ADs trying to stay upright in a muddy park

[BogRollBOGOF]

Another thousand posts filled and we're ploughing on through another weekend of squelching through parks before we hit the Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.

The AD chat continues...

Bog, do you have a sunflower lanyard or the exemption you can print from the government website?

The police are shocking in that video.

I got a card from TFL. It sits with my travel card. Tbh it’s so unpleasant to have stares, I now cover my face as much as I can and then remove it when it’s not comfortable. People have seen me taking lungful of air.

It just seems I’m less likely to get abuse if it looks like I’m trying. I’ve seen people take masks off to have a puff of inhaler. Terrible.

We are about 20 years behind whatever is the current trend for home decor.

We have artexed ceilings & mirrored doors on fitted wardrobes.

Do I win?

I remember visiting my sister in 1974.

I was 17 and she was 10 years older, married, with a house in London.

I am aghast. 'You are having WHITE bathroom fixtures? Ugghhh how boring'.

They were just coming back in and, as she explained, she could then change everything else in the bathroom in the knowledge it would fit it. I think, although not sure, she had orange towels and purple bathmats.

My parents had a yellow bathroom when I was little. It was probably the cheapest option!

I raised this point about travel on the C Hysteria threads, a few people were like “trains - who uses those?”

Clearly those people are in government

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/11/27/ministers-last-minute-dash-stop-christmas-rail-chaos/

@AcornAutumn

Bog, do you have a sunflower lanyard or the exemption you can print from the government website?

The police are shocking in that video.

I got a card from TFL. It sits with my travel card. Tbh it’s so unpleasant to have stares, I now cover my face as much as I can and then remove it when it’s not comfortable. People have seen me taking lungful of air.

It just seems I’m less likely to get abuse if it looks like I’m trying. I’ve seen people take masks off to have a puff of inhaler. Terrible.

I use a visor which seems to deflect negative attention.

Although it got the better of me the other day when I'd walked down to the local pharmacy, then it was really warm and stuffy inside, plus the humidity from my face built up to trigger point in 2-3 mins. It's not as claustrophobic in it though, although it can exacerbate places that are claustrophic anyway. The only places I go bare faced are the school playground (outside, not risking steaming up and tripping, too bulky with winter coats) and DCs swimming which is already humid and a bit of a sensory assault anyway and a high risk of triggering.

I'd rather not use a lanyard, not that I have anything against them in particular, more that they were set up to support people with needs such as ASD, and I'd prefer not to muddy that long term. My issue is specific and relatively short term. For people like DS living with neurodiversity, it's permanent challenges and I don't really want to lump those different needs together and undermine the intentions og the scheme, IYSWIM.

In the early 80s my parents bought a house that had a black and purple bathroom! Can’t remember which way round it was but I think the bath was black and walls purple . they also had bright Orange walls in one of the bedrooms

Morning everyone, another weekend of Groundhog Day! Stuck in Tier 3 as of next week so I won't be going back to work this side of Christmas I don't think. Can't legally have anyone in my house but I'm past caring now. I'm not holding raves or having multiple people at once. I'm sick of constantly having to go for a walk if I want to see someone, sometimes it's just nice to sit on the sofa with a coffee and chat to my friend whilst the kids play in the warm with their toys.

Each day looks more bleak with nothing to look forward to. I wanted to go away for a couple of days in November to escape the madness, that got cancelled due to lockdown so I moved it to January and that's looking equally bleak now. There is nothing to look forward to, no point in making plans because they are likely to get cancelled so it's just easier to not face the disappointment.

I'm thankful the gyms are opening as of Wednesday, I'll be there every day and most evenings too just for something to do. It's either that or sit in the house eating and drinking which is no good for my physical or mental health. Hopefully I can shift some of the weight I've put on during these lockdowns.

We will be visiting my parents at Christmas, they live a couple of hours drive away so if we don't take the opportunity when it's allowed no idea when I'll see them next. There may even be hugs from me and I don't do hugs! There will definitely be hugs from the kids, no way will my parents keep their distance from them when they can't see them regularly as it is, let alone with all these restrictions.

