To think I'm the only one still living a distanced life...

[ciarachats]

I'm still strictly distancing, because, well
that's the rules!
But I know very little people that still are.!!

The thing is, I'm so miserable because of it.

I have a 7 month old baby that my mum hasn't held since March. My mum
works around a lot of people and I've not felt like it's a good Idea for her to hold the baby.

I've barely seen friends because the weather is rubbish for outdoor meet ups!

We can't go for coffee because how do you stay 2m away from someone and drink a coffee in a shop together?!
Same for going for lunch or a drink etc.

It's all starting to drive me crazy and I really miss seeing properly.

How long are we expected to keep this up for!!

Should I just stop this now and get back to normal?!

What is stopping you go to someone’s house and sitting 2m apart? Unless your baby is crawling yet? I suppose that would make it more difficult.

I have a few cautious friends and a few anxious friends but most of them have found a way to avoid the “miserable“ life you describe. Lots of socialising outside. I refuse to believe the weather has stopped you socialising once since June when the restrictions were eased.

Where are you that you have missed all the nice weather AND the heatwave?

You can make a bubble with other people.

You can go for walks ,to the park,have coffees and chats in the garden.

Your mum can hold the baby, even if you ask for extra measures like masks/face shield and gloves. Or just wash her hands well.

There are things you can do,but choose not to. Which is totally fine, but own up to that choice.

You are not the only one. My husband was on the shielded list and unlike the government like to believe his lung condition wasn't magically cured on 1st August!! So, on medical advice, he has continued to shield and we are a family are doing it with him. During the nice weather it's been fine and I have no wish to ever return to Tescos!! Last went out in mid March. But now the schools are returning and we are so very nervous and how to reduce the risk to him, and still haven't 100% decided what to do. I understand...

[quote AlrightTreacle]@SueEllenMishke

Yes, it is variable, and there has been storm Francis this week. But it's not been impossible to go outside for the last few months overall.[/quote]
We've had a few nice days but since the easing of lockdown the weather here has been pretty rubbish.
Put it this way, I've not had to water my garden for a while .

I have found it perfectly possible to see friends for coffee/a glass of wine etc in the garden and stay 2m apart. Why do you think you won’t be able to manage it?

They are saying the are aiming for a vaccine by winter 2021... can you wait that long to return to a normal life? I know I can’t so we are seeing people, eating outside in restaurants, taking kids to the zoo etc, my parents are looking after my kids and giving them cuddles, going to nursery and not socially distancing- their key worker picks them up and gives them a cuddle etc

We've had a few nice days but since the easing of lockdown the weather here has been pretty rubbish. Put it this way, I've not had to water my garden for a while whereabouts are you? That really surprises me. I’m in the South East and have had brown grass frequently this summer!

@Lemondrops41 I ca t believe you haven’t had haircuts, or even more haven’t sorted out broken glasses! Not going to the supermarket is just silly - most of us have had to throughout as there haven’t been slots for delivery. I was Faust going once a fortnight but stopped that when Things loosened up a bit. Your children are absolutely allowed to go to the playground so why haven’t you taken them? Why wouldn’t you go out for lunch? If someone in the house was shielding until recently it might be understandable, but you don’t say that’s the case.
All those things have been within the guidance/regs for ages! Why make up rules to make your life harder?

Just not Faust!

@Sun2Fl0wer2 but how can you have a coffee or a meal with a friend and stay 2m apart.
Is that possible?

If it wasn't possible they wouldn't say you can in the guidelines! You can meet another family for dinner or coffee. You're self imposing a lot of this. If you're happy to do that, do it.

@Babs709

We've had a few nice days but since the easing of lockdown the weather here has been pretty rubbish. Put it this way, I've not had to water my garden for a while whereabouts are you? That really surprises me. I’m in the South East and have had brown grass frequently this summer!

Just outside Manchester. We've had a lot of wind and rain over the last few weeks.

We’re still staying at home with the occasional trip to the Co-Op and pharmacy. I’m really not interested in going anywhere else and have reconciled myself to this until next spring at least.

