New Year's Countdown

flyinglentris

Disabled and Retired Veteran
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With less than three days until 2021, what would you like to finish before the year ends? What were the year's major beneficial changes? What were its hazards and problems?

What would you like to see happen in 2021?
 
For this year, I've made one special commitment for next year, making an appointment to assess modifying my vehicle for hand controls. I need to go down to the VA Rehab and evaluate various types, take training and be tested to ensure that I can convert to using hand braking and acceleration controls. Then, I need to be tested by the Department of Motor Vehicles and have a note put on my driver's license.

This all starts in February. It's something I foresee as a necessary change to my vehicle. Cost? $1500 USD.
 
Here's the vehicle I will be modifying ...

MyToyotaTacoma.png


They say the hand controls are compatible with my vehicle and can be installed. :okay:
 
For 2020, both my parents are now deceased. My Mom, as special a person as she was, died, incredibly, on Mother's Day, this year. She did not die from the Coronavirus. She was going for some time now and we all knew it was inevitable and so, were prepared for it. So, 2021 will be the first year without regular phone calls to look in on her. Now the calls go to one of my brothers.
 
For 2020, both my parents are now deceased. My Mom, as special a person as she was, died, incredibly, on Mother's Day, this year. She did not die from the Coronavirus. She was going for some time now and we all knew it was inevitable and so, were prepared for it. So, 2021 will be the first year without regular phone calls to look in on her. Now the calls go to one of my brothers.

I'm sorry about the loss of your mother.
 
I'm sorry about the loss of your mother.

No need to be sorry, she was suffering, prone in her final days to dementia and refused to eat. The Palliative Care workers who were looking in on her knew well enough, that she was in her last days. My eldest sister did her best to make those days as comfortable as possible for her.
 
We just want to be out from under this damn pandemic cloud and to be able to travel again. We missed two vacations and a wedding in 2020, and now it looks like we're likely to miss the vow-redo scheduled for May 2021, and for the first time, MrsT has expressed doubt at traveling at all in 2021.

That's a shocker, for her to be even considering the possibility this far out. As late as Christmas Day, she was researching Scotland itineraries for December 2021, and now she's acknowledging that we may not be able to travel.

I'm a confusing combination of cynicism and optimism, and even I have to say...there was very little good that happened in 2020. I guess the best thing I can say is that while MrsT's income went to nil, I didn't lose my job (let's hope that holds true for 2021), and our retirement savings didn't take a huge hit (thanks to our financial planner guy).

I don't know about the states of our health - no major catastrophes like in years past, but very little in the way of prevention. No dentist visits, so maybe our teeth will fall out next year, hmmm?

Certainly spent less on vehicle maintenance, on food (maybe). Spent more on streaming services, more on Amazon. My folks health is worse, looks like our dog will not see the new year, MrsT's best friend's husband died suddenly the day after Christmas...it's just been a steaming pile of 💩 this year, all around.
 
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We just want to be out from under this damn pandemic cloud and to be able to travel again. We missed two vacations and a wedding in 2020, and now it looks like we're likely to miss the vow-redo scheduled for May 2021, and for the first time, MrsT has expressed doubt at traveling at all in 2021.

That's a shocker, for her to be even considering the possibility this far out. As late as Christmas Day, she was researching Scotland itineraries for December 2021, and now she's acknowledging that we may not be able to travel.

I'm a confusing combination of cynicism and optimism, and even I have to say...there was very little good that happened in 2020. I guess the best thing I can say is that while MrsT's income went to nil, I didn't lose my job (let's hope that holds true for 2021), and our retirement savings didn't take a huge hit (thanks to our financial planner guy).

I don't know about the states of our health - no major catastrophes like in years past, but very little in the way of prevention. No dentist visits, so maybe our teeth will fall out next year, hmmm?

Certainly spent less on vehicle maintenance, on food (maybe). Spent more on streaming services, more on Amazon. My folks health is worse, looks like our dog will not see the new year, MrsT's best friend's husband died suddenly the day after Christmas...it's just been a steaming pile of 💩 this year, all around.

I agree completely. 2020 is probably the worst year I can remember -- for a lot of people. My income died of Covid-19, well almost, it is gasping for breath. My health took an a$$ kicking, culminating in a failed surgery that did nothing but cause a lot of pain.

So, I'm hoping 2021 can't be worse than 2020, and a lot better.

CD
 
We always knew 2020 was going to be difficult because hubby had a major op planned for the beginning of February and that was just 1 of 2 he needed. The next is planned for the middle of February 2021. He must have both (this one being the other able fused). Work both ankles fused, he'll have to learn to walk again.

And on top of that we know I need another 2 major operations. Ideally 1 of mine would also have occurred in 2020, but neither can happen until hubby is back on his feet and able to care for me. We're hoping he will be good enough by September 2021 for me to have the first of my ops (hip replacement).

With that and the fact that we legally can not leave Australia even if we could afford the flights, we're on our own. All we can hope for is for families to remain safe in the UK. But both sets of parents are starting to age and my brother not coping very well with single life, it's going to be another difficult year.
 
I'm cup half full so no real complaints here, but definitely testing times, not as bad as you guys but indeed different times. These new strains are a worry and I need to travel. Don't know when that will be though.?
House repairs, painting and carpet etc over next 6 months. It can only increase value of our house.
2021 can it get worse?

Russ
 
2021 may be the year to go mirrorless with my Camera Gear, the Canon EOS R5 or R5s.

And hopefully, 2021 will be the year to star getting out again to do some photography.
 
Well it seems 2020 wasn't done with me yet.
I've just been told I need multifocal lenses but not because I need reading glasses or help in that area (I'm short sighted) but because I can't focus on a timely manner on distance... seems that the ligaments holding my lenses in places are too tight (I have a bad astigmatism) and as such are actually stopping me focusing on distance. Once they relax, I can see more clearly. By using reading glasses, it takes the strain off the ligaments and allows me to focus in a more timely manner (seconds rather than minutes) on distance stuff. So it's a 4 figure job for my glasses in multifocals (I always have the polarizing lenses and extra thin lenses because of my prescription and issues with my nose, I can't have contacts period, they can't correct my eyesight even before this). Grrr
 
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