Page 6 | to think life is more 'normal' than 'lockdown' now?

fodderbeet · 2020-08-12T07:27:12+00:00

Am I right to think that for a lot of people life is now more normal than not for most? Almost everything is open, pools, gyms, shops, restaurants etc. Sport has resumed at a local level, clubs and committees are meeting again, holidays are happening, life is happening again. Admittedly in the scale of things our lives changed far less than most due to location & occupation and always having a preference for on-line shopping over trips to the supermarket, but I was surprised to hear from a friend that they're still very much in 'lockdown mode' and how restrictive their lives still are. Am I being unreasonable to think that for most life is more normal now?

roarfeckingroarr · 12/08/2020 11:37

@LadyPenelope68

If you think it’s normal then you’re clearly not following guidelines. Life is far from “near normal”

Why?

Pubs, restaurants open. Can see friends and family out and about. Private leisure facilities open albeit with SD.

Ohffs66 · 12/08/2020 11:38

Not normal here - I'm still WFH all the time, DH still isn't back to work and won't be for some time (s/e in the hospitality/ents industry). So our finances are still significantly impacted. We normally choose UK holidays in quiet spots where we can take the dog, but everything is booked up. Our local beauty spots and beaches are all way busier than usual and quite unpleasant as a result. A lot of independent local pubs and restaurants are still closed around here. Whilst I'm not too worried about the catching the virus (although I feel people could do a lot better as regards SD and mask wearing around here), it's more just that I don't really feel enthusiastic about participating in the world too much as it currently stands.

It is mostly down to personal choice for me I guess - the things we used to enjoy doing are not the same, or unenjoyable because they are so busy, so we are choosing not to do them. Reduced income also means we are not 'eating out to help out' and so on. Plenty of people I know are very much back to normal, pub and eating out several times a week, house parties, holidays both in the UK and abroad. We've just quietly resigned ourselves to the fact that this year is going to be different, and hope for better next year.

Inappropriatefemale · 12/08/2020 11:39

When the dentists can use drills again then that will feel normal to me, I desperately need fillings and I can’t get them done because they can’t use drills because of the aerosols that they create coming out of your mouth, I wish they would test people for Corona antibodies and if your okay then they should see you, whats the point of the dentists being open if they can’t give fillings?! It’s ridiculous and ott

WhyAreWeHardOfThinking · 12/08/2020 11:40

Not normal at all. We had a death in the family and now one needing repeated dialysis because of kidney failure as a direct result of COVID, so her children (who lost their dad) are dealing with that as she is too ill to drive. We also can't see each other as a family as we have the local lockdown in Manchester. I have a cousin who lost a business and 2 other family members without jobs now; one has moved in with parents as they have to sell the house. My partner's job is on the line, so we are being very, very careful.

This isn't normal and won't be for a long time, and I'm a very optimistic person!

Pinktruffle · 12/08/2020 11:40

We are having no visitors around to the house, it's not the biggest and I'm still worried about catching Covid as I'm pregnant. The area my parents live in is still in lockdown, I've not seen them since March which is not normal, I usually see them every 2 months or so. I'm yet to meet my nephew who was born in March. I haven't been shopping since February and we are still ordering everything online. DH and I are both working from home, till atleast January in his case though I'll be on maternity leave from November. Life is not normal at all.

Hairthrowaway · 12/08/2020 11:41

Not for those of us still working from home

Badbadbunny · 12/08/2020 11:45

We were only saying this a few days ago. Other than not having our usual foreign holiday this summer, things aren't really that different for us. We're still working (and have been throughout). OH's cancer treatment has FINALLY restarted. We were never really into pubs and restaurants anyway. We usually do a lot of walking & cycling and we've been doing that throughout "lockdown".

However, our 18 year old has really seen things change in that his school was abruptly closed, A levels cancelled, etc. He wasn't a party goer and has basically stagnated at home for 6 months. He really misses going to watch football matches. He was pretty neutral about going to Uni next month, but after 6 months at home, he can't wait to get there now, just for a change of scenery if nothing else!

ifIwerenotanandroid · 12/08/2020 11:53

Oops, hit YANBU when I don't agree.

