The Anti Dementors, danger-buffooning their way through life!

[Drivingdownthe101]

New thread!

On the handshaking front, has everyone seen this?
Trump is notorious germ-phobe but hides it very well, since he knows it will come across as neurosis.

I did say, on my supermarket thread of doom, that even Victorian children were allowed to be seen. It appears our children should be neither seen nor heard!

Someone said, "not in supermarkets during global pandemics, they weren't". Well, obviously. The Victorians didn't have supermarkets. They had marketa and grocery stores and I seriously doubt that children were barred from them during outbreaks of TB, Typhus, Cholera...

@lljkk

On the handshaking front, has everyone seen this? Trump is notorious germ-phobe but hides it very well, since he knows it will come across as neurosis.

I read that everyone who comes into contact with Trump has to be tested first. Amazing, if true!

To be honest I do wonder if some people on social media purporting to be teachers actually are. The media spout all sorts of rubbish about teachers refusing to do x y and z as well. My teacher friends are not like this, my NHS friends are not dementorish either, but that does not make good press does it.

Cheshire Oaks may open on June 15th was excited until OH said well not unless Drakeford will let you over the border.

@TitianaTitsling I'm glad you asked. I can't avoid everyone, all the time. I run the risk every time I take delivery of food or other goods or meet someone out on my walk etc. The more that people flout the rules, the more people will catch the virus, and the greater my risk will become. Once people think things are back to normal, they will become careless (I'm seeing this already) which will also raise my risk.

And how about some concern for MY mental health too? While I don't begrudge your life going back to normal, it does emphasize how restricted mine now is.

I don't think anyone's life has gone 'back to normal' sadly.

We have someone shielding in the house too so understand it is difficult but they are glad to be going out and seeing people etc. Just being sensible really.

Oh no, I now have messages about hospitals and Nightingale again and second wave etc - seems to be from FB possible, and trying to reassure and anxious friend who is very worried about them. Argh

Why are people so insensitive to post this stuff? Both friend and I have had nasty medical stuff in the past and don't need this on top.

@justasking111 the most dementorish friend I've hidden is an NHS nurse. Crazy

While I don't begrudge your life going back to normal, it does emphasize how restricted mine now is

I don’t think there are many people for whom life has gone back to normal. I can’t work as I have a 6, 4 and 1 year old at home (self employed but haven’t been SE long enough to get any assistance). DH can’t go back to his office until next year at the earliest. IL’s are in Spain so we can’t see them for the foreseeable. Everything we had booked is cancelled. Our children still can’t get an education, or see their friends, or play on a park. So yeah, we can chat to some friends or family from across the garden which is nice, but it’s not ‘normal’ by any stretch.

While I don't begrudge your life going back to normal, it does emphasize how restricted mine now is.

I'm sorry you feel like this. I spent a lot of last year self-isolating with a close friend of mine who was dying of cancer. His immune system was so shot that even a cold would have proven fatal. Sadly he died in November (age 29) as we were told that the treatment he needed was too expensive to be provided by the NHS.

I completely understand you're having a crap time but many of us have been through this before and, if we haven't, there's every chance we will in future. I had 3 friends in their 20s and 30s die last year so I think it's important that we all take the opportunity to get the most out of life when/while we can.

I also experienced serious illness as a child and had a long time away from my peers. It's making it much harder now to go back to being isolated. I've had a bellyful of living like that already and it did me enough damage the first time.

Equally you could look at it that the more healthy people are spreading it around amongst themselves, then we are potentially moving to a place of herd immunity and you will actually be safer overall if you are someone shielding.

This is very hard for lots of people in different ways sadly.

I am sitting here today thinking how surreal this is. How the hell did it happen (I know how but you know what I mean). Life was tipped upside down almost overnight.

Thank you whoever put the care home link up thread. People aren't meant to be isolated and the risks do need to be balanced against the benefits. I still have grandparents alive and do worry about them as they don't live close to immediate family and things like church etc aren't happening which got them out each week seeing folks. From tomorrow at least my parents generation of adults can visit them (we are too far to do a day trip with 2 kids and limited toilet opportunities unfortunately).

