It doesn't seem like nearly a month since we were opening boxes to reveal our store of Christmas items.
Now, here we are, preparing to put them back in storage for another eleven months.
The New Year's fireworks have blazed out. This year Ross and I watched them on the banks of the River Humber as Hull celebrated becoming Capital of Culture for a year.
Then, very soon, we had a denuded Christmas tree, ready to be sawn up and stored for next Christmas's blazing fires in the living room.
And the living room table was covered with items to be packed away.
The best way to avoid any sudden attack of the blues was to go "nom, nom".
So, Roland and I hot-footed it into town and headed for our eaterie of choice, Lunya.
Churros and hot chocolate washed down with manzanilla. Excellent!
You know that moment when you have an insight into the workings of the world which explains why madness is an appropriate response to an insane situation...
Well...
Currently, I'm in a benefits loop.
I can't become a full time carer because Ross is on the wrong benefit for that. I've a 3 month sick note from the doctor so I was advised to apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
I've been turned down for that because I am too articulate to be clinically depressed. To appeal against the decision, I've been told that I have to write a letter which challenges the eight page judgement against me. That task requires a reasonably high degree of articulacy.
Go figure.
Luckily I had some opera to look forward to.
It was Scottish Opera's first visit to Liverpool since 2004. On that occasion, they gave us Aida: this time, it was Le nozze di Figaro.
It was nicely done. Traditional in many respects including cuts. Repeats (where offered) were pleasantly ornamented. Tom Allen chose to stage the piece in pre-Revolutionary France rather than early 18th Century Spain. There were a couple of moments of directorly intervention to underline this point but nothing to overwhelm the piece.
It was certainly handsomely mounted in terms of settings and costumes and the high jinks were well-handled leading to a moving payoff with the closing moments of forgiveness and reconciliation.
The five principals acquitted themselves with honour whilst there was luxury casting and experience in the smaller roles with Graeme Broadbent as Doctor Bartolo, Marie McLaughlin as Marcellina and a scene-stealing Donald Maxwell as Antonio, the Gardener.
