Anti-dementors are driving round the Arc de Triomphe

[SockYarn]

new thread :-)

Morning murdering types. DH had the snip yesterday and is resting up, so I'm entertaining the two DC for the day. God, when I think back to what a piece of piss Fridays used to be for me pre-pandemic... Drop DS1 at school, run some errands with DS2 and top up the food shop, meet some mum friends at a playgroup, tidy the house while DS2 napped, pick up DS1 and play in the park with his school friends until teatime... I miss those mundane days so much. It's the small things - having somewhere indoor to go with toys to keep a toddler happy. Having a playpark 2 mins from the door where half the school would be from 3:30 - 5. Being able to simply wander into a supermarket with DS2 in his buggy and buy some things without queueing or him being looked at as a Plague Bringer. That's what I miss the most tbh, just being able to go places with the DC without even thinking of it. Now they can't go anywhere, and so I can't go anywhere.

@InsaneInTheViralMembrane

bubbles Costco bakery should be open. Neighbour went to the Edinburgh branch a few weeks as she NEEDED to shop. Returned resplendent with bales of towels, table lamps and a giant box of croissants - just the essentials really.

Snigger

Morning all. There's a gaggle of people chatting in the road outside my bedroom window (yes I'm still in bed) and the phrase "not allowed" is floating up with depressing regularity.

What was this I hear about the SE grant not being applicable if you are able to work after the 14th July? Will the August payment not happen after all then? I really must read those FSB emails rather than just moving them into a folder entitled "FSB emails" :(

I just ventured onto a holiday thread. Someone has been told that they're not allowed into their cottage until 7pm, then have to be out by 9am rather than 10am. Posters are advising her to ask for a discount or to cancel I was very restrained in my reply to this, but given that I'm involved first hand in the utter carnage of the UK tourism industry it has made me want to break things 🤬🤬🤬

0.058 of the population have it and I am locked in my box room?!?

@SockYarn they closed Waitrose in Helensburgh I'm sort of wondering when I can justify going to milngavie Waitrose

Love the appalling mathematical abilities of politicians
Question 1 if the infection rate is 1 in 1890 and half of all cases are in care homes, and half of the rest stay at home how likely are you to met someone with Covid
a) almost certain about 50%,
B) it's getting better but still be careful about 5-10%
C) a very tiny chance about 1 in 7000

I do love these threads and as I read more than I post, and they move so fast, I don't think I've said anything on the last 4 or 5.

On the risk assessing point, I really do think sites like this don't help. My eldest was born in the last millennium, and in fact all my children were well past the baby stage before I even found mumsnet. On here, it is really easy to get sucked in to the mindset of "I must be a terrible person for even thinking of doing x". Examples such as popping for 5 minutes to the corner shop whilst small child is fast asleep in cot (yes, I've done it) and my personal favourite, leaving children in the car whilst paying for petrol. It wouldn't have ever occurred to me to take children in, but on mumsnet the risk of fire or crash is so great, why would you even think of doing it, you would never forgive yourself if anything happened.

There was a thread this week - "is it ok to sit in my 30 foot garden with my partner once my child is asleep in the downstairs bedroom which I can see from the garden". Really, you need to ask permission from strangers??

Anyway enough grumpy old woman ranting, I'm all set for a little light rule breaking today as my sister is coming over, the first non-immediate family I've seen since February. We may or may not sit in the garden depending on the weather. Seems bizarre to me that I could meet her at John Lewis indoors no problem, but if she comes into my house it is against the rules.

My DS once went on a school trip to the fire station. When he got back I asked if it was interesting and if he saw anyone sliding down a pole. "No" he said "they were all watching DVDs".

Seriously considering Costco now. DH also mentioned the queues though. I think he has been gently trying to dissuade me as he presented me with a 2kg jar of jellybeans he ordered online. I adore him

That really is unfair loki. I'm so sorry.

My new dryer arrives, this afternoon. Just in time for the weather to start to improve again! Despite that, I'm glad tumble dryers aren't sentient because it has no idea how much work it's going to have to do!

I should have known that Covid should be a valid excuse to exclude people with disabilities from public transport

The signs were definitely there when they taped up benches, excluding some from going for a walk.

trapped -

Giggling away at the OTT welcome for the plumber.