DH & I don't lead the most exciting of lives normally, but we still feel massively restricted. Everything normal has disappeared, except he's gone back to work. We don't go out to shop, meet people, visit places or eat out. We don't do our respective exercise classes. I'm missing longstanding appointments left, right & centre.

I cut his hair the other day (first time ever & not bad) & asked him what it would take for him to go back to the hairdressers. He said he won't, in case someone there tests positive & he gets The Call & has to isolate for 14 days: it's not worth it.

Illdealwithitinaminute · 12/08/2020 11:56

Some of this is a choice, and some of it is absolutely not. Choices are things like- choosing not to eat out in cafes and restaurants, indoors, or choosing not to go abroad on holiday. It's a perfectly valid choice, I'm not going away as I don't want to risk the aeroplane/corona when abroad, but I have several friends who have risked it and are sitting on beaches in France wherever. Also, it's an economic choice, they have to be wealthy enough to not be totally devastated if their holiday didn't come off.

It's not quite as simple though as no-one can go abroad- it's about risk tolerance, and I seem to know a lot more people in real-life who are actually quite happy to take these risks, people on mumsnet seem more cautious to me (perhaps the risk-takers don't want to post/are off on holiday anyway).

Illdealwithitinaminute · 12/08/2020 11:59

ifIwerenotanandroid is this because you are at great risk though?

I mean, we are doing all the things you are not doing, hairdresser appointments, eating out, meeting friends (outside/SD), going on holiday (in UK).

If you are at higher risk, these things would not make so much sense and would be probably less enjoyable. For me, aged 50 with no pre-existing conditions and female and white, my risk is low, and my area very low, so it makes sense to get out there now IMO before it all starts closing up again in the autumn/winter.

Inappropriatefemale · 12/08/2020 12:00

I am a bit pissed off that people have decided to go abroad to countries where they have to quarantine for 2 weeks after, whose to say they actually are quarantining really? They could well be putting others at risk, and then those at risk without knowing it may put others at risk, like a domino effect, and then more get ill, I get that holidays are needed but your not gonna come to harm if you don’t get your annual break!

MrsKoala · 12/08/2020 12:05

Almost everything is open, pools, gyms, shops, restaurants etc. Sport has resumed at a local level, clubs and committees are meeting again, holidays are happening, life is happening again.

This may be so I your area but it isn’t so here. Our holidays in ready camps were cancelled (we should be in the isle of weight now). The pool is only open for adult lane swimming. No holiday clubs are open. The small playground they like play at still has a padlock. My young children aren’t interested in shopping and restaurants. So it’s still really virtually lock down for them. They are so lonely and sad and bored shitless with yet another bloody picnic in the woods with just us.

Aridane · 12/08/2020 12:08

Not for me - office remains closed - still bloody working from home

CharlottesComplicatedWeb · 12/08/2020 12:08

Our experiences are all different. I have a disabled son who is badly affected by all of his activities being shut. Since late March. He’s just started seeing one of his PAs again but it’s a big trauma.

@heartsonacake. People whining about masks? You’re just lovely, aren’t you.

namechangetheworld · 12/08/2020 12:11

Our lives are back to normal so we must lead dreadfully unfulfilling lives according to some people on this thread. Our everyday life usually consists of trips to parks, bike rides around the woods, picnics, and local farms - so nothing has changed for us. We're still able to visit family (all local anyway), we just take a picnic and sit in the garden instead of being inside. We now have the added bonus of DH now working 3.5 long days instead of 5 (due to social distancing measures at work), so more time to spend together as a family. DD5 occasionally asks when soft play will be open again (and when she can go to Sainsburys!) but is otherwise unaffected. DD1 knows no different. I'm very grateful that our lives have been largely unaffected.

