Is this breaking the rules?

I have a gut feeling that if you feel you need to ask, then it probably is.
Of course you would take all precautions, but you would not be acting strictly according to the government advice. It is however up to your conscience.

There will be many who think they can bend the rules this weekend, and in 2 or 3 weeks time, they and we may be paying the price.

Coolgran same as you, AC and DGC drop us off some things then stay on the drive well away whilst we have quick chat....nothing wrong with that.
We wave or have a quick word or two with neighbours as well, staying a safe distance.
It ‘s not about obeying set rules, it’s about being sensible.

I don't know how wide your decking is - but did you also allow three metres from the boundary and your neighbours (to protect them too)? I don't think even three metres is safe in a breeze, though.

We all miss our families but we can manage very well without rule bending or breaking. I find it difficult at times, but I will be so proud of myself, later,
for doing my best.

Sorry, but no, you shouldn’t be doing it. Our son and family live five minutes walk away. They have a huge garden so yes, we could go and sit outside with them, at a distance, but we don’t as that would be ‘bending’ the rules and that’s the start of the slippery slope.

I think you know it’s breaking the rules. I feel terrible about my elderly mother who’s 92 years old, all alone in her sheltered apartment. I normally visit her at least 6 days out 7. We put her shopping on our click and collect and our son or daughter collects it. We then clean everything off with alcohol wipes or soapy water and then my husband delivers her shopping to her via the stairs rather than the frequently used lift. Her apartment is then the first one so no walking through loads of corridors. I’d dearly like to bring her here to stay with us, but it’s not allowed.
We also miss our children and grandchildren, we have a quick distance chat when they bring the groceries, and then we FaceTime and/or chat on the phone. It’s hard I know, but we’re all in the same boat.

That’s very sad for her maddyone but at least you get her shopping for her, and no doubt talk on the phone a lot.

Calendar girl is right. It is bending the rules and a slippery slope.
All my DDs and families live close by, but we have only seen and spoken on various media.
My heart aches to be with them but hard as it is, why should I consider myself a special case.

Our neighbours were quite safe, our garage and theirs stand between our gardens. Also I know DD is in the vulnerable group, but as SIL is a key worker he is still going out to work and I worry about that. But we wont repeat the visit this weekend. Isn't this so hard? Wee GS will have his first birthday in a few weeks time. We were to host a big family party for him and now it will just be his mum and dad. He wont know of course but we will! I will probably spend the day weeping. After lots of tough times hes the light of my life.

Focus on next year BonnieB.

By then your little GS will be older and much more aware of his birthday than this one, and hopefully this sad time will be over.

Similar here in that DD lives very close and I help and see the little ones 3/4 times a week usually.But we are not visiting each other's houses at all.I have dropped off things a couple of times - but put on the doorstep and then we have chatted for a couple of minutes whilst I stood at the end of the drive.But DGC finds it more confusing to actually see me but not be able to come close.So now we facetime and I get to see them that way.It's rubbish but has to be done.DD sees first hand at work the effects if this virus and the tragedy of people dying with no family with them.It seems a long time but hopefully once lockdown ends we will all realise it was a relatively short time to keep our loved ones and ourselves safe.I feel incredibly frustrated today after hearing several instances of families who just can't or won't keep away from each other,and keep finding excuses fir popping in or meeting up.

I wouldn't take the risk, I too have a DGC who has a birthday in a week, we were to have a big party and now it will be just the three of them, I long to give him a big cuddle for his special day but will not take the risk, hopefully we will have a big party when the lockdown is over.

it’s only for a short period of time - I am afraid that may be wishful thinking. When the rules are relaxed I suspect it will be for children to go back to school and people to return to work - but I am guessing that people in at risk groups, including folk over 70, will be advised to still observe isolation or strict social distancing. As soon as more social interaction starts, the virus will rear its head once more and the same people who are at rick now will be at risk then. Our main hope is a vaccine, and that is many many months away. I am banking on being in this for the long haul.

risk

I would say it is bending the rules; someone else sees people bending the rules, not quite but nearly breaking them and thinks 'well, if they can do it, so can I', bends them further until many people are breaking them and we will continue in this spiral of illness and death.

It is very hard.
But we must stick to the rules!.

Don’t spend the day weeping bonnie you are all safe and in a year or two we will have almost forgotten it happened
We all have homes to live in and we have food and warm weather (at the moment) we HAVE to keep our spirits up and spending more than a few minutes weeping is not useful at all your grandchild will be happy with its Mum and Dad and that’s how it must be for a few weeks

Bonnie, you will weep for ever if you pass the virus on to him. We are all vulnerable, so put your big girls knickers on and do the right thing.

Luckygirl, I agree re long haul. 12-18 months of likely rolling lockdowns at least.

I’m glad you won’t be visiting again Bonnie

If you feel like having a good old cry Bonnie, thats entirely understandable.

I will probably spend the day weeping
A cry is healing being miserable upset and crying all day is not healing and is counter productive greymar
Bonnie do not dwell on what you can’t have but on what you have, a loving family and a beautiful grandchild who will be well and happy and seeing you soon it will be a bad dream one day and that little baby will have no memory of the time he had to stay with his mum and dad and not see his Nan
Time heals all wounds

it’s only for a short period of time - I am afraid that may be wishful thinking

I meant in the overall scheme of things. It will no doubt be a good number of months before we’re back to anything like normal but that’s nothing really when you think of the alternative.

Why not have a Computer FaceTime conversation, you can see& hear each other .

Lemongrove
Yes, I do talk to her daily. I do feel bad about her being so isolated, but feel it’s the safest place for her.

Bonnieblooming Look at this problem another way. Count your blessings that you live close enough to your DGC for this relatively short absence from their lives to be distressing for you.

My DGC live 200 miles away, many otherson GN have children living thousands of miles away. MY DGC and AC should be staying with me now. Fortunately I did see them at half term, but many grandparents haven't seen their GC since Chritsmas and for many it is even longer.

I am not dismissing your sadness, when you see your DGC regularly an absence like this must be very sad, but be glad you see your DGC regularly enough to feel so sad and spare a thought for those of us who see our DGC far less than you and may not see them now, for,possibly 9 months or more.

I won't see one DGC for at least another year, possibly more so that will make two years. He'll be towering over me by then.

I just want us all to be safe.