ADs crave hotel breakfasts garnished with phallic strawberries

[BogRollBOGOF]

Oh for the good old days of a breakfast buffet.

Back when you could make plans and reasonably expect them to happen. When you could turn up spontaneously and browse or linger at your leisure. When you could meet whoever you like and give them a hug

But until those days return, here's some more AD chat about life, the universe and phallic fruits...

OH went for his pre op assessment today, has to go for a covid test three days before op at a particular centre. Miles away, he said why?? when we have one locally. They said that one is not!!! to be trusted. Eek.... A lot of people go there. The difference being that here they lob a bag at you on a long pole through the window and you swab yourself then they take the bag back using their long stick. Perhaps a professional swabs you at their preferred centre. Who knows.

Not too bad at work today, tho we've had a few staff have a bit of a "moment" today. Everyone is getting anxious, and the levels go up and down. ( I had a moment myself the other week, and my manager described me as "granite" today, I'm so tough!) so he was surprised. Couple of the staff went for a walk round the car park when it got too much.
When will it end? Christmas is coming and that is going to be hell.

So many unintended consequences. I've stopped going to the gym this week, not because I'm worried about catching covid but because I'm worried about getting a call from T&T and having to self isolate. I really don't think I could 2 weeks stuck inside. Lockdown was bad enough but I managed at least a short walk or run every day.

Going to catch up with the thread shortly but just wanted to say Hi @Dowser! Missed seeing you around x

I accidentally happened upon a covid testing centre whilst out on a joyless walk (you know the sort, you go for the walk because all the experts say it's good for mental health but it makes sweet FA difference).

Anyway, said covid testing station was operating out the back of a transit van in a very exposed public car park. Just what you need if you're feeling unwell. They were hardly rushed off their feet.

Have had several "moments" today, including breaking down on the phone to DM. Even she thinks there is a lack of logic now to the rules & restrictions.

It reminds me of a time when I had depression. I'd drag myself out to a cafe for a treat but not go in because I felt undeserving. Now, I drag myself out but don't go in because I can't bear the thought of having to self-isolate for the sake of a bun. I'm not depressed but have those same depressing feelings.

I have some colouring in to do. Life is rock n roll.

I've just had a virtual open evening at a secondary school. I hate that I have to apply before knowing if dc1 has even passed the 11+ and without stepping into our top 3 choices. Dh has been inside them all, but in the 90s as he grew up round here. He was surprised at the video tour we saw this evening as it looks completely different to it did in the 90s.

Anyway, in the grand scheme of things its not that bad. Lots of people have much worse to deal with.

@TheOrchidKiller - audio books while you are on your joyless walk. We have to keep our spirits up. Its tough. I was depressed last winter and only started to get the colour back around start of March (DH was so worried about how I'd cope with lockdown, bless him, I just ate every fucking thing)

Anyway, audio books and fresh air works wonders. Take cake and a flask of nice coffee with you.

Please find enclosed my application for an AD badge.

Reading this thread and its predecessors has helped keep me sane. (Not to mention patronusing my own inner dementor.)

I really shouldn't read the main Rona board but sometimes grim fascination draws me in. Any time there's even a whiff of a nuanced discussion, the same half-dozen people come steaming in with their unsourced fear bollocks.

I second audiobooks for walks/escapes out of the house. I've been working my way through Mick Herron's terrific Slough House series on audio. Very dry sense of humour and the narration is absolutely terrific.

It was so terrific, I said 'terrific' twice. Terrific.

Oh bugger Tesco has gone woo woo again. Terrified eyes above masks. The stickers are all back on the floor people happier if you follow the up down up down routes, sorry I just wanted a few bits so walked through the middle and went up instead of down at times. I bought a bar of Green and Blacks chocolate and nibbled on it when I got back to car. Have not done that for years, their choc. is bloody awful plastic stuff now. I have lost my credit card so had to use debit card, shit, it was a food shop OH is supposed to cover not me.

Evening, @NastyBlouse, good to see another AD join the ranks.

@DisgruntledGuineaPig I am completely with you on secondary schools. We’re choosing blind - I have never set foot in any of them - and before 11+ results.

I am basing my school choice on what my colleagues (who have or had children there) tell me about them. How can that be right?

@Disgruntledguineapig
That sounds hard. If it's any consolation the open evenings done in person give the hard sell & only tell you the good bits. If you really want to know what they're like, ask parents with kids already there.

We are now getting emails from school every time they get a positive case. I do not need to know, unless DS is a close contact, in which case they will contact me. I expect some parents have been asked to be informed, & I'm certain there are some who have kicked up a fuss about not being informed about the cases so far. What purpose does this serve other than to whip up anxiety?

