Is it just me?

billericaylady I do wish you well. I think people will be looking to work from home rather than in the office all the time. It could be cheaper for some companies so you never know.

The Guardian tomorrow is saying The NHS coronavirus test-and-trace system designed to prevent a second deadly wave is not expected to work at full speed until September or October, the Guardian has learned. so I think we are wise to be cautious.

Thankyou for this thread MawB - I thought I was the only one who felt this way.

Completely understand how you are feeling.I'm on Fulough and have gotten into a nice routine with My Partner and naturally I know I'm lucky to be being paid 80% but the thought if going back to work in small environment with 7 guys scares the hell out of me.
I've started a little business one because I love sewing and 2 because who knows if I will have a job to go back to.
I make Bags and Bunting and have a large order for masks....It also keeps My mind off things ????

Thanks Marydoll!
My apologies to the kind posters whose suggestions were of course sincerely meant.
Looking back at my opening post I must have expressed myself badly, but many of you “got it” so I feel less in a minority than I did on Sunday morning.
I still think however that (virus apart) there have been many positive aspects to the lockdown - pulling together, many people making their own entertainment albeit often based on the Internet, quizzes, much more genuine community spirit, concern for our neighbours, shopping deliveries, being able to wear pj’s for the best part of the day (unless dog walking) because nobody was going to drop in, becoming au fait with Zoom and FaceTime, some great old films, people greeting you on walks and when they ask “All right?” actually meaning it!
There’s been a thread on this I know but the younger generation who are much more social and more proactive, have had some ingenious ideas, I particularly liked DD’s street doing disco dancing outside each house as they could virtually shut their London street off, “open air cinema“ at the end of a cul de sac for the children who sat on their own socially distanced floor cushions or picnic chairs outside a garage with the doors open, pavement /front area coffee mornings, and best of all “gin by the bins” - self explanatory!
I organised pre- lunch drinks on Easter Sunday morning for my 4 nearest neighbours, own chairs, own glasses, own drinks and we had a very jolly hour and a half but nobody has suggested a repeat and once people all return to their own activities, this sort of thing will fizzle out won’t it?
Anyway, enough of this. I still feel those who have decided it is all behind us may have a nasty shock ahead, those who cannot resist the urge for a hug, those whose idea of “6” is very flexible or who can’t wait to hit B&Q, may regret they ran out of patience and of steam after just 10 weeks.

Maw, knowing you some of the suggestions did raise a smile.

However, posters were trying to be kind, but obviously didn't really know that you are not normally like this and that you are the formidable and able MawB!
(That's a complement by the way!)

I was telling my husband about this thread, as he has heard me talking about you, all good, I hasten to say.

I'm glad you are feeling more upbeat.
If I had posted today, about how I was feeling, I suspect people who don't know me would urge me to seek help or a hobby too!
I had a massive wobble today, but it has passed and I'm supposed to be the ever (well almost ever) optimistic MDoll. . Everyone has low days and a lot has happened in your life in the past few years.
It's not surprising we are feeling like this at the moment..

Are you absolutely sure you don't want to start a new hobby?

Thank you for the kind thoughts, but I am certainly not in need of counselling and am beginning to regret opening up on Sunday morning when I was feeling low. It just seemed as it so often does when reading social media, that the rest of the world was beginning to get out and about and I felt I was the only one still in lockdown. My point was that when we were all in lockdown, there was a feeling of solidarity, of all being in it together, and of a challenge we were all facing together. ,
Now our actions are disparate and some are clearly more fortunate or more adventurous than others. I do not believe for a moment that the danger is behind us. Anybody who believes that 12 weeks was all it takes and we would be out the other side is sadly delusional.
I was also very aware of the many people who were apparently jumping the gun and taking premature advantage of what was not supposed to happen before Monday.
Fear not, I may not be driving long distances to resume my many activities because they involve groups of people, or going to the theatre, opera and cinema and London is off my list for now, but I am really fine.
A friend came round for a glass of Pimms this afternoon and I have invited another couple to lunch on Wednesday (fingers crossed for the weather as we will be eating outside) and one D is hoping to drive down from Birmingham with a GC or two and maybe the new puppy in the afternoon.
Moral, when feeling down, have another cup of coffee and think again.
I enjoy reading, I have my lovely dog, I do two courses a week so I am happy to say I don’t need a hobby either!

