An Unusual Letter

Hi Grady, it’s Sienna here, as you know. I don’t know why I always say that! I know we were chatting last week, well, sending these messages back and forward, and our thoughts went to the year gone by. You were only supposed to be gone two years and returning six months ago, it’s been hard with you not being here, especially for mum and dad, who were already missing you so much. But who knew we would be hit by a pandemic so there was no returning home for any of you there? It has been difficult; however, it must be harder there, you’ve not even had supplies sent to you. That reminds me how are the greenhouses coming along, I hope they are working, you said last week there were power outages, nothing serious but they could affect the greenhouses. You might not think that’s serious but it is if you have no food.
On a lighter note, I hope you got the last pictures of Rachel’s baby, Joanne, she’s eight months old now, here’s hoping it won’t be long before you will see her. You have to stay alive and get back safely first, so some strong incentive there... She said her first word yesterday, predictably, daddy, no surprise there, her mum does most of the work, and she says daddy.

So, I was pondering about the year behind us, there’s the excitement of Brexit, of course, as if that hasn’t been dragging on, well, it’s done. Never thought we’d see it but Doris did it, no I haven’t spelled his name wrong, Doris is what we’ve nicknamed Boris. We did better for Mark Drayford, the first minister of Wales, we thought he looked a bit like Walter Mitty, so he’s been Walter for ages now.
My friend was police dodging up on the Welsh mountains in the first lockdown, nothing illegal mind you. You know where she lives, in the middle of nowhere, tried to take her dogs for a run and they cordoned off the mountain. We were all told to go out and get fresh air, and she wasn’t allowed to drive her car (remember she is disabled, and in the vulnerable category), two minutes up the road to run her dogs where she always has. There was usually nobody up there, she did occasionally see one or two people in the distance, but that was it, plus the police would sit outside their local grocery stores. All that’s there is one grocery store and a pharmacy, what could people be doing? Yet in larger areas, where they were needed, there was a distinct absence of police.

Then, of course there has been the US Election, that’s been interesting to watch, at least from a Brit’s point of view. After Doris got the virus, Donald didn’t want to be left out did he? We were genuinely concerned for Doris, and for Donald, but that soon changed when he was out of the hospital, practically, before he got in there, claiming a miracle cure and telling everyone not to be afraid of the virus, he lost any sympathy he may have had after that. Who knows if he had it or not, the jury is still out on that one? We don’t want to lose anyone to this virus, but with the attitude Donald has taken towards his, so called countrymen and women, he deserved to be sicker than he was, that’s all I’ll say on that. Of course, there will be a new president come Jan 20th, but look out as you may just find Donald camped out in a cupboard somewhere, still refusing to leave.

We, of course had Dominic Cummings, running around the country when we were supposed to be on lockdown, he travelled to his second home, well, next door to his elderly parents, after testing positive for the virus, so they could look after the children if necessary, as in spread it to them. Then on his recovery, he decided to test his eyesight, which wasn’t feeling quite right, by driving his children forty miles and back, and Doris, who thinks the world of his friend lost people’s confidence when he wouldn’t ask for his resignation.

There have been amazing things as well, watching Joanne grow, albeit mostly at a distance, there’s been the clap for carers across many countries. People putting on musical performances for their neighbours, contacting people on Zoom and other platforms. Working from home, some liked it, others didn’t, for some it gave them a freedom they hadn’t known before, so they may carry on working from home, when this is all over.
Our community spirit returned, I think we thought it had gone, especially in the young, but they’ve been brilliant, raising money, helping others.
Captain Tom Moore was an inspiration to so many, they gave so much money, this was inspired by the NHS he loves.

There have been the times when nobody knew what they were doing, most of it really. I think this has been the same everywhere, so many people lost to this virus, many who should not have died sadly.
We discovered a new climate, one with cleaner air, which inspired us to think more about our planet as a whole, so maybe with your work there and what’s happening here, we won’t have to leave here eventually, and just maybe you won’t have to go away for so long in the future. Which reminds me you didn’t answer my question as to whether you were going to sign on for another tour. Mars is such a long way away, it must seem so lonely there at times. I don’t know how you cope, even with all the artificial light and new technology, it's not like the other side of the world.

Here’s hoping to see you very soon.

All our love Sienna and Family