Gransnetters share what lockdown has made them feel grateful for with McCarthy & Stone

I have grown to really appreciate my neighbours, many of whom I didn’t know before, as well as the pleasures of a daily walk in lovely countryside. We are now thinking of getting a dog as a result, which feels like a big step but fits with the way we now want to live going four ward. Lockdown was very restorative for our family too - it gave us all some much needed time to de-stress, eat healthily and enjoy each other’s company again.

I am very grateful for all the smiles that passing strangers, shop staff and so many others, as well as my family, have given in every situation. There seems to be much more cheerfulness about. This is what has kept me cheerful and positive and oiled the wheels of life around me and for society in general.

For me, shielding and lockdown has actually made me realise how fortunate I am. From family, friends and medical staff to the postman, they have all gone the extra mile to support me.

Everything! the freedoms I took for granted, going to a pub for lunch, human contact and socislising, yoga classes, swimming, shopping without queing, relaxing when shopping! , my local Library, meeting friends for coffee, the list is endless. I lost my job during lockdown although I will be starting a new one at the end of this month. I worked with sport horses so have missed the team at work and the horses. I'm really grateful for my health and have more appreciation of nature around me, the birds singing and small things in life. Lockdown has made me appreciate the things in my life I used to take for granted.

My city. The lockdown and working from home made me use my free time to walk many times through its streets and around its edges . I discovered green spaces, architecture and history that were unknown to me despite living here 18 years. A revelation and lesson in appreciating what is under your nose....

I am very grateful that my daughter did our shopping fetched our medication . We have had a cooking time daughter has sometimes done us our cooked tea. I have started to back to my hospital appointments was very scared but I am coping going there 3 times a week. I am grateful for the NHS staff. Just had a virus test came back Negative what I am pleased about.

In particular, I am grateful to my lovely friend Lucy for going shopping for me every week of lockdown, and for being able to walk from my house into semi-countryside with views of fields and lanes within five minutes' walk. I am most looking forward to being able to reach a UK beach and also swim.

I'm very grateful to my Pilates teacher who has 'in the blink of an eye' put classes on Vimeo and Zoom! And to our doctor who we can now have video consultation with. And our choir leader who is keeping us together despite being in deepest Provence.

Thank you to Gareth Malone and the Great British Home Chorus.
Since lockdown began I attended virtual choir practice with him almost every weekday at 5.30pm.
Singing is uplifting and mood changing, and the thousands of participants have become a family.
Living on my own, just the knowledge that most days there was a definite half hour to look forward to was what kept me going . And I've gained new technical skills, learning how to make and upload videos and find my way around Facebook and YouTube.
And I can now claim I've been heard on BBC2! Along with hundreds of others, we sang the chorus on the final song in the last episode of Gareth's singing for Britain!
Without the choir I wouldn't have survived!

I am grateful to my daughter, son in law and Granddaughter who let me live with them for 3 months to keep me safe in the early days of the virus. I felt secure and it has made me consider moving 400 miles to live near them.

I am grateful that no one I know and love has been directly affected by the virus.

I'm grateful for my husband's company and his feel good attitude. When I get worried he manages to lighten my mood. He's also cheerful in shops and the staff seem amazed to hear a bit of banter.

I’m grateful for the simple things in life ...hugging someone you love ,I’m grateful that my family and friends have stayed healthy, our beautiful countryside free pleasures in life .

It has made me grateful for having my own choices and being able to go and see family and the choice of going out for a walk or just to get groceries. I am so grateful to return to work and not have caught this awful disease. Never again will I take anything for granted and if I have a sad day I will just remeber how lucky I am.

I am grateful to be a an only child of elderly parents married to the same. We spent all our 50's struggling with looking after old people so now through this pandemic we look after one another. We are used to our own company and with parents who lived through two World Wars pretty resourceful. I have been mocked for my "Rationing Mentality" but it has stood me in good stead the last few months!

I am grateful all my family have not been ill and that we live in a lovely rural area in North Wales where we can take the dog for walks with a decent garden space to potter around in and not be cooped up in a small home.

I 'm grateful to my husband who cooks lovely meals and has worked so hard on the garden, which is now filled with lots of colour. Also the courgette cakes he has learned to make. We're lucky we both like walking together. I'm grateful that I love crafting as this has kept away the boredom of having to stay within four walls. All the NHS workers and everyone who has kept things going - shop assistants, lorry drivers, bin men. Our pharmacy has been brilliant. Our neighbours who initially shopped for us. The list is endless ?

Every day seems like a bonus to me now that I am in my eighties and still standing!
I'm grateful to all the people who have had to work throughout the coronavirus, particularly NHS staff and those in care homes, and delivery drivers and supermarket staff .
I'm thankful for my lovely son who made sure that I didn't go without anything I needed and kept in touch every single day.
I'm thankful that we live in the electronic age which makes it possible to keep in touch with our loved ones even when we cannot see them. How would we manage now without our tablet or pc, kindle, smartphone, and smart tv etc.
And I'm grateful there are so many things still left to enjoy, in particular my garden. I'm grateful to all the lovely people who have kept in touch with me and made sure I am alright.
So thank you everyone.

I'm grateful for having a garden and good places to go for walks. I"m grateful to have a home with all I need - including things like clean water in the taps, which is a luxury most of the world would love to have too. I'm grateful to have slowed down and been less busy, but still connecting with family and friends, though without hugs, which I miss. I'm grateful that the birds seemed to sing more loudly - as if celebrating our quieter lock down world! I'm grateful to be well.

Thanks for my husband's company and sense of humour.

Strangely, and uncharacteristically for me, it has been flowers. My sister and I live hundreds of miles apart and challenged each other to identify and send a photo of a different flower every day since the start of lockdown.

Also, as a hobby writer, I couldn't concentrate on writing anything at first with the news hitting me all day every day. I did manage to keep up with writing a monthly story or two though for a site that gives flower and poetry prompts for short stories.

Im grateful my brother who was ill with the virus made a good recovery thanks to our NHS

I am grateful to Sainsbury's for delivering whilst we are shielding - it has helped us to remain independent.
I'm also grateful that I love crafts and jigsaws and reading - all solitary things that I rarely have time for.
I have also discovered my inner gardener and the garden is certainly showing it's appreciation of my efforts.

I am grateful for what I have learnt. I have learnt that I don't need as much as I thought I did. I have learnt what is important in my life and most of all I have learnt how to count my blessings. I am so grateful that I have been given this chance to learn these things

being alive!

The NHS. Husband recently had to go into hospital in an emergency. He had brilliant care, was protected from the virus, and is better. We celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary with a nice meal at home yesterday.

During lockdown I’ve been so grateful for the internet. We are able to FaceTime our children and see our grandchildren.

Without the internet and online shopping we would have had difficulties. We have had great service from the supermarket and delivery people also local online suppliers.

Local volunteers we didn’t know put leaflet through door and were kind enough to collect husband’s prescription even though it meant queuing for a long time. They kept messaging us to make sure we were ok.