Social distancing regulations caused an unintended cruelty.I watched on a video link a funeral service for a friend. His widow sat in a pew on her own with no one around to offer comfort or even a tissue. Just words offered during the service

We are due to fly back home to Manchester in 10 days from Australia. We have been here with DD + 3 children since New Year. It has felt so safe here as everyone in her small town has followed the rules. Now easing here but we're still being very careful. First 2 visitors into her home 2 days ago, it felt so strange.
I am worried about coming home but we have to sometime. Kind neighbour putting shopping over the garden wall! It will be nice to have our home comforts but I won't be venturing anywhere except for quiet walking areas for a long time even after 2 wks isolation.

I'm going to be a hermit and hunker down with my little family. I'm even more convinced that my germaphobic ways have always been on point.

Its just how I feel Maw, I don't want to be in places where there are crowds, I just feel unsafe. So I am doing what I have been doing during lockdown. Going out most days for a cycle ride away from people. I put the bike on the back of the car and drive out of town and then cycle. I go to the supermarket twice a week, usually Waitrose because it offers the best security with trolleys being cleaned in front of you, I also wear a mask and take my hand sanitiser with me to clean my hands before I get in the car and wipe everything down. Nothing will convince me that easing lockdown is safe. I intend to live to get my moneys worth collecting my state pension!

Ev

my husband is in the shielding group so we are not really allowed out at all, although we have had a quick round the block walk when its quiet. this lockdown, for us is 12 weeks, its a bit of a slap in the face when i see so many just ignoring what they are supposed to do, a case of ,,,,, im all right jack

So sorry you are feeling so low Maw. lockdown will continue, so hope you can will be able to cope. You might need some counselling to help you with your worries and possible isolation. Do try to continue to get out and have friends round when you can.

Today instead of my local walk round the houses I joined my daughter to walk round a reservoir ( we travelled in separate cars and kept 2m apart). It was lovely and hardly anyone else about.
However she told me that her husband who has been and still is working from home is going to an occasional meeting with a colleague, her children, not yet back at school, aged 12 and 15 are occasionally having a socially distanced meeting with a couple of friends - all sounds well thought out but I feel it now means I will be very reluctant to meet up with her for walks, as it puts me, and therefore DH, more at risk now - Just as were are supposedly offered more freedom.

One has to assess the risks for oneself.

My DH died suddenly at the end of January. I coped initially but then lockdown started. As time has gone on I have found the peace reassuring although missing my family. Today would have been our 52nd wedding anniversary so DD suggested meeting in the park. It was so nice to see her and DGD face to face from 2 metres. A real tonic on what could have been a bad day. However that will keep me going for quite a while and I am quite content to stay locked down for a few more weeks. Hugs to all those on their own.

I do agree with you MawB. I too am very nervous about going out, so I won't be doing that. I want to see if the virus comes back before venturing out,

I know only too well how lonely you must feel after loosing your Husband, as I have. The quiet is deafening isn't it.

Yesterday, one on my Son's came by, and parked on the other side of the fence, he stayed in his car and we had a lovely chat, but no cuddles. I miss them.

Keep your chin up MawB and don't venture out until you feel it is safe to do so. Nobody can make you and I have no intentions of doing so eithter

Take care

All happening too fast
We're making our own stay safe rules now, and in no rush as we're enjoying the peace and change lockdown brings at the moment anyway ...

p.s. Sorry I meant to add to my comment aboce, but can't find an edit button, i.e. that the lock down hasn't really affected me in a negative way as I've been virtually housebound for the past 15 years due to a serious road traffic accident that left me with a serious head injury and a broken back (I lost 4 inches in height). I was sent home with no treatment which basically left me disabled.

I've been lucky in that I've had a positive experience over this lock down becasue my wife and two children have all been incarcerated with me for the past couple of months.

