A Christmas Message and Good Wishes from your Roving Mark Reporter |
| Well, what a year this has been so far, and the big question is how long is this dreadful Pandemic going to go on for? |
| As days go, today (23rd) is a special one for Linda and I, we were married in a tiny church in the country near to Ringway Airport some 53 years ago, no big lavish affair went round to the mother in laws for some sandwiches a drink of tea and a piece of cake, then off to our little house, we knew how to celebrate back then! |
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| I tried to find something interesting to report on during the early part of the lockdown conditions but after spending five weeks in hospital etc, etc the opportunities soon disappeared. |
| Hospital was a living nightmare and even after 4 scans, many, many blood samples and growing cultures they still didn’t come up with an answer as to why my temperature kept spiking and why I was so ill!! |
| Eventually I was due to leave still with no answers and they came and told me my last Corona test two days before proved positive and that I would have to isolate for 2 weeks. As I had been in a single room for most of my stay I pointed out that they must have given it to me and that I would not stay there for another two weeks. |
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| I went home, I stayed upstairs and my wife downstairs till it was over, I still can’t taste much but hey ho. Should have had a PET scan at the MRI in Manchester yesterday - but they phoned two hours before and had to cancel, I had fasted for six hours etc but never mind, it’s re-booked for New Year’s Eve at 8.30 in the morning. |
| On a lighter I note, can report that the shed we managed to build in May is still standing even though I keep checking it for leaks when I go out to feed the birds, none found so far, and the decking repairs are still holding up. |
| What else can be said about the year which has just passed us bye, we have never seen anything like it before and Christmas is now a one-day event, even football is rubbish and for once we (City) are playing at home on Boxing Day, (it’s usually that other team that fiddles it) against Newcastle which we can’t attend, they had a lottery for 2000 tickets needles to say I didn’t get one!! |
| I’m really looking forward to visiting all the Lodges across our Province once again especially for the team visits and as I always say to meet all the friends I have made and those I have yet to meet. |
| I’m sure we have all lost loved ones during this year, both family and friends but here is my special message for Everyone to Remember:- |
“Memories Are Like Starlight, They Go On Forever” |
| Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for a Healthy and Happy New Year. |
| Austin |
| Austin N Fletcher, Flixton Shepherd Eastwood Mark Lodge. No. 1173. |
