Anti Dementors picnic at the Loch.

[TheGreatWave]

Starting a new one.

I am planning to get my kayak out tomorrow. I'm going to drive somewhere far away to put it in a river where I will stay at least 5m from anyone else at all times... unless someone feels the urge to swim out & remonstrate about my homicidal impulses. Since rivers are full of so many nice germs for them to encounter. It's like the great experiment of my week, to see what happens.

Oh, so glad I found you again!

I got lost down the rabbit hole of another school thread and regretted it. I needed my anti dementor chat.

Been feeling disheartened today. Kids behaviour has been atrocious. My 11 year old has been angrily tearful, losing her shit at nothing and arguing with her brother. Meanwhile he's been asking me 70 million questions whilst I have been trying to work and my 7 year old has hid upstairs all day to the point I had to call her to see if she was still alive.

I can’t see y3 or even y2 getting back for anything other than to collect their belongings in our schools now. No staffing or space or time to get them back.

Will be no ending to DD’s time in her infant school, but i think I ran out of hope on that a while ago now. No transition, no preparation for the very different juniors.

Dd1 is dead upset she missed the fortnightly class video call. I had to FaceTime her and de escalate it - think she’s been challenging for my mum who normally gets the really good side of her - so she is really struggling to cope with her feelings if she’s exploding and trying to slam nanna’s doors like at home. So glad school will take her in to support us - she’s normally hard work but lovely and she’s just got lost in a mess of feelings right now. Can’t say I blame her - I don’t sleep now.

Its just that as soon as we heard about schools going back we got excited. She got excited and now the more I think about it, the more Im not sure if she will be able to. Shouldn't have got our hopes up. DD1 is in year 7 and we're fine with knowing that we are waiting until at least Sept because at least we know.

There have been a couple of emails from DD2's school, but nothing committal. I fear that they are along the lines of the unions. Then again as she is in year 3 maybe I've not had anything further and possibly might should they decide to let year 3's return.

As for councils deciding to close all schools. That really pissed me off. The mayor of Hartlepool more so because his reasoning was that he doesn't feel safe sending his Yr 1 back so will keep all schools closed. Dick!!!!! OK so he could keep his at home, but why should other children in the area be forced to do the same. Had enough.

I didn't read it all, but the OP on the please dont tell me to keep my children off school thread was just how I feel. I personally couldn't give a shit if other parents decide to keep their kids off, I do however, get angry and upset if they then tell me that I should too or guilt trip me etc.

UUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

Rant over :)

God I wish I could blame covid - for either of us. My partner has a taste for straighlaced academics, hence why he's with me.

My taste in men is a little err variable 🤣.

Dad and I are now planing a trip to Devon to see my brother at the weekend. We'll be good and just go for the day and we'll be outside anyway as he's having a BBQ for his 55th birthday.

That's the SW spike sorted then.

DominaShantotto I’m pretty sure our school will have year 2 and 5 back for a couple of weeks. It’s years 3 and 4 looking unlikely.

Evening all. Sorry to hear about your toothache @Dowser - have you tried clove oil? Might be worth a shot until you can get to a dentist.

In response to the 'your [sic] a moran' comment, I'd have been tempted to say, 'nope, no relation to Caitlin whatsoever'.

Lovely woodland walk with husband today. Many different birds spotted and some nice socially distant chats with sensible local folk. Feel much better in myself.

Latest Covid-19 stats for our county (the largest and least densely populated in England). Hold onto your hats kids, we've had 915 cases and 181 deaths to date, which represents 0.29% and 0.057% of the total population respectively. My fuckin' oath...

My next goal is to teach myself to moonwalk so I can stun and amaze my fellow shoppers in Asda if I happen to find myself going the wrong way round the one way system.

I’ve just looked at some media for the first time in ages

They are reporting as if no restrictions have been lifted.

Great minds @Cattermole! Sorry for cross-posting.

Well had a lovely afternoon, DIL snuck in through the side gate with the DCs, we had a cup of tea, then I said leave the kids, well she was off like a shot we played games, filled the water pistols much fun ensued. Son collected them later. Grandson said I was to come to his house whenever I wanted to and I should come for a sleepover bless him. He is only 5.

