Lockdown is hard for us all, but on a positive note......

I have really enjoyed the luxury of being able to sit and read for an hour at a time and I have discovered that I can borrow e books and audio books from my local library.

In the first lock down I really missed singing and have now joined two on line choirs and attend a number of Zoom rehearsals every week. One of the choirs, the Stay at Home Choir, has members from more than 70 countries. I have mastered the technology needed to record and send in my contributions. One of the on line concerts was beamed to the Carnegie Hall in New York!

I've realised the DH is a brilliant and stoic housemate and definitely much more accepting of this situation than I am.
I get really excited about little things - even a phone call from one of the DD's or DGC'S makes me REALLY happy whereas before I don't think I appreciated how lovely it is to be thought of.
I 've discovered that I quite like jigsaw puzzles whereas I would never have considered doing one pre covid.
I've saved quite a lot of money as my weekly lunch out with friends and wander round the likes of Home Bargains is no longer possible.
My lifelong rather difficult relationship with my mother seems to have improved and she has stopped critisising everyone and seems grateful at last for all we do for her. [I've always been tolerant as you only have one mum but I can't say the same for her!]

More time to read so I feel much better informed.

I prefer some of our Zoom activities in particular the weekly pub quiz for which I read questions. Reading in the pub was often a nightmare as they have Sky Sports. Football frequently coincided with our quiz night and battling against the noise was hard work. Now I sit at home in a peaceful environment with no interruptions. Most people who do the Zoom quiz were ones we previously hadn't met so lots of new friends. Also people joining us from outside our league including someone in Seattle.

We're now Facetiming friends regularly and have agreed with those who don't live nearby that we'll definitely continue. We wonder why we weren't doing it before.

More time for writing. My creative writing group is now online. I started a coronavirus diary last March.Didn't think I'd be keeping it for so long. I write quiz questions. I still haven't got back to my family history.

We discovered a local Supper Club which delivers restaurant quality meals to be reheated at home. In terms of food it's like dining out but cheaper.

I started trying out a lot of diy things, like handmade candles or sewing. It's very relaxing, too.

Having two major operations in August and September 2020 knowing I’ve not missed anything but feel a whole lot better now. ? I’m good to go when we all can.

1. I also started to exercise regularly and now I feel much better. Long walks (early hours, before the crowds) also helped a lot.
2. Had a lot of time to clean up the house and sort a lot of old stuff. Restored some of the old pictures in Photoglory and organized old photo albums in a more decent way.
3. Had a lot of time to read and also found out that audio books are very convenient to listen to while doing something else.

Great idea for a thread Gelisajams. ??
1. Zoom has been a real bonus, for work, for family, for choir get-together, although none of us has the technical expertise to do one of those with everyone singing together.
Bluebelle I sympathise with your reluctance to ‘appear’. At first I muted video so I could see everyone and speak but remain invisible.
2. Definitely more walking, in all weathers.
Walking along the prom yesterday, I wore a mask just to keep my face warm. Wish I’d had a hat!
3. DH bought Pinch of Nom-it has new recipes that even he will eat!
4. Poorer sleeping-yes even that has a benefit. One similarly afflicted Oz friend and I now exchange video calls via FB messenger at hours when one or the other of us would be sleeping.

Having moved home a year ago I have got to know my neighbours, one even offered to bring me Sunday lunch over one day. It's also been great getting to know all the dog walkers when out exercising my furry friend. I live on my own and made friends with a girl who dropped me in shortbread and a card from herself and her dogs at Christmas, I then left a little gift at her door for her. We've decided when this is over to go out for a coffee. It's really been lovely.

It's a wonderful excuse to be lazy....
Not having to socialise with people you don't have anything in common with.
Time to try new hobbies... I'm learning to play the ukelele,
- badly.

I love the educational programmes for children Nell Things get explained in a easy to understand way. You can delve deeper if it’s sparked your interest.

I love the slower pace of life.
Zoom and whatsapp videoing has become common. I offer one - on - one Bible study lessons to people, and now I do them from my home. Wonderful. ♥️
Every situation has a silver lining ?

I have learned Spanish with Internet resources since lockdown. I also made a new friend just before lockdown last year - a very intelligent younger woman from abroad, but lonely and not very good at English. Now I am teaching her English language and culture through a shared love of poetry. We meet on Zoom. She brings me things from the shops and once a week we go for a walk together. I also take up any opportunity which catches my fancy, and have joined a free reading group in philosophy at the local University (free! How lucky is that!) and also a different University literary discussion group. I speak weekly one to one with various friends online and keeping to a timetable makes my weeks seem busy and purposeful.