It's all just cruel and inhumane keeping people apart like this. I don't care how some people are coping so well, I don't care that we have zoom and technology to connect us, it's not the same and I'm not ashamed to admit it's not enough.

I hope I’m not sounding like a drama queen but I’ve come to the conclusion that this year has turned me into an anxious person and that’s really not me at all.
I’m scared that once this is finally over we could once again be locked in our homes for any reason based purely on decisions made by a group of relatively unaccountable people with absolutely no way of challenging it.
I don’t want to be scouring the papers looking for the slightest hint of a virus that could do this to us again.

I read that mask newspaper article, didn't watch the vid as it's bad for my blood pressure (I take medication for it, but it has risen again badly over the past few weeks despite the pills. I wonder why?) The police are wrong and I hope she challenges it in court - although you don't 'send away' for a card.
I also have a mild heart condition which causes breathlessness randomly at times. I have a lanyard with one of those 'cards' printed out from the government website, but I have managed up to now with my motorcycle face bandana. It helps just knowing I can remove my mask if things get bad. However, the mask wearing thing restricts my life almost more than lockdown, as I won't go anywhere where I have to wear one for prolonged periods. My hair is getting very long for example!

It's just taken me half an hour to catch up on the thread. I've learned a lot about decorating and seventies bathroom styles! I lived in rented magnolia coloured places for a long time. When I got my own house I painted it all in bright colours. DS used to call it our 'rainbow house'.

Unsurprisingly we were put into tier 3. At least I'm surrounded by tier 2 areas so we can go and support independent hospitality businesses there (provided they don't ask for proof of address). My mum was very upset over the unfairness of the tiers and christmas. I just feel resigned to it all now. As long as I've got work and DS has school we'll be ok. I'll just carry on.

I've managed to lose the weight I gained during the first lockdown and lose a bit more purely by being back at work. It's made a massive difference to my activity levels. I eat so much more at weekends when we're just around the house all the time. We're going for a car breakfast this morning so no doubt I'll spend the rest of the day grazing. Once I start eating I just carry on.

Did I mention I went to an essential food retailer yesterday and bought myself an advent calendar. The shop? Hôtel chocolat.

@Taswama

Did I mention I went to an essential food retailer yesterday and bought myself an advent calendar. The shop? Hôtel chocolat.

Ooh lovely. I need to finish my Xmas shopping today, online obv. Still need to buy for my parents, something else for my little brother and dp but he doesn't know what he wants, of course, so that's not particularly easy!

I think we're done for ds but I'm going to get it all out tonight and check I've if missed anything. He never really asks for much bless him. He's only 4 so I don't think he really understands yet!

Did anyone else see the story they will start vaccinating on 7th/8th/9th December? NHS hospitals have been told to prep for those dates and to get staff vaccinated quickly. I know many of the dementors are convinced that will change nothing, but as soon as we have vaccinated the NHS staff and the vunerable, theres no justification for lockdown or any restrictions, is there?

I've heard that and yes it's true they've been prepping for a couple of months for this as far as I know. In my mind is the most at risk are vaccinated we should be free to take our own chances after that, however I don't believe we will be, we will remain locked down "for our own good" because ooh the government wouldn't want us to get poorly would they? Meanwhile GPS will probably be prescribing anti depressants all day every with half of them, themselves off sick with stress (I'm already seeing this a lot at work)

The thing Is I don't want protecting. I'm not vulnerable. I want to take my own chances and in the unlikely event that I die - at least I'd have spent time with the people I love, unlike so many people dying now.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

I've heard that and yes it's true they've been prepping for a couple of months for this as far as I know. In my mind is the most at risk are vaccinated we should be free to take our own chances after that, however I don't believe we will be, we will remain locked down "for our own good" because ooh the government wouldn't want us to get poorly would they? Meanwhile GPS will probably be prescribing anti depressants all day every with half of them, themselves off sick with stress (I'm already seeing this a lot at work)

The thing Is I don't want protecting. I'm not vulnerable. I want to take my own chances and in the unlikely event that I die - at least I'd have spent time with the people I love, unlike so many people dying now.

