Daftest thing you've missed in lockdown?

[Anycrispsleft]

I was reading DD2 a bedtime story last night when out of nowhere I had this Proustian moment of absolute longing for a baked potato out of the food hall in the St Enoch's shopping centre in Glasgow. I don't even know if you can get a baked potato in the St Enoch's centre these days, as it's about 25 years since I last had my dinner there. It's never been high up my priority list when I go back to visit. But suddenly all my feelings of homesickness and utter scunneredness with lockdown just boiled down to this baked tattie. Anyone else craving stuff they didn't even know they missed?

@LaurieFairyCake

Wasn't it called Spud U Like.

Bloody loved that place - all the butter...

That’s not how you pronounce it - it’s spu-doo-lick-ay 😂

Ref Victoria Wood RIP

Being able to take DD to the library/swimming/soft play at the weekend. Basically, having an option other than go for a walk or to the playground, perhaps get a takeaway coffee.

Also IKEA! I want to go and buy some plant pots and have meatballs for lunch, midweek when it's not so busy and DD's at school.

The sound of throngs of drunk uni students making their way home from the city centre after a good night out. The nights are TOO quiet around here now!!

The museum and charity shops.

Really excited about getting back to normal soon with vaccine success.

English breakfast at the pub. I know I can make one at home but I find it stressful and messy and I always make way too much.

To go out to a cafe, have a cup of tea and choose something different from DH to eat and if a friend wanders past, ask them to join us.....

Harvester / Wetherspoons - Our Wetherspoons has shut for good now.
Seeing family indoors.
Library
Charity Shop
Extra curricular activities. Kids' social club has closed for good now.
Soft play / local farm / local zoo / sealife centre - Our passes have all expired.
Cinema

Smelling candles in the shop. Being able to go to somewhere like lush and sniff all the things and try the handcreams. Actually just touching things in general, being able to pick up items before you buy it, read the back of the product.

Its the feelings though more than anything. Being able to go in to shops just for a browse. I feel bad if I even linger too much in the magazines, books and homewares because they're not 'essential'. I can't wait to sit down in the coffee shops and watch the world go by.

Just feeling like I have to justify being out of the house.

I even miss walking from the office car park into work.

Oddly, but probably because of my age, its been the (early to mid) 70s in general that I have been missing in lockdown. The lack of brands, the more choice of item/colour, the sense of positive change and innocence and so on. I just have a desire for everything to be purple, orange, technicolour and groovy again :(

Soft play. DD is that age now where I can just leave her to go running off while I have a coffee!

Also weirdly I said to DH the other night I miss blockbuster!! Can't remember the last time I was in one.... but so bored of searching through shit films on the streaming services and ending up watching nothing!

Well you're all very disappointing. None of these are daft at all!

I just had a baked potato for lunch... wasn't the same though

I hadn't thought about Debenhams going from Glasgow... I live abroad so haven't been down Argyle Street in aaaages. That's like, half of St Enoch's.
God, I've just realised that's two shops I've seen the end of on that site (I was a kid when Lewis's shut... in my mind the basement food hall was a cross between Harrods and Diagon Alley)

I have not been xmas shopping for years, all done on line and I thought it was much more convenient.

then I watched the Gavin & Stacey Xmas special, again!! Stacey is busy working in a department store, help Smithy purchase his pressies, then Gavin picks her up and we see some revellers going for xmas drinks and she says 'They work in Dixons, they do'

I burst into tears! It seemed like life on another planet! shopping, going for drinks. Clearly the demise of the high street is part of it too, next year I am going reali life shopping and for drinks after. Fingers crossed.

The cinema. I had a cinema pass card and would go 2-3 times a month, on my own in the day time and watch whatever was on. I’d sit in a quiet corner and eat naughty snacks, it’s was great!

Eating food that I haven't cooked myself, in a room that isn't in my house...

I miss being able to trail around charity shops and then going for a coffee and cake or some lunch.

Sitting under the war memorial at the top of the market, nicking my best friend's chips. I actually have tears in my eyes thinking about it. He'd always have to order a large portion because he knew I'd nick his. There's nothing so nice as other peoples chips. Our local chippy has stayed open, but there's just nothing like nicking them from someone else, and them pretending to mind when they don't.

Visiting tk maxx and sniffing all the candles and lavender bubble bath. I'd spend lots on real lavender bubbles. Got Avon lavender but it's chemical and a very poor substitute.
Spending the morning in the library with a large stack of All their pricey mags ❤️then I'd borrow a couple of blockbusters.
Betchya they won't be opening ever again. Upsets me for the future gens too. So relaxing.
Wetherspoons and the carvery pub.
Just mooching round ALL the shops no masks, no queueing.
So much.

Coffee in a cafe, people watching( the only time anyone makes me a coffee!)
Two of my DS's( not seen since last August)
Having the option to browse around shops
Haircuts!

Going on a mad shopping spree in Poundland.

Primark's selection of low priced hoodies and t-shirts If you buy 3 sizes too large they shrink to fit and last for ages.

I also never realised how much I appreciate popping into town and having the opportunity to try clothes on. It was basically one of my forms it was exercise. I can't wait to plan at least three shopping days out.

Having something to get dressed for and a time to be expected somewhere .

Kind of similar to you OP, I'd love to go to the cafe in John Lewis in the Buchanan Galleries, and just sit there by the window with a cuppa and a scone watching the world go by on Buchanan Street. I was thinking about that just today as I made myself yet another cuppa at home.

I miss eating a meal with other grown ups. Single parent, sulky teen daughter, son who can't sit still, they don't like sitting at the table with me . Theyve finished their meal and gone before I'm half way through. I miss adult conversation with my meal.

I don't miss much at all but the thing I miss most is charity shops, both for donations and browsing. I didn't even go to them that much.

This has turned out to be such a lovely thread! Thank you all for sharing.