ADs drinking al fresco at The Sleeping Swans

[BogRollBOGOF]

ADs, grab your thermals, long johns and winter woolies, we're finally off to drown our sorrows at the Sleeping Swan!

Oh no a suicide 1110APicadilly that's so awful. Have you guys seen the thread on chat about the poor 76 year old who has been basically kept imprisoned by her housing management? I know flower11 has because she has commented but it is dreadful. I must say that I am very lucky with my doctors, my oldest got a face to face appointment on the same day a few months ago and I received a call back to my email on the same day (Tuesday). This is a busy London suburban surgery too so it's not like it's got a tiny patient list (do know that rural surgeries have big lists too!)

The top comment on that tweet when I read it was to just invest in a home gym. Brilliant idea, just don't have the income or hours of a nurse I guess. And we can get away with underpaying nurses, it's not like we have needed them this year... Oh wait!

The nation should have started on the fit and healthy path decades ago. A few posters and a bit of half-hearted advertising are not going to fix the years spent gently shepherding the population into ill health and obesity by colluding with food manufacturers. The size of the largest food manufacturers gives them enormous international political clout, and the effects of that are seen in the population today.

Sadly I think the politicians wish to keep us in ill health, satiated by pizza and junk food, and the media mind numbing equivalent food for the mind.

Zubi is a libertarian who believes that people should take responsibility for theirs own health. I somewhat agree with him, with the proviso that some people will need more support and guidance than others. I guess that makes me a right wing socialist??

Whatever, the bottom line is that there needs to be a national push to make being fit and strong something that is seen as normal and not elite. Free and subsidised gyms might be a start, and supporting girls to keep doing sports into adulthood.

Worldgonecrazy. So true. Everything in modern life seems to go against keeping healthy. And the government don't give a toss what with the power of lobbies and governments being too short-termist to try to do anything. And there's this weird perception still that mental and physical health are entirely different rather than often interrelated.
Having said that I'm off for a very slow run! Oh and to vote - or more likely to spoil my ballot!

Not sure what to spoil my ballot with. Women = adult human female, or something about the covid shitshow ?

@Worldgonecrazy

Not sure what to spoil my ballot with. Women = adult human female, or something about the covid shitshow ?

Both? In Wales we get three papers so you could really go to town and spoil them all differently!

@smallandimperfectlyformed

Oh no a suicide 1110APicadilly that's so awful. Have you guys seen the thread on chat about the poor 76 year old who has been basically kept imprisoned by her housing management? I know flower11 has because she has commented but it is dreadful. I must say that I am very lucky with my doctors, my oldest got a face to face appointment on the same day a few months ago and I received a call back to my email on the same day (Tuesday). This is a busy London suburban surgery too so it's not like it's got a tiny patient list (do know that rural surgeries have big lists too!)

Can I have the link to the locked up 76 year old, because DILS nanny has had similar with mccarthy stone in England. Her daughter does the shopping and was banned from visiting had to enter in a mask and leave shopping outside the flat, knock and depart. It was mind blowing to be honest.

I spoilt all my ballot papers differently - I've always been evangelical about the responsibility to vote, even more so as a woman, but I just couldn't bring myself to this time. First time in 32 years.
Still, I've bought an enormous cake so there's a positive!

I've only spoiled for police commissioners, on the grounds that there was minimal publicity about the purpose of the role and what people stood for. This time I went for a minority party. We've got council elections and I tend to vote for the local individual/ politics rather than as a representation of the wider party. It irritates me that the two get conflated together.

I was sorely tempted to spoil at the last general election. I went for a snowball's chance in hell candidate purely for the not losing the deposit issue and so that they keep putting up candidates when the hangover kicks in when (hopefully) the kool-aid wears off. I held my nose to do it purely because we have a safe xx,xxx majority so it was a moot point anyway. If I lived 1.5 miles away, that would be different and that seat can swing by xx votes, so they actually count.

Anyway voting was fine. Not too much hazard tape, the people giving out the slips were mask free behind screens so it was nice to make face contact. In and out through the emergency exits rather than accessing the main building which is actually pretty effucient.

I'm having to channel my Susan Jeffers and feeling the fear and do it anyway quite a bit at the moment, and it's normally fine.
It might be worth getting a replacement copy. I found it really useful many years ago when I became anxious over a specific issue and it did help me work through to the other side of it. I don't like feeling hemmed in to a comfort zone, it's not me, but I'm just ground down by the past year and lack of fresh motivation and inspiration plus the chance of encountering a real-life gobby D type. I don't like confrontation!

Me neither.

I think free gyms are a good idea. I filled out a consultation about renovations in my local park and voted for an outdoor gym. I would like to be fitter and healthier myself if it's not too late at 40 (my birthday Saturday) but there is an extent to which I feel hindered by my dyspraxia. I'm tempted to start an AIBU to think most people don't think dyspraxia is a real disability thread.

I have gotten increasingly annoyed by the perfect but clumsy girl in rom coms. Clumsiness is not cute, it's irritating, embarrassing, and sometimes it really hurts.

Clumsiness is not cute, it's irritating, embarrassing, and sometimes it really hurts.

Very true! I have too flexible somethings (tendons, maybe?) which makes me clumsy. It is not fun.

I am afraid I don't know how to link threads but it was posted by LudoBear and called Supported Living Complex Stopped Residents Leaving Their Homes (I may have got the name of the thread slightly wrong but it definitely begins with Supported Living)

@ISaySteadyOn

Me neither.

I think free gyms are a good idea. I filled out a consultation about renovations in my local park and voted for an outdoor gym. I would like to be fitter and healthier myself if it's not too late at 40 (my birthday Saturday) but there is an extent to which I feel hindered by my dyspraxia. I'm tempted to start an AIBU to think most people don't think dyspraxia is a real disability thread.

