AIBU to plan on having a BBQ

[Numptydumptyfelloffthewall]

Hi,

I've seen such conflicting advice and information on this lockdown that I'm starting to doubt my own judgement. I've tried to follow the lockdown to the letter. DH and I are working full time from home and i've been out once since lockdown for food shopping. We have 2 DC (4, 6) who are home and havent been out, they run around in the garden for exercise.

I have some BBQ coal in the shed and was wondering if it would be unreasonable/ wrong for DH, me and the 2 DC to have a BBQ on Sunday when the weather is predicted to be a bit nicer. We wouldnt need to buy any supplies or meet anyone else and it would really brighten a very stressed and difficult week but I dont want to be disrespectful or undermine the lockdown, esp as I have family both on the shielding list and working in the NHS, so I really understand how important it is to delay the spread of Covid 19.

We're in a standard 1930s 3 bed semi so we have a nice sized garden but not huge. If we do go ahead, should we go in if our neighbours also come into their garden? Or set up at the bottom of the garden? I usually keep the kids inside during the actual cooking as DD4 is asthmatic but they find eating BBQ food outside to be a huge novelty/ treat.

I don't think you should because BBqs let off a lot a fumes. Covid causes breathing problems so if anyone has it, it will make things worse. It will mean they can't hav e their windows open or use their gardens. I woukd cook inside and then take the food out to it. You can still enjoy the nice things about a bbq without sharing the smoke and fumes with your neighbours.

What??? Bugger that, go for it OP, gardens are there to be used.

What next, don't paint your shed, the preservative gives off fumes? Bugger that too.

PS. If I were your neighbour, I'd much rather you had a BBQ than a bonfire!

We had a bbq last weekend , you can pretty much do what you like in your own garden

Of course it’s not unreasonable. You’re allowed to do whatever you want in your own garden (within reason...)!

We're having one next week for dd's 21st birthday. At her request.

It hadn't occurred to me that it might be a problem! We're planning on having one at the weekend and I'm looking forward to it. We have very narrow gardens so we have to take our chances if the neighbours come out (6ft fence one side so can't see where they are) but I'm sure we'll manage.

I don't understand the competitive misery on some of these threads. Yes we're in isolation and it's not fun but if there's something you can do within the rules (not the spirit rubbish), e.g. a BBQ in your own garden with your family, then go for it.

I don't think you should because BBqs let off a lot a fumes. Covid causes breathing problems so if anyone has it, it will make things worse. It will mean they can't hav e their windows open or use their gardens. I woukd cook inside and then take the food out to it. You can still enjoy the nice things about a bbq without sharing the smoke and fumes with your neighbours

My eyes have finally rolled off the top of my head.

@Numptydumptyfelloffthewall

The only thing I’d say is be very careful, the last thing we need is emergency hospital admissions!

But other than that, have a lovely time!!

It’s the fuckwits inviting friends & neighbours to join them that are the issue with BBQ’s not the BBQ as such!

@Nonnymum oh ffs .. really?

Of course you can have a BBQ. It's the inviting half the street to join in which is the problem.

My neighbours have had bbqs several times this week - only problem is it smells amazing and we have no meat. Considering an online butcher order 😂

Good grief, I’m struggling to get my head round people having conniptions about someone getting a bit of pleasure in their own garden by having a barbecue with their household.

It brings a whole new level of whataboutery. Some people should just belt up, kneel on sharp stones and stay there.

I’m all for being considerate of others but some of the responses in this thread are batshit crazy. It’s eye-opening how these posters reveal themselves and their thought processes. I’m so glad I don’t know know any irl.

Enjoy your barbecue and I hope it brings some fun to you and your family.

You're unreasonable to write "BBQ" instead of barbecue or barbeque. But there's no reason why the group of people who live/eat together in the house shouldn't do so in the garden, too.

Honestly OP, you are SOOOO unreasonable. you put up a thread which just going by the title could turn into a glorious mass MN pile up blood fest with flouncing, tears and MNHQ intervention , but then turns out to be something totally reasonable and enjoyable that your family can do. I can't tell you how disappointed I am.

stomps off to find a thread I can be shouty and mean on

When it warms up a bit we are going on a camping holiday in the garden

Us too! DS has been promised sausages cooked on the camping stove and is massively excited

We most certainly are, and will just do our usual, placing our barbie as far away as possible from the neighbours to ensure they don't have to endure any more smoke than is necessary.

Sounds great! We are out in the garden a lot at the moment as are our neighbours. I wouldn't like to only use it if no one else was out, we are sometimes in it a few hours a day! Luckily our neighbours are the same.

I think it would be nice if you didn't inflict smoke on your neighbours given that Covid 19 affects the respiratory system.

Weather forecast to be lovely at the weekend and we'll be having a bbq! Probably won't be very exciting as we have limited meat but it'll break up the day 😂

The happier people can be in their own homes (gardens) the better. It’ll make fewer people tempted to go out etc.

@TiredofSM

I understand

It’s a strange time isn’t it. I currently live alone & am pretty scared if getting it (underlyings, over 50, overweight). So I can’t muster any excitement about anything, but if my SO was here (can’t be, due to us putting his DC first in this situation) I know I’d be less scared & trying to be a ‘bit more fun’ If his DC we’re here too I’d be making a real effort to hide my fear & have fun. It would be better for me I know!! Maybe let DH have his BBQ & try to forget for an hour or two ?!

This is why people should take advice only from official source...

People can't kick off at you having a BBQ so they are moaning about you writing BBQ instead of barbecue.

I’m just not in the mood. It feels like a joyful thing to do and I don’t feel like that. I’m down and sad and I don’t want others feeling the same, looking out their window and see us firing up a bbq. Can’t explain why but it just feels wrong.

What the absolute fuck? Have we been asked to observe collective grief? We have been asked to avoid contact with those outside our households so as to prevent a virus from spreading. Why on earth does this mean we need to observe a period of national mourning and not have a fucking barbecue ?

We have a gas grill so no smoke; our neighbours have a charcoal one but the smoke has never bothered us, it doesn't smoke that much.

V. minor concerns compared with everything else that's going on.

My eyes have finally rolled off the top of my head

Mine too. I cannot believe some of what I read on here at the moment. So many posters on here who are apparently taking perverse delight in wringing every possible drop of misery out of any given situation.

Having a BBQ this weekend, in your own back garden, with members of your own household, is absolutely fine OP.

Please let's just dial back the ridiculousness, can we? Things are depressing enough as it is without the competitive chip-pissers wading in.

Collective penance.