To think it's absolutely fine to treat this as a holiday

[LaurieFairyCake]

If you're observing all government rules

Honestly, whatever it takes to get you through this is FINE

Whether you're skipping down the street on your daily exercise, dressing up like a frog to go on your daily walk, sitting in your garden under a parasol listening to Rachmaninov, cycling in a mankini..

WHATEVER floats your boat within the rules have at it.

We all need just to get through this as no one has had to do this for 3 generations

So yes, if you can tell yourself you're on holiday - fine

Another in agreement. Our garden has never looked so good, I've re-discovered cooking and baking now I feel I have time to actually do it and enjoy it, have actually read a lot of the books I've been meaning to read but never had the time and I am enjoying my daily doggy walks for the same reason. DH and I are getting along pretty well too, which I had never thought possible.

I have to admit, though, that it's taken me this long to actually slow down and relax into this situation, and accept it rather than resenting it. Now i'm there, it's an extended staycation .... might as well enjoy it if we can.

Just a reminder that people are dying and grieving every single day of starvation, conflict and disease every single day in poorer parts of the world.

^ this, most people live, at best, lives full of sadness & disappointment. Many people live lives of the most abject misery. But that only seems to be worthy of consideration when it starts to affect People Like Us.

With the exception of dh (who is now doing the work of four people!) every adult in my family has lost their job - eight people furloughed, made redundant, business down the toilet ... yeah we’re treating it as some sort of weird holiday because life is only going to get harder from now on.

I’m also enjoying the peace, I’m very fortunate to have family living with me, a garden, good weather and a fairly well stocked freezer.

I’ve experienced a bereavement and it was a shame yesterday that extended family couldn’t join us for lunch, but how wonderful to be able to eat lunch in the garden, to take DD for a bike-ride around the village and to sunbathe listening to an audiobook.

The pause has helped my mental health, and made it easier to deal with bereavement. I’m grateful that I’m not under any pressure to rush back to work.

I understand that many people are not as fortunate as me, but the killjoys who seem to resent anyone getting any kind of pleasure from the current situation, just aren’t my sort of people.

Enjoy your holiday OP.

I agree. I really struggled at first, I’m a single parent in a small flat with no garden, still working but only very minimally and mostly from home, whilst trying to convince stubborn teenager to do some work. However, this weekend, with no work to do, no pressure and nice sunshine, I’ve spent my time out on the balcony, reading and sunbathing, and seeing all my neighbours out doing the same, being able to chat to them has helped so much, and made me feel less alone. I’ve decided I am going to stop putting pressure on myself and just do what I can to feel ok and get through it.

the message was clearly: it's NOT a holiday, no you cannot go and have picnics in the park, no you cannot come and spend the day on the beach, no you cannot take your tent and , no you cannot organise a big family party!

Those are nothing but inferences on your part, and if that is what they meant, it is what they should have said. Once again, holiday means different things to different people, and the police do not get to define that.

The police was exactly doing their job reminding people that this is a (near) lockdown! The fact that they had to issue so many fines proves that the message is still not coming across very well.

The fact that some of the fines they've issued and other actions taken have been illegal proves the message is still not coming across very well amongst certain police. It also proves that it's unwise to simply assume they're acting appropriately.

The police are doing a decent job - mostly at helping the government in their efforts to deflect blame onto the general public. It’s been said a thousand times before, but this is all on the government:

“On March 3, after Italy was recording its first deaths, Johnson boasted that he had been “shaking hands continuously,” including with “everybody” he met on a tour of a hospital treating patients with COVID-19.

Then on March 7, Johnson and his pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, went to Twickenham stadium to watch England play Wales at rugby, where they smiled and shook hands with members of the crowd. (Apparently this event is from where the Cheltenham organizers and probably many others got the balls to decide to carry on as if all was fine and dandy)

For the next two weeks life carried on almost as normal inside Downing Street, despite the government urging the public to take precautions, and while other countries imposed lockdowns as the pandemic spread. Even after he announced the first U.K.-wide social distancing policies — on March 16 —Johnson held daily news conferences in the State Dining Room. These afternoon media briefings were packed with reporters and camera crews. The premier stood at a lectern, often with Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, and his colleague Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, on either side at his elbows. Nobody was standing or sitting the regulation two meters apart.

Ten days later, the cost was clear. Amid growing criticism of their strategy, both Johnson and Whitty were dramatically struck down and went into isolation with symptoms. So too did Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Johnson’s chief aide, Dominic Cummings. “They were washing their hands,” said one minister. “They just weren’t distancing.””

www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/04/10/world/boris-johnson-covid19/#.XpQf-RrhShA

The police moving a handful of picnickers on home is neither here nor there. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Absolutely. Should be in Italy for a holiday right now so I bought prosecco and materials to make pizza. Damn well gonna make most this.

Totally agree. While there are lots of rubbish things about this, there is space for fun and joy. I’m another who is working full time from home so have been really loving the slow pace of this Easter long weekend.

Despite the views of some corners of Mumsnet and some of the tabloid press, COVID-19 is not susceptible to collective misery....

VegetableMunge

don't play daft, it's not working. People understand very well what it means, they just chose to vent their anger and blame the police.

