Avaragado’s 2021 predictions – results

And so we enter season 3 of 2020, in which the writers dangle the prospect of a return to normality while placing several Chekhov-shaped revolvers on sundry mantelpieces. Before the new year overwhelms us, let’s revisit our predictions for 2021. As I could and can no longer be bothered to think of anything in advance, we came up with ideas on the fly – in a Zoom call, due to lockdown 3.

Here’s a cut-and-paste of the predictions we made, with commentary…

Louise: Joe Biden dies before end of 2021
- Technically, no.
Will Trump vacate the White House willingly?
- Group consensus: yes
- Well. Not sure “willingly” is the word, given he instigated an attempted coup, refused to attend Biden’s inauguration, and still claims the election was rigged. But he didn’t stage a dirty protest in the Oval Office (as far as we know) and did fly off to Mar-a-Lago without the need for a straitjacket so maybe this is a yes?
Who will replace Boris Johnson, because surely he’s toast in 2021?
- Chef: nobody – he’ll stay
  - Correct!
- Adrian: Gove
  - Nope. Though Gove is now suspiciously quiet and lying in wait
- David: Priti Patel, because we haven’t suffered enough
  - Nope. Don’t rule her out for 2022 though
- Chris: Craig from Big Brother 1
  - I think Chris was drunk by now
Tokyo Olympics?
- Won’t happen – Chef, Melanie, Chris
  - Wrong
- Will happen – Adrian
  - Correct!
- Will happen, but cut down – David, Louise
  - Correct, even more so – no spectators allowed
Glastonbury?
- Will happen – Chris
  - Nope, although there was a kind of pretend Glastonbury
- Won’t happen – Chef, Melanie, Adrian, David, Louise
  - Correct
When will the Bond film get released?
- November – Melanie, David
  - Wrong
- August – Chef
  - Wrong
- September – Adrian
  - Correct!
- July virtually – Louise
  - Wrong
- April – Chris
  - Wrong
When will you personally be vaccinated?
- Louise – July
- Melanie – June
- Chris – he won’t get it (I think he meant he wouldn’t be invited, not that he’d refuse)
- Chef – June
- Adrian – April
- David – May
- We were all massively pessimistic here. I was vaccinated in February, April, and October
When will we as a group go for a proper dinner together again?
- Louise – June
- Melanie – August
- Chris – March
- Chef – April
- Adrian – May
- David – May
- It was April, for Melanie’s birthday – Chef was right. Although we were limited to 6 people, so Chef wasn’t actually there. There are some photos below.
Will anyone on this call leave the UK in 2021? (“UK” = UK + Scotland in case Scotland has ejected)
- Louise – yes – Lynda will go to Spain ASAP
- Melanie – yes, Lynda
- Chris – yes, Lynda and Chris/Melanie
- Chef – yes, Chris/Melanie, himself
- Adrian – no
- David – yes, Lynda
- Pretty Sure Lynda went to Spain at some point this year. I don’t think any of the rest of us left the country.
In which month of 2021 will the Duke and Duchess of Sussex cease to be duke and duchess?
- Louise – not at all
- Melanie – October
- Chris – not at all
- Chef – not at all
- Adrian – June
- David – not at all
- They remain duke and duchess.
Wimbledon?
- Louise – July
- Melanie – July but no crowd
- Chris – won’t happen
- Chef – August
- Adrian – July
- David – July but with smaller crowds
- I was closest here. Crowds were limited until the last couple of days. Amazingly Stan got a grounds pass for the final Saturday, so we were there. There are some photos below.
This gathering next NYE?
- Chris: all of us, evening meal, posh hotel in London – specifically, The Ritz
  - Very nope
- Chef: Town and Gown (not that one), lunchtime, but he thinks it’s a bit optimistic
  - Correct! Photos below