Your children are absolutely allowed to go to the playground so why haven’t you taken them?

Playgrounds still aren't open where I live. Locked up with huge padlocks, so some of us aren't making up rules we are sticking to them.

Playgrounds still aren't open where I live. Locked up with huge padlocks, so some of us aren't making up rules we are sticking to them.

Have the council padlocked them or local residents? Or the owners, if they are private play parks?

I don't really feel like I'm taking it to extremes. Just following the guidelines.

No, you really are. There's is absolutely no need to be living such a miserable existence, summer will soon be over so I'd try and make the most of it while you can.

I suggest you re-read the guidance

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do#:~:text=When%20eating%20or%20drinking%20out,receive%20from%20your%20carers.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5eb96e8e86650c278b077616/working-safely-during-covid-19-restaurants-pubs-takeaway-services-200812.pdf

you are definitely taking it to extremes

Idiotic??!! Thanks. Do you realise more people are dying of flu than Covid currently? Infection rates going up (which they will) don't equate to death. and death isn’t the ultimate fear to face. There are, believe it or not, worse things than dying of COVID, surviving it with long-term complications.

I am a flu survivor, but my survival came at a price. I now have a number of life-limiting heart conditions, have spent numerous weeks in ICU over the past four years, had one heart surgery and another aborted heart surgery because I wasn’t expected to survive, and now I am sailing merrily towards the transplant list when my condition deteriorates again, and it will deteriorate again.

Would I have opted to die? No of course not, but it gives you a very stark reminder that it is still the infection rate we need to watch and not just the death rate.

our local playground opened last week - minus the swings!
Some councils are more strict than others - as are some families.
even for families not shielding, if a sick family member or child then some of us are not shopping, going for coffee, having friends in the house, sharing the loo etc....
we are all mums (here mums mostly) trying to do the best thing for our children and our families - and hopefully looking out for our friends too. for some of us its been really really lonely.

I’ve been shielding due to severe asthma. As a family we have barely gone out and we haven’t seen friends or family - all exacerbated by local restrictions.
I am massively grateful to everyone who is still being cautious, particularly as I am about to go back to work as a teacher in one of the highest risk areas, and have to send my own children back to school. It’s been awful watching people meeting in large groups of mixed households in lockdown areas - particularly when I know I will be teaching their children.

Another vote for just getting back to normal

When people are saying ‘just go back to normal’ do you mean go back to normal with social distancing or literally back to normal, no social distancing etc?

I am. But I am the only member of my wider family doing so. As a result I’m excluded from all family meet ups because there’s so many of us they break the rules.
My choice I guess. Has made me realise how little I miss them though.

You can make a bubble with other people.
One party of the bubble has to be a single person, and you can only be in one bubble.

You are taking it to extremes though OP. You are exaggerating too. Nowhere in the UK has been so grim this summer that you couldn't go for a stroll and and outdoor coffee/pint with a friend.

You're saying that all places you could go have "tiny tables". Ok, go somewhere with a big table and sit at opposing ends of it. Even better, somewhere with sofas or big armchairs. Very spaced out they are

Another thing you could do is invite them to your home or go to theirs. Sit 4m apart if you must. You could invite a group round if you stay in the garden.

I say all of this as someone who has followed the guidance and continues to do so.

@nc600

You are taking it to extremes though OP. You are exaggerating too. Nowhere in the UK has been so grim this summer that you couldn't go for a stroll and and outdoor coffee/pint with a friend.

You're saying that all places you could go have "tiny tables". Ok, go somewhere with a big table and sit at opposing ends of it. Even better, somewhere with sofas or big armchairs. Very spaced out they are

Another thing you could do is invite them to your home or go to theirs. Sit 4m apart if you must. You could invite a group round if you stay in the garden.

I say all of this as someone who has followed the guidance and continues to do so.

@nc600

I have had lots of outdoor meet ups.
But for the last two week we had had heavy rain so it hasn't been possible!