ADs getting ready

[CruCru]

Sorry it’s a bit of a lame title.

Thought... the BBC might as well get Orla Guerin to do the corona reports.

"Here is Wolverhampton [or wherever], the virus is stalking the streets like a deadly killer. People venture out, but with the knowledge that they may not survive. And some are too scared to go out at all. This man [insert somebody talking with a voiceover] has lost everything. He has now resorted to mowing the lawn daily in order to have enough grass clippings to feed his 14 children..."

I'm a lates 60s baby. DGM (that I knew) was born in 1906 (100 years before DD1). DGD served in WW2 but was a chef and a good one so got seconded to HQ. Very little to see here in terms of active service.

Another one who's broken her news addiction! And I'm all the better for it.

Which festival is your dd going to @Dowser. Would love to know what's on!

My nan was a teenager during ww2 her husband (little bit older older than her but really young when he signed up apparently) served in ww2 in some capacity. I know he was based at a prisoner of war camp because he used to tell us about that (he died about 12 years ago) and I know he also served in Baghdad but I know nothing about that because he absolutely refused to tell us (I realise now because it was far too traumatic for him)

I think he stayed in the army for quite some time after that and I know he toured a few different places but again never told us much.

When I say nan I mean great nan, btw.

My entire family had children young. There are now five generations. Nan, other nan (her daughter) my mum, me, and ds

Two things stand out for me as a small child. One was next door had grandparents to stay, grandpa, was skeletal his skin was yellow, he could only eat boiled fish and potatoes. I learned years later he had been a prisoner of war in Burma.

The other thing was a polio outbreak OH told me about up in Wales, mothers banned swimming which was unheard of the lido was closed and finally filled in. Parents were terrified of this disease.

For those who opted to take stay at home rigorously by choice, the real world was a scary uncertain place with a widespread mystery illness, long contagious incubation period and panic buying, and they've not caught up with how its relaxed a bit and better than it was.

DS1 actually came for a walk with me, today, Ducklett hunting. He found some money in his jacket pocket so wanted to go into the coop. Now I was a bit worried about his reaction to the queuing and waiting because he really dies not cope with queuing, at the best of times. He was fine. He was amused by the feet, everywhere. He loved the distanced queuing for the checkout and loved not having people in his way or tutting at him for being in their way.

He's always insisted that footpaths should have lanes, like roads, anyhow :o

With the decreased distancing, a lot of highly anxious people have probably missed the optimal time to dip their toe back in the water.

I'm so through with it all. I got tutted at in Tesco this evening for not knowing where their secret queuing system started so I "pushed in". I don't normally go to Tesco but I swear there was no visible signage and I was just meant to know because of my psychic link. They've just lost a customer (I'm one to bear a grudge for a long time). Admittedly, I can't see them going onto receivership without my custom but I'm voting with my feet and going back to Lidl.
I did notice a couple of people in there with masks but the vast majority were walking about as normal and giving no hoots about 2m or following arrows.

Years ago, Drayton Manor used to do a fee to get in, then a wristband for the rides. It worked well as DM never did rides but could go around the zoo then check in on us when wewere still a bit young to be there completely solo.

I've never taken the DCs to Alton Towers because I refuse to pay full whack to supervise them in CBeebie and barely go on anything. When they're big enough for the Smiler, Rita or Oblivion, that will be different. I've still got a couple more years in them at Gullivers which is better value and we can do pretty much everything together.

My bil's grandad was in the war. The boat he was on was bombed, sunk and he was rescued. He is now great great Granddad.

My sister was fairly young when she had DN and he was even younger when he had his children.

@Jourdain11
I've added you to our posters areas list - just as 'London'. Hope that's ok, if not, let me know and I'll remove you. It's just 'user name' and 'area'

Here is the link if you want to see where everyone is. Page 1 by area, page 2 by user name
www.dropbox.com/s/1torbzs7vktdzwv/ADs%20area%20list.xlsx?dl=0

@Jourdain11

Thought... the BBC might as well get Orla Guerin to do the corona reports.

"Here is Wolverhampton [or wherever], the virus is stalking the streets like a deadly killer. People venture out, but with the knowledge that they may not survive. And some are too scared to go out at all. This man [insert somebody talking with a voiceover] has lost everything. He has now resorted to mowing the lawn daily in order to have enough grass clippings to feed his 14 children..."

