The Lockdown Gang - not setting foot outside!

No I’d be even later. callistemon if you get in early can you pretend to be me too so that miss doesn’t realise I’m not there. ?

OK, point taken. I will make it so easy that you think it is a trick!

I am in vulnerable group as is DD 3 with whom I am in lockdown. Neither of us are in the shielding group however, although DH (who is in lockdown with DD1) is.
We have 3 small children here with us (which is why I went into lockdown with DD3 a single parent) eldest is 9 then a 2 year old and a baby.
Keeping the children entertained in my daughter’s fairly small house is very difficult! and the toddler especially is going stir crazy now he is no longer at the child minders or attending any groups.
Eldest DGS is missing his school friends, and out door places (we live near the beach and forest, but lock down means we can’t get there ) He is Also finding it strange having grandma turn into his teacher! He is still having his one to one maths and 11+ tuition each week, but online, and Microsoft team meeting with tutor; so that helps a little.
The main problem is trying to find ways of entertaining children with such different ages! DGS 1 would happily watch a film or do his chemistry experiments etc, but that wouldn’t entertain DGS2 who needs constant watching lest he gets into scrapes! And all the while baby crawls around or furniture surfs and also needs our eyes in the back of our heads! As well of course they too need teaching and playing games, copious reading and craft activities. I am exhausted come bed time!
I have taken over all the cooking and washing, as well as the teaching and helping with entertaining babies. DD1 does some other tasks and all the gardening but it’s damn hard work!
I really miss DD1 and my 8 year old and 6 year old DGD’s and my DD2 and other 8 year old DGD. We FaceTime but it’s hard still.
DD1 and I have had birthdays during this, and I couldn’t see her for hers (although mine was just before full lock down ) and if the lock down goes in to May DGS1 and DGS2 will both have birthdays, not doing much, DGS1 will be 10 and DGS2 turns 3!
Like so many others although we have been told we are priority for supermarket delivery slots we can never get them so I am having to go out every few days to buy food, I don’t have a car at the moment and DD3 doesn’t drive so our shopping trips are more often than I think is recommended!

Oh no. I bet miss is conning us Callistemon. ?

Early? Moi??

Je suis désolée, mais non!

Pseudo encore Français

Eh?

I must be going mad or blind!!
Having found you all I then seemed to loose track of where to find you again!
Thank you so much Gov Doodlefor welcoming me as an inmate,I feel very much at home since my dear man already calls this place "The Penitentuary" and us as the inmates!

You have certainly made the place look very much a home from home,whilst how nice to already know fellow Marydoll and Dragonfly.Hopefully I shall get to know each one in time.

Nothing like a good sense of humour to help these weird days go down well!

Yes Doodle all our communal areas are under their own lockdown,and we are each locked in our individual flats.At least we have a large picture window over looking a South/west garden, though of course not very much activity!

Sadly the Paramedics were here on a mission,one of our residents,a 70 year old well known footballer whom had lost both legs( virtually to his groin) had been found dead in the early morning.Such a dampener of spirits.
He had been sunbathing illegally on one of our terraces the day before.

My man is enjoying writing a blog about our Lockdown experience,I wish I had thought of that first!
He is very engrossed in it and I am very nosy,I would love to have a read!

Your description of your life when first you joined Gransnet Doodle resembles my life,and yes on many a dark day it has been a life saver.Virtual friends can become so very dear and I have found a few across the world over the last few years.Although health has a bad habit of causing interruptions when it is the last thing I need!

I am tearing my hair out wondering how on earth am I going to look even barely respectable and human without a haircut!!My hair is normally a short gamin style.......as white as the driven snow.....it grows as though manured and already resembles an outsized mop head,and that is being kind!!
Has anyone any suggestions during this time of lockdown?
I have even thought of having it shaved off for charity.....but lo and behold, whom can do the dastardly deed?

I shall sign off now hoping and trusting you are all feeling in good spirits, as determindly we, as a gang, are set to rule the world.I name our Gov Doodle as our leader!
Sweet dreams my new friends,thank you for your welcome and for having me.

Hello jenpax. You certainly are having a busy time. You mention your daughter is doing all the gardening so could the children not go out into the garden for a runaround, playing catch or something? I can understand with such a gap between their ages it must be difficult to keep all 3 occupied.

Hopefully supermarkets will be making more slots available soon. We have to keep checking and checking every day to see if something comes available. Sainsbury’s (if you have one near) tend to open slots a few days ahead. If you don’t think you are on their vulnerable list you could try phoning and checking. Hope you’re managing to get enough in to feed you all. Take care and let’s hope this is over soon.

