ADs and The Brave New World

[BogRollBOGOF]

When you kind of hope that a new thread meanders on quietly because it means that life is being fairly stable...

What are ADs?

Here's the copy and paste job...

Definition of AD
^AD stands for anti dementor.
There are creatures in Harry Potter called dementors, who suck all hope and happiness from you and eventually take your soul. Way back at the start of the pandemic thread after thread was posted on by posters like this and anyone who'd dare question anything or disagree with anything (like putting cheese in your coffee) was bullied off these threads. And so any actual discussion disappeared and it became an echo chamber of misery.^

We are the antidote to that. We follow the rules, but not the "roolz" and we question and discuss with respect to each other. It's all very civil.

@justasking111

OH had to see GP today fought for appointment hospital said that he should. Well we both have had a cold thanks grandson nursery. He was code red portacabin in the car park. Said to doctor LFT test negative,. GP said they're a waste of time if you've a snotty cold it's covid only a PCR is accurate. WTF

He's tested again this evening negative again so went out.

So what's the point of the LFT test then? Which he did to reassure doctor 🙄

Following the science innit. Good old fixed science. Except HCPs clearly don't all get the memo despite their scientific backgrounds...

DD has seen more than her fair share of medical professionals since birth (she's healthy but came out small). What's interesting is that well over half of them have pulled down their mask to interact with her (not generally for the whole appointment, but at least once). People instinctively know that masks aren't good for babies, and IME health professionals aren't actually that bothered about wearing them (at least not cloth or paper ones in the course of a standard appointment).

That's good to hear. I've only had one appointment in the past 2 years, a smear test so had to be done in person! That was all arranged mask-free. I said about the history of birth trauma. (My whole thing is a cocktail of various components all mixed together)

I also suspect that the early TV footage from China/ Italy did not help. I turned off TV news and have rarely watched it since early April 2020 because it was getting very monotonous, but there was so much unescapable strategic imaging on adverts and online news reports for months before 24th July 2020. That's not helped either. Then things like being out on a walk 3 miles from the nearest village and someone randomly wearing one. No escape at all. Then the bloody minimising of people's difficulties.
Then it takes months for people to feel comfortable about taking the wretched things off.

Well, quite. I am still worried about secondary school, masks, and DD.

It's my birthday today, had to get up at sparrow-fart to go look after the grandchildren, good job I love them!

The 'anyone else done now?' thread is very encouraging, although it is only 3 pages in so far. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4459799-Anyone-else-done-now?pg=3

@Curlygirl06

It's my birthday today, had to get up at sparrow-fart to go look after the grandchildren, good job I love them!

Happy birthday lots of love given today I'm sure with the grandchildren ❣️❣️

Wales minister has spoken very few changes

Happy Birthday, @Curlygirl06 🎂

Happy birthday @Curlygirl06!

The LFT vs PCR thing has baffled me all the way through this. I've had to take a PCR six times; twice with symptoms and four times as a close contact. On most of these occasions the PCR has been taken in my car, with quite vague instructions and me faffing around trying to keep the vial thing from toppling over while shoving a swab up my nose, then I shoved everything in an envelope and dropped it in a box. No guidance other than the leaflet in the pack.
When I've taken LFTs, it's either been at a centre with someone showing me what to do, or at home with detailed instructions where I have plenty of space.

All of the PCRs came back negative rather than inconclusive, but it does make me raise an eyebrow when I hear the "don't trust your LFT result - if you have symptoms (including 'feeling a bit tired'), or even if you don't, you must take a PCR and isolate until you get the results because they're much more accurate". Surely if the method of taking it all relies on the individual anyway, there can't be that much in it?
Of course I'm not a scientist so what would I know....

Happy birthday @Curlygirl06

Hope you have a lovely day x

Thank you for the birthday wishes. Apart from aforementioned early start it was a good day, was greeted at my daughter's by her and the 2 little'uns singing happy birthday and some candles to blow out, so that was nice. Chinese for dinner, lots of happy birthday messages and tomorrow all the kids and grandchildren are round for dinner, so a very nice weekend all round! X

Aahh glad you had a nice birthday yesterday Curlygirl06 hope the weekend continues being nice

Jakers with all the lockdowns isolation have avoided a cold for nearly two years until last week grandson gifted us with his nursery one. Apart from forgetting how miserable it is eye clinic cancelled my check up after eye surgery, I've stayed indoors avoiding the public with my sneezles and cough it makes folks twitchy.

When will people relax hearing a sneeze or a cough I wonder

Hope you had a nice birthday, Curlygirl.

I am getting my usual winter flat feeling. I can't think of anything nice or special to do and getting the children out of the house for school is just a never-ending exercise in frustration and trying not to let my time anxiety affect them. I am getting better though.

Ah ISaySteadyOn sorry you're finding it tough but glad that you are doing better. It is miserable weather at the moment which doesn't help much does it?!

Just grey. That said, one can always find something to smile about.

I have attached it here.

I've done pretty well this winter. At least we've not had much of whole weeks of relentless grey.

Today was a stony, cold, grey though which has kind of suited the day (let's just say I've literally dusted off my black formal clothes-they were actually white with dust on the shoulders!) Technically Sadly Covid, but a good innings and plenty of other conditions vying to do the inevitable.

There are signs of leafbuds swelling, and bulbs poking up. Plus it's dusk at 5 not 4

I have booked myself in for a massage this weekend now that the masks are gone.

Great meme @ISaySteadyOn

Just read that twitter thread @WrinklesShminkles . Really interesting.

I'm not ashamed to say that we have always treated masks as a temporary aberation in our household (2 dc y5 and y8) at beginning of lockdown and have privately mocked excessive covid theatre that made no difference anyway. Zero expectation for y5 to wear mask.

We have discussed statistics and the realistic risk to them / us / granny and explained where some measures are necessary / of benefit and why.

Went shopping today and I’m pleased most people were mask less, so I wasn’t the odd one out.

Went out to lunch with DH today and the staff were all maskless and clearly happy to be so.

Can I have a little rant about stupid rules? So, this pregnancy, DH can come to my 12 and 20 week scans, which is nice (and a vast improvement on last time). What he can't do is come to the extra growth scans that I'll have because DD was so small. Which makes no sense to me as surely the extra scans are the ones where they're likely to pick up a problem, so I'm more likely to need support, or help to make decisions? It's not like he's more likely to have Covid for those scans!

At least this time hospitality didn't have to go through the ridiculous charade of masks on/ off depending on the positioning in relation to a table. That's kept life more tolerable than it was for nearly 12m.

I took the DCs out to IKEA tonight as we needed some bits and pieces, and it was a dinner. I'd forgotten that they hadn't been since the summer. They were really excited! and struggled not to touch this, that and everything