ADs head off to The Three Bellends and discuss luxury duvets and stationery

[BogRollBOGOF]

(Socially distanced of course and in strictest obedience of all localised lockdowns and 3 or 5 tiers and whatever illogic the powers that be can dream up next)

The original digital discussion continues...

We end up there [McDonald's] a lot because of the ASD safe and predictable thing. You know what you're getting there, no meltdowns over random seeds on the bread or not expecting random onions etc.

Very common, @BogRollBOGOF. I used it as an example in a recent PIP renewal for a young man. The dad had attempted to engage his DS (who has ASD) in a cooking session, to make a 'homemade breakfast muffin'. Well, the patties had herbs in which was wrong, the bread rolls were wrong, the eggs were wrong. The whole lot ended up all over the kitchen walls, the kitchen door was smashed, the young man hurt himself in the process (including his head), and refused to eat for 24 hours.

So yes, sometimes families do buy McDonald's for youngsters with ASD. It is pretty essential to them, and no it's not 'pandering' to them.

@MissEWeatherwax

I’m not downloading the app, I haven’t got the space on my phone. I also switched off the IPhone tracker alert thing. I also have location switched off. Paranoid me. I just fill my details in the book and going off the couple of local places, I’m not the only one.

I’ve never enabled location, I find it creepy.

I’ve never enabled location, I find it creepy.

I have it on for somethings on my iPhone. For maps it was a life saver when I went out walking early in the countryside and encountered thick fog. The only way I made it back to the car was because of the maps app showing me where I was versus the car. Couldn't see a bloody thing infront of my face so there was no way I would have made it back without it.

I've got the app but have contact tracing turned off. I only did it so I could scan to get in somewhere but I might just take a photo and pretend I'm doing it.

I'm happy to give my details as I always have when I book a restaurant etc. but I don't see why it can't be done using pen and paper. My hairdressers gives the option of doing either and pen and paper is so much better as you can put what time you leave!

I'm not downloading the app either. Work has got a qr code in the canteen, or you have to fill in a form. Funnily enough, considering the amount of people working there, a lot of them must have downloaded the app as there's not many names on the form. Either that, or people aren't bothering! I'll have to look next time I'm in. Or it could be that people haven't read the instructions, sounds about right!

Well things seem to have reached new heights of stupidity in Wales - someone has posted on Twitter that her local Tesco had the sanitary protection aisle blocked off as non essential. The Welsh Government has said Tesco are wrong but how on earth did it reach that stage in the first place?

Huge companies always seen to have little fuckwits in charge of their Twitter accounts.

Hardly anyone I know has downloaded the app.

I can't download the app as there isn't enough space on my phone and it would kill the already nearly dead battery! Hmmm would that count as a 'sadly death' of a battery as it's connected to Covid?!! 😁😁 I have heard lots of stories of people just holding their phones up to the QR code and pretending to scan it.

i haven't downloaded the app. I dont see how it can work properly - if i check into somewhere, leave an hour later, then someone else checks in there after i have left and then tests positive - it doesnt know when i left so i would have to isolate (in my mind this is what it does please tell me if i am wrong!) - well fuck that for a game of soldiers.

me and DP planning on going out for lunch for our anniversary but its the 7th dec and i dont want to get caught out by track and trace just in time for fucking christmas!

@JamieLeeCurtains

Huge companies always seen to have little fuckwits in charge of their Twitter accounts.

Probably a safe sideways move when you realise that they've been promoted at least 3 grades above their competency level, where they will do fairly limited strategic harm

We started on the slippery slope of McDonalds due to multiple food allergies and at least their fish fingers, fries and apple slices weren't going to explode his digestive system! On one thread a few months ago, some plant-based smunt thought that food allergies and ASD were terrible excuses for malnourishing my precious child with McDonalds.
Ironically when they do specials such as the current spicy quarter pounder, it's a safe way for him to try something new as the variables are limited and managable.

I've found it interesting that a disproportion of us on this thread live with neurodiverse conditions either ourselves or within the household.
(I suspect dyspraxia in myself for umpteen reasons, but this year is really showing up some milder processing/ sensory issues. Not the extent of DS1's, but I can grasp how he can be driven to meltdown. Ironically he's been rather sheltered and has had far fewer triggers this year.

Out of curiosity does anyone here think that they had it, and if so did you get a test?

I think that I had it a few weeks ago, even though I didn't have the typical symptoms. I hate saying that I think I had it because other illnesses are still around but it felt different. I didn't have a cough or fever but I felt weak and dizzy. Sometimes I felt as though my chest and ribs were on fire . I felt so hot yet there was no fever even during those episodes. My face flushed sometimes and went bright red. I was a little breathless at times though I have asthma so that's not that uncommon. I still feel a little breathless occasionally and weak.

I didn't qualify for a test so didn't get one but as I was going to self isolate regardless I didn't see the point.

DH and I might have had it back in Feb. We only realised afterwards when they started talking about the loss of smell/taste, that we'd both had a bad cold with a cough which was accompanied by loss of taste. We'd not been abroad and it was before community spread was reported, so at the time we'd thought there was no way we could have it.

