General Chat

Sheila, I totally get that re patience with others versus tricky puzzles and spreadsheets - a gal after my own heart :-D

I haven't been inside a shop since mid March. I don't miss them as I've never been a shop browser, I only enter one for what I need and I have a good stock of art/craft supplies to keep me going for some time.

I took a walk down the road yesterday, the first in a while. The dog was really pleased to see me when I got back about ten minutes later. He'd seemed to find the change of routine confusing with us all being home all day. Now his reaction is "where have you been? Ten whole minutes! I've missed you soooo much!"

Did someone mention the 'H' word? :-0 Just a quick whizz round to hover up the dog hairs is all it takes. Not having visitors does have an upside! :-D :-D

Sheila, that all sounds so hard, both for you and your mum. <3 <3

Thanks Ann, yes patience with others is a virtue that I am not naturally blessed with! Give me a tricky logic puzzle, or a spreadsheet to untangle and sort out, I have the patience of a saint...

I think the lack of normal routine has left her afloat, despite her 'dementia' clock and calendars, and my printed notices, she still struggles. Sometimes it does eventually 'click' (after weeks) and gets filed into the longer term memory banks, this is OK until what you wanted her to take on board has now changed (again)

:-D

I went to a shop today. It was the first time I'd been inside one ( the same one as it happens ) since 21 March. It was a smallish non-chain card shop.
It was OK and a gentle venture into the wider world again.

I've been out and about for walks in my local area, but not been on public transport since March.
Generally lockdown has not been too harsh, but I have a garden and plenty of pleasant places to walk.
I did have a craving to see the sea a while back, so that involved a much longer walk and not much time overlooking the actual coast, as I had to allow time to walk home before toilet facilities were needed.

I've missed having structure to my days and weeks and would have thought that I'd get more done around the house, but I seem to be quite good at procrastinating.....
I do look forward to being able to go back to volunteering at the local primary school, when it is safe to do so.

My adult daughter lives at home and works daily up in her room, but it has been good to have company for an evening meal together.
Lockdown alone must be quite a different story.

We've done much better than I thought we would!!! Neither of us were shielded so we opted to go to the supermarket during the hour allocated for the over 70''s! We've taken it in turns so both of us have.been able to get out of the house now and again apart from the prescribed walk!!
We've really not fallen out at all, the odd niggle maybe but nothing serious! Our son who lives fairly locally has kept an eye on us which has been reassuring , our daughter lives much further away, but we shall, hopefully, be seeing her +family in a couple of weeks so yippee!!!

Sheila that must be difficult. Is she still living on her own? If she is not seeing people other than you I suppose, if she is on her own she is living in a world of her own where she has no references for time. You must need a lot of patience. <3

OH and I locked down a week before Boris decided we ought to and I have only just discovered that my OH thinks I am daft!

I could have told him that 55 years ago when I said 'Yes' to him. :-D

It's got worse for me, although I enjoyed the quiet roads, watching spring unfold in the garden and local country park, and watching the wildlife. Also doing a lot of reading, and some writing.

I've been shopping for the 2 of us and Mum, no problems, tend to go to the same supermarket which is quite a small one and quieter than the big Tesco.

However I'm struggling with Mum (not literally although I feel I could strangle her sometimes...). She has gone downhill so much in the last few weeks (mentally) and gets obsessed with things, her short-term memory is awful and she has lost all sense of time, day etc. as her routine has been totally disrupted. Luckily she still eats like a horse (well someone's eating it... :-D) I'm tired and frazzled and fed-up, I don't mind doing the chores for her and going to see her but I'm not coping well with the obsessions and constant 'fretting'.

Must admit to feeling nervous about going out and welcomed the compulsory face covering rule on transport until I saw that many passengers on the local bus were ignoring the rule anyway so no bus travel for me yet.

Hubby has been busy in the garden and since we have been able to meet in the garden with family he has been out to the said garden to help out there with keeping it tidy.
I am not a going to the pub person anyway so that hasn't bothered me and I do like some time on my own to watch certain things on tele. or read a book. However we haven't fallen out yet, just a couple of niggles at each other now and again.