That article also led me to this one, which I think was posted before but is worth revisiting.

www.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2020/may/17/reopen-the-schools-or-a-generation-will-bear-the-mental-health-scars

I worry that other people are dementors too. I dont like confrontation and try to avoid where I can. I just assume everyone is a dementor and just try to stay out of the way. Everyone apart from the 6 guys on bikes earlier while I was out with DD2 on a walk. They were a day early, but hey ho, was nice to see TBH.

The dementors on my FB are made up of people who have friends in the NHS, one who works in a care home and another who is one of those perfect parents who is always baking or crafting with her DDs. Most of my friends seem to be happy with the relaxation as it is. People are starting to meet with others and going to other places away from their homes.

@Shodan handy tip re removing dandelions. Use a screwdriver with a flat head (i.e. not a Phillips head one) - works a treat and much easier than traditional weeding tools.

Afternoon everyone. Hope you are all well.

@littlebelina - that article feels spot on to me. Nicely balanced but with an emphasis on children’s rights to safeguarding and education. Looking abroad the evidence is growing that schools returning does not significantly increase the number of cases and my dd will have been out of school for 6 months by September. I know many of you are in the same position. I can’t believe how fast children’s rights have disappeared even whilst we’re starting to reopen. I also think the attitude that here in Wales we should see what happens in England before reopening a bit grim. Your children aren’t experiments to see if it’s safe for mine, so I’m very glad that all the evidence shows they’ll be absolutely fine.

There probably is a silent majority out there getting on with things as best they can.

Does anyone have a link to the short clip with Chris Whitty saying it is mostly mild etc? For me to send a friend. I think i saw it on here. Thanks

Had a happy morning helping DD2 get ready to go back to school. Even after reading the letter detailing the changes and the rules she is just so excited. I am still hoping nothing derails it.

DD1 however has been very quiet. No hope of her going back before September.

Certainly don't doubt the impact of all of this on the mental health of my two normal girls. I am very sad to see this.

@Orangeblossom78 I think its this one:

www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/covid-19

On engaging with dementors I can see both sides.

Sadly some good friends are rather dementorish. They all have added risk factors so I can understand that they are scared. The media have been terrible in stoking fear and now its catch Covid and die in many peoples minds. I have mostly decided to be kind and step away from the discussion.

However every so often someone will say something particularly hysterical or push me into a corner and demand an opinion (obviously respecting social distance) in these cases I will say what I think. I think that they aren't prepared to litsen so it's pretty much always a waste of time.

@TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair good point about antibiotic resistance. I remember reading an article which said having cuts and scrapes will become very dangerous again as if they become infected there will be no antibiotics to stop the infection spreading. I wonder if some people will wrap themselves up in bubble wrap and just roll around in that if that happens.

I sometimes engage with dementors and while I know it is going to do nothing but annoy them, I am hoping that for someone reading, it might be enough for them to get some perspective on the situation. Might be being overoptimistic there though.

I think life will get back to normal in the UK, and faster than many people think. Life in the country I live in (Norway) is well on its way, despite schools being open, people meeting etc., the numbers have continued to decline and are very low now. The rest of the restrictions will be limited mid-June. When Norway started opening up, people were skeptical and there was the same worries as I see in the UK now, but it really has worked out fine. I hope it works out the same for you in the UK too.

In the interest of science I took a little drive along Weston seafront to check out the level of "flocking".
Quite a few on the beach, nicely spaced out, one guy in a deckchair on the beach lawns, nobody in Ashcombe Park the other end of town. 4 people on the rugby pitches and 2 kids on skateboards on the rec.

I also think the media have some responsibility in the UK. People do seem much more terrified of the virus than they ever have been here.

Cheshire Oaks may open on June 15th was excited until OH said well not unless Drakeford will let you over the border.

I know it has been discussed before, but actually, seeing it written like that has put a chill down my spine. It is crazy that a country 'without borders' can in a blink of an eye restrict movement so much.