Marydoll and Doodle, I so agree about those who have no internet access. I was recently asked by a support worker to help someone living in a rural village to get online because they needed to sign on at their job centre as they had no income. They had a landline only and were afraid to go out. Mobile phone signal was almost non-existent, not that my client had a mobile phone. Just trying to work out the cheapest broadband package for a start was difficult and my client would have had to take out a contract. When I checked the house phone cabling, I found a working internet router. I was able to provide an iPad and have been supporting my client until I had to join the (lockdown) gang!

However, without a mobile phone, we couldn't have any of the well known email addresses because they send a verification code to a mobile phone. I had to sign up my client to a less secure email service. My client doesn't haven't a bank card of any kind so can't pay for apps. The odds are stacked against truly vulnerable people.

My client is not the first person I've tried to help in similar circumstances. There is no political will to help the technically invisible. I don't know if I could cope if I didn't have online access. No-one from UK_Gov or NHS Coronovirus Service has phoned me to find out if I’m OK, although obviously I am.

My hair needs cutting too. I sent off for proper scissors. My husband seems only too willing to 'have a go’.

Dreamcatcher we certainly don’t want you getting lost ? Glad you’ve found us again. I love Mr P’s name for our establishment and its occupants. Please send him my best wishes.

Sorry to hear of the loss of one of your residents. Always a sobering moment. We too have lost one of our friends from close by. Quite a shock really.

Your hair sounds lovely and I’m sure doesn’t look anything like as bad as you say. Haircuts I think will become a problem for many. Is Mr P any good with a pair of scissors? No, I thought not. I wouldn’t let my husband cut my hair either ?

Sleep well my fellow inmates. I have made you all hot chocolate to soothe you to sleep. No bedtime story tonight I’m afraid as I have to go and check on one of the prisoners (DH) who has escaped outside (on the balcony) to take photos. Yes I know it’s pitch black outside. What can he be up to ?
.......stars apparently. His new lockdown hobby.

Sleep tight all x

Hello missedout I almost missed you. Crossed posts.
That sounds a very kind think you were doing helping someone to get access to the internet. We rely on it so much for almost everything these days.

We look forward to hearing about your haircut when you have been ‘done’. ?.
Don’t let your cocoa get cold!

Jenpax wow!! Whenever I grumble that here I am stuck in with my beloved DH, until at least mid June, I shall imagine you and hope for everyone's sakes that schools can restart in a few weeks.

My DD tells us how her toddler has tantrums and the 5yr old misses her pals. Our 8yr old, an only child, is sorely missing school now and running around with his friends. The novelty of both DP at home has worn off. Although today we were sent a picture of his cafe and fortune telling service!.

When I phoned the council yesterday to complain about fly-tipping, the switchboard was offering to put me through to the kindness department, Yours might be worth a try. There are people who could help you with shopping. Our shopping volunteer carries a special ID letter incase she is asked.

Good morning all,
Another beautiful, bird chirping kind of day....absolutely wonderful.
I am finding the shielding easy to do...
My other half, who is fantastic, in lots of ways, seems to think he is shielding me...but I keep finding 'flaws' in his 'methods'.
Take this morning's example: they are building an extension next door,impacting our garden, for awhile, with rubble. My partner let him in through the side gate...social distancing; none!
Then after, the builder helped with the strawberry plants, along with no social distancing...I think it kicked in for my partner and he started practising it!
Not sure if it is a bit late...should I count from today , if I might show symptoms?
I only know all this because I was spying from the turned up bedroom blind!

Doodle I was back in my cell before lights out but the light went out ( post wouldn't send). I have been behaving! Before I attempt to turn the light up ... I'll see if this registers.

It did!☺️

I'm so excited! While on my video call to the hospital, my mobile kept ringing. It was my daughter, even although I had asked her not to phone, as I had a consultation. ?

The doctor suggested I answer it, as it might have been important.

It turned out she had managed to secure a delivery slot for tomorrow afternoon from Iceland! I love that girl! ?
I have been phoning my neighbours to see what they need!

I hope everyone is in good spirits today! Take care.

Cherry, I hope you have had a better day today.

Good to see you here Mrs P. So sorry to hear about the footballer. What a shock that must have been.

I broke the rules yesterday. We have DD's dog because they went to Australia for a holiday on 1st March and despite getting back okay we went into lockdown and have had the dog ever since. They live 100 miles away. The dog developed a poorly eye and despite sending photos to the vet she wanted to see him. I donned my rubber gloves and mask and ventured down there. They were very good and left me outside while taking the dog inside. There was absolutely no contact. It appears he has an ulcer on his eye. He is in a great deal of pain and is rubbing his eye on everything is sight. We have to give him eye drops twice a day, a painkiller (big tablet) once a day and wipe it in between. This is easier said than done as he is a big woolly dog and now hates me so when he sees me coming he hides.
Hopefully one day he can go home.

