747 posts
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Post by Latecomer on Apr 3, 2020 20:18:32 GMT
I think it is hard for the over 70sused to popping to the shop every day for their paper...it is so much part of their lives and they feel they are helping society by being independent....and that if they get ill that’s a rink they are prepared to take. The Gov haven’t really got the message through that they are putting OTHERS at risk if they get ill and that, even if they are not seriously ill, the more contact points we have the more it spreads. They are beginning to get the idea (2 of my village friends have this week said their children have told them they mustn’t go out). I had to gently tell one that no, I wouldn’t get her paper every day and pop it in to her. And that I was happy to do shopping but only essentials and I was trying to go to the shop as little as possible as it’s only small, so not actually much room to share round! I think the Government has been quite poor at their messaging. Even today Boris was “keep to the guidance” which is a silly phrase and not a slogan to stick in the mind and the heath secretary was incapable of parroting the 3 phrased that were plastered all over his podium correctly!!!!
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Post by Dawnstar on Apr 3, 2020 21:06:34 GMT
Remember it is overall behaviour that counts...so some people will be great at this (you) and others will be useless. It will still have an effect as will make network smaller....so they probably do modelling assuming some people will be rubbish at it. Try not to waste energy on it and give yourself a pat on the back for all of the network that you personally are shutting down  Jolly annoying though that those of us who are sticking to self-isolating might have to do so for longer because others aren't sticking to the rules. This is a virus; we will defeat it by staying away from other people and cutting off its routes of infection. It is not a punishment from the gods for being too happy; we will not defeat it by being miserable. I guess I'm too puritanical then, because I can't help feeling that it's sort of a punichment by fate for our lifestyles. Every time there's been an outbreak of ebola or suchlike in Africa I've always worried that with so much international travel it would spread, so I'm not surprised that now something has spread. Given our lives have been so much more comfortable than most of humanity's throughout history, in a way it feel just that we should have to suffer something. Though that doesn't mean that I'm not wishing like mad that this wasn't happening! I think it is hard for the over 70sused to popping to the shop every day for their paper...it is so much part of their lives and they feel they are helping society by being independent....and that if they get ill that’s a rink they are prepared to take. It took me 5 days of arguing with my mother to make her give up collecting her paper from the village shop every day (this was over 2 weeks ago). She then arranged to have it delivered, which I'm still not that happy about as it seems unfair to make the delivery driver take the risk of being out & about delivering every day for something that, in my opinion is not essential. I've also instigated a quarantining system for the incoming newspapers & post, progressing up the stairs. The highlight of my day, possibly of my week: finally managing to get a Tesco delivery slot for next week. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2020 21:33:12 GMT
My father and stepmother are in a retirement home so they're basically locked in and not allowed visitors, but it's not as bad as it sounds because although they're advised to follow the same 2m distancing rules as the rest of us the entire site is effectively a quarantine zone so within the site they're probably rather safer than most people.
I'm rather more worried about my aunt, who lives in her own home and has people come round to deliver food and provide services. I don't know how much you can realistically isolate someone when they need to be in regular contact with people who also have to visit many other places. I expect there are quite a few people who are completely dependent on visitors who are going to find it considerably more difficult than most of us.
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344 posts
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Post by sophizoey on Apr 3, 2020 22:21:09 GMT
Dislocated my knee today doing some home exercise. Hospital was surprisingly quiet and that was the quickest I've ever been in and out of A&E. The pain is real though. But atleast I literally can't leave my house so social distancing is going amazing for me now (even though I was doing very well before).