The highest point of our week is a trip to the dump! But, seriously, zooming and Facetiming with family and friends has been a great new delight. We moved house in December, in the midst of a bitter cold winter, pandemic and with Christmas looming. Then our sale fell through the day before Exchange (we had bridging finance) so it hasn't been a great time objectively. But, also objectively, we are so lucky: no Covid cases in the immediate family or friendship groups though we know people who have lost those dear to them; we have each other and enjoy being together even after fifty years; although not wealthy, we have enough; our daughters and grandchildren still feel a large part of our lives and we feel very blessed. That said, I did feel very stale yesterday but am determined to pull myself back out of it. So what I have learned is to count my blessings, including a vaccination this Saturday!

The best thing for me is actually being able to say "no" much more easily to things I don't want to do.

Discovering that on Zoom you can adjust your appearance to smooth out wrinkles!
Discovering the Facebook Portal. Now I can videochat to my DS in his flat while he folds his laundry and I cook dinner. It's ideal for families with tinies who can't be expected to sit and look at Granny on a phone screen for more than 2 seconds. Unfortunately my older DD says it's a spy (she could always unplug it!) and won't use one.
Multi-generational living! In December my oldest DD, DIL and DGS had to leave their rented home and we had to make space for them in our house. I was absolutely terrified, panicked and quite depressed at the prospect (even went on antidepressants). Which says something about the subtle deterioration of my state of mind during 2020.
And it's been lovely! They've been here for a month and while DH grumbles incessantly about unco-ordinated grocery deliveries etc, and notwithstanding my DS being in hospital for a week with broken ribs and other injuries after a car ran into his bike, we've all got on pretty well, considering. And since I made it clear from Day 1 that I DON'T DO MORNINGS it's a joy having a 19 month old around and getting to know him, watching him learn new words and skills every day. We'll never have the same chance again.

Having weekly zoom meetings with two friends in the UK,I dont live there,its lovely to see them.
Have started baking again on days when I am bored,not good for the figure, but gives a lot of satisfaction.

Lots of community spirit and friendship has developed on the small estate where I live, via a WhatsApp group. We all help each other. For example when I posted that I would love some Seville oranges for marmalade one of my neighbours brought them for me that same day as she knew I was shielding. And when another neighbour broke her wrist I was able to lend her several items including a book chair and a more comfortable sling from when I had broken mine. We have all got to know each other so much better.

Our first grandchild was born last October. Her parents were able to work from home during the pregnancy and after the birth, avoiding the ghastly London rush hour. Although my son's hours were reduced he has saved on the cost of fares and countless take away coffees!

I've been making more of my small garden by growing veg for the first time. I'm growing green manure as an experiment. It's out there now looking very healthy and promising. Apparently the clover element will fix nitrogen in the soil, whatever that means..

Yesterday I stumbled on a BBC Bitesize lesson for schoolchildren. I learned a lot.

Through a scheme set up by a local adult education centre I've made a new telephone buddy who is very good company and shares most of my interests.

Oh dear, I've gone on a bit. I've become a proper Pollyanna.

Grocery deliveries have been great (Tesco). We never had them before the pandemic. I used to meet up once a month with ex colleagues. I never enjoyed it really - too much of a wimp to say no. No more of that.

My family now get together every weekend via zoom to exchange news and play online games.

Before they (and me) were all busy with their individual lives and only met up for special occasions. It’s really nice to hear then being positive about each other’s news and supporting when anyone’s down.

I’m working my way through two new recipe books.
We’ve had some beautiful meals I would not have made ordinarily.

My husband has dyed my hair surprisingly well saving a lot of ££££!

I’m also walking more and feeling the benefit.

My home is immaculate.

I don’t have to see certain people?

Pre-COVID I was very actively fund-raising and socialising. Since lockdown I have appreciated being in my own home and garden, the company of my husband. And a slower pace of life. Now I am very easily pleased. A trip to the doctors is tge nearest thing to going out. I’ve gone from one extreme to the other and hope when things ease to have a more balanced life.

I haven’t tried zoom as I loathe ‘appearing’ I hate video calls etc Although I ve gone for walks each day they haven’t made up for my frequent visits to the kitchen to cheer me up and my sitting around the rest of the day and my highlight of the week is an hours visit to the supermarket so I ve just negated all your positivity gelisa sorry... talk about rain on your parade
I m trying hard to think of any positives in my own life I suppose my garden and small allotment (although I can’t use either much at the moment) are my main pleasures but they would have been with out the pandemic anyway so I m struggling here I m really trying to think through everything to come up with something but I can’t, I give up
Lovely positive thread and sorry I ve poop on it but I know you will get lots of lovely positive replies

My commute to work is lovely, taking me half the normal time.
That’s the only positive I can think of.

I've got to know some of my neighbours better. I'm now adept at having conversations whilst standing on the different sides of the road.