Are you planning on meeting someone

The situation with Dominic Cummins has blown the rules out of the water, hasn’t it?
We were thinking of driving a few hundred miles to see our Grandchildren.
We are also arranging to travel 70 miles to a hospital (where one of them is a Doctor) In the event of becoming ill. Because we will be doing the best we can for ourselves and using our instincts and damn everyone else. Lol

The message has now changed from “stay home”which we followed to the letter to “stay alert”which we intend to do, making our own decisions as to what is safe for us which is exactly what Dominic Cummings did.We will now invite our daughter and grandson to enter our garden to visit but still keep social distancing.
I am alert to any danger re.the virus.

We are further ahead with the lifting of lockdown here in Portugal and most shops are now open. Last week I asked my palliative care doctor if it would be okay for us to drive about 120km to visit my DS and DDiL. She thought it would do us both good and to go ahead. My DS has only been out to the supermarket every 3 weeks or so and DDiL has been busy making her garden even more beautiful. It will make a lovely change because since mid February I have only been in the house or having treatment at the hospital.
My closest friend here wants to meet up next week in a cafe in the village yet I feel very wary about that. Dont know why.

Can’t wait to see my son and dil in Derbyshire, not seen them since Christmas but too far to travel yet.

Thank you Nannantwo for your good advice it’s appreciated

I met up with a friend at the weekend for a walk - it was bliss to catch up with the news and enjoy the fresh air, whilst being careful to stay 2m apart. It lifted both of our spirits immeasurably

I'm meeting a friend for a walk in our local park (tomorrow). It's lovely there, with a pond, geese, ducks, etc. The cafe and toilets are apparently open, with safe distancing measures.

Nannan2 I understand your concerns and we are taking all possible precautions to keep the risk low. Social distance, covers of books cleaned and returned books not put back on the shelves for a week.
It is entirely personal choice as to whether or not one uses the library. I feel strongly we have to start taking steps to get life back on track.

Yes, I have met up last week with 2 friends, on separate occasions, and then DSD and GD for a walk. It was so lovely to see people face to face and talk to them. I have to admit I felt a bit strange with the first one but it gets easier and easier. Just trying to organise a meeting with my other DSD - hoping a few more places open up. Slowly getting some normality into or lives. x

I could cry reading these posts too, polnan. I live alone in a miserable rented flat while I wait for solicitors/agents to get back to work and complete my long-awaited move. I have no family, and no neighbours here apart from the young woman upstairs with running/stamping children. I have friends who phone, but no one who lives near. The last time I had a face-to-face conversation with someone was last Saturday morning.

Last Wednesday a friend came round for less than an hour and sat outside . I am lucky that we have a view to sea and countryside from the house and I have a bench which I moved away from the front door. She arranged her time of arrival so I put a small cup of coffee on the bench for her before she got there and when she rang the bell she was sat drinking the coffee when I came out and sat on the path about 4m away! She is on her own now as her husband died last year and she really needed a bit of company not just a phone or Zoom call.
But we do have to be extra careful in these horrible times.

No you're right of course shysal- we are NOT yet allowed to meet up in our gardens- but the beggers are risking it anyway!

But- dontmindstayingathome- theres SO many that either have it and are asymptomatic- or have had it, and we, or even they, don't know- and then yes, the risk is huge!!! If theyre not showing symptoms, but have it, then yes of course you could catch it!! HOW DO PEOPLE STILL NOT UNDERSTAND???

Made

Haven't Scotland make a big leap from "we are staying locked down" to "you can meet a whole other family"???

Twig14- your sister should really be thinking about the safety aspect- to your shielding husband and also your elderly mum- especially as youve lost your dad to virus already?? I suppose a compromise, if youve a VERY big garden,would be to hire a small portaloo and have bottles of water in the garden- and Definitely NOT allow hugging and stay 2metres apart, perhaps hubby could watch all from an upstairs window- but really? Cant she just wait a bit longer? Having lost your father id have thought she'd be more cautious?? Just put your foot down& say no.what does your mother think of her visiting plan? It could be a touch of jealousy maybe on your sisters part- as your'e sharing lockdown with mum & she's not?? Maybe she could visit your mum just her alone one to one as per guidelines on day of her birthday, leave a gift& card.take a photo (of just your mum) but stay distanced.?as a compromise?

