New days, new ways

My daughter is temporarily living with me and grandchildren for half the week. We have been squeezing every last ounce of fun out of the recent festivals, I even made toffee apples for the first time for bonfire night. I think they, and I have enjoyed the old fashioned ways more than the previous big displays, trick or treat etc and had lots of fun making our own decorations etc (simple ones as its not my forte!) So in a nutshell making the absolute most of what we can do instead of grieving for what we can't

I got onto the free library books and audio books, but can't seem to find the magazines. Any ideas please

Lewie - great news about your puppy. I've pm'd you

We are also looking forward to welcoming a puppy - next weekend! I suspect our feet won't touch the ground for some while thereafter!

I have started a class on genealogy, something I always wanted to do but never found the time.
A long winter looms so an engrossing hobby will be a lifesaver.
I love music and theatre and thanks to TV and radio I can enjoy the best of both.
My OH is an excellent chef and I enjoy cooking so there is often a fight to see who can be chef today. For a change we can order in.
I am intending to make the garden less labour intensive so winter is a good time to plan.
I keep in very regular contact with friends and family via WhatsApp and FaceTime. Much more than ever before.
I try to send a topical meme to friends every day and get great ones in return. It just lets people know you are thinking of them and raises a smile.
Things are going to get better.

Yes, a very good thread. It's a question of finding out what we can still do. So glad the schools are still open. but can understand the teachers' anxiety.
So I am going to :
Get out of the house everyday. Look out the bike that's in the downstairs cupboard. Go to the allotment.
Meet up with a friend in the park with a flask of coffee. Walk around and take photos. The trees are very beautiful.
Learn Spanish.
Ring people and have a chat with them. Or email people.
Finish knitting the blanket . Sew it up .
Write a novel.
Contact my friends in our GN group.
And so on.

Ineshowen Well done with the baby clothes. Have you heard of Nextdoor.com it is a national community website. Someone on there might refer you to families in need. Or maybe, your local maternity ward

Oh and I also arrange to have a virtual coffee from time to time with friends or family as I cannot meet up with them. Tomorrow I am having a virtual meal with family.

I am listening to a lot more music of choice rather than just the radio in the background. I check both radio and tv schedules to choose carefully what I am sure I will enjoy but am making a point of trying some random programmes and being more open in my choices.
I play the piano, do a little jewellery making and am clearing the garden for the winter and planning spring planting.. this week is planting bulbs outside and also making up gift bulb pots for Christmas. I mean to get around to writing some family stories. There is a family tree but no anecdotes to go with it.
As well as trying to go for a walk every day, I take a short drive to different viewpoints, with my camera, a flask and my book.
Reading here for more ideas.

dragonfly46

I shall be having Radiotherapy every day for the next 3 weeks so that will take up some time and I am told after that I will probably want to sleep for a week! Maybe when I come too it will all be over.

I was lucky in the last lockdown when hairdressers were closed as I didn't have any hair

I hope all goes well for you. xxx

No gym for a month??
However I got some suggestions for great walks from the Ordnance Survey shop earlier on in lockdown. I’m not sure how many we’ll do now it’s November and lockdown again but they were a great buy this summer.
I love puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, word puzzles etc. and I’ve just downloaded an app called Elevate. Update your reading, writing, speaking and maths skills either through daily training or just doing activities.
If you’d rather do paper and pencil, it’s quite good fun to use some of the 11+ booklets that I used with my GD this year.
Lots of things we never did at primary school, but no need to know that there are 63,360 inches in a mile or that there are 112 lb in 1 cwt!

Puzzle Page is good too. Someone has already mentioned Future Learn; free courses on things I’d never have thought of trying but they’ve been really interesting and you can add a session into your daily routine.
Then reading! I don’t know how I’d cope without books and audio books.
Let’s hope we all make it safely through this nightmare!

Already in week 2 of our lockdown. Different to last with darker days and poor weather. Armed with load of jigsaws (sourced second hand ones online) and fresh fabric to make new masks. Decided this week to make a huge christmas cake - not done one in 20 yrs. I will portion up chunks to distribute. Soon time to deal with chrismas cards, already make own weeks ago. Post to USA and Aus is precarious so best get off early. Thankfully I already was an keen online bridgeplayer so bit of that most evenings has me sorted. Yes count our blessings, comfortable house and nice garden, company of other half and food on the table, no major health concerns. Yes agree with other poster who mentioned WW2 and what so many endured, my mother lived in London then.

We've conceded and now have Netflix ( ( already had Amazon Prime )
have also paid for kindle unlimited for books - as well as buying books !
Have got extra yarn for crochet , and bought adult colouring Books / puzzle books.

Luckylegs

This was posted on Sky News earlier today:

People in England are being told to avoid all non-essential travel in the UK and abroad as part of a new month-long lockdown.

This means from 5 November to 2 December, foreign holidays and overnight stays anywhere in the UK are banned.

Sorry, this is most probably what don't you want to hear but you may even find the hotel will not be open.

so sorry to read about your poor daughter's situation Wetflannel. I hope you can all get through this as quickly as possible. Horrible times for you all.

Also, if you cannot / don't want to own a dog, you can share a dog on Borrow My Doggie (I think it is borrowmydog.com) you can take it for walks, have it for visits and overnight stays without the entire responsibility.

Official lockdown number 2 starts on Thursday , it has been nice to take tentative steps back into normality, but now it stops again. I have lots of craft projects on the go, have been making Christmas cards and doing some decoupage. We usually keep busy with jobs around the house and garden, I also make my own bread. The hardest part for us is possibly being unable to see our Daughter who is in a nursing home due to brain damage caused through a lesion on her brain. Poor darling found it tough the first time round, thought everyone had abandoned her ?. And harder as she doesn't get to see her two precious daughters.

I'm into diamond painting. A sort of paint by numbers but you stick little beads onto a colour chart using a 'pen'. I've just completed a Xmas card and a book mark as gifts. Have another 4 sets to do. Finding it a great way to de-stress as I'm waiting for surgery.
I also have plans to redecorate if funds allow.

Frenchman!

I am going with the opinion of the Fenchman who got the Nobel prize for finding HIV. He thinks that insertions were made to the virus in the lab but that nature does not accept "molecular tinkering". Nature will eventually delete the insertions but will take about 2 years. Makes me feel optimistic!

Luckyl I am in North west Lancashire not far from Preston.

I had booked Premmier in at Blackpool for Friday night gransons treat for birthday, Illuminated tram ride and Water park Saturday.

The Premmier Inn and Tram ride have cancelled my booking.

Another vote for pets. I'd be at a total loss without the dog and cat to look after. I'd be talking to myself without them. The twice daily walks keep me in a routine too.

petra

Rose30
Your not the only one informing yourself A lot of thinking people are.
If you have 2hrs to spare ( yes, I know it's a long listen) but listen to the podcast ( or YouTube) by Dr Mike Yeadon. It gets a bit 'sciency' at times but stick with it. You won't think the same way again about this virus. By the way: he's not a virus denier.

Yes Petra - I have been following Dr Mike Yeadon too. I think if more of us can take the time to do this the message will get through. I cannot believe how many people think this will end when there is a vaccine. Treatment has improved thank goodness but there is absolutely no guarantee of a vaccine within one year or 20.

Yes Petra - I have been following Dr Mike Yeadon too. I think if more of us can take the time to do this the message will get through. I cannot believe how many people think this will end when there is a vaccine. Treatment has improved thank goodness but there is absolutely no guarantee of a vaccine within one year or 20.

I sponsor a cat pen at Cat’s Protection and my local one has cats available for re-homing.
I think the situation changes week to week.