Dementors can dement but we'll keep it positive here

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

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Dementor free zone

And I am working my arse off, with everything I do being 10x harder from home. It’s relentless and stressful (in an already stressful job).

Me too Magda with the drinking. And I have seen other graphs showing steps taken going right down over lockdown.

WFH here and it's busier than ever. Very aware I'm fortunate that my firm is busy, but at the same time it's very long hours and almost no break between home and work because there's few boundaries because of the need to have all hands on deck. Whilst I can see how people appreciate the downtime there are others who aren't getting any at all. I'm doing more hours at the moment than I was pre-lockdown

And yes to drinking. Still within weekly units but I wouldn't usually drink during the week whereas we are doing now increasingly. Having to make a concerted effort to make sure we have a few alcohol free days every week. Presumably that makes me a raging alkie by dementor standards!

Point taken about exercise, MagdaS - I walked a couple of miles a day as part of my commute, too and now there are days when I don't leave the house at all. Now I am pretty much fully recovered from illness, I need to make sure I don't turn into an unfit slob! (I lost a stone when ill, would be nice to keep it off but I'm not going to break my neck doing Joe Wicks PE: we don't even have an A&E in my small city! )

Yes, @Tappering you are definitely an alcoholic in plain sight, in the Dementors' worldview! We haven't been drinking much, but now we are feeling better, and local breweries need our support, so...

Magda yep I'm drinking more too, and my diet is awful!

I’m definitely drinking more (although as of this week making a concerted effort to limit it to weekends) and moving less, although we are going a good 5k walk every day.

And the poster who suggested those who were missing the office (as I am) weren’t missing work, but their social life, as though someone getting on with and enjoying the company of their colleagues, rather than going simply to work, was something to be sneered at. FFS.

MagdaS you must have learned by now that to take pleasure in something is wrong. You are only living a worthy life if you work yourself to the bone with absolutely no enjoyment whatsoever. None.

Yes sorry Driving I must remember to self flagellate for all that enjoyment.

I am missing the face to face connection with my team that makes me better at my job. It is partly social, but I like to bounce ideas off other people and that's harder over Teams.

I miss just feeling free (as free as it's possible to be with two kids), but mainly, I miss stillness. There is no quiet time any more, a moment to be peaceful because the dc are always on the go. I also miss planning my wedding with friends, and being excited about something I've waited a really, really bloody long time for.

The restaurant thread is fun. Although I know I'm not allowed to mention SPECIFIC THREADS but good lord.

And I am working my arse off, with everything I do being 10x harder from home.

Yes, same here. All leave cancelled and working all hours, and lots of us have small children so we're all just fitting in what we can when we can. We've only recently been able to get a bit of downtime in the week but oh my God I am looking forward to the lovely foreign holiday I'm going to take with my massive wodge of annual leave, once that's back on the agenda. (I believe some time around 2071 judging by MN threads? )

I’m just glad the sun’s shining, if that’s allowed?

I can't wait to be able to go out for a meal. To enjoy something that I haven't had to plan, queue up and shop for, bring home, prep, serve up and then clear away.

I am so tired of meal planning and trying to be inventive so that we have some variety, but at the same time be realistic as to what I can get hold of. There aren't any shortages here but things do sell out daily so unless you are in the supermarket early, you will find bare shelves as the day goes on - which obviously makes meal planning a bit tricky!

That and being able to just go out. Completely unplanned, on a whim, spur of the moment, and have a wander round a garden centre or something.

Tappering, I hear you!
Food is a battle isn't it?

DH does the cooking in our house. I think he’s desperate for restaurants to reopen!

Planes feel more confined than ever, and airports already feel like outdated, cavernous monuments to the heady, freewheeling travel of the past

Quote from an article on BBC news, obviously written by a dementor.

I tried to be positive on that one but it’s wasn’t welcome!

Definitely Driving! So melodramatic...

Some restaurants and cafes round here are doing a delivery service, we might get fish and chips at the weekend, or click and collect, if you have a look. I got some ideas from Nextdoor site.

I can't wait to be able to go out for a meal. To enjoy something that I haven't had to plan, queue up and shop for, bring home, prep, serve up and then clear away

Amen! Lots of people here saying "even if lockdown is lifted, I wont be going to restaurant for at least 2 years- lots of people will never eat out ever again- they'll be too scared!"

I dont know a single person like that- everyone I know is gagging to go out for a meal

@MagdaS don't you realise that according to MN you shouldn't get on with your work colleagues?! Some of my closest friends are the people I work with - I've worked with them for years, they were there when I got married, supported me when my Mum died and I miss them, it's not the same seeing them on Teams.

DH does the cooking, mainly, but I am very ready not to have to clear away, load the dishwasher and wipe all the surfaces down three bloody times a day.

I've given up and thrown a microwaved veg curry at DH for his dinner. It's Tuesday and I am not drinking wine because we need to have some alcohol free days. I am grumpy!