If you did need things to be spell out to you... the police never told you that you HAD to feel miserable and sorry for yourself and HAD to spend the day beating yourself up, barely eating gruel and cockroaches. Does that help?

Nooooo is it compulsory that people must as miserable as they can possibly make themselves and each other. No making the best of a bad situation allowed.

I'm quite enjoying the change of pace. I'm still working but from home with a reduced workload. Seriously considering looking at a flexible working request to maintain it when it's over.

The weekend hasn't been like a normal Bank Holiday, but it's been nice to kick back and not have to cram in as much fun and family as possible. The weather has helped.

What's not working is your inept attempt to defend the tweet mamabear. You've decided they mean something they didn't write and are now trying to muddy the waters further with dopey comments about cockroaches. The fact is that there are lots of ways people view a holiday, plenty of which are totally permitted by the lockdown rules. This part isn't a matter of opinion. They've therefore tweeted something inaccurate. This is also not a matter of opinion.

Totally agree. It’s nice to see a thread like this. The stress comes from setting overly high expectations - this is a strange time! If you want to spend 10 hours binge watching a series then great - if you want to spring clean or do a 10k every other day - also great. Whatever it takes to stay sane!

It has been nice to have a quiet bank holiday baking, having a bbq, enjoying the weather and relaxing in the garden (well as much as you can with a toddler and a baby.) We also did an egg hunt and ate well.
I am starting to miss some of our old life as my toddler keeps asking to go places he is used to so that's been hard because he dowsnt understand why. I do remind myself we are all healthy and very lucky. We would have seen grandparents by now as well so that is feeling weird. I am feeling alittle cabin feverish but at the same time lucky as have a garden at least.

VegetableMunge
it's not a holiday STAY HOME

I am not sure how much clearer it could be. If you want to argue and be one of the idiots blaming the police for everything, it's still a free country, you can.

No one has ever said, written, or implied that you couldn't treat it as a holiday AT HOME! Within the rules of social distancing.

To pretend the tweet was confusing means you are either of very bad faith, or very stupid. I am not judging which one you are.

I have been treating it as such, in the vein of “when life gives lemons, make lemonade”. I think this crisis on the whole will make people realise how resilient they are and what really matters. I’ve deleted all social media as it just all began to seem so bloody pointless and the ensuing peace has been wonderful. Been gardening, baking, cooking and reading. Dog walks have been amazing without millions of tourists clogging up the paths & parks. My nails and face aren’t done and my greys are out and proud. Despite missing work, family and friends and the initial anxiety of this situation I’ve settled into a new “normal” routine and am mostly enjoying it.

I am however cognisant that outside of this bubble there are so many people working extremely hard in challenging circumstances or going through their own version of personal hell one way or another and I think it’s important to remember that. Yes that is the case every day, but during a pandemic more so as it affects everyone, be that directly or indirectly.

Lucky you. I was off this week, annual leave as DD is on Easter holiday. Yes, it was nice to sit in the garden, have a drink, do some work clearing out the flower beds.

But tomorrow, I am back at the dining table from 9-5, work load is absolutely the usual, everything just takes twice as long as I work with colleagues remotely instead of just throwing paperwork their way.

From the week after DD is back at school, meaning being at her desk with the laptop from 9-3 or later.

Hardly a holiday. I honestly don't know anyone who suddenly decided to open the craft box and is playing supermum or learning a new hobby for hours each day. All my friends either work or deal with younger children who needs entertaining.

Yes
DH was informed via email on Friday that his annual leave starts as of Saturday (not sure on the legality of this but hey ho)
So we are day drinking (occasionally!) and binge watching Netflix 🤷🏻‍♀️

'So we are day drinking (occasionally!) and binge watching Netflix 🤷🏻‍♀️'

So jealous, what I wouldnt give for a day like that....ahhh my pre dc life

Trying to make the best of it. Dh is still working very long hours from home - I'm still working part time, (we both feel lucky to be working) - the teens have exams in 2 weeks but the time when we aren't working, we are sure as hell going to enjoy it if possible.

I'm very good at cocktails yesterdayforgotten

cheeseandpickledonions haha you're just rubbing it in now 🤣 i have a cocktail shaker in my cupboard (reminents of pre dc life) I think it has dust on it!

Absolutely. It's a horrible, scary time and whatever you can do to make it better for you that's within the rules, go for it. Wht would you not want people to feel better?

If they're telling people to stay home mamabear, that's worse because actually there are a number of things one can do on holiday that are also permitted under lockdown. Your attempt to defend the tweet is so cack handed you're making it worse...

Ironic that you've got the cheek to even suggest anyone else might be stupid given your posts.

VegetableMunge
because actually there are a number of things one can do on holiday that are also permitted under lockdown.
well.. quite.

you are only here for an argument, and I can't be bothered with people like you. I am not miserable or bitter, you won't drag me into your nasty little bubble. Cheer up!

Despite the views of some corners of Mumsnet and some of the tabloid press, COVID-19 is not susceptible to collective misery....

No. And yet it does seem to affect those with a high BMI and low vitamin D levels, so let's enjoy ourselves.