ADs are elite athletes and can run very fast

[BogRollBOGOF]

Another thread in the saga filled up (so no forwards link)

I think maybe we're endurance athletes, or maybe multievent like a decathlon

So many horrendous stories and yet turn on the news and they're letting tv crews in for filming and interviews of ward staff, doctors etc. What must that look like to families who weren't allowed in to be with loved ones in their last hours.

As I say, I might be missing something but it makes me so mad.

I don't think you're missing anything.

@HarrietteNightingale

So many horrendous stories and yet turn on the news and they're letting tv crews in for filming and interviews of ward staff, doctors etc. What must that look like to families who weren't allowed in to be with loved ones in their last hours.

As I say, I might be missing something but it makes me so mad.

I don't think you're missing anything.

Oh I don't watch the news

Are they still doing this? Seems worthy of complaints, dept of health or whoever should not allow this.

@AcornAutumn

It's been confirmed that hunting and fishing are allowed.

Where can I go and pretend to fish in North London? Serious question. When the weather gets better I could sit there for ages.

Thinking about it, it's a very working class pursuit here and probably keeps people fed who might be struggling..

@AcornAutumn come down West to visit me and we can go fishing under Hammersmith Bridge or summat Alternatively, there's the Grand Union Canal... Hampstead Pond... endless options, really!

DH also saying that he's sick of foxes (brazen foxes round here!) mauling the bins and fancies a spot of hunting...

I love foxes! I realise I am mostly alone in this. When I stay at mum's and I see them slinking across the garden at night, I feel happy.

When the first lockdown happened, the anglers association advised against fishing, lord knows why. A man was on the radio saying how crazy it was that he'd have to spend more buying fish at the supermarket because he wasn't allowed to fish in the open air! That did get clarified though.

I've just found out you need a licence for fishing.

This world is batshit.

There’s a fishing lake opposite my flat. Towards the end of the first lockdown, someone went around painting “no fishing” signs on all the platforms then had to go round not long after cleaning it all off because fishing was allowed again. I could never work out why it was banned in the first place when the platforms were nowhere near each other and the fishermen were alone. Another of the random rules of St Boris.

I still can’t understand why golf courses are closed, you can go for a walk on them with one other person (if the club allows public access) but not if you’re carrying a golf club. It’s the most socially distanced sport there is apart from fishing. Incidentally in the November lockdown, fishing was allowed but not angling.🙄

I love foxes too Acorn. I know they’re technically a pest, at least here in London, but they’re one of those creatures that you hear about a lot but rarely see. So when I do see one I feel lucky or privileged or something. They’re beautiful, elegant animals when you do catch sight of one.

I’m the same about bats — as in something you hear about a lot but rarely see. I probably shouldn’t mention that Over There, I’d be hounded out with pitchforks and branded as a Flu Source Worshipper or something.

Morning all!
Just catching up with the thread.

Happy to report no clapping here.

I've a friend at work with 2 small kids who has the option of putting her children in school as a keyworker, but hasn't because "what if it takes a place away from a nurse who needs it more" and now she is struggling really badly already. I just wish there was something practical I could do to help her.

Then DB2 called yesterday, he lives in a care home, got 9 cases of covid currently. He had a test on Monday and was negative.

He is supposed to have physio but hadn't had any since March (he's deteriorated so badly) it comes into the home from a 3rd party company. His physio came in to do an assessment on Tuesday. Halfway through the assessment the home manager came in and asked if the physio had a negative covid test as he shouldn't be in without one. The physio said no so was sent away. Completely understandable.

On weds tea time my brother came down with what he calls a bit of lurgy. Now last night he was really breathless (you could hear the effort just talking on the phone) and has a cough (though his coughs appear weak as he is paralysed).
The physio has informed the home that his test came back positive. DB is now worried he has covid.
The home won't retest him yet as his test from Monday was clear and apparently its too early for him to get symptoms if he was exposed on Tuesday. So they will just try and get a GP appointment.
Maybe I'm being unfair but I think he should be tested again, and I can't help but think that if
1 they are letting professionals in with no negative tests
2 they are holding back testing people with symptoms

Then it's no surprise they keep getting outbreaks.

Hopefully the GP will tell them to test him again.

Another one here feeling guilty that my three will be taking a key worker place for a one day a week from next week. This is all that's available as naturally families where both parents/single parents are keyworkers get priority. DH is financial services so it's based on his job. I WFH part-time in non keyworker job, so in theory can have the DC at home although I can say goodbye to doing my own work. DS1 suffered badly with mental health when the closures dragged on and on last summer and I felt too guilty to raise it with school as I felt he didn't 'need' a place . He's already heading right back to that place and I refuse to be screwed over by moving goalposts of when schools will properly reopen this time. He's also going to engage with the mental health and wellbeing lead at school. His siblings are ok at home for now, but I think they will hugely benefit from some school contact too. I know at least one friend who seems to embrace school closure and lockdowns as 'an adventure' who will be telling me I don't 'need' the school place and am not doing my bit to 'control the virus'. But frankly keeping DS1 and all of us on an even keel is what matters this time and anyone saying otherwise can piss off.