And it's yet more useless covid stuff rammed into my brain when I'm trying to switch off.

@DisgruntledGuineaPig
Missed your bit about the walk. I'm usually good at daydreaming & walking but covid is there all the time. Might need to take a flask. Spent a fortune on fancy tea this week!

Have been reading the AD threads for months now as my come down from all the hype and OMG we are all gonna die types. Thought it was all getting more sensible until the last 2 weeks or so. We seem to be creeping back up to the hype of March/April again and it's doing my head in. I am not a Covid denier and am aware that cases are up. But deaths are still only at less than 80 per day which is 0.0001 of 70million we need a grip IMO

Welcome @NastyBlouse. I too have a grim fascination with the coronavirus board, & I must stop!

@justasking111 I've gone off Green & Blacks too. Some of the supermarket own brand chocolate is better.

(Sorry, several posts in a row. Waiting for DD to come down in her pjs so we can watch Bake Off by the fire).

Can I join you please? I live on my own and have been working from home since March. Thankfully I have a dog so get out a few times a day otherwise I probably wouldn’t speak to another person for days at a time.
I’m relatively calm about the whole situation but the majority of my friends and colleagues are full on dementors who are convinced the virus is waiting outside their front door ready to pounce.
I feel myself getting more depressed by the day!

Oh my gosh. Welcome all. What on earth is going on in the rest of the site that you're coming here in droves?! 3 recruits all at once is a record.

Welcome to everyone who has found us. I would definitely be in a worse state without the women on this thread.

My good news of today is that our zoo has stopped prebooking for off peak days.

@Ibake

Oh my gosh. Welcome all. What on earth is going on in the rest of the site that you're coming here in droves?! 3 recruits all at once is a record.

This shit just got real.

Hello, all.

[quote DisgruntledGuineaPig]@TheOrchidKiller - audio books while you are on your joyless walk. We have to keep our spirits up. Its tough. I was depressed last winter and only started to get the colour back around start of March (DH was so worried about how I'd cope with lockdown, bless him, I just ate every fucking thing)

Anyway, audio books and fresh air works wonders. Take cake and a flask of nice coffee with you.

[/quote]
I so understand the winter depression! I was diagnosed with severe SAD a couple of years ago and have to take meds, was off them for a year until this march! Surprise surprise! Unfortunately the Dr's recommdation for the condition is making plans and socialising through the winter! Really helpful at the moment hey!! But I can recommend some books and light therapy that may help! Happy to give you info if you need it xx

@Ibake TBF I’ve lurked for a while, and I had the Other Board hidden because I couldn’t deal with it back in March. Started dipping back in recently.

Also the ‘mentors have been on the march where I live lately too. A member of the residents’ association for our building recently ‘politely requested’ that people hold their breath while using the lifts because covidSAFEfeardroplets. (No one is doing this to my knowledge but still. To even ask...)

Thanks for the welcome.
I’m fed up with all the doomsayers on the other threads. And the complete lack of any logic to the rules. I’m happy-ish to follow rules which are based on common sense and logic but am pretty sure Boris and the others are now pulling random roolz from a tombola machine and inflicting them on the public for no valid reason other than they have no idea how to get out of the mess they’ve created and want to save face!

Yes, you're all gonna be just fine here . Sorry to bang on but have you seen/signed this?
Gbdeclaration.org

Welcome to the new people - we're not the monsters we're made out to be elsewhere on the site. We mostly seem to run a rotation of feeling absolutely despairing about it while others keep on keeping on and then we swap over.

I'm in a bad state at the moment - hoping it'll pass, but DD2's not sleeping and her eczema's going mad again so she's obviously beginning to feel anxious as well (which is coming from that fucking class in school - tried to broach it via email and a socially distanced yell at the teacher - for we're not allowed to approach - only allowed to speak to the bearer of the sacred post it notes) but I often get depressed and never get actual suicidal thoughts - and they're actually starting to creep in. I wouldn't ever actually do it - the kids do not ever have to bear the cross of the demons inside my head - but the darkness terrifies me... as do the really twisted fucked up dreams that I have where I wake up and all I can remember are eyes and no rest of faces... doesn't take a genius to work out what's going on behind those.

Then I catch myself wondering if I'm wrong - and I SHOULD be screaming for more lockdown, schools closed and grassing up my neighbours - then I think about the end of 1984 where Winston turns around and realises that the battle was won and he loved Big Brother... and I try to mentally bring myself back to sanity. I'm going mad - I swear I am - don't know what's real or what's manipulation anymore, or what I'm going to be allowed to do next. It's quite a terrifying feeling, watching yourself lose that grip on reality and knowing that it's going.

I'll be OK tomorrow if I just DON'T THINK.