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3,563 posts
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Post by showgirl on Apr 4, 2020 3:46:01 GMT
After my permitted exercise yesterday I spent the whole day on tedious household chores, but apart from the regular tasks I did a huge amount of (paper) file-weeding and shredding. OH is doing the same but he has more free time than I do, so we are competing to use the shredder but as it's a short-term task, not worth buying a second one. We were about to put our house on the market when the lockdown started so have no idea when that will now be possible, or what effect Covid-19 will have had on prices and confidence. I had been determined to make it happen this year, to the extent of not booking any holidays or even weekend breaks (perhaps just as well as it now turns out), but we can use the hiatus to continue the process of clearing out and tidying up - there's still a long way to go.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2020 5:08:40 GMT
we can use the hiatus to continue the process of clearing out and tidying up - there's still a long way to go When I decided to get my lighting rewired and central heating replaced a few years ago I ended up taking a week off work to clear things out. So many trips to the recycling centre, mainly to deal with getting rid of old books and clearing out my junk room. Turns out my junk room had a floor. I was sure I'd seen a floor there somewhere but could never find it. (Tips I wish I'd known when I first got a place of my own: Do not have a junk room.) |
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4,785 posts
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Post by Mark on Apr 4, 2020 7:00:18 GMT
My family just moved house at the beginning of March. Mum and dad sold their house and we moved together to a little 2 bed near Heathrow (rented). We have loads of stuff in storage up north but won’t be able to get it for a long while it seems! Only thing that means is we had our big clear out already.
As it stands we have 4 of us in a small 2 bed, with no garden, as my sisters home from uni. I’ve been away on a work trip since last Saturday and had no fresh air for a week so very much looking forward to my walk!
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Post by londonpostie on Apr 4, 2020 8:33:03 GMT
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3,563 posts
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Post by showgirl on Apr 4, 2020 14:53:28 GMT
Decided to have my long walk today since as tomorrow's weather was supposed to be far sunnier and warmer, I thought it would also be far busier out. The price I paid was walking for the first 3 hours in weather so cloudy and overcast that my hair was wet through in no time and there wasn't a glimpse of sun until nearly 9 am. However, though there were people out (walking, dog-walking, cycling, horse-riding), it wasn't busy and one benefit of the reduced traffic was that I was able to walk along rural roads (without pavements) I would never normally contemplate.
Once the sun came out and the temperature rose, more people started to emerge and paths which are normally deserted had a few users whereas those where I usually see a few other keen regulars like me, were astonishingly popular. I say "astonishingly" both because those using them looked mainly like people who wouldn't normally walk anywhere and as I'm surprised they knew the paths were there. However, as before it's great to see so many people exploring their local area and on foot; also to see families spending more time together than they otherwise might, and sharing a healthy outdoor activity.
Tomorrow I shall have to go out very early to beat the rush but a couple of hours will do then.
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1,861 posts
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Post by NeilVHughes on Apr 4, 2020 17:58:13 GMT
Finished listening to The National a 3 part drama on the Olivier and Hall eras and the formation of the National Theatre on BBC Sounds.
Now contemplating reading the mammoth book on The National Theatre by Daniel Rosenthall, a book which has sat unread for a long while and maybe a 12 week lockdown is the perfect and maybe only time to do so and if nothing else lifting it a few times a day will count as exercise.
Now about to settle down and watch the Olivier Long Day’s Journey Into Night which should easily fill the time until bed.
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5,691 posts
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Post by lynette on Apr 4, 2020 18:51:30 GMT
Finished listening to The National a 3 part drama on the Olivier and Hall eras and the formation of the National Theatre on BBC Sounds. Now contemplating reading the mammoth book on The National Theatre by Daniel Rosenthall, a book which has sat unread for a long while and maybe a 12 week lockdown is the perfect and maybe only time to do so and if nothing else lifting it a few times a day will count as exercise. Now about to settle down and watch the Olivier Long Day’s Journey Into Night which should easily fill the time until bed. Good book, like a thriller. Gossip and the money! |
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5,691 posts
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Post by lynette on Apr 4, 2020 18:54:59 GMT
Fortunate to have a garden so spent most of the day in it, potting and so on. OH lead Gardner. I’m still learning. But it is so refreshing and takes your mind off stuff. I feel so much for people with no gardens in crowded parts of the city.
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4,155 posts
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Post by kathryn on Apr 4, 2020 21:17:54 GMT
I spent a couple of hours tidying up my front yard this afternoon. It was rather lovely to see the older folks living in the old alms houses across the road having a socially-distanced gossip from their respective front gardens.
Not so lovely to see my downstairs neighbour heading out the house to buy cough syrup for his wife. I heard her coughing this week, and chatting (through the window) to her this afternoon she admitted to having been ill and just starting to feel a bit better. I am sure he should be self-isolating still. If he’d asked I’d have gone to the shop for them to get whatever they need.
