I need my normal.

So I drove over to Leradale with Floss and found it.

And huzzah, my luggage has appeared and was brought by taxi to me, which made me much happier and relieved.  Now I get my own hairbrush – I had looked at Teddy’s and even I thought I couldn’t.

Having spent the night worrying, rather than sleeping properly, it was good to be reunited with my clothes and essentials. I will rethink packing in future.

Last night I lay awake and wondered about every tweak and twinge which made me think I have probably brought Covid back with me to my family.

But I am testing daily and so far, so good.  All negative. My imagination is too vivid, especially at 3 a.m.  I need to calm down and find my normal.

So I went about my day feeling very glad to be home.

This is my normal. I need it all around me.

I spent the afternoon wrapping presents, watching David Lean’s Great Expectations thinking life is good and didn’t they know how to make proper films in those days. No CGI and blue screen.  Just excellent films.  I now sound like my mother!

Going home today. It took 11 hours door to door. I am exhausted so will keep this brief.

At Heathrow, I found a quiet spot and made camp.

Social distancing is not something others do so I perfected a hiss worthy of any orc from Lord of the Rings along with my Death Stare.  Folk moved away quickly.  Good, good.

Farewell to England.

And hello Scotland.

The sun was setting.

I spent a couple of hours in Aberdeen Airport.

The planes get smaller the more north you go.

And eventually I am home in Shetland.

But my luggage is now lost so I fill in forms with promises of its’ appearance one day. I am hopeful as there was quite a few of us.  Then I drive home.

My bed calls.

It was a lovely service (cremation) and, despite us all having to stand at opposite ends of the cemetery car park, it was good to see friends and family. It was a small gathering but Mum hated funerals so we told folk to remember her how they best wanted to.

Mum worked two months up to her death (her choice) and her last beautiful model remains unfinished on its stand.

Go peacefully, Mum. I miss her.

Up early and I did my lateral flow test – belt and braces and all that.

Then I drove myself down to Sumburgh airport to fly south with breakfast first (don’t worry, I took the teabag out – I know, I know, I am a heathen!)

I felt pretty safe because I practiced my Bitchy Resting Face along with a good Darth Vader look. Approach and die was my message I delivered.

The small tiny weeny plane from Sumburgh to Edinburgh.

The first plane was delayed but I got to Edinburgh eventually feeling slightly nervous about my next connection.

Edinburgh is a very long thin airport and there can be some serious walking involved.  And the next flight down to Heathrow was delayed too. Phew.

My wee suitcase took a while to appear – just enough time for me to worry whether it had come south with me while invoking extra costs from an irate waiting taxi driver!

Anywho, I have reached Mum’s house, had a cup of tea, switched on every heater and am now settled with a hot water bottle, a woolly blanket while sitting on the sofa watching Ancient Aliens drinking whisky and ginger ale.  There is a faint smell of Ted but I know he is safe at home.

Today has been stressful.  I feel like I am in Terry Gilliam’s film “Brazil”.  Somewhere I read that I needed a Covid passport to fly south and so the morning was spent trying to find one.  Not easy because I had the booster in England.  Scotland and England NHS’s don’t appear to communicate or update.

Then there are far too many close Covid cases that appeared on my radar. So now I have decided to abandon Plan A (to stay with my sister in London during the funeral – her postcode is a hotbed of cases) and to minimise contact with everyone.  I shall live at Mum’s house instead which is walking distance from the crematorium.  I shall sit, like the Queen, on my own, taking a taxi to the airport and flying back home the next day, hopefully not catching, carrying or giving anyone Covid, while lateral flow testing as I go.

Life seems very difficult, nearly impossible, but this is the best I can do.  Lovely neighbours are leaving me bread, milk, butter and marmite and there are new gaozi (Chinese dumplings) from my last trip in Mum’s little freezer.  So hopefully essentials are covered.  I just won’t have my sister and her family as support and will get through the funeral on my own.  I will and can do this.

Meanwhile, waiting for me at home……

This is probably and should be my family crest.  Terriers rampant!

Think of me. This is Hell.