ADs take the National Express when their lives' in a mess, it will make them smile

[BogRollBOGOF]

🎤On the National Express
There’s a jolly hostess
Giving porridge free
She’ll provide you with shots
amaretto or what
You like to seeeeee...

Going out was in style
Now we’re stuck in this aisle
Dream of being free
And it’s hard to get by
When your arse is the size
Of the furlough feeeeeee🎤

Bah ba ba la
Bah ba ba la

Tomorrow belongs to meee...

Welcome to the 17:38 to freedom, stopping at virtual hugs, critical discourse, and random tangents along the way. ETA unknown...

Is it too early for a drink?

Acorn it's past midday. "Sun's over the yard-arm," I think that means it's an acceptable time to start!

Acorn it's five o'clock somewhere as my nan used to say.

Last year we were trying to finish off very long-running decorating works for our bedroom (which had involved moving walls and windows after a slightly half-hearted extension by a previous owner), tangled in with that, we did up the box room for DS1 who was needing more space from DS2 which involved constructing a suspended mid-riser bed as you couldn't build a standard bedframe in the room. Add in the usual Christmas gubbins involving life with primary age children, one off school for a week poorly with a mystery virus, and that it had been raining since August. It was not my most festive year. I went easy on the decorations as it was just too much of a chore and I normally love putting them up.

Well at least I have time to savour the decorations this year...

We very deliberately have suspended any decorating through 2020. Still have bare plasterboard and a 3 year old temporary bannister as a legacy after the bedroom project. But while there are few reliable options to get out of the house, or logistical issues in buying supplies/ going to the dump, we'd rather strategically ignore the plasterboard.

Our greatest Christmas disaster of my childhood was the cat climbing up the Christmas tree over Christmas Eve dinner and smashing half the baubles, followed by relocating Boxing Day dinner to the breakfast room to avoid tree disasters, taking 3 bites of food when the ceiling came crashing down showering us with 250 year old horsehair plaster.

Not quite Christmas but in the preparations of, we used to have a 100 mile journey each way to collect a relative from his care home. It was my first year driving and I took DM down, and ended up having a 10 hour journey involving 8 hours of barely moving an inch near Luton as the M1 was closed. We arrived at 10pm. Had a drink and then had to do the return 100 miles. At least that was quick with no traffic. It was nearly midnight when I got home and realised that I'd left my full beams on for the last few miles through town as my brain was that fried.

"And always, at the back of all this is the fact that lockdowns don't work."

Yet, for the second time, HMG have locked down just as a wave is reaching its peak, already fading in some areas. So then you get the mindless 'See, we locked down and numbers dropped. x million would have died if we hadn't locked down' and calls for more and harder lockdowns. That's the same argument that if two paracetamol ease my headache, 20 will stop me getting the next one. With a similar outcome in terms of damage done by 'prevention'.

I've just walked past a local pub. Inside staff were making the most beautiful Christmas decorations. It will look lovely when they're up. But my heart sank at the idea that after all their efforts they won't be allowed to open for the run up to Christmas.

I don't mind about Christmas, I mind about the economy. I know it's not a popular view with many but actually we need an economy to pay for the frivolous things in life like the NHS and schools.

Lockdowns don't work but what are the government to do? They've whipped everyone up into such a state of hysteria that they can't be seen to back down. Nightmare.

I'm with you on that.

I’m obviously wanting everything open for the economy which is essentially people.

I think one reason Christmas is causing so much distress is many people thought lockdown would be done by then. I had friends who thought I was being silly and “upsetting myself” in March when the Act was introduced for two years.

Christmas is FILs favourite self inflicted crisis time.
2 years ago they came to us and DH swore never again. We had re-arranged all our timing around them and on 24th DH got a really bad score throat. He phoned FIL early afternoon to check they were still happy to come (MIL very prone to chest infections) only for him to announce they were coming at a totally different time and it didn't fit in with the meals we had planned. DH ended up having to dash to Sainsburys to buy suitable food for MIL (soft food only) at 3pm. Then they turned up at a different time and didn't phone ahead so we could get dogs out for a quick walk (needed to shut them away) and move cars so FIL could park close to the house and have room to get MIL into wheelchair.
Last year BIL & SIL family were going to ILs as their new rental has no downstairs loo for MIL and they were cooking there. Lunchtime on 24th FIL phoned DH in a panic because he had ordered new furniture but it hadn't arrived yet and he had sold all his chairs the weekend before. He ended up borrowing a neighbours garden furniture.
This year they are going to a pub with BIL & SIL. Which doesn't augur well for the pub trade and restrictions.

I don’t understand about Christmas, all the people who hate their family and want a quiet Christmas. Why don’t they just have a quiet Christmas. They don’t need a pandemic, just tell their family. That’s what we did a couple of years ago. When my DH was fed up of my DP’s coming. So pre covid we visited them for exchanging presents. Then went home(DP’s now go to my Dsis) We then visit Dsis and cousins have some quality time together
Well they sit next to each other on their phone.
We have a very small family.

I know it's not a popular view with many but actually we need an economy to pay for the frivolous things in life like the NHS and schools.

I'm getting the impression some people think the economy is other something that doesn't affect them - it's not jobs and money and taxes and paying for services.