I actually felt quite comfortable with the complete lockdown. We didn't go out for anything for 12 weeks, not even a walk, except to clap on Thursdays and we really enjoyed shouting to the neighbours in our cul de sac. We had a very full freezer and store cupboard that lasted about three weeks and our neighbour got us lots of small bits we needed as she was still going to the supermarket. Our son then managed to get us on line Tesco slots every two weeks with no problem. It meant I had to send the list to daughter in law but she, bless her was happy to input it to Tesco. that is still working. We started going for short walks after 12 weeks and to the local garden centres, I was nervous about that but it was well organised and not busy and people were good about social distancing. OH was able then to go back to golf. Which gave us a break although we have got on very well all the time so far. a few little niggles but nothing much. We still have not been to the supermarket, it was 15 weeks ago our last visit and our last hair appointment.
This week we went to Dobbies, a much larger garden centre but it was fine, still not busy as we didn't choose discount day (actually don't know if they still have them).
Not intending going to town yet as we go on the bus when we do go to town because of parking. 26 July I have a hospital appointment so will have to go on the bus then, that will be the first time. 8 July we have hair appointments which will solve one of the biggest problems.
I did have a list of things to do and did do most of them so all the kitchen cupboards and drawers got blitzed. Then I ran out of space for charity shop stuff so eased off.
My next aim is a visit to Hobbycraft which is a medium sized shop and mid week is not that busy. I suppose eventually we will go to the local smaller Tesco and see what it is like. But we will definitely not be going to the pub.

I was absolutely panicked about going out

Have had to on a few occasions this last three weeks, cats annual jabs were due and it was all done with self distancing and masks and he was taken in by reception and had his jabs and once over and brought back out

Had my first chiro appointment last Thursday since March and my practitioner was gowned up and masked and visored. I too has to be masked and have my temperature taken before being allowed in

Today I had to go to the optician as one of my hearing aids wasn’t working

All masked up again as was the staff and only me allowed in to see the audiologist
All sorted

I must admit going out is a scary thing for me at the moment especially as hay fever has been a big problem this year so you have to reassure yourself can’t be the dreaded lurgy cos you haven’t been out :-(

Got bloody lazy too thinking can’t be bothered do it tomorrow as it’s only me and the cat !

I'm too not sure how I pass the day, but I'm quite happy. Kathleen.
I play games, and read newspapers online.
Garden's a mess - it's been too hot.

As for going out, I try to limit to once a week, but am getting rather peed off with people walking 2 or even 3 abreast on the pavement.

...then there are those who push in when 'distantly' queuing outside a shop..... :-P :-P

Me too Maggie. Didn't realise just how anti-social I really am. I thought I would get lots of jobs done - but no, watched loads of TV and started to use my Kindle again after about 6 years so done a lot of reading. The dust will still be there when I'm not!!

Kath. x

Before Covid 19 I used to often wish that the world would stand still so I could catch up (I always felt a bit left behind).

Then the pandemic arrived and we were locked down and at first I actually felt better in myself as I felt everyone's life had stopped and I really could catch up in my head.

As time has gone on however lots of people round here just seem to be going about their lives quite normally (some ignoring the restrictions) and suddenly I feel very strange again. We haven't gone out much at all unless absolutely necessary. I did the weekly shop with my son last week for the first time in over 3 months. I didn't like the experience at all. There were far too many people in Asda and not many were social distancing or taking any notice of the one way signs. Not sure I am keen to repeat the experience just yet.

As for spouse murdering - we have got on surprisingly well. He's missing the rugby club (and I'm missing him going there) but it has been better than I expected. Not too many meltdowns.

Kath. x :-) :-) :-)

I've had it confirmed, that I am really happy doing absolutely nothing! :-D :-D

After the initial panic and fear of the unknown

How are you finding life now as it has been so different for many of us?

Has your mindset changed? Personally I feel my brain has been cleared of chaff and now don't relish the idea of soaking up the general melee again.

Any new found hobbles you'll continue with?

Will you slowly ease back into 'real' life or dive in when the green lights goes up?

Anyone else feel like the earlier hope of a greener and pleasant world is fading fast? :-(

Anyone one up on a spouse battering/murder charge? LOL

go on. be brave and spill...