Some good news I also heard from a commercial lettings agency some national chains are planning to open on 1st June so are in store next week to get things ready to start peeking through windows. No news on food outlets though sadly.

God, I had a Boris sex dream. I’d much prefer Rishi

I did dream Chris Witty came round and cut all the trees down in my garden which was a bit weird.

@Springersrock 🤢

It is a borzoi. My actual patronus is slightly grumpy tabby who disguises herself as a black cat.

Re: teeth DS wisdom tooth coming through he was in pain over the weekend, phoned dentist office, dentist phoned back spoke to DS arranged two lots of antibiotics, we just collected the prescription no problem at all.

Found you! That last thread filled up really quickly.

Some worrying news today. My ideal day out is to Cheshire Oaks for retail therapy, womble around the shops then a boozy lunch at Cafe Rouge, it seems that Cafe Rouge and Bella Italia are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Dang...

They deleted Patronuses? Why?

Back again it's been bonkers today. Exhorted everywhere to sign petitions write to MPs and councillors about schools. Then finally the one email I wanted with details of what my DDs school is planning. Fortunately it all sounds very sensible and so she'll be going back in.

Fucks sake.

Just read on local fb page, some absolute clown with words to the effect ‘my child’s teacher has told me how they’ve changed the classroom and the kids will be miserable so it’s better to keep them off. I’m keeping mine off.’

Followed by three thumbs up and some fucking sticker saying ‘parent skills’ or some such.

Has anyone got any really strong sherry?

@RunningNinja79 I feel the same. I can see how this affecting my DDs mental health and its so sad. DD2 will be going back if schools open as she is Year 6 (and school have come up with a plan). DD1 won't be back until September. She doesn't love the digital world is very much as real life person and is missing her friends. Fortunately two of her best friends live in our village. She has organised socially distant 1 on 1 walks with both of them and I can see that its helped her.

rookiemere - I appreciate this is England, but I got an email from our physio clinic today saying they were starting to open up next week. Initial consultations online, but definite real hands-on appointments after that, together with hands-on podiatry. Lots of stuff around waiting in cars until appointments, no going to the loo etc etc, but a definite chink of light. So, hang on in there - it'll be on its way.

Yeah - our school have used the Y2 base and teachers for key worker children (they're keeping them in that bubble rather than in class groups as they return just to limit contacts) so I can't see Y2 getting back. It was also the trade off for getting DD2 back into school - that if Y2 DO come back she has to stay in the keyworker/vulnerable bubble group.

Very much get the impression they've planned for Y1 joining in (infant school so have to take back reception and nursery - but planning not to have Y2 back).

I've just eviscerated someone on one of the SEN support groups who "works in a school and won't go back till it's safe" and then was trying to get parents to say they wouldn't send their kids back and "I don't want to hear about mental health or that anxiety stuff" - this cow runs a fucking SEND support group and allegedly works with kids. I've eviscerated and left the group.

Docs. yesterday I had to wait in car until nurse came out, much better than the usual germ ridden waiting room.

I laughed at the horror of how they've changed the classroom - a single place for kids to store all their belongings? Defined area to sit on?

FUCKING HELL IT'S THE SHIT I'VE BEEN SUGGESTING FOR HER DYSPRAXIA SPATIAL ISSUES AND ORGANISATION FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS!!! (The SENCO laughed at this point!)

@Dowser one suggested for me with toothache (I had killer pain when DD2 was in hospital with pneumonia and one of the doctors there suggested it) - get crappy not-coated paracetamol in either caplet shape or tablets and bite down as hard and as long as you can on it with the sore tooth before you crack and swallow it (obviously when you're next due to take them) - it gets the pain relief starting to work faster but tastes like absolute shit.

Orajel as well - but get the over the counter stuff from the chemist in the black box and not the shitty politely ask your tooth to stop hurting stuff that's in the blue box I think.

I have a massive dental phobia - I'm very experienced in the ways of toothache.

My friend years ago was in Tenerife, awful toothache so went to pharmacy was given a vial of white powder, she said it was amazing. When home told her dentist about this fantastic stuff. He laughed and said it was cocaine.

So now you know you need a friend with a habit when you get toothache