So many more people taking up keyworker places with only one parent a keyworker this time. We gave everything we had to the 2020 school closures, lockdown etc thinking it would be a one off, trying to make the best of it for the DC. I certainly have nothing left to give.

Just feel sorry for families whose DC want to attend but aren't eligible for a place.

@LivinLaVidaLoki - you have so much on your plate at the moment. Do hope DB2 is OK.

My DB also lives in supported accommodation as he has severe learning disabilities. They are extremely strict about who goes in as they should be. DB is getting totally fed up with it as can’t see us or our parents obviously. Has a vague understanding of why but doesn’t really get it (although in fairness I’m with him on that).

So DD will not be in school next week as the school have said if there is one parent who can wfh then regardless of KW status then children should be at home. They have had nearly 50% of kids in. That cheered me a bit as so many people obviously want their DC in education. Sad for all who can’t be now including DD.

DS and I saw two beautiful, sleek foxes on our walk yesterday morning. It cheered us both up.

We were on hols in UK in Feb and actually bought a lifesize fox garden ornament to bring back here to Oz with us as extra baggage..they are very hated here too but my DD absolutely loves them and it now sits proudly with a garden gnome and a large plastic Doraemon-on our balcony.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/07/watchdog-finds-serious-faults-in-some-english-care-homes-covid-defences

I thought this was interesting. However, I have always had my suspicions.
Re sport - we have some open air tennis courts in the village which are closed again. What on earth is the difference between 2 people standing each end of a court firing balls at each other, and going for a walk? Also, they are often used by families (i.e. one household). The chances of infection must be so slight as to be invisible.

I've got a bat! It lives at the back of the house and is very visible on spring/summer evenings. I spent a lot of time last year watching it. I'm quite rural but have never seen a fox here. When I lived just outside the city centre I saw them regularly strolling up the street.

@GarlandaChynoweth The moving goal posts thing frightens me as well. I don't believe schools will re-open to all in february and I'm concerned that when work gets busier and I really require a place I'll be refused one which is why I requested to work through this lockdown. I don't think I'm an attractive proposition to any employer now (lone parent, no family support) so I have to keep this job. Last year I was furloughed for 5 months because of childcare and there's no way I'm doing the same this year when I have the chance to work. DS needs to go to school as well. His behaviour was awful for a lot of last year because it was just us (and my phone) for months on end. I just can't do it again. Don't feel guilty for taking the space. You have to put the needs of your son first.

There are Signal Crayfish in the Grand Union Canal - you don't need a licence to trap them (you just can't put them back as invasive species).
I get fruit bat's in the mango trees when working abroad, right next to the apartment balcony. Pretty much a fox / bat combo, best of both worlds!

I miss seeing foxes. When I lived in city suburb I used too see them pretty much every night. Now I live semi-rural and haven't seen one in three years!

@Weedsnseeds1

There are Signal Crayfish in the Grand Union Canal - you don't need a licence to trap them (you just can't put them back as invasive species). I get fruit bat's in the mango trees when working abroad, right next to the apartment balcony. Pretty much a fox / bat combo, best of both worlds!

We had our honeymoon in Sri Lanka and of all the amazing wildlife, the fruit bats were among my favourites. I loved seeing them soar around at sunset - really beautiful!

I love the way they are so elegant in the air, but then crash land in the tree, then there is the big fight over the one mango, amongst hundreds on the tree, that is deemed most desirable, which every bat wants!
I saw one carrying it's baby once

I'm fascinated by the weaver birds too, there is one tree on the way to the docks, below a fly over, which has hundreds of nests dangling from it.

@AcornAutumn You quite often need both a licence and a permit to fish - sorry! Licence = something you pay to the government to fish anywhere - different licences for different types of fishing, and you used to get them from the post office. Permit = something you pay to the owners of the bank that you are fishing on.

"I know at least one friend who seems to embrace school closure and lockdowns as 'an adventure' who will be telling me I don't 'need' the school place and am not doing my bit to 'control the virus'."

There are clearly some people who it suits to have their children at home, and who are having a great time. (I know of some home-education-curious families who took the opportunity to try it out with no pressure in the March lockdown and who have since deregistered as they found it worked well.) None of that takes away from the fact that many, many people are not equipped/ prepared/ resourced/ temperamentally suited to it.

If I were in government, and I wanted to save money in the future, I'd be looking seriously at the idea of a permanent online school for those who want it though. Would have to think about how things like labs would work, but there are clearly parents who'd prefer it, and it would be a lot cheaper. (Might also help to improve the currently very patchy provision for children unable to attend school due to illness.)