I watched the on you tube with DD1 and that starts with the government in massive debt we made a payment on that debt in 2015 300 years later - so that our money given in taxes paying off things that happened 300+ years ago.

@Seriouslymole

I don't mind about Christmas, I mind about the economy. I know it's not a popular view with many but actually we need an economy to pay for the frivolous things in life like the NHS and schools.

Lockdowns don't work but what are the government to do? They've whipped everyone up into such a state of hysteria that they can't be seen to back down. Nightmare.

Ds12 asked me on Tuesday who would pay for the lockdown ...

We have a quiet Christmas - took a bit of flack for it at one time but it's not the time of year to travel with young kids - we'll look again if we lose any old relatives so no-one alone but till then it's a quiet christmas despite the kids being older.

Tend to see IL in Christmas school holidays but not actually on the day - not least because trains and public transport is so difficult but that won't be happening this year - would mean long train trip for either them or us and none of us fancy that at the minute.

Our kids are at home still - but if they were slighly older at uni or somewhere esle I'd be having them back if they wanted to come.

I image most people are thinking about what's best for them and their relatives and doing their own risk assesments.

One of the nearby pubs is still advertising X-day meals - so wonder if they will be able to go ahead. Know some of DH extended family do pub Christmas meals on Christmas day - works for them despite them all living close by one another.

I've never been that fond of Christmas, and have never done the large family celebrations that half of Mumsnet seems to do. This year I'm perfectly accepting that the pre-Christmas networking drinks parties won't happen, the drinks with friends are unlikely to happen, and I won't see various groups of cousins for pub meals. I'm lucky enough to be in a social bubble with the relatives I normally have a meal with on Christmas Day, so that will go ahead regardless. BUT I'd also love to make the long trek across the country to stay with my other set of close relatives, who I haven't seen since June. No elderly people will be involved - I'm the oldest, and (just) under 60. I don't think that's too much to ask, but I suspect it wouldn't go down well on the Lets Cancel Christmas thread.

"I don’t understand about Christmas, all the people who hate their family and want a quiet Christmas. Why don’t they just have a quiet Christmas."
Guilt-tripped into it. I don't hate my family at all, or PILs, but each year we have to alternate who we spend it with for logistical reasons. Each year we get the left-out side laying on the guilt about missing out. Other relatives can't /don't want to change their traditions to accommodate an extra couple.
Families are weird. This is why I have very low expectations of Christmas.

I wish the govt would just say you can mix a bit but it's not advisible in controlling the virus, & leave us to make up our own minds. I think those who want to mix will mix, & those who don't want to won't. I think this might lead to less incidences of the virus spreading because there will be quite a lot of people who don't meet up. Saying we will be allowed to meet up puts pressure on to do it.

It’s weird, we are close family, but we live our own lives. No guilt tripping in this house. My DM was guilted into taking turns with her DM. And said she wouldn’t do it her her children. She struggles to ask for help, but her stubbornness and independence has stood her well.
I vote for having the Christmas you want.

Since mum had cancer diagonally 2002 we have treated every Christmas as though it is our last. Little did we know two years ago it would be my brothers last one as he died suddenly a few weeks later. Mum is still here and though she is CEV she thinks living is better than hiding in fear. Our Christmas will be as normal as the rest of the world allows!

Boris seems to be a people pleaser so will probably try go ahead with it. Would rather have the swimming pool open

Did anyone listen to call You and Yours on Tuesday, it was harrowing. I had a little rant listening then I sobbed. I think we will hang our heads in shame at how we have treated people in care houses etc. in the future I mean.

@MissEWeatherwax

Did anyone listen to call You and Yours on Tuesday, it was harrowing. I had a little rant listening then I sobbed. I think we will hang our heads in shame at how we have treated people in care houses etc. in the future I mean.

Sadly, I don’t think people will. They’ll just bang on about how many lives were saved by lockdown.

@LivinLaVidaLoki Well that confirms what i already thought. Ferguson is an arsehole.

@AcornAutumn that needs to be recorded and put out as a single.

@NeedWineNow that must be the documentary thats on BBC2 tonight.

@Reedwarbler In a cupboard i have a fairly sturdy treasure chest shaped box. It was a Christmas gift set from DM 30 years ago. Christmas 1990. It was a No 7 Christmas Treasures gift set from Boots. I remember the lipsticks had holly leaves/berries drawn on the little cases. Cant believe the case i have is 30 years old. DM has bought me a few of these gift sets down the years. I have a No 7 vanity case from Christmas 2010. And a No 7 little Christmas pouch from Christmas 2003. These cases symbolize happy memories. But spending time with DM is more important than gifts. Its just nice to keep the cases.

I can't actually get into this article, but the "It will be illegal to gather in groups of one" poster made me think of you lot m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3527122040686292&id=469491913116002

A Conservative MP with a very clear AD view on the virus and a sensible view on where we go from here. It's a shame no one is listening the government is so blinkered and refuses to listen

www.chris-green.org.uk/news/covid-19-and-my-view?fbclid=IwAR2rbVtyLwNLwkVS_2yIasoQ4W6WcwAA8FmWExqPaZOQimB6wDI4iiDy8UI