That so much, although if I ever had to succumb to a premature, and sadly death, I'd be supremely pissed off to die with all this shit and be denied a bloody good party to commemorate my life. I'd then have to rattle around as a disgruntled ghost.

My friend was preparing vaccine administration logistics at the end of the summer and optomistic for administering around Christmas. The system has been preparing for it and just waiting for the small print of the actual vaccine.

Our city's big sports hall is going to be used as a public va cination centre. The gym and studios will still be usable, but tier 3 effectively makes the sports hall unusable anyway, and I don't think tier 2 is much better.

Latest joyful 'guide' from the BBC on how to 'celebrate' Christmas.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55107473

Hello all, I'm still following (reading with one hand to keep myself awake in the night feeds!) Never been so tired in all my life, Piccalilli Bredon (thanks @ProfessorRadcliffeEmerson) had a low birth weight (will possibly be the smallest healthy term baby born in my maternity unit this year - not clear why as all the scans/measurements were fine) so I have this desperation to get calories into her!!

Anyway, I thought this was a piece of sensible news - couldn't believe how fast down the vaccine list the extremely vulnerable young had been put to start with, so very glad they've been moved up. www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/28/extremely-vulnerable-in-uk-given-high-priority-for-coronavirus-vaccine

They highlight the particular importance of involving women in the decision-making.
The document says: "Women carry the burden of creating and maintaining family traditions and activities at Christmas.
"Messaging should be supportive of women adapting traditions and encouraging those around them to share the burden and to be supportive of any alterations to adapt for Covid-19 restrictions.

Oh great another thing for the women to deal with hey, as if there is not enough mental load in general for us atm.

Trying to help DS with applying for sixth form today and some kind of revision plan for mocks, still unknown about the real exams yet. What fun. Very foggy out

Why does bold / stars never work for me?

We’ve been racing through getting staff vaccinated with the flu vaccine at work as there has to be a two week gap between that and the COVID vaccine. We normally carry on with flu jabs until January/February time. They’re looking to get as many as possible done before Christmas, they’re ready as soon as they get the jabs delivered.
We start being tested twice a week from next week too to mop up the asymptomatic staff and stop them spreading it.

Our trust has been rushing through flu vacs too.

If I did die, I would haunt Boris, Hancock and co

I raised this point about travel on the C Hysteria threads, a few people were like “trains - who uses those?”

Clearly those people are in government

MN is really odd about not driving - there's an idea that you must be running poor drivers ragged with constant driving demands - and buses, taxis, trains and walking few miles seem to be alien concepts.

It out there in RL but bit less though recently read a "green columnist" who made huge deal about giving up his car then few months later couldn't manage not driving - in London which has a vastly superior and cheaper public transport system than anywhere I've lived.

I wish teachers were up the vaccine queue, to reduce school transmission and disruption from absences. PPE is an awful barrier to learning. Like vaccinating care workers, vaccinating teachers would help manage the wider spread through the community, although not such a direct impact on serious illness/ sadly deaths.

My parents are extremely negative that they'll get the vaccine any time soon but looking at that Guardian list they're in the third group by age anyway and would have thought DDad underlying conditions would make him high priorty in that group -and FIL will be in fourth group by age.

So hopefully next year should be brighter for our family.

Orangeblossom7777
They highlight the particular importance of involving women in the decision-making.
The document says: "Women carry the burden of creating and maintaining family traditions and activities at Christmas.
"Messaging should be supportive of women adapting traditions and encouraging those around them to share the burden and to be supportive of any alterations to adapt for Covid-19 restrictions.

Best get back in the kitchen because those sprouts won't bleach themselves. That's put us in our place then, ladies.

Is it SAGE who said this? Quelle surprise.