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4,021 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Apr 4, 2020 21:24:57 GMT
Fortunate to have a garden so spent most of the day in it, potting and so on. OH lead Gardner. I’m still learning. But it is so refreshing and takes your mind off stuff. I feel so much for people with no gardens in crowded parts of the city. My mother tried to garden today but had to come in when all the neighbours came out into their gardens! While it's possible to keep 6 feet away it's not possible to always keep 26 feet away. I'm worrying about opening the windows even. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2020 9:51:18 GMT
Decided to have my long walk today since as tomorrow's weather was supposed to be far sunnier and warmer, I thought it would also be far busier out. The price I paid was walking for the first 3 hours in weather so cloudy and overcast that my hair was wet through in no time and there wasn't a glimpse of sun until nearly 9 am. However, though there were people out (walking, dog-walking, cycling, horse-riding), it wasn't busy and one benefit of the reduced traffic was that I was able to walk along rural roads (without pavements) I would never normally contemplate. Once the sun came out and the temperature rose, more people started to emerge and paths which are normally deserted had a few users whereas those where I usually see a few other keen regulars like me, were astonishingly popular. I say "astonishingly" both because those using them looked mainly like people who wouldn't normally walk anywhere and as I'm surprised they knew the paths were there. However, as before it's great to see so many people exploring their local area and on foot; also to see families spending more time together than they otherwise might, and sharing a healthy outdoor activity. Tomorrow I shall have to go out very early to beat the rush but a couple of hours will do then. Good to see lots of people taking this seriously!!! |
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Post by longinthetooth on Apr 5, 2020 11:54:28 GMT
Seeing the comments about gardening makes you think. My OH is a self employed gardener, and has his round of regulars, all elderly, no more than 5 minutes drive away. He could easily work without seeing them, if they stayed indoors (even though elderly, they are all savvy with online payment). However, he actually phoned the police for advice and was told in no uncertain terms not to go, so he hasn't. He's not classed as a key worker (fair enough) and the 5 minutes journey is deemed unnecessary. Yet at home, he is far closer to the neighbours if they are all out in their gardens (which they all seem to be!), than if he was working alone.
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Post by londonpostie on Apr 5, 2020 12:38:08 GMT
Coincidentally, I'm looking at a cheap and cheerful £31 windowbox on ebay: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254380428899?In other exciting news, I ravished a delicious Costa Coffee this morning. So there |
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Post by TallPaul on Apr 5, 2020 13:00:48 GMT
Seeing the comments about gardening makes you think. My OH is a self employed gardener, and has his round of regulars, all elderly, no more than 5 minutes drive away. He could easily work without seeing them, if they stayed indoors (even though elderly, they are all savvy with online payment). However, he actually phoned the police for advice and was told in no uncertain terms not to go, so he hasn't. He's not classed as a key worker (fair enough) and the 5 minutes journey is deemed unnecessary. Yet at home, he is far closer to the neighbours if they are all out in their gardens (which they all seem to be!), than if he was working alone. Although I'm sure they are well meaning, I'm afraid the police are misinterpreting the actual wording of the regulations. "To travel for the purposes of work..., where it is not reasonably possible for that person to work, or provide those services, from the place where they are living." The Secretary of State for Health may well tighten the regulations in the coming weeks, including closing, for example, building sites and online fashion warehouses, but unless and until he does, it is not really the police's role to stop anyone going about their lawful business, though I'm sure we all recognise the difficulties they face at this unprecedented time. If MPs feel able to attend funerals, and Medical Officers feel able to visit their second home, then gardeners should have no reservations about gardening! ETA: After I'd written my post, yesterday afternoon I walked to the local park for my permitted daily exercise. Sometime within the last few days, in the more formal part, a council groundsman had not only cut the grass, but had been back and forth cutting it in stripes. |
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Post by showgirl on Apr 5, 2020 14:26:32 GMT
I too would have thought the police advice incorrect, longinthetooth, especially since the regulars are local and there is no need for your OH to enter their homes or come into contact with them. The police are also giving different advice locally re exercise now: yesterday the BBC said it had been confirmed that it was OK to drive a reasonable distance for exercise - whilst pointing out that as "reasonable" had not been defined, it was also open to interpretation, yet today Surrey Police are saying driving to exercise is non-essential travel. Not that I've driven to walk yet anyway and will now probably not dare and I'm doing my utmost to use the most obscure paths, but I shall be so fed up if those people continuing to congregate in parks (etc) get exercise banned for everyone. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2020 15:04:27 GMT
On a motoring-related forum where I lurk I've heard several people use the saying "Never ask a policeman the law".
