M

Back at New Year I mentioned that by far the best and most unexpected thing that had happened to me during this pestilential pandemic had been the beginning of a new relationship, with the marvellous M.

Well, I’m delighted to say that not only does that very much remain the case but that M and I have been spending as much time as we can together in our support bubble. She lives about an hour away, in Manchester, and although we haven’t been able to explore as much of that great city, or of my ‘home turf’ of Liverpool as we’d have liked to - for the obvious social distancing/lockdown reasons - we have been on a lot of walks in Manchester’s many beautiful parks, and around the Wirral peninsula - including along the Mersey, which links Liverpool with Manchester. We’ve also eaten a lot of amazing food - most of it cooked by M, although I do my best too! - and had conversations about pretty much every topic under the sun. And we’ve sung and danced a lot too! I want to take this opportunity to thank M, not only for posing for this picture, but for having been such a great gift to me over these past 6 months. Here’s to all the possibilities of the much longed-for post-lockdown future!

Today’s tune is, of course, for M. It’s Mercedes Sosa performing ‘Gracias A La Vida’ www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIrGQD84F1g