Managed to get a huge order from Sainsbury this morning so should be okay for a few weeks. At least we can eat!

Going for a snooze now as was up all night with the dog!!

So far so good ?*Marydoll*, the day is young of course .... Thank you for your genuine concern yesterday and today ?.
Thank you too Doodle ?️ and Carillion ?.
Welcome all new gang members, there is plenty of room in this cell block for you all ?.
I echo your sentiments Marydoll and Doodle about the site and the virtual companionship here. I've only been a member for 2 months (less really) and am getting quite fond of some of you. I do feel like I'm making friendships, even though it is virtual. When I was a teenager I had a pen pal, just the one. Now I feel I have many and like my pen pals.
Off to have some lunch now, baring hiccups I will return.

gramaretto a kindness department. That sounds so nice. ?

sickofweddingcake it’s not surprising we get caught out with this distancing thing. I expect your DH was just trying to be helpful. Easily done.

cherry I missed you yesterday. Glad you are safe and able to post again. I have been on GN quite a while now, not as long as some but for many years and I find I have a real bond with many of the posters. I think when you start to find out people’s characters, their families, their problems and worries, their joys and their humour you get a sense of that person.

Marydoll Iceland delivery star rating. Well done your daughter.

dragonfly what a shame about your daughters dog. I understand that it’s difficult in lockdown but could your daughter not come and collect him without getting too close to you. I would imagine that a sick dog that needs medical treatment would be a reasonable excuse to make that journey especially if you have difficulty treating him. Poor doggy. Not nice to be in pain.
Glad you got your Sainsbury’s order.

Have a good day all. I’m off back to Miss Doll’s maths class before she notices I’m missing.

dreamcatcher hope you and MrP are ok.

Will pop back later to make sure everyone is behaving ?

I have subscribed to Which ( for a trial month anyway) so before I go buying things online I can at least check them out.
I would normally read it at the library but of course it's closed.
If any of you want me to look up their reviews for anything you are thinking of purchasing. Let me know.

Well done Missdoll!. on the exciting delivery slot.

We had a few extra things from our "supplier" and inside the box were 2 homemade slices of chocolate cake. They want us to get fat in here!

Just wanted to say how lovely to read a thread where everybody is nice and friendly. So many threads deteriorate into nastiness. Like seeing how others pass their days.
I’ve become very lazy and stay in bed reading or playing games on my iPad. Either walk or go on exercise bike most days. Need to up exercise as I’ve be eating ‘treats’ most evenings. If we are locked up for another 3 weeks I’ll have to buy a whole new wardrobe of clothes in a size or two bigger. ???

I have a confession to make, I admit to having been feeling of all of you who have managed to get delivery slots but I also confess that I am glad that you have. Yesterday I was starting to worry because me & my WP (for those of you who are not familiar with me the acronym stands for wonderful partner) are running out of basics and there is no volunteer available until Monday. However, my friend & neighbour's (the friend who died) SiL was at her house this morning and I was sitting in the garden and after chatting (from a distance) he offered to do a shop for us at the end of his afternoon shift (he works in Sainsbury's). It was (and is) so kind of him. Now we will have our own personal delivery before 9pm this evening. I could have hugged him, but of course I didn't.
Doodle I don't consider your questions as prying. The number of seizures I've had is usual for me. I'm a complex case and there is nothing more the medical profession can do to improve it. The lockdown isn't making it worse ☺️. How quickly I recover depends on a couple of things, the intensity and duration of the seizure. Recovery is harder if I have a couple in a day or a few over several days but that doesn't always happen. I'm determined to not let it get me down, it can be difficult when I've injured myself and a little harder atm being in lockdown but there are people with bigger issues to contend with so I can't grumble. I didn't have it in childhood luckily, it must be so hard for a child and their parents. My heart goes out to the children who have epilepsy, I wish I could magic it away for every child who has it.
Missedout I think it's wonderful how you've tried to help someone without internet the way you have. I do have one question however, if you don't mind me asking, how can the person have a contract and pay for it when they don't have a bank account? I didn't think it was possible. It is these people who are suffering hardest though I think atm, technology is not with its drawbacks but atm it is a godsend.

Sunlover That's so nice to hear.
I think being locked up for indefinite period, you have to try to be cheerful otherwise you would be suicidal.
If it were 3 weeks that would be easy! We are 12 weeks at least and that is no going beyond your garden except to hospital..

DH had a call from his GP today . It was quite serious and he has gone away to think it over. It's about POA and whether he would want to go into hospital etc.
She believes in something called Hospital at Home where everything possible is brought to you at home.
ihub.scot/project-toolkits/hospital-at-home/hospital-at-home/