What Are You Really Missing?

Hells grandad I am so sad for you. I do hope you can see your wife soon . Big hugs x

I so look forward to giving my 4-year old granddaughter a cuddle... and seeing my son and his partner. My daughter too. Zoom and Facetime are all very well, but it isn't the same, is it? Meals out, hairdresser [I cut my fringe for a second time yesterday!] cinema, theatre, the V&A, art galleries... I usually do two or three things a week to do with arty stuff plus the WI. It is our centenary this year and we had planned extra events each month. We got as far as February! I love reading, and fortunately have plenty of books and a kindle. I have also ordered a few books on line. I am fortunate to live in a rural village with plenty of walks and we have a small garden. But, just 10 minutes away is White Horse Hill [closed] and a couple of NT properties [still closed]. BBC4 [they had better not close it down] have really good programmes. But, I really wish a treatment and/or vaccine could be developed very soon I feel for the young people and students etc. My granddaughter is supposed to be starting school in September.

Calendar girl get the Libby app and you can get e books and audio books from the library online! I am in Greece and using this all the time. It is brilliant. The thing I was most concerned about was running out of books! All you need is your library ticket to register!

I think it is the little things. Just being able to go to the local shops. It's not that I can't but I have been staying in and can't really face going out now.
I had a call from my dentist's yesterday and my first thought was 'I didn't think I had an appointment'. She asked me how I was and I said fine and asked if they were open. She said no but they just wanted to know if I was ok and if I needed any help with shopping or anything. I told her that I was fine and getting deliveries and she told me that I should ring if I needed any help.
It made me realise how much I was missing those little social interactions with people who aren't friends or relatives but that you have passing chats with.
Just getting on the bus or doing things on the spur of the moment.

Oh Anniebach that is so sad, are there no local groups or befriending services that could visit you to offer support and a bit of company, or do you prefare the peace and quiet of your own home by Choice?
I must admit that I dont go out half as much as I used to do, some days I cannot be doing with all the faff of getting ready, and the struggle of getting out into the car, or onto my mobility scooter which is difficult due to my poor moblity and severe arthritis. Somedays my big comfy recliner chair just feels like a much easier option!
I am missing my trips to the seaside, my holidays afloat that I can no longer manage, my weekly Fish and Chips whilst sat out in the car watching the world go by, a ride around a big supermarket searching for a few special treats, or raiding one of the bargain mill shops at sale time, and bringing home a new cosy blanket for my chair, or some fluffy soft towels, or even something for the kitchen maybe?!
I miss my weekly domestic helper who always chatters away whilst she gives the place a good clean and dust through, shes a really nice lady who knows her job well, I can trust her to do anything without the fear that something will get badly damaged, like a previous person did, she washed my Cristal fruit bowl in the dishwasher on a 65* programme and cracked it, never to hold a big family sized trifle ever again, and I had treasured it for over 35 years.

I miss my wife. We've been together for 60 years but she now has dementia and lives in a care home only three miles away. I used to see her every day but it's now coming up to 10 weeks since I last saw her. The worst thing is that I don't know when, or even if, I'll ever see her again.

Missing my holidays, am supposed to be in Cuba now ! Also the library, but someone has left a pile of books out in our village for people to help themselves, swap books etc

Calendargirl, if you have an iPad/tablet/smartphone and you are a library member, your library may allow access to ebooks/audiobooks/magazines, check their website, not quite the same as browsing in your local branch but they might have enough of a selection to get you through.....

The main thing I'm missing (apart from a hairdresser!) is my weekly Shared Reading group at a local library. I pick a short story to read to a small group of friends and they have their own copy so they can take it home afterwards, and we discuss the story as we're reading it. It's amazing what can be triggered by reading and some wonderful memories can come out of these sessions. I'd just set up a second group in another library but that's had to got on hold as well.
The first group and I have been meeting for years and I miss them all so much.

Gransnet as it was,

because of a bereavement , I am estranged
from my extended family,my grandchildren moved away ,and
not being able to leave the house for over three years
Gransnet became my family.

As MawB said, just being in control of my life. Being able to come and go as I wish; go wherever I want, when I want and with whom I want. Freedom really.

My Sis-IL asked if I'd be the first in the queue at our local garden centre when it opens today but DH is shielding so I'm going to have to be patient until we're all let out of solitary.

On that glorious day, trap and greyhound will spring to mind!

Freedom.

My darling little Evie and her 3 older cousins. My son and daughter .

Nothing else really .

Nice to see you, Elrel. Hope you're ok?

Eating out with friends, travelling into Birmingham on the tram for a mooch and meeting with old office colleagues for a catch up, playing bridge.

OTOH, with not eating out I've reached my target weight at Slimming World and am quite enjoying the peace, clearer skies, time with OH, more facetime with family, neat garden.

Blessings, I'm counting them

The Library. Poetry Open Mic evenings. My family most of all.
This too will pass.

As mentioned in my previous post my life had already become more isolated before the virus arrived so not much I particularly miss except maybe being able to go to the supermarket which has a very good butchery department to choose my own meat. DH does his best but my request for 1kg of fillet steak in one piece has brought everything but. Although I have now written it down in Portuguese so he can just hand it to the butcher and hopefully we will have success..

I'm not missing anything other than the little ones - just want to hug them.
But I am enjoying the freedom from routine - I can postpone doing things because there's so much time now. There's no urgency about anything.
P.S. if you're bored, do google "Virtual Tours" - you can go to places from your armchair - I've been to The Louvre, the WTC museum , the Hermitage etc etc. Great stuff !!

Happybumblebee I hadnt had a MacDonalds for some years but today when we were out shopping there was one next to the shop we went to. Well DH was doing the shopping as I am not allowed due to chemo treatment. For some reason I thought I would like one. After we had finished shopping DH asked if I still wanted one and we went through the "drive thru" . All I can say is it will be years before I try another one. Everything was luke warm and tasteless. What a waste of €10.50.

Just 'normal' life, really. Miss my weekly wandering round the fish and meat market, speaking to the ladies who are buying goats legs,etc. and getting recipes from them,miss calling into"Mr.Chatterteeth"s second hand bookshop and buying there,miss not sitting in the Cathedral Gardens while I'm sorting out my shopping,miss my neighbours(both have since died[sad}, miss my cleaner!, miss not seeing the little children walking to school...
BUT! loving my online shopping, love 'chatting"and sharing 'stuff' with my family in the US, and with my great friend who's stuck in France with zero chance of returning to the UK for the forseeable future...
Swings and balances, I've a LOT to be thankful for...

Thanks to all who have suggested alternatives to going to the library.
I have now got the Libby app, not gone through it very thoroughly, but obviously everyone else in my area has the same idea!
But really miss just wandering round the library, browsing, seeing which books others have just brought back, feeling excited to spot a good one.....

My life is probably a bit humdrum I know.

I also miss the swimming and aquacise, but enjoy the freedom of feeling you can be at home without feeling you should be doing things. So I then don’t feel guilty about burying myself in a good book.

I recommend the Libby app which allows library withdrawals of online and audible books to your phone. Free and fantastic.

The library
Browsing charity shops
Antique fairs
Pub lunches
Museums

I am surprised no one has mentioned Swimming or the Gym.I swim 3 or 4 times a week and am really missing that, and obviously getting mt hair done .Going out for a drink on a Sunday with DH.