Dreading the winter without garden visits.

I live alone, in a flat with no garden so my opportunities for socialising have been very limited. In any case, my DC and their families live a considerable distance away. Furthermore I am now in a Greater Manchester lockdown area. I have not been to a cafe, pub or restaurant since last February. However, I am quite content with lots of facetime and Zoom, and plenty of phone calls. I am a bit fed up with people who don't stick to the guidelines and in so doing put the rest of us at risk. We're not being asked to do anything heroic - just sit on the sofa and watch Netflix.

I don't think the winter will be easy for any of us, especially those who live alone. We should try to be well informed about the risks and decide how best to balance the risk of infection with other factors, then do what we feel comfortable with.

Some of us are more risk-averse than others

Do what makes you feel happiest, NotTooOld

It matter not what anyone on a forum says

Do what is right for you

I’m over 80 and taking sensible precautions, I hope to live long enough for my lot to get fed up with me , rather than miss me ?

Where did you see or read that, @b9exchange?

Frankly I don’t believe it. Around here, at least, aside from the masks, most people would seem to be carrying on much as pre-virus and so many - of all ages - are apparently not too bothered about social distancing.

Ellianne. That's good thinking . I might bring my greenhouse back from the allotment and use it as shelter in the garden . Can be well ventilated and heated.
And friends can still come for coffee.

I'm always one to think outside the box in a resourceful way and in my mind I've rigged up the house incase we have to resort to visitors outside again. Have you got an integral garage with an area you could put some chairs and a coffee table in? We can talk from the kitchen to ours and I've bought a pretty screen to divide it. Have you got bifold or patio doors where you can attach an awning with sides? Our youngsters love sitting in ours when it is raining. I have bought a patio heater should it be cold. I am never going back to a time when we don't see anyone at home, unless of course I need to quarantine. Like Franbern, my motto is live and enjoy.

I have been indoors for months- going out shopping only when I have to. The only people I have had a conversation with face to face for since March have been the till staff. I am in my late 70's and have no family.

Next weekend I am meeting a friend for lunch for the first time for many months. We will both remain careful but I cannot stay indoors for another year.

Agree with everything that’s been said OP and Franbern’s post is excellent. The risk is tiny and each person needs to make their own risk assessment and take responsibility. Surely you don’t want to live as a prisoner for the foreseeable future?

Like Bluebelle, I refuse to live whatever time I have left (I am nearly 80 yrs old), as a virtual prisoner.
At present there are far more deaths per hundred thousand population from flu and pneuomonia - but even these are lower than seasonal average.
Checked my local area figures - 2 deaths last week, 3 covid cases per hundred thousand population - no figures for mental health disorders excascerbated by this fear pandemic.
Yes, each person must do what they feel comfortable with but when people come on here expressing their concerns about meeting other people in their own homes, then they must expect many of us to tell them to get on with their lives.
Have people in your home - get everyone to wash their hands when entering. Open a few windows - live and enjoy yourself

growstuff

I wish people would stop talking about "courage" and "fear".

I don't choose to stay at home because I'm fearful or lack courage. I choose to stay at home because I've assessed the risks and I don't want to take more than absolutely minimal risk.

That's a rational, sensible decision and I've reorganised my life, so that I'm not unhappy.

I haven't somehow failed for lacking "courage" and being "scared".

Assess the risks for your area and personal health. If you're happy to take the risk, go for it. If not, accept it and find something to occupy yourself.

Yep! That is what I’ve done.

Agree with growstuff about this. Everyone has to assess the risks for themselves and anyone else living in their household, and move forward from there. Some people will to choose to take only the very minimum of risks, because they feel safer and therefore happier doing that. Other people will choose to follow the guidance, and go out more, socialise more, maybe go to a restaurant or a family member’s house, and do their own shopping. Those people have assessed their risk, and decided to get a bit more back to normal, hopefully taking the recommended precautions such as mask wearing (actually a legal requirement in a shop) hand washing and sanitising, social distancing etc.
Everyone now has to make their own decisions about how to proceed, but we should remember that many people have no choice because they have got to go back to work, and of course others have worked all the way through.
If we’re retired, we have choice, not everyone does.

I wish people would stop talking about "courage" and "fear".

I don't choose to stay at home because I'm fearful or lack courage. I choose to stay at home because I've assessed the risks and I don't want to take more than absolutely minimal risk.

That's a rational, sensible decision and I've reorganised my life, so that I'm not unhappy.

I haven't somehow failed for lacking "courage" and being "scared".

Assess the risks for your area and personal health. If you're happy to take the risk, go for it. If not, accept it and find something to occupy yourself.

I feel that for sanity alone you need to consider meeting family and friends indoors and doing as much as you can to get back to your normal, pre Covid life.
I’m in my 70s too and very conscious that I don’t have too many years left so I can’t afford to put life on hold. Every year gets more and more precious as you age.

I fully agree with you BlueBelle, it has been reported today that the UK citizens are far more scared than any other country, and that is so sad.

I think either you follow the guidance, and that is what it is, not a legal requirement, or you don't. If you do, then there is no reason at all not to have your friends in your house, sitting six feet apart. The risk has been judged to be so small, why not try it? If you get into a car, you are at a bigger risk of having an accident, but that doesn't stop us, so please do have the courage to try.

You have two choices as I see it you either accept that this virus is going to be around for a long long time and live your life as normally as possibly with maybe more rigorous washing, (that is of course unless you’re in a hot spot)
or else you stay in being afraid and probably harm your mental health
I have chosen the former and live my life entirely normally If my area becomes a hot spot I ll have to batten down for a bit but until that happens I m out and about, back at work and living my life which is fairly humdrum anyway, as it was

I think fear is the bigger killer
I too am in my mid 70 s