I have gotten increasingly annoyed by the perfect but clumsy girl in rom coms. Clumsiness is not cute, it's irritating, embarrassing, and sometimes it really hurts.

Dyspraxia is very real. DS fortunately got his diagnosis before the ASD as often professionals don't look beyond ASD and they often accompany each other.

I long suspected that I have it. I was beyond inept at PE at school. Cycling, swimming, anything ball or requiring anticipation of coordinating moving things. OK at dance, slow to learn and retain moves.

I think small feet help me a lot, there's not much to trip over and my centre of gravity is low. I don't do dainty breakable things and we deliberately choose things like the kitchen floor and crockery for best chance of bouncing.
There's also a host of organisational and motivational issues.

It's tough for DS1 as he's got the conflict of perfectionist ASD traits and a rather uncooperative body/ executive function. No wonder he's easily frustrated!

Ive improved on it a bit. Added the two missing lines to fit with the tune

Last Christmas you promised five days but the very next day you took that away
This year to save me from tears
I will not take any notice.......notice. (repeat)

Another promise.........more lies.
We keep our distance but still the Covid spies.
Tell me now do you still like to fine us.
Another lockdown it wouldnt surprise us.
Merry Christmas, the rich still went on their trips
Got their haircut while pissing on our chips.
We know you see us as plebs
If you locked down now, public be abused again.
November lockdown gave us hope in our hearts.
Another promise broken, removing the Christmas spark
Ooh Ooh But if you locked down now we"d have to do it AGAIN!

Last Christmas you promised five days. But the very next day you took that away
This year to save me from tears.
I will not take any notice.......notice (repeat)

I'm another fellow dyspraxia. I don't think I realise how it impacts me day to day because I only got diagnosed in uni, until then I was just considered lanky and clumsy. The one thing that I really notice that may or may not be part of it is a complete lack of rhythm. Like, at all. I can't clap along to a nursery rhyme at baby class without watching the teacher to copy the beat. My toddler is better than me at that already.

Can I be super cheeky and ask for some positive vibes regarding travel green lists?

I'm due to visit my family in just over 3 weeks but can only manage it if Crete are on the green list. DH and I can wfh and self isolate but DS needs to go to school.

Grant Shapps has confirmed they are taking an island based approach ("Could individual islands or regions join the green list?

Yes. Grant Shapps has confirmed that individual islands will be considered for green list status, even if other parts of the same country are regarded as higher risk.

He said of the “islands approach” that was eventually adopted by the UK last summer: “I want to do that again. I don’t want to go backwards, I want to go forwards.”)

Given the island based vaccination priorities of the greek govt and the fact that most cases are northern Greece (and falling week on week) we should in theory be OK.

I also know we could move it to later if its amber but it's all I've had to look forward to in such a long time. I miss them so so much.

Fingers crossed for you livin. Really hope you get to hug your family soon.

We were due to go to Portugal in 2 weeks, cancelled and can’t be bothered to rebook as we were going to see a band and I am not doing a concert in a mask!

@BogRollBOGOF, tell DS1 that he is not alone. Your description of his ASD combined with the dyspraxia resonated with me. I empathise completely.

@LivinLaVidaLoki, I hope you get to go.

Re: masks, I have noticed an interesting development. In the places that I am a member of, the rules used to say 'Wear a mask/face covering' and now they say the same thing but add the phrase 'unless you are exempt' which is a change. DH says it's because they remembered that the Disability Discrimination Act is a thing. What do you all think?

Thank you.
Im trying cautious optimism. Statistically speaking I can't see any reason why it can't be green listed. So I'm optimistic. But then there is this knot in the pit of my stomach that they have fucked us over so many times so far....telling us we can do stuff but then throwing so many obstacles in the way it makes it impossible, that's what scares me a bit. But I keep trying to look on the bright side or be positive.
Apparently it's signed off in Parliament this morning and presented by Grant Shapps tonight about 5pm. Fancy a punt on what time the press will have it leaked???

They've changed in our workplace too @ISaySteadyOn
I think your DH is right.

Good luck with Greece/ Crete Livin, they do look to be one of the most promising places in Europe. The islands really do seem to have an advantage in limiting outbreaks and restricting the trigger of exponential growth.

The council signs do at least have an "if you can" reasonably clear on them, which makes them slightly less intimidating.

I've never worn one to take the DCs swimming as it's already quite an intense sensory environment. I have gone into overwhelm at other swimming pool changing areas anyway (I hate claustrophobic changing villages, give me a nice, open communal room ) so it just wasn't worth the risk of attempting to comply. Had no bother at the supermarket, although I favour going late when it's quiet. Only really been to Decathlon since more retail opened and that's a get on with it kind of place. I feel a bit concious that I often wear sports wear and that some cummudgeon might rather simplistically take that as taking the piss. Ironically I deliberatately wear sports wear for swimming as it's lighter and more comfortable to cope with the humidity anf avoid overwhelm, plus back in the days of showering, it was quick dry for supporting a dyspraxic child in the showers.

Sending good vibes your way @LivinLaVidaLoki

Good energy and positive vibes coming your way from me Livin, I hope you get to go.

@LivinLaVidaLoki sending positive vibes your way

In other frustrating news I downloaded the nhs app and my covid vaccines are on there but the second one has been recorded incorrectly with just a load of random words.

I emailed the vaccination centre who said that on the central database it shows as Pfizer Biontech (batch number) dose 1 on the first date and the same but dose 2 on the second, so I need to contact my gp to get it changed. My GP is two minutes from my house but I can't go in, they don't publish an email address and the phone lines are constantly busy and can't get through. Looks like going old school and writing a letter. ... what a faff.