The year began with the same extreme heat from 2019 across the state, a long drought in most country areas and many bush-fires burning in the south east of Victoria. Horrific stories of suffering, loss of homes, farms, forests and animals, both farm stock and native animals. There were heart-breaking reports and pictures in the media throughout the world, but also heart-warming stories of exhausted but brave fire-fighters, volunteers, emergency services, community workers, neighbours and charities involved.

The year began ... looking after a guest kitten, a pleasure but a big responsibility - returned safely, a walk around the nearby city beaches and streets of Port Melbourne and Albert Park, an early evening walk along the Brighton beach path to see the fire smoke haze sun-set, dramatic and moving, friends visit us for an Australia Day brunch

The year continued with a 2 week holiday in Adelaide, driving there and back, and then a big journey to England for an arranged home exchange in Surrey, SE of London, in a very pretty area but the 6 week home exchange became a short 2 weeks as the Coronavirus global crisis worsened everywhere and we quickly needed to get home to Australia. This meant 14 days in isolation in our own home and not beyond it.

Strict government regulations for an almost total lock-down right across Australia have continued but with encouraging results and a drop in the curve of cases. Social isolation and distancing has had noticeable side effects in quieter, cleaner streets and public places, more family time and a slower, calmer lifestyle.

With COVID cases continuing to rise in Victoria, a Stage 4 lock down was ordered with strict guidelines - only a permitted distance radius of 5km from home allowed, no cafes, restaurants or pubs open, no shops open except food and pharmacy, mask wearing compulsory.

Victoria has now, end of November, been COVID free for almost 20 days, restriction re travel in our state have been eased. We can now travel anywhere in Victoria so we took ourselves to the country for a 2 night stay in the north west, in Victoria's Mallee region. Gatherings of people are now far more liberal, shops and businesses are all open, schools are back and swimming pools, gyms and recreation centres are open WITH careful conditions in place.

We received our new family member, a new dog, Willow, a King Charles Spaniel not unlike our beloved Evie who left us over a year ago.

Enjoying a new freedom, after Victoria has recorded zero cases of COVID and zero deaths for at least 30 days .... catching up with family not seen during the restrictive conditiond imposed by the state government.