We thought we might have had it. Both had coughs that took ages to shift. But I had an antibody test that came back negative though as it was 6 months after the cough who knows? I do know I’m one of the lucky people who doesn’t get flu - managed to avoid swine flu and that awful flu we had around the Millenium. I know the millennium flu never gets mentioned but it really put a downer on a few parties that year.

I know I only ever come on here to rant - and I haven't even got much to rant about in the grand scheme, being at least financially unaffected by this shitshow - but ffs, what kind of world do we live in where 2 DC in the same class can't legally meet up in a shopping centre for a couple of hours. This is beyond insanity and I feel totally murderous.
Obviously I know all the Ds would tell me that at least DC is ALIVE and that I should be grateful not to be on a ventilator, but does anyone (other than on here) ever stop to think of how totally totally bonkers it is that there is a statute that actually criminalises that behaviour.
Genuinely dystopian.

We're in a ridiculously fortunate situation as we're still in Tier 1 (for now.. council is still hanging the sword of Damocles over us)
DD's school bubble burst so half term is a write off. Not that this will make a huge amount of difference as nothing is open anyway. DD is addicted to her computer, but as we can't go anywhere or do anything (and I'm feeling ill so have no energy), there's little else to offer to break the addiction other than a total cold-turkey approach which also removes communication from all her friends.
Friend died of Covid last week. I hate the fact his family couldn't be with him. He also had seriously compromised immunity and the fact I know someone who has died from the illness does not mean I fear it - my dad technically died of a gall bladder infection, what his death certificate didn't mention is the horrible dementia he suffered for nearly five years and which removed his ability to walk, speak or recognise anyone..
And now I think I have Covid too. Went for a test which had me gagging but was apparently inconclusive, so went for a second one and waiting for the results. If I do have it, I'm 99% certain I picked it up from public transport - not school, not shopping, not exercising or walking past someone in the street. (and I don't take this to mean we should all be sealed in our cars forever more either).
While all of this is upsetting and worrying to a greater or lesser degree, the thing that pushed me over the edge is that tosser talking about "preparing for a digital Christmas". DD's meltdown - proper screaming meltdown - over blended learning felt like a harbringer of things to come. But I'm sure it's all down to me being a bad parent cause I let her get addicted to her screen... the screen that they need to do the blended learning on...

DD and I both had mild symptoms that haven't affected our day to day life. We did get tests because I thought if we'd definitely had it we could be not quite so strict around my DM, particularly over Christmas. I tested negative, her positive, though I thought we were possibly out of time for her test. I'm not actually convinced she was still infectious (she'd already been isolating). I'm not sure we'd do it again, it can set off a whole chain of reactions that are disproportionate to the actual risk.

I dont think we have had it - unless we have been totally asymptomatic. Dp did have a cold a bit back, could have been it as it was going round my work at that point. Pretty surprised i haven't had it as i usually get everything. I would like an antibody test. They did them at work before i started and haven't done them since so i missed out!

After now seeing this gem, I've decided anyone outside of my family and this thread is pretty much a cunt.
I unfriend one and 3 more pop up.

Just saw a headline "Doctors are “extremely worried about the ability for the NHS to cope”
Unlike every other winter when it runs like a finely tuned machine.....
Oh, wait.

@LivinLaVidaLoki that’s just nasty, but go on any benefit thread and it’s the same( now where’s my hair shirt again).
My DD told me about the sanitary towels situation, must be all over Twitter. I told her the 18th century want their views back. Bastards.
I only allow location for maps and last time to find and order from Starbucks, even though I was standing bloody outside!
Did anyone see Boots is charging £120 for a 15 minutes Covid test. I selfishly would pay that just to visit and hug my parents.

Thank you all. Interesting to hear everyone's experiences. permanentlyexhaustedpigeon I'm sorry to hear about your friend, your poor DD struggling and that you're feeling ill. I hope that you feel better soon.

I did think that another reason not to get a test was to avoid giving Nicola and co yet one more excuse to bring in even more draconian legislation. In a way I'd like to have known but it doesn't really matter as I self isolated anyway.

I'm hoping that it was Covid as though I haven't been anxious about getting it, a mere cold takes me 3-4 months to recover so I wasn't looking forward to it, but if it was Covid then I got off very lightly as though I felt rubbish I've had far worse colds. (I had a headache too. Forgot that symptom)

I've found it interesting that a disproportion of us on this thread live with neurodiverse conditions either ourselves or within the household.

It is interesting. I have autistic and dyspraxia.

@AcornAutumn
Yes we are
And my beloved 😡😡😡 refuses to extend our stay.
When you’re married to someone whose ideal day is a walk on a cold frosty blue sky in December then you know what I’m up against

It would be like him dragging me to Iceland for 3.5 weeks in winter
Not happening. I’m sure it’s drop dead gorgeous but after skiing in winter park Colorado
That’s as close as I’m going to freezings temps ever again

I don't really like the idea of places leaving a clipboard with customers names and telephone numbers lying around. All it takes is one person to take a photo of it and sell the numbers then it's scam city.
I have downloaded the app and scan the code but I have contact tracing and Bluetooth off.
I've already had COVID and have antibodies so don't think I am risking spreading it from my lunches/dinners out with my husband. The restaurants are half empty so no close face to face contact.