So many people are seeing family, going for walks and now and sitting in each other’s gardens. Some of my friends are now seeing their children and grandchildren but my daughter just doesn’t want to go out or come over. She does suffer from depression. Since things were lifted a bit I have asked if we could meet up and go for a walk. Take the dogs out. She just avoids the question. We had my GS 7 th birthday on Sunday and I did say it would be lovely to see him. She just said ‘we’re not allowed yet’ ( meaning I’m assuming the governments messages). But tends to focus on a bit of a message - so when we told only essential journeys and we said you can go out to exercise, she just said that wouldn’t be an essential journey ! I just cried and cried. Since things have eased I find myself avoiding the FaceTimes and letting my hubby talk more as it’s just too upsetting. Yesterday she FTed and I had to answer it. I talked to the Gch but then the tears just came. I kept wiping them away quickly so GCh didn’t see. DD said ‘I’m sorry we’ve upset you’. And I said again that I missed them and am really struggling at the moment. She said ‘I’m sure it won’t be long’. And I felt like saying everyone else is doing it why can’t you! ( but I didn’t). There are some friends near by we have ‘seen’. And even sat in their gardens all social distancing. Both now having grandparents or grandchildren over to their gardens. I’ve said I just don’t want to see them anymore so don’t put me in a situation that I would find difficult. The irony in all this is I did see my daughter in law last week for a walk in a park with my latest grandson. Just 8 weeks old. It was lovely to see her and we walked and sat under a tree. I didn’t see my son as he was at a job interview. They had travelled over an hour - we met sort of half way. The baby looked just like my son did and had the same mannerism. DiL said she wanted me to see him as soon as was possible and felt that they hadn’t been anywhere, we hadn’t been anywhere so it was probably the safest it possibly could be. I know this probably sounds very selfish of me but I just am really struggling and normally I would be ok about things.

Sodapop- how can it possibly work for libraries? With so many handling the books (& possibly coughing on them?) Won't it be too great a risk in future?

Thank you Oopsadaisy3 and brook2704 for your birthday wishes and virtual cake, flowers and presents! I did enjoy my lockdown birthday.

No I am not planning on meeting anyone. Family may be staying home from work but they are still doing supermarket shopping and walking in beauty spots.

Absolutely planning it already. We should be “allowed” this weekend (scotland). I’m hoping for decent weather because it has to be outside but we are allowed to meet a whole household. It’ll be torture not to cuddle them but lovely to actually see them full size and not in a phone screen.

My mother will be 100 next Wednesday sadly my father died due to virus he too would have been 100 the week after. My mother is staying with me and has been for last 12 weeks. The difficulty that I am facing is my sister and her family wish to visit for my mothers birthday . My DH has a compromised immune system and is High risk and is shielding. We have a very large garden n yet told we are not supposed to allow visitors into the garden but can meet one person in a park. My sister is extremely difficult and I’m worried about how things can be said in order for her to realise our situation. My sister phoned my mother and said she would be visiting I understand she wishes to visit my mother on this very special birthday. She doesn’t live far away. Had we been allowed to keep the 2 metre distance in gardens but I have heard this morning the reason why we can’t is because soneone may wish to visit the toilet, want a drink or just be tempted to hug soneone. What an awful time we are all experiencing. It’s tough. I last saw my son and my two grandchildren last June I doubt I will see them again until next year as they live at other side of the world. I miss thsn dreadfully

We're going to Palamos for coffee with a friend tomorrow. We're a bit ahead of the uk and can go out but keep a distance. Its 10 weeks since we saw her and shes had a rough 6 months. Lost her dh and bestie, not to the virus, and broke her leg just before lockdown. Shes still managing stomach cancer but is very upbeat and cheerful but it will be lovely to actually see her.

I thought the current guidance was one person can meet one other in a park.

What I really don't understand about social distancing is.....

If you haven't left the house for over a month and your family member/friend hasn't left the house for over a month then clearly neither of you has the virus (the symptoms show themselves in 7-10 days).

Why can't you hug? You can't catch the virus from someone who hasn't got it!