Not been out since New Years Eve

Anyone else hibernating?

Yes, I always prefer to be a hermit. Cosy home, nice fire, soup.

After being indoors for several days I had a walk yesterday. The path to the country park was in parts thick ice, mud or pools of muddy water. When I came to a tree that had fallen across the path I retreated back home.
Was quite scared of slipping over.

.

That's only a few days! Better that you're warm and safe.

If you have a house with stairs and you are mobile, then do try and do a few double flights a day (up/down). I've built up over the past week to 20 (= 10 returns) and I'm sticking with that number.

I only do a maximum of seven at any one time with the first being DOWN/up/down/up/down/up/DOWN= 7
and the last one being UP/down/UP = 3 and collapse on the bed!!
The others are spaced out during the day.

Deep breath with one stair, exhale on the next.

Good for lungs, knees and strength.

OBVIOUSLY, FOR SAFETY, ALWAYS USE THE BANNISTER

Entertain yourself inbetween with just a few chores, some television (ignore the naysayers who make fun of people who watch daytime programmes - there ARE some interesting ones to watch and the iPlayer and ITVX offer good choices too).

A good time to read all those hardbacks/paperbacks/Kindles that you've been wanting to catch up on too.

The main thing for us all is to keep warm, keep safe, keep hydrated and eat wisely.
.

Bea65

Anyone else hibernating?
I didn’t feel confident enough to feel safe with icy pavements etc….
Just feels strange not seeing anyone but it’s sensible to stay put or, am I being too wussy?
Think I should ring the Ring&Ride and get out?
Have had groceries delivered for the 1st time since Covid.

Wait until the weather gets better and you feel a bit more confident.

As for Ring and Ride
Hope you have better luck than me getting a trip.

Our local service impossible to get a ride due to new computer system that does not recognize cross boundary passengers.

As Good Luck

I always seem to hibernate in January. Either the weather or colds etc. I don't mind at all. Get the house cosy, do odd jobs (current - trying to remove a mouse in the house!), plan this year's gardening, declutter, relax with a book or a puzzle.

Havent been out since New Year as if I slip over will need hip replacements again & dont want that! So stay in with another book, another cuppa & sadly another sanie to put on unwanted weight with! Roll on Spring & get back to my regular wander round the block!

I have been out into town by car and for a walk the pavements are frosty but they are gritty tarmac not slabs and not slippery surprisingly but do whatever you feel is safe for you.

We went out last Wednesday morning and got shopping to last until over the weekend. Thank goodness we did, our road and pavements are like an ice rink, side roads have not been cleared or gritted and there is no grit container in the vicinity. DH has taken over the dog walks because my balance is so poor, he has done three short walks but this morning he had to turn back after a short distance as he was in danger of falling over. Our neighbour called yesterday to see if we wanted our drive clearing or any shopping as he was going out in the afternoon and has a four by four vehicle. We are hoping for a thaw by tomorrow as DH has a cataract procedure, we may have to take a taxi there and back if things don’t improve.

No gritting on our road which is miles long into an estate…there is a yellow grit bin at top of road but who is going there to do the gritting?

I have been out but only once or twice. Our Council doesn't grit, they provide bins to do it yourself. My husband had went out and gritted some of our street but further afield it's like an ice rink. I don't go out in this weather, did some cleaning yesterday, hence aches and pains today. I won't be out either. It's ridiculous that we are all prisoners in our own homes for lack of a proper gritting service.

I was out last night, and braved the ice to go for coffee with friends on Tuesday. Before that, I hadn't walked outside since before Christmas. We've visited our daughter, but that just meant getting from the house to the garage and back (I walked on the lawn). I'm not a believer in going out in icy conditions unless it's necessary.

I’ve not been out either - the icy weather and the non-stop rain, makes me want to stay all day, in my cosy house.

Icy drives and pavements are a death trap. As my late OH said when he fractured his hip (indoors as it happens) ... "This is the beginning of the end" - and it was. He was a GP and had seen all this before.

It makes sense to stay indoors when the pavements are dodgy. Settle in to some reading/painting/watching TV while things are bad. When watching TV I always try and get up every 15 minutes and walk round the room a few times!

Because of the angle of my drive mine is the only house whose drive stays frozen for ages after the thaw. Last time we had snow I was stuck inside for a week as the hill is too dangerous.

I tend to hibernate in winter. The council do not grit any more, so it's hard work staying upright. I always make sure I have a stock of good books and good food in. Watch lots of t.v. too.

Just listening to the news about proposals for introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers. So many elderly people in rural areas will have to move.

I am also in the camp for staying put when the pavements are icy as I am terrified of slipping and doing further damage. But I do recognise the importance of keeping mentally active as well as having some exercise. Venturing a little distance into the garden, well wrapped up of course, can put some colour in the cheeks though.
However, several appointments this month mean that I do have to venture out and as we live on a bus route the roads are gritted and traffic does help too surprisingly.

It is perfectly fine to be at home, as long as you can make the effort to keep moving about, stand up, sit down, move around. There was a local pavement black ice warning yesterday, on fb, I am also cautious. I found my old walking trainers (merrill) and they gave me added security earlier this week. Slippy shoes, definitely not

The winter before I moved here, I stood outside my front door and my feet went from under me. The impact with the ground is very hard when that happens, luckily I sat on a patch of snow but it was still sudden and hard

No need to feel guilty or silly about staying at home, at least you wont be one of the ones in hospital with a broken hip or arm. Just find something to do, even if only clearing a cupboard or a drawer. Also do vary your day and eat well

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

pably15 HAD SNOW and ice but now its melted so was just wondering how many of us are stuck indoors whether due to disabilities/recovering from surgery/feeling poorly , caring for someone ?

Bea, if you don't feel safe on icy pavements then stay put, If you had a fall and broke a bone you'd be worse off, I've not been out either, but it doesn't bother me...we,ve had frost, but no snow.