To feel a bit of nostalgia for “lockdown version 1”

[Covidchameleon]

This is lighthearted and I’m not making light of the shitty situation we all find ourselves in.
However this lockdown seems to be missing some of the elements that made the first one bearable

Tiger King, great memes, queuing outside Sainsbury’s etc.

This feels instead like and endless slog - so Aibu to ask say the sequel is not as good as the original?

[NotQuiteUsual]

I miss dh being off work and being able to nap as much as I wanted. I don't miss our move being delayed and being trapped with 5 of us in a 2 bedroom house. Lockdown 2 has worse weather, people are less positive and things aren't all surreal and calm. But for us personally it's better, being overcrowded is no joke, it really fucks your mental health.

[BogRollBOGOF]

Lockdown 2 is not significantly worse than the "normal" level of restrictions we're enduring. Losing kids' and my sports activities and not being able to eat in McDonalds/ pub is the main difference .

Rule of six made it illegal for two two-children families to meet unless you start playing stupid games like splitting the group which makes next to no practical difference anyway.

Life ceased to be spontaneous back in March. No I don't want to have to booka walk at the NT or private hire half a swimming pool so my 7 year old can have a fun swim. Life was still VERY abnormal through late summer, early autumn.

March to July was hideous. Home school. Walking every fucking footpath within 5 miles of the house. In May I took an incredibly bored 7 year old to the supermarket just for the sheer excitement. Padlocked playgrounds.

Thank goodness children are still getting the learning, stimulation and social contact of school, amd I can head over to the nrxt county for an adult conversation with a friend over a few hours of walk.

Needless misery does not spare people from Covid.

[CharitySchmarity]

What I miss is that people took it more seriously. I think because some of the rules are a bit less strict this time, more people are feeling free to come and go as they please and it doesn't really feel like a lockdown. I feel like it will not be as effective. Having said that, I was WFH last time and this time I have to go to my usual workplace (but I walk instead of taking the bus, by choice, my own personal safety precaution), so maybe I'm just more aware of how many people are out and about.

[nanbread]

You can’t see family or friends (except one at a time and outside), you can’t stay overnight away from home unless you’re in a support bubble, you can’t go on holiday, you can’t go to the gym, swimming or any other indoor sport, soft play, farm parks, restaurants, pubs, non-essential shops, the cinema or theatre or any kind of group entertainment such as sports, indoor tourist attractions like museums, or work unless you can’t do it from home. That’s hardly normal life is it?

It might not be for you, but in an average November many others might not do any of those things.

The only thing I'm not doing that I usually would is having the odd coffee or lunch out.

[middleager]

Lockdown one - DH and I working from home relentlessly with two teens.
Me being really ill (possibly CV as DS had been ill after returning from Italy) at the same time the PM had Corona virus.
Squirrelling away food (as we were SI) for my sons' joint birthday and crap presents, seeing nobody. Then DH birthday three days later, the same. Meanwhile all the "making memories" family WhatsApp messages while we were working all hours, not seeing parents for months and exhausted due to jobs becoming more stressful. No thanks.

Lockdown 2? I'd like to say it's better but DS1 has had three self isolations due to school since Sept and DS2 has had one, not great in Y10. As a result, our whole family has not been able to go out as a unit for 8 weeks since September. This means I can't see my parents again either. No thanks.

[MrsJonesAndMe]

I found the first one extremely stressful but the weather was better so at least we could be outside! We are still going out daily but it's wearing thing when you feel the cold more than others.

[countrygirl99]

GGS a lot more than cinemas, gyms and hairdressers have had to shut. People who think that must lead very narrow lives.

[PeggyPorschen]

I think because primary school and pre-school parents are not on lockdown this time, people are much less careful and don't stop meeting anymore.
All the parks and playgrounds are opened anyway, so groups meet there, and when kids spend the day together anyway, parents don't see any reason to stop play dates and sleepovers.

People genuinely forgot, there are a few times when meeting for coffee was mentioned at work until someone remembered that coffee shops are actually closed!

Plus the fact that when people have tested positive, more often than not they have been absolutely fine (of course a few lost loved ones, but it hasn't been the black plague that was feared to start). It seems much less a threat than the first time round

[PeggyPorschen]

For everyone saying this doesn't seem like a lockdown just shows how much we've got