Bye-bye 2021.

You were a year we are not all that sorry to see depart.

Restrictions, lockdowns, masks, vax, double vax and booster shots; not to mention a bunch of letters of the Greek alphabet. We are keen to move on.

But before we do, I do have two writerly highlights of 2021.

First, the year-and-a-half-delayed October evening at Truro’s Marigold Theatre—at which I read from parts of Kings of Friday Night and The Lincolns thrilled the audience with a vintage performance. The band was great, as it has been—off and on—for about 62 years. Paul Eisan was terrific as the new (and likely one time only) lead vocalist. Charlie A’Court brought chills to everyone with his surprise appearance and singing of “Dreams to Remember.”

And then came the moving, eye-watering recording of Frank MacKay singing “Danny Boy.”

If that was the last performance by the legendary band, it was a wonderful way to bring the curtain down.

My second writer’s 2021 event was the coming into the world in November of Ancient Land, New Land. It too had gone through some long delays, but was at last brought out by Acorn Press. Co-author Jesse Francis and I are hoping to do one or more launch events for it in 2022.

Cheers to all, and to all a cheery start to the years ahead.