So funny. It's a comedy sketch.

@Alwaysfrank I bet you also started giving your DC food at 12 weeks then, which is neglectful and abusive and if I knew you in RL I would be reporting you to Social Services.

Oh.. I want to go to Waitrose now. A destination shop at the best of times. 😃

@SockYarn If only. I really miss cafes. I've been frequenting the local ones that offer takeaway, but it isn't the same. It's my birthday today so I'm going to treat myself to a huge birthday cake, possibly chocolate, but I'd sooner be eating a pastry in the Waitrose cafe, (or any cafe really).

Enjoy your killing/shopping spree.

Fuck I meant to put a wink there

@bubbles I had to return some headphones after my giant spree so went back about 30mins before they shut and walked straight in. Guy on door said not much of a queue about 1 hour before they shut and tbh I bet it's not that bad now anyway as other shops are open

Yes, and they were all shipped out of my bedroom around the 8 week mark, noisy buggers!

Btw I have been to Costco more than once during lockdown- ok three times. Queues were not too long and the only risk I felt I was taking was related to depletion of my bank account. Spent over £300 each time

Happy birthday, Desmond 🎂🎈

@frank I read that post too, genuinely couldn't believe it. Decided not to mention that we regularly went to neighbours for dinner with the monitor when our boys were babies. And because I'm so old it wasn't a new fangled video type, just audio! (next door terrace so not quite as bad as it sounds). The buggers are 19 now and still more or less in one piece.

Happy birthday @DesmondTheMoonbear! Grace and Favour in Bearsden does nice cakes but I don't think they open on a friday. Or Finsbay in Milngavie.

Morning all.

@LivinLaVidaLoki I'm so sorry for your loss

@LivinLaVidaLoki really sorry to hear about your aunt - I’m worrying about my aunt who’s in her early 70s and pre-lockdown was out and about all the time, working at her local library, going to see friends, entertaining family (she lives in a beautiful but rather isolated part of the country). In the last few months that’s all been taken from her and now her husband’s been in hospital for weeks (non-Covid) - it’s a specialist hospital so miles away and she can’t visit him. So her world has been completely turned upside down in the space of 3 months. I suspect her mental and physical health will be much worse at the end of all this...

@Nihiloxica aubergine pickle is easy - it involves lots of aubergines, about a bucket of oil, shallots, turmeric, green chilli and cider vinegar - I shudder to think of the calorie count but it’s worth it!

Why would you want to take your children into a petrol station? Surely filling the tank before sauntering in to pay is a blissful 3 minutes of calm before returning to cage wars, crying and the resuming of back of the seat kicking. Plus there would be increasingly high-pitches cries of “mum, canni have a X? I’m starving, I haven’t eaten anything for 17 minutes”.

This is bollocks. Friday is my calm day. I finish off my work for the week, tidy my desk, do house admin AND SIT IN THE FUCKING SAUNA AT THE GYM!

Today it’s pissing down and there have been fisticuffs and tears already. I’m also really regretting not taking a payment holiday on any bills because feeding children and keeping my sanity is expensive.

Happy birthday desmond - I’m sure Waitrose cake selection will deliver the required sugar-hit.

Anyway, apologies for the whining. tinkly laugh my 6-figure husband won’t mind if I just triple the fresh flower order and I’ll make memories with the children. People are dying. So blessed.

WTAF are you supposed to do to entertain a 17 month old when it’s raining and nothing is open?
When the DD’s were home I felt slightly more justified in neglecting him as I had to attempt to home school them. Now they’re at school and I’ve got time to do stuff with him, there’s nothing to do.

I’m also really regretting not taking a payment holiday on any bills because feeding children and keeping my sanity is expensive.

^ this this this!

Dh’s company are having supply chain issues again ... fucking marvellous. God it’s stressful. Hence the shopping and drinking.

Bloody hell it's all happening here. The house painters have now arrived (they weren't supposed to be here until next month). So not only do I have someone coming into the house, I've got 2 more outside touching the house.....the body count in rural Somerset is going to be off the scale!!

OH reckons we're going to need a bigger cake.