Here we go again?

My, my just how much you missed them?

Or, were you in the other camp?

You can't always get what you want?

Then there is the idea that they are now Avatars of their real selves.

Huh?

Apparently, when you get older, losing your hair - how can you resist the technology that allows you to morph out of your old body and into a CGI version of yourself?

My very fave definition of Avatar is Hindi: A manifestation of a deity or released soul in bodily form on earth; an incarnate divine teacher.

Please release me from the concept of the ultimate ageist, anti-age statement of transforming oneself into an Avatar - com ... com ... computer games.

ABBA a deity? Nuh.

I expect the next band to take advantage of the Avatar concept will be the Rolling Stones.

The shiny new London arena custom built for Avatar concerts was made for Mick Jagger and what is left of the Rolling Stones.

According to Tickemaster: ABBA Voyage is the long-awaited concert from one of the biggest pop acts of all time. ABBA have created the kind of concert they always wanted, performing for their fans at their very best: as digital versions of themselves backed by today's finest musicians in a custom-built arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.

EXCEPT they won't be there.

The future of 'live' music? Avatar or CGI concerts of your favourite dead musicians - Jimi Hendrix?

Excuse me while I kiss the sky.

The drive out to Launceston Airport was unusually quiet - for us.

"Who'd have thought?''

On the road to find out, our son was flying to his new job in Cairns.

We were planning how and when we would see each other again.

My plan, I always have a plan, is that we will see our children - all three - sometime after March 2022.

Other conversations, like our privation- and COVID-filled conversations, were with mum - stories she repeated often:

"When I was a young girl working in the city, we had to go to an underground shelter because Japanese submarines had arrived in Sydney Harbour''.

"When I was a little girl, my father came back from being a prisoner of war and I never saw him again. It was strange, because (my) mum always said I was his favourite (of four).''

Riddle me this?

Our generation is being supported by government, economically and emotionally - family violence support, mental health support, accommodation provision - the human impact of COVID-19.

When I hear government say it's recognising that people need to put food on their tables - acknowledging the need - for financial and food support to get through this war, I know we are fortunate.

In Australia, this is a very civilised war.

Unlike other wars.

Six bloody years.

"World War II was the biggest, and deadliest, war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945."

I expect this new war will also be six bloody years.

In terms of the numbers, the death toll for WWII was 75 million.

COVID, so far 4.5 million, (unofficially, 6.9 million) lives lost.

It's been almost two years since I was able to hug my daughters.

(My 36-hour interrupted Melbourne December visit only made the yearning harder).

A child in Wollongong, another in Melbourne and now the youngest in Cairns.

We are all missing and missed.

We have reasons to be cheerful.

Vaccination availability, Bass Strait, a courageous, competent (Tasmanian) government and our freedom.

And, it's spring.