not Looking forward to the lockdown easing

I don't know if the Art Group, Book Group and Choir I belong to can meet up again this side of Christmas because the venues make it impossible to socially distance, especially a Choir of 30 people. I don't know what I will do for my social life.

Don't say use Zoom because I live alone and it's definitely not the same.

BlueBelle, public- spirited post. I refuse to feel guilty about enjoying my enforced seclusion, and I can do nothing much to help the less fortunate who have annoying families and lack gardens.

I'm with newnanny here.I too must stay in due to asthma & a compromised immune system. I'm newish to gransnet & am surprised at how judgemental & just plain nasty people can be.Its little wonder so many people have flouted the distancing rules over the w/e when those who have chosen to isolate or,have to,are put in a box of 'xenophobic snobs,with solitary,boring hobbies'. I'm broadminded,& get out to friends & family usually,but to be obvious, things are very far from usual. My heart goes out to those living alone,& to families of key workers but teenagers really won't go crazy if they have to stay home for a few wks(paraphrasing a previous post) and children wont need counselling when it's all over,besides look into the eyes of fhe young people on VE day footage,THEY survived.We are all more likely to be able to handle this psychologically if adults are'nt forced out of isolation too soon & end up suffering a bereavement due to a 2nd spike of cases.I understand Sparklefizz'comments.I AM more anxious but have enjoyed an odd sensation of freedom & less pressure.Despite having to cancel several medical appt's.My DH feels this too. I wont lead the same life if i get thru this,i value much simpler things at the moment.Clean air,my neighbours, garden birds.SOZ this has got so long,it must be all the time i've got on my hands!

It cant come soon enough to rescue our my granddaughter from her evil mother, boyfriend and grandfather. They have manipulated her poor mind and convinced her it is too dangerous to visit her father. Dad can only speak by phone and they monitor the call and frequently put the call on hold if he asks any questions and it is clear someone is telling her what to say when call resumes as the language is too adult.

There are some really rude people on this thread

"Life is about people, about helping others, getting out, exploring and living life to the full. It’s not about some insular xenophobic snobbish existence where all you desire is peace and quiet and the chance to pursue solitary and boring hobbies." Quoted from unknown subscriber.
Description fits me okay except I am not a snob just an introvert.

Lockdown suits me personally quite well.

I like to observe, from my kitchen window, how many people I have never seen on the path that runs past my house, who I never saw before the social distancing, are taking their rightful exercise. It's rather nice.

woman hitler has arrived .insular xenophobia snobbish existance.. hahaha made me laugh.... such big words for a small minded woman....

i reallt think another three weeks of lockdown .easing up is too early .think we in for a 2nd lot.. love the peace and quiet .birds love the quiet too.

Life is about people, about helping others, getting out, exploring and living life to the full. It’s not about some insular xenophobic snobbish existence where all you desire is peace and quiet and the chance to pursue solitary and boring hobbies.

Insular xenophobic snobbish existence?? Because some of us don't like being pushed around in crowds??

What planet are you on?? And where is your respect for the views of others??

How very rude.

Then why tell me what Boris says in the first place, like I said read the post before replying, not the first 8 words.

What Boris says doesn't apply to Brussels anyway - so no need to comment of his ruling.
I quite like this quiet calm time at home.

How rude.

Maddyone, if that was for me read my post properly. I could not give a 'flying f,,,' what Boris says.

Shops shouldn’t be opening, Boris clearly said only Garden Centres open from
Wednesday, no other shops yet. It was clear.

I for one will be glad when it's all over whenever that might be next year?
Lockdown may be good for some but if you still have to earn a living then it's not so good
The presumed upcoming recession will not help either

A lot of Shops are opening here today, but I just plan to go to the corner shop this week until I see how it goes.
To shop in many of them you need to make appointments, DD has one for Wednesday afternoon so DGS can finally buy Pokemon cards with his Birthday money.
Not much public transport running and people still working from home, luckily Brussels is not a big city and you can walk almost anywhere, a lot of new cycle lanes have been set up during the lockdown too, it will be interesting to see how many go back to public transport.

This is my 10th week of isolation as I started early due to health concerns, and for me it is true isolation as I live alone.

I desperately miss my children and grandchildren, as well as my friends and all the groups I belonged to, and I burst into tears at the slightest thing these days.

But I don't want to waste this sacrifice by coming out of lockdown too soon, and the people who have flouted it over the past weeks make me very angry.

I’m already missing it, lying in bed listening to the traffic rumbling by. I had hoped we wouldn’t return to the world as it was before and the earth would be able to continue to heal for a bit. All the cars are going far faster than they used to and I fear my daily exercise outing will now be accompanied by car dodging and fumes. I’ve loved practising for retirement with DH I feel blessed that neither of us have to go back yet and I will spend all the time I can enjoying my new life.

Even when we are allowed out again. I shall stay home for longer as asthmatic and know if I got it I may not be able to fight it off.

I have enjoyed the time at home with DH wfh so can have lunch with me. 2 AC at home on furlough and have done some painting doors and new skirting boards for me. I have even taught myself to crochet. I have enjoyed it especially as such nice weather to sit in garden.

What I miss is having the CHOICE whether to stay in or go out, who I see or don't see and just the pleasure of freedom.

What I don't understand is people who think we will be going ' back to normal'. What normal?Did we not go into Lockdown to protect our NHS so it would not be overwhelmed? Ive heard people complaining that the extra hospitals werent being used. So, would they rather the hospitals were overflowing with Covid patients like Italy had? I think we will be fortunate if there is not a second peak. As for all the people wishing to go out, where are you going to go? I just don't understand. Folk complained we weren't locking down enough and now complain they've had enough. This virus will still be out there. Nothing will change.

I should have retired in November if the pension ages hadn’t been increased. I have really loved being at home (furloughed from one part time job and working from home for the other). I just wish I could still retire then I could carry on with the part time job I love - 12 hours per week - and have time to keep in enjoying the things I’ve been doing during lockdown. I’m looking forward to seeing my family in the flesh of course, but if I’m back at work I won’t have time to travel and visit them for a long time.

I love the quiet, very little traffic, every day I've had long walks in the countryside, there are interesting chats with fellow walkers in town and countryside and with people in the supermarket queue. The birds are singing, the city centre is pretty well empty - and this in a city that's packed almost every day of the year with tourists wandering about, dithering, taking selfies (yes, getting in my way!! ).
I know very many shops here depend on tourists and have been badly hit but it's lovely to have the city almost to myself and to enjoy the beautiful and ancient streets and buildings without the noise and the jostling. I fear when all this is over we'll have short memories and go back to where we were a few months ago.