Pretty normal on Midlands Today

There was a brilliant but mean email forward (remember their brief reign before the meme???) about the aftermath of The Dudley Earthquake in 2002 and how the area was devestated.

I remember that one waking me up. DM's house is old and the sash windows were rattling then there was a brief swaying feeling.

I also got woken up by Melton Mobray in 2008. I ran down to tell DH there was an earthquake, he stirred on the sofa, and tried to put news 24 on to find out as I was exclaiming, No! We had the earthquake! "The house just shook!"

bog yes I remember DM wristbands, something like 50p to get in and then wristbands for the rides - a much better system. They even did tickets, so scaredy cat like me could just have a few tickets and go on the rides I wanted.

I also remember going to Gulliver's when it was still fairly new, I think it was very cheap then as well.

I don't remember ever going to American Adventure though. We didn't have a car so used to go with extended family (though Gulliver's we went by train)

Ah American Adventure was our ‘go to’ place when I was a kid, gutted when it closed!
Took the DD’s to Gullivers last year and we loved it, pretty much exactly how I remembered it from when I was a child too. We did Drayton Manor last year too as we got bought a family day pass as a gift.
Haven’t taken mine to Alton Towers either and don’t intend to for a while, but about 2 mins from our house is a brown Alton Towers signpost so they ask to go all the time!

justasking my mum grew up in Cardiff and remembers the fear of swimming. I seem to recall my grandad got free tickets to the opening of the new pool in Swansea but he wouldn’t let her go. Her friend got polio and had a leg brace. I was fascinated by her house because she had seven couches - I thought it was the height of luxury! I realise now it was probably because she could only go so far before needing a rest. She died very young.

I remember American Adventure :-) my dad took is there once. I loved it. Gullivers as well.

Now that we’re free in Scotland, Mother Nature has sent gales. Inches of rain and 60mph winds. I can’t decide whether to do a beach day tomorrow or not.

I found this article very confusing

#bogoff I so agree. So many are so entrenched in their views. They have poured so much into them to let them go.

We also have NT and zoo passes. They have paid for themselves over and again. Bought Merlin passes for this years too - maybe not my best idea! Timing is all!

I am another 'pollyanna', and try to be positive, although this situation has seriously pushed me. My mum was more in the dementor mode, generally, and i found it quite wearing as i grew up. Looking back now, I think a lot of it was anxiety related.

Some of the shops are quite clear in layouts and markings which is probably quite autism friendly after the initial shock of cgange.

DS2 did Aldi and Morrisons with me several weeks back. DS1 isn't enticed. They have been to Go Outdoors and Decathlon sucessfully. They like those two anyway.

I'm briefly ON MY OWN!!!
DH has left the house for the first time in 3 days and the DCs have gone walkies with him. Probably better now as they're willing to do anything to avoid bed, rather than battling them earlier on. I went out for an hour running and have spent 2 hours this evening doing Aldi and Costco.

Aldi now have a traffic light over their door, like a water slide!

I ballsed up the queue at Costco. There was no queue. I walked down it and went round to grab a trolley. Then suddenly there's masses of people all grabbing at trollies and I now seem to be out of the queue, stuck in a bad spot with bad spacing and thinking, I'm not going round to the back of the now growing queue when I was legitimately at the front of a non-queue 40 seconds earlier.
I can barely see over those trollies anyway!
Fortunately we were all let in about 30 seconds later

I didn't need to buy bogrolls today, but it was good to buy a couple of ready meals

@rookiemere I think someone from Oxford university was questioning where all these PHE sadly deaths were coming from on a daily basis and when they died, making it appear that deaths weren’t dropping much even though some of them died in April. We have discussed this at length on this thread. The Journos have misunderstand and dementored accordingly 🤦🏻‍♀️

Nannyphlegm
It’s a little one in N Yorks
More a camping thing than anything..but are hoping to have some live music

And the ONS thing is bollocks now because the infection rate is too low for it to be meaningful.

I was at school during the polio outbreak. I remember being upset because I wasn't allowed to go swimming or to the visiting fair - and that was it. No school closure although I think someone at school had it. Mum was sure one of my elder brothers had a mild dose - which, like with Corona does happen. As adults, he is the only one that has had problems with all his joints which adds weight to her claims. He was also the one who played Rugby though which is also a possible cause.

@dowser I dread to imagine the queing arrangements if both Gregg's and McD's were open, there. It's bad enough, normally.