months and enjoy making things and outdoor games in the summer.
I did get out about here enjoying the fresh air and countryside dressed in short short trousers with temperatures down to two degrees in my dufflecoat and bobble hat which was very much how school winters always felt to me.
I wore my blue corduroy short trousers comissioned around October last year but delayed until early this year that I had hoped to wear with Mom as the battle of the Longs did feature that material and seeing me in the sort of shorts I'd sooner of had in the late 70's when I had to fight to wear any might of shown really my idea was one we could both agree on.
Smart hard wearing shorts.
Our forum not only stayed busy but had fresh people arriving and conversations aound all sorts of boyhood related topics and interests which was why it was set up - to be free by one basic rule - to discuss the whole including things as boys that can't happen on more "adult" orientated sites.
We even talked and explored A.I. as it applied to recreating past scenes as images.
I was very moved by the remarks left in the Christmas Greetings thread this year that expressed just what members got from it and how much it is valued.
Monday wasn't easy for Dad and I, nor in their own ways my brothers and Mom's surviving sisters as Christmas Day always had rituals that she was front and centre of which we had to fill and others that of neccessity had to go but we had a christmas with neighbours visiting.
My neighbours see me openly dressed little all the time, something that especially took hold during lockdown where we were forced to spend time in the immediate area with most working from home seeing each other in the street and those barriers just fell in.
Openess like that to our families and the wider community is something we all can struggle with, for some having to agree to some restrictions but for just being the boy you are it's so worth it.
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