Weneedmusicandtheatre · 12/08/2020 12:17

Not normal - I’m still not able to work with no sign of a return date. Apparently theatre and music don’t matter but it’s ok cos you can sit in a pub/restaurant with your mates or even on a plane. Not a theatre or concert hall though - that will definitely kill you.

Suki2 · 12/08/2020 12:20

It is not normal. I dont think it is normal for anyone with school age or university age children, or for anyone who has elderly parents. There are too many examples to list but here are some:

I can only see my parents in their garden as they're terrified of letting anyone in their house or going to anyone else's house. I can only see them for relatively short periods of time because I can't use their toilet ( I travel an hour to get there).

DS is getting his A level results tomorrow. He was deprived of the chance to sit them. His school downgrades the mock results to incentive pupils so he's not going to be relying on them to appeal. I just feel that he has no control over his results; he's a hard worker and would have given it all he's got in the revision period.

DS will almost certainly face at least a term of online lectures at Uni. He will not be able to socialise freely. It's really rubbish.

DS2 is 15. On return to school he will not be able to compete with other schools for sports. I doubt he will be able to play rugby. He won't be able to play his instrument in music concerts because there won't be any.

IdblowJonSnow · 12/08/2020 12:23

No, not normal. We only meet up w people outside. Only go to shops thru necessity rather than shopping for fun.
If I meet friends for a drink its outside (in park, shades of my youth) or outside a bar/restaurant/cafe.

IdblowJonSnow · 12/08/2020 12:25

Cant wait for schools to go back. I have turned into a fulltime house wife while my husband does his work.
Need to get my own life back a bit.

Ted27 · 12/08/2020 12:30

Still stuck at home, no sign of return to the office. I need the dentist and opticians.
My son should have been in Poland with the scouts, we have the fiasco of GCSEs and sorting out his future. He has been more resourceful than many 16 year olds but the last 6 months have been a hard slog.
No cinema, no theatre, no gigs
I have gone back to my gym and had a haircut. We went on a pre booked holiday to Wales.
I'm meeting with friends but some are still being extremely cautious so its limiting - it's ok whilst weather is fine and we meet outdoors to accommodate them. As they still leap into the air if anyone walks past them I think we are in for a long haul.
I"m single and my family are not close by. My friends priorities are of course their own families. Being able to go to the shops does not make me less isolated.
My allotment keeps me sane

NameChange2PostThis · 12/08/2020 12:31

YABVU in assuming everyone is like you.
Life is not normal for me or my family or for most people we know.

It’s school holidays but our holiday was cancelled. Not normal.

Our usual holiday at home activities are shut or very restricted access: few museums open and have to pre-book, NO swimming pools open, cinemas closed, bowling alleys closed, theatres closed, skating rinks closed. We are nowhere near a beach or countryside - and locals on the news and MN seem keen to keep townies away. There are only so many visits to the park that you can do before it just gets a bit old. Not normal.

Impending money worries means we need to be careful and shopping with a mask in the heat isn’t exactly fun anyway. The job market has collapsed - have you tried looking for a job right now? Not normal.

DH is still WFH and his office has no plans to return. (Lucky for him) but Not normal.

Kids are nervous and excited about returning to school after 6 months off - that’s definitely not normal either.

Year 10 DC isn’t sure what to revise for GCSEs now either - that’s not normal.

Can only meet my friends in small groups - and no clubs to go to- and can’t hug them when I see them either: that’s not normal.

Kids’ extracurricular activities: three are cancelled, two are running on reduced hours/numbers. Not normal

And I’m aware we are a lucky family. Lots of friends are self employed and struggling to make ends meet due to lack of work. Several friends have lost jobs. The local food bank is desperate for donations. Many local businesses are closing down. Not normal. I hope.

stargirl1701 · 12/08/2020 12:31

I waved my DC off on the school bus this morning.

I'm alone in my house! Bliss!

NameChange2PostThis · 12/08/2020 12:34

@NameChange2PostThis

YABVU in assuming everyone is like you. Life is not normal for me or my family or for most people we know.