To ask if you have any positive things in this lock down situation?

[blubberball]

Just thought that it might be nice to think about any positives.
Such as, I don't have to worry about any one dropping round unexpectedly and the house being a mess.

No commuting as WFH, so have gained 3 hours a day plus can use my lunch hour to get chores done
Being more creative and resourceful with food and sitting to eat 3 meals a day as a family
Getting a few little jobs done
Not having to ferry the kids around all the time
Minimal washing and ironing
Free online exercise classes
Watching theatre shows from my living room - last night we watched One Man Two Guvnors which I had really wanted to see at the theatre, but we have no childcare for disabled child so couldn't go
Really enjoying the amazing humour and comedy on SM
Really appreciating all we do have and how lucky we are to have a nice house and enough money to get us comfortably through this period

Spending time at home with DH rather than us both working full time. Doing lots of gardening and catching up with all the jobs that have been left for years. My chickens are enjoying lots of free ranging time.

DH would say not having to get up at stupid o-clock.

Saving money on train fares and not having to deal with train delays.

"Meeting" people online that I probably wouldn't have met otherwise because it's much easier to talk to someone on a video call than it is to drive somewhere to meet them.

Massive reduction in air pollution.

More wildlife around.

I hope that it means that employers realise that people really can work from home (not all the time, but at least some of the time).

Not having to go swimming. (I know I don't have to go, but I go because I think it is good for me and in particular my back, not because I enjoy it).

Loads of positives here but I am in a very fortunate position.

I put my pyjamas on after 2 most days 😃

My teenage DD has started cooking, I've been trying to get her to do it for ages but it's much easier to get me to do it.

She's made sushi from scratch, a fakeaway chicken fried rice and done some baking.

We are actually getting along better, I thought we would be at each others throats after a couple of days. She taught me how to play some drumming game on the Nintendo Switch yesterday and it was great fun and brought me out of myself when I was having a really down day.

I am getting to know my children better. And they are getting to know themselves better.

-I am loving being with my children. We are bonding as a family. we are eating together, cooking together and sitting down in the evening together. It's lovely.

(yes, we have had rows, but it's getting more harmonious every day.

• My youngest dd is way less anxious because she's not at school. She's thriving at home.

• I am enjoying cooking meals, and baking cakes. We are actually thinking about what we are eating and eating consciously rather than just rushing around all eating when we can

• my house is tidy and we are savouring being at home. The dogs love it.

• the empty streets are lovely. I feel lucky to live where I live and can hear the birds, see the blossom and just feel lucky to be alive.

I am such a Pollyanna.

It's been lovely to be honest. I'm enjoying cooking more elaborate meals than usual and we all sit down to eat dinner together every evening. I'm reading all the books which have accumulated on my bedside table. I've started doing Couch25K and am actually enjoying it. I've tackled lots of little chores around the house and rearranged the spare room. Cleared out cupboards and tidied drawers. I've chatted more with our teenagers more in these last three weeks than I have in the last year.

I was diagnosed with early breast cancer in February which thankfully has all been sorted and cured, so these last few weeks have been very healing for me. I am currently furloughed but starting to doubt whether I will bother going back to work when this is all over, there is too much other stuff I want to do.

Got all the gardening done
Hand washed some knitwear
Cleaned a few cupboards

Our business that was struggling got a grant that should see us through for a while. My mental health is better than ever as I don't have any voices saying ' you should be doing this or that' as the best thing I can do is stay in!

Started exercising daily as I was putting on some weight during the lockdown
Less pollution- my daily walk is so much more pleasurable. I can almost smell the fresh air

My dcs enjoy spending time with us. We are definitely having fun
My house is really clean
I am more rested, so look fresher
Dh is less stressed
Speak to my nieces and nephews a lot more

I love being at home anyway, just pottering, staying in bed, sitting in the garden.

I like the slower pace. My work has all but fallen off a cliff, so no pressure there.

I like the solidarity, the ‘all in this together’ feeling
DP and I are keeping in touch with our families way more than usual. In contact daily, and video calls every other day, which is lovely. We managed to get my 73 year old dad who lives alone, set up on video calls last week, which we previously thought would be impossible.

It’s lovely spending so much time with DP and DD, and appreciating how lovely they both are.

One positive of no work(I’m self employed) is having the time to focus on a personal project I’ve wanted to do for ages.

Oh, and I love not having to put makeup on every day or wash my hair often.

For the first time in 47y I have managed to grow my nails a little bit without biting them. After all this time all I clearly needed was for the Government to tell me not to do it! I just need them to get a bit stronger though as I caught the little nail earlier today and it peeled off, and a couple seem very 'bendy.'

Its been nice spending time with DH. He normally isn't home til 7pm at the earliest on week days so its limited time. But we are now both working at home, both sat at the dining table opposite one another. We can chat on and off, he makes lots of cups of tea, etc. and its just been nice to spend time together whilst teen DD is upstairs "finishing coursework" otherwise known as watching TikTok, Disney Plus and chatting with friends.

I like my family more than I thought I did. Lots of minor niggles have melted away.

There are positives but unfortunately they are only accessible to half the population. It would be wonderful if we could somehow make these benefits available to all.

Family time with DS whos 6mo and just started crawling today! I'm sure the extra time on her playmat in the house has helped her speed up.

Ddog has never been happier having us all home.

Hearing the birds singing and new birdies visiting my garden feeders.

Cooking nice dinners and lunches from scratch. Attempting to bake.

Getting lots of DIY done (when baby allows).

Reading and audio books.

Slower pace of life!

I thought i would love it. Im naturally a homebody and rarely feel the need to go outside. But, 13 days in im hating it. DH getting on my nerves watching stupid videos on youtube. Nearly out of Gin and crisps (dont ask for much in life but they are two non- negotiable requirements)
Im also dying to meet up with my daughter for a coffee. Feeling a bit sorry for myself today. I'll be ok tomorrow hopefully.

Reading
Lazing in the garden
Cooking nice things
Sleeping in
Not driving or rushing around
The dcs being chilled
Pottering around the house
Decorating
Our daily walk

Daily walks - we are fortunate to live in the countryside so it's lovely to be able to get outside every day.

Getting round to doing various jobs in the house that we don't normally have time for.

Taking time to cook different meals - I enjoy cooking but usually have very little time due to a demanding full time job.

Getting to spend more time with DH and DS and not constantly rushing about. Usually, Mon-Fri I leave the house at 7am and I am often not back until 5pm or later.

Not having to get up as early!

Doing DS school work with him. It's given me a real insight into what he does at school- more than I had before.

I am working from home and although it poses certain challenges and I still have a lot to do, it's actually working out fine.

Going into the village and it not being completely crazy with traffic. Same when going to the supermarket.

Of course the current situation has it's downsides but we are still very much focussing on the positives.

We used to eat a lot of pasta, which is now quite a rare sight in the shops here. I have always wanted a pasta machine and I took the plunge and ordered one from amazon a week or so ago. Im chuffed to bits with it and have found it quite therapeutic! I have only used it twice but a lot easier than I thought it would be. Definitely a positive of the situation

@Moominmammaatsea Do you have any links you can share for the 'tours of museums all around the world.'

Loving being at home with DH. He says he is particularly enjoying how much I’m helping him to keep his pecker up in this time of world crisis.

Nothing has changed for me at all, life goes on as normal.