Took me a minute to remember.
Dealing with the aftermath of DM's death, which was a blessing really.
Although she had made a good life for herself for a good few years after the death of DF, the last year was pretty miserable, needing ever higher levels of care and bed bound / mostly sleeping for the last six months.
I'm afraid I had not really appreciated her for her own qualities. In that year I understood that her relentlessly optimistic and happy approach to life were a choice, rather than just her natural mode which she could do nothing about.
The earliest slot we could get for the funeral was the day before Christmas Eve. Turned out DH was in hospital and couldn't make the funeral. That was the first sign that DH, who is fourteen years older than me was moving into old age ahead of me.
When Covid struck, my first thought was to be glad that DM did not have to go through that in a home.
Feel a lot for the younger generations, while can't help be grateful for being older and much less impacted by everything