Both children were at university (one reading Pharmacy and one Dentistry) and my wife has been working from home lecturing by streaming to her students. On top of that we have a reasonably large property in a third of an acre of gardens, so we have plenty of space to do outdoor stuff (badminton, tennis, archery, ping pong bat and ball etc. and helping pour gardener keep the place looking nice. we've started a second garden [pool as the first one we built two years ago has been really successful . I don't see this as a us and them situation Maw B, I hope that you don't feel to negative over what is happening and I would like to wish you the best for the future. Have you taken up any new hobbies; I've found such activities can be very positive and uplifting.

The ONLY reason lock-down measures have been relaxed is financial. The country is already billions in debt becasue of the pandemic and will be even more beholding to those banks lending us the money to pay for everything. (what power they have).

Still, from a humanistic point of view I think it's a massive mistake relaxing the lock-down a sit is going to cut short the lives of many more people than if we continue a full lock-down until a suitable cure is found.

I'm sure that we will get a massive rise in deaths in the next few months because of this financial oriented led phase of the lock-down.

Is it worth allowing us all these new freedoms. I don't think so. There will be many families regretting this move by our government when they lose close ones; especially as the government have consistently ignored expert advise on what we should and should not be doing.

Even though I was born into a strong working class Labour family I've supported the conservatives for the past three decades and still do, but I'm saddened to see the route they have taken over the course of this awful pandemic; basically all those deaths that are yet to come are what we call Collateral Damage as they think the financial crisis is more important that a few mere human beings.

In some strange way.....and most of the time .....I’ve come to a place where, without really thinking about it I feel safe, secure and quite content with this cocooned lifestyle now. Initially at the start of quarantine I felt confused and frustrated at how these restrictions were impacting my normal active outward focused life. But I knew I had to find a way to come to terms with these changes which were to become the new ‘normal’ , or otherwise I would be existing in a state of anxiety and frustration.

So I took a hard look at my limited options and sort of narrowed my focus. I hoped to find pleasure in what I could do.....a little more time and interest in baking .......setting up a yoga space, learning how to navigate Zoom so I could take daily yoga sessions, when the weather cooperated, spending pleasurable afternoons working in my little garden, or deciding to dust off my bike and ride around the neighbourhood looking at other peoples gardens coming into bloom. And by having so few options to fill my days I gradually relaxed into a far more pleasurable routine than I could ever have imagined.

And now, as everything starts to open up, I’m just not sure I’m ready or even want to be tempted back into that hurried outward focus existence that I lived in pre Covid 19.

I am 67 years old with no known health problems. I haven't been to any shops for over 10 weeks, everything has been done on-line even though I'd never done on-line shopping before. I shall not be going to any shops or anywhere else as the virus is still there, the same as it was 10 weeks ago. I shall continue to stay safe by staying at home and enjoying one lot of exercise each day.

I am shielding and must admit I am in my little bubble. My partner is working, solitary, and I see my children at a distance. One friend has come into my garden. I went to the Hospital today for a regular blood test and was talking to one of the nurses. Her friend works on the Covid ward and she said it is scary and what the people with the virus are going through is terrible. My little bubble got dented, so any thoughts that I may have had about getting back to normal have certainly gone out of the window so to speak. I would rather keep safe.

ALANaV what you have said in your post is very sensible and I totally agree.I can understand how some people may have lost a bit of confidence though.

I know exactly what you mean MawB.
When ‘we were all in it together’, it felt perfectly acceptable and safe to stay in.
Now it is if a light is shining on those of us who don’t have big groups of friends, maybe friends more spread out, who don’t want to rush to meet, and are happy with a phone call, email or zoom, or have quieter interests.
As someone said, it seems like the world is divided into two camps at the moment.

I went into m&s food hall today first time since lockdown and although the floor was marked out according most people were taking no notice whatsoever. I felt very uneasy and won’t be going in again anytime soon. One woman came right up behind me and reached over to get something off the shelf - unbelievable! I have to say though the majority of those who were ‘tunnel visioned’ were over 70, of which I am not (just!) some even scooting about in electric wheelchairs. It beggars belief! You would honestly think the virus had magically disappeared! I really don’t think I’m paranoid or over cautious unless you folks tell me otherwise!