I’ve been out! I’ve been out!

I feel the same disconnected way. Only out to chemist in village for husbands medicine but had to wear the usual scarf and gloves to protect him.
It was an exhausting experience in queue, only 2 in shop at a time and 2m apart. I scuttled home and threw my clothes in the wash.
Husband and I have large garden keeping us busy, in truth house and garden are getting beyond us. I'm getting really fed up with never ending online food shopping costing a fortune.
Luckily we are both covid free so far though local care home has had covid deaths and many staff infected.
It's scarey out there!

I think you should be able to get medicines delivered diygran. I normally order mine online and then collect the meds from the Asda pharmacy when I shop.
I'm 'extremely vulnerable' so have managed a weekly Asda food delivery. I phoned the pharmacy and arranged delivery of my monthly pills and inhalers. I think it is volunteers who deliver the meds and all the delivery people have been lovely and friendly.

Good for you Avalon! I do fear many are going to find it hard to go out, even when the virus has disappeared.

Fabulous news, 25Avalon,

It must have felt wonderful to be out after so long

We've been lucky and have been able to take a stroll each evening with our little dog

Glad you enjoyed yourself!

Well done 25Avalon
I have been out, for short walks and once a week shopping, but the more I am in, the more I don't want to go anywhere far.

Think I could become a recluse.

Two weeks ago I drove to our daughter's grave (half an hour away). It's a woodland cemetery and there was nobody else there apart from DD2 who had arranged to meet me there. We ate a sandwich lunch in our own cars, chatting through open doorways and I stopped for petrol on the way home.

In all, I was 'out' for two hours. DH is shielding and he's desperate to go somewhere - anywhere!

It's my birthday next Friday so I'm wondering if it will be OK for him to have a ride out in the car just to get a change of scenery. We don't need to get out, just park up somewhere and have a picnic.

The car is full up with petrol so I won't have to stop anywhere. Hopefully the R rate won't go up in the next week. We've been isolating since 16th March and although we have a large garden we're starting to get a bit pissed off with it all.

Get out there Merlotgran, it will do you good, both of you. Could you go back to the cemetery as no one was there it’s in woodland. Just to go for a drive is liberating. He could get put stretch his legs and you could be looking out for him, then sit in your car somewhere green and have your car picnic.

I made my self a promise that I would try and go out everyday even if it was just around the block and apart from a few days when the weather has been awful I ve stuck to it and it’s kept me totally sane Even my friend who is Shielding has been out for fresh air a short walk away from people You are much less likely to catch anything in the fresh air I certainly don’t wash my clothes every day youR clothes won’t pick it up from the air only if you had someone touching your clothes or sneezing or coughing over them however I do wash my hands regularly
I think we can become very paranoid if we re not careful

Do it Merlotgran. Take DH for a drive round your local area so he can see what if anything is going on, possibly see locals to wave to, and then head somewhere quiet for a picnic. It will do you both the world of good and as far as I can see is completely safe especially if you both stay in the car and no one else is there. I did take disposable gloves and a scarf with me just in case the car broke down or anything.

Oh yes Merlot do go out for your birthday. A drive is really liberating. Choose somewhere which is quiet, take a picnic, seats if you have them and if it’s quiet and warm enough get out of the car, if not eat in the car.
We had our first walk recently to a local and very quiet beauty spot with wonderful views, took a sandwich and an apple, a drink and some crisps, it was a lovely sunny day, and yes, it was absurdly exciting just to see the outside world, with horizons so much further than our garden.

It’s my birthday in a couple of weeks, and am hoping to go out again then. Hope you have a lovely day.

We were going to go out, drive somewhere flat and quiet and have a short walk but it's so cold and windy that we decided to stay in.
Again.

BlueBelle
I'm the same as you. To begin with myself and neighbours would have get togethers in our small Close and then we all agreed that my garden was no more dangerous than outside in the close. The same with my daughters back garden.
I suppose I'm lucky in that there's nothing wrong with me other than being 74 ? and I've never been worried or anxious about the virus.

It's too cold, wet and windy today for our planned distancing get together in someone's front garden.

oh I so understand.. I have been going walkies, but that does not solve the problem of being lonely.

I want to go to local pharmacy for over the counter stuff, but quite frankly I am scared to go...

don`t want to go to shopes

have visited with my one ds and dil sat in their garden, but still scared....

lets all hold hands in cyber space!

Yes, I think there is a danger of us all getting a bit too used to staying in and having everything we need brought to the door.
I keep making excuses for not going out!

Some of us have been going out all these weeks - I'm a key worker, so I've still been going to work. I've also been doing the shopping, standing in queues at each shop. I'm not looking forward to everything getting back to normal - already, the traffic has increased.

I live on a small estate of flats with mixed aged people I'm the 1 with the highest shielding the only place I have been since the 17th march is 1 hospital aappointment I go for a 2 minute walk down the path when I know nobody is about I can assure you its driving me mad and I don't see things changing for me yet

I do know, we have key workers in the family, others have been working from home.
However, being shielded has meant staying at home (but not indoors).

I missed adult conversation when my girls were little and used to have conversations with checkout staff, afterwards I realized they were just been polite and couldn't of cared less.... Now I'm working 2 days a week as GP receptionist and having mundane conversations with patients that phone up, I hope because the isolation we are both enjoying it, silly trivial stuff but keeps the dark clouds at bay.

Thanks for your post. It made me feel very happy for you. Also for the other folk on here who are venturing out and feel as odd as I do about it all.
My family did an enormous round trip to pick me up and bring me back to their house on 23/3 so I would be safe. I haven't been in a shop since 22/3. I was due to have investigations in hospital that week but the appointment was cancelled for obvious reasons.
I only go for short walks with the dogs and the occasional trip out in the car with my daughter to just get a different perspective. There's a lovely garden here and I have my jobs around the house so am content enough, but I do miss my friends and my own home.
Yesterday for the first time I took the dogs on a slightly different route and felt very daring. Daft isn't it.
I think we are wise to be cautious. That way we stay safe and well. Little steps.

I am delighted that I have been able to book a place to walk at a local National Trust Property this week. So excited to have some normality to look forward to!

I have been inside house 14 weeks on Tuesday. The only time I actually went out was to my DF funeral on 28 April after he got the virus. My DH is shielding. I’m looking forward this week to going for short drive in the car n will take drinks n food. I’m fortunate that I have a garden I feel desperately sorry for those that don’t or live in apartments/flats.

No, it's not pathetic. I have been out for a couple of walks over the last few weeks but then the aim is to avoid people.
I look forward to getting a delivery for the personal interaction although it is from the other end of my flat and just hello and thanks and that makes me feel like a bit of a saddo. I don't like to get them too often because of the risk to the drivers. We are all isolating here but you still don't know what might be on the door, handrails etc.

I’ve been only shopping in Sainsbury’s to keep to minimum contact. On Saturday evening, I ventured to my local M&S and couldn’t believe the queues. They weren’t for M&S - they were for McDonalds Drive Through, who had commandeered part of M&S carpark to minimize tailbacks! All that for a burger?
By the way M&S was almost empty - in and out in half an hour.