The test that ought to be applied is "Will doing this bring me into contact with anyone I wouldn't otherwise come into contact with?" More and more it feels to me as though superstition is taking over, as if complying with an arbitrary set of rules that have nothing to do with how close you get to others will grant you some sort of right to remain safe. I'm starting to think that neither the police nor the politicians have a brain to share between the lot of them.
Now the health secretary is saying that exercise outside the home will be banned if people don't follow orders, because obviously the correct way to deal with people who don't follow instructions is to clamp down on the people who do. That's the same sort of attitude that leads local authorities try to solve the problem of people breaking speed limits by reducing the speed limits, and it generally achieves about as much success as you'd expect.
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8,103 posts
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Post by alece10 on Apr 5, 2020 15:54:07 GMT
I don't know if any of you have had a change in sleeping patterns since this whole thing started, but mine are all over the place. So I was up at 7am and by 8.30am I had eaten breakfast, washed the dishes, cleaned the fish tank and done a few other chores.
Popped to the corner shop to get a couple of bits. Thank god for them, still well stocked and everything I needed. The owner told me that they have to queue for 4-5 hours at the cash and carry and have a 30 minute slot to get all their stuff. I really hope people appreciate the effort they go to and when we are through the other side remember the corner shops before they head back to the big supermarkets. I certainly will.
I am blessed with a garden so spent the rest of the morning pottering and sitting with a cup of tea watching the birds feed.
This afternoon went back out there to find that someone a few gardens up was having a BBQ whilst broadcasting loud music to the whole street. Now I have nothing against people enjoying themselves but a bit of consideration please. They know that everyone is at home now and its a sunny day so people want to relax in the garden. But hey lets have some fun in ours with loud music cos we don't care about anyone else!
Luckily I put my noise cancelling earphones on and sat there listening to some nice musical theatre to block the noise out. Couldn't block the BBQ smoke out unfortunately.
Just come back in to find that my next door neighbour is singing at the top of her voice with all the windows open. Now this is not such a bad thing as she has an amazing voice. I have actually never spoken to her (that's London for you folks!) but she is African and has a real gospel voice. She was singing gospel music and I am guessing that she currently cant go to church. She has just moved onto "unbreak by heart" and other popular tunes so its all rather pleasant.
Dinner later and getting everything ready as back to work in the morning.
So not all bad really.
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1,346 posts
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Post by tmesis on Apr 5, 2020 16:12:18 GMT
Did a lovely walk this morning and saw the following, very professional looking, notice just as I was about to cross Windlesham Golf Course:
'Would the person who keeps on throwing bagged dog poo into the hedge please STOP. It's a disgusting practice and completely antisocial.'
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Post by david on Apr 5, 2020 16:30:30 GMT
Boris Johnson has called in reinforcements in order to ensure self isolation is being carried out -
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1,861 posts
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Post by NeilVHughes on Apr 5, 2020 16:46:41 GMT
Wallowing in the afterglow of a beautiful bike ride in the lanes of Hertfordshire, nice to know I can still generate the endorphins.
The legs are slowly coming back and the ‘serious’ cyclist made his presence felt when I somehow found myself doing a 2 minute threshold session on a false.
All the people I came across were compliant mainly couples and family groups and quite few of on first impression people taking up exercise both running and cycling which could be the only positive of this situation if they keep at it and pass the initial phase of ‘why’ to ‘want’ as exercise can become quite addictive after the initial why phase.
Spring has well and truly sprung.
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Post by theatreian on Apr 6, 2020 10:25:59 GMT
Well after seeing on here about the couch to 5k I looked it up and myself and partner gave it a go starting today!
As it was on the NHS website I thought it must be safe!
Day one went ok, I am not too unfit as I used to spend most of my working life on my feet, but running is a different matter!
Well will see how it goes anyway. If something positive can come from it then all to the good.
We did it early so we would not be seen!!
Will keep you updated as to how the challenge goes!!
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