The Highs and Lows of 2020

Mar 11, 2021

How was 2020 for you?

 

So many experiences have emerged from 2020 – some stressful, some inspirational, many harrowing.

Ours is nothing extraordinary……but here are a few of our highs and lows

……………………………………………

The first 6 months….

January: it all started so well…

 

New Workshop
Our workshop in Dundonald

It was the best start our year could have had. We enjoyed a lovely festive season ~ fun times with family and friends. Scotland’s  Trade Fair @ SECC was in sight, we had just agreed our first commercial let and were planning our big move from the now very congested home-working space into a proper workshop. 

Scotland’s Trade Fair

Scotland's Trade Fair

January 2020 was one of our best Trade shows ever. We welcomed some lovely new stockists, as well as meeting up with our existing customers. Immediately after the show we excitedly moved lock, stock and barrel into the new workshop to begin processing orders. All was looking great (how did I ever shoehorn all of this ‘stuff’ into my small workroom at home?!)

Cruising into February…

A well-earned holiday was needed to re-charge the batteries, and we headed off to the Canaries for what turned out to be one of our renowned ‘eventful’ holidays, where we felt the full force of the Calima from the Sahara, resulting in us being grounded in port and fairly confined on the ship, unable to make use of the beautiful balcony (apart from an hour later in the week, when sand and sun allowed!) Then engine trouble in Madeira meant that the itinerary completely changed and we missed out on a couple of stops. When news broke of the first cases of Covid-19 in Tenerife,  we were heading there to catch our flight home and we thought we may not be able to leave the island but, fortunately we made it out just before restrictions were put in place!

 

Mad March…                         <<<<< Lockdown >>>>>

Back to work…. we were striding into full production mode – really enjoying working in the new surroundings. Friends and visitors dropped in to see us, which was lovely. And then……..I don’t need to remind you what the next part of the story is…..Covid-19 showed it’s hand, our shop orders cancelled and with great sadness, we packed up the stock, shut the workshop and headed back home to have a think about how we could take our wee business forward.  It quickly became apparent just how serious the situation was becoming, and many tragic stories emerged on a global scale, unprecedented on both personal and business levels. The feeling was that this was going to get much worse before it got better.

 

 

April: the ‘lost’ month!

April seemed to leave everyone numb!

Reeling from the enormity of the virus’ global impact.

Huge changes to everyones’ everyday lives…..my Uncle’s funeral where only 10 people could attend, my Aunt’s 90th which was cancelled. A holiday to London to see my Son and Daughter-in-Law now off limits, and another special birthday weekend celebration on Barra cancelled. But….we were alive and well!

The plethora of webinars, e-learning, pub quizzes, e-meets etc. left me a bit ‘Zoomed out’ if truth be told. However, there were positive aspects too, as we ran a few online giveaways, special offers and fundraisers, raising cash for 3 charities in the process.

May/June: Lockdown lyrics

In the absence of reassurances that our stockists would be opening any time soon, it was evident that online was the way to go for the time being, and we concentrated our efforts into offering our customers some new designs, improving our website, enhancing social media platforms, upgrading systems .and……. poetry!! 

One evening, I was mulling over the crisis and contemplating how, as a world, the situation could have escalated to this level. and jotted down a few thoughts, became totally engrossed (allowing my dinner to get stone cold!) and emotions flowed from pen to paper.

Before I knew it, a poem was evolving (I have been known for my wee verses!) and I was subsequently asked to recite it and share it on an Irish poetry group (yes,I know….a bit random!) Here’s the result – A World of Two Halves –  thanks to Prancing Jack Productions for assisting with the video.

A WORLD OF TWO HALVES…
The year was 2020
and the Universe felt sad
A race no longer ‘Human’
-there was much less good than bad
Mankind wouldn’t listen to
what Mother Earth had to say
so with selfishness and ignorance
He looked the other way.
She coaxed and teased in gentle tones
with her beauty, joy and wonders,
but indifference and avarice
bred catastrophic blunders
until, at last, distraught, She took
a breath, and set in motion
disruption that unharmonised
the skies, the Earth and ocean
But still in blissful blinkered mode,
Man maintained his selfish course
– defying fires, floods and strife
and Nature’s fullest force
So She sent a World-wide message
of the strong and subtle kind
– a microscopic army
with only one thing on its mind
It made Everyone stop and listen
like they hadn’t done before.
Its wake-up call profoundly
shook them to the very core
For weeks and months She played
her tune, deviously, on repeat
until the People found a way
to really listen, then defeat
Enforcing isolation in a
bid to halt the tide,
the Race became more Human,
after thousands sadly died
And People were real People
– they once again could see
the true colours in a rainbow
and the beauty of a tree.
Kindness blossomed freely
and the pace of life slowed down
– forgiveness, appreciation
and smiles replaced a frown
The Universe had raised its hand
The respect had been well-earned
Man had readjusted…..
Have the lessons now been learned?

………on reflection, it seems that perhaps they hadn’t, but going forward, the outlook is, at last, looking much brighter ☀️ 

 

Stay safe, Keepsake Clan and above all, be kind 💜