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AIBU?

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Original poster

My neighbours have found the solution to not visiting vulnerable people

128 replies

MyNameHasBeenTaken · 21/03/2020 12:48

It really is genius! 😷😄
Next door family have had sore throats and runny noses.
Done the right thing by isolating themselves. (Mum, dad and 2 primary age kids).
Her parents have called around for about an hour. Nothing urgent. Just wanted to say hello and chat.
So they stood in the back garden and all yelled at each other through a crack in the window!
They have been isolated for a week now. Parents live a few miles away, so had to drive here. All are fine with tech/phone/facetime

OP posts:
hiredandsqueak · 21/03/2020 16:27

My dd did the same yesterday visiting an elderly man who is self isolating. She has been texting and calling daily but yesterday popped over with some shopping that she left on the doorstep and then stood in the garden shouting to him through the window.

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 21/03/2020 16:28

I picked up some meds from the pharmacy for a poorly friend yesterday. DH drove me to her house. I put the package on her doorstep and phoned her from the car to say "The drop has been made!" It made us all laugh

wileyfox1 · 21/03/2020 16:29

Ah this is very heart warming stuff! People are saying sod off to phone calls because a phone call just isn't the same as face to face. It's like we have rediscovered this! I will also be visiting my mum "through the glass" tomorrow and leaving her gin on the doorstep! Phoning and FaceTime just won't cut it.

Daffodil55 · 21/03/2020 16:48

While I and most (but not all sadly) family members are sticking to the best advice and "rules" for isolating, I was told at mid day today that a local indoor market was business as usual. Dozens of stall holders and hundreds of customers buying and browsing. WHY!!??

I can only guess the stall holders all agreed to open up today so in effect they are sticking two fingers up at the situation and defying the experts because of course this is just the flu isn't it.

Dismayed does not go anywhere near how I describe my feelings.

Ilovetea09 · 21/03/2020 17:08

We also spoke to my parents through their window today. My mum is high risk. They don't have the internet or smart phones. My mum already desperately missing the kids. She was very happy to see us

MrsKypp · 21/03/2020 17:09

Did similar with my mother yesterday - shouting in the garden. The dog was a bit confused.

Alsohuman · 21/03/2020 17:49

I’m taking my son a sack of spuds tomorrow. We’re planning to sit on opposite sides of his garden for a cuppa and chat.

squooz · 22/03/2020 17:42

I'm feeling smug because I learned as a child. Although less smug because no one I want to talk to knows it, so...*.

This Grin

honeybee88 · 22/03/2020 17:46

Great stuff about sign language. We should all learn it. Its both fun and useful. Had a laugh about all the different ways you communicate in thou. We can still have fun cant we.
Still hearing if 'edjits' giving personal trainer lessons and piano lessons!! Stop!! You are putting everyone at risk. Or are you keeping 2 meters apart? Really.......

Happygirl79 · 22/03/2020 17:55

I have observed people doing exactly the same thing here today

pigsDOfly · 22/03/2020 18:03

We've got a family Whatsapp group.

No quite the same as being able to shout from the garden but one is in another country and one is several miles away in this country.

It does help though.

Member984815 · 22/03/2020 18:20

My parents came to see me they sat in car and I shouted to them from the door , I'm lucky I have a big garden .I do feel sad now that we couldn't sit together but it's for the best

Madcatgirl · 22/03/2020 18:35

My mum lives next door and is vulnerable so today I took her present round and put it on the bin. Then we stood a good two metres apart so she could see me and my eldest son and have a little natter. For a grandma who dotes on her grandkids it’s better than nothing.

Nat6999 · 22/03/2020 18:54

My brother & sil called to drop mum's mother's day card & chocolates off, they dropped them on the doorstep & chatted on the phone from the end of the drive, we stood at the front door.

Nat6999 · 22/03/2020 18:56

My mum & her friend who lives at the bottom of the garden have arranged a system of an empty wheelie bin placed in the space between the gardens to leave books & magazines for swapping.

Nurgleturtle · 22/03/2020 18:57

i went to visit my mum today in hull from sheffield, after working at tesco from 5am this morning, shes diabetic and her husband has liver and kidney issues i bought her a bunch of flowers and took my daughter we hugged through the window and talked through the window for 5 mins was everything not seen her since december 29th and couldnt live without seeing her for another few months :( wanted to see my mum on mothers day it was lovely, 30 mins then dashed back home to get ready for my next shift :L

NemophilistRebel · 22/03/2020 18:58

We did the same today for PILs

Sparklingbrook · 22/03/2020 18:59

I took Mum's Mothers Day gifts around. They had placed a deckchair on the drive for me to sit down, they stood at the back of their double garage and we yelled at each other for ten minutes.

Felt like I was on Mastermind or something. Grin

CatAndHisKit · 22/03/2020 19:01

runny nose and sore thropoat are not Covid.

bvs no one wants to catch another type flu either, so could as well.

thisisrubbish · 22/03/2020 19:03

Went round to my Mum’s through side gate and did her garden and had a chat from there 😊 Going to try and do it at least once a week.

DontCallMeShitley · 22/03/2020 19:04

I shoved a pack of cheese through my neighbours letterbox, rang the bell and ran away.

FlyingPandas · 22/03/2020 19:05

We have an elderly neighbour who has to self isolate but sadly is also very recently widowed, can't see his own family etc.

I've had face to face chats with him both days this weekend, nice cheery loud conversations with him standing on his drive and me standing on mine (a distance of about 15 metres between us so perfectly safe) just chatting about gardening and checking that all is okay. We have phone contact too and will grocery shop for him when he needs stuff.

There are sensible ways to do social distancing whilst maintaining social contact and keeping to the basic rules. But it is driving me nuts that so many people are openly flouting them.

BikeRunSki · 22/03/2020 19:07

DM lives 250 miles away. She and her fellow 70 something widowed neighbour often go out for Sunday lunch together. Today they made sandwhiches and sat in their gardens, a metre away from the fence on either side, and chatted.

pudcat · 22/03/2020 19:16

i did that with my son today

Goldenphoenix · 22/03/2020 19:26

I visited my Mum today. Was great because the weather was so good! She left her garden gate open so i didn't have to touch anything, took my own chair and tea so we sat in the garden three metres apart putting the world to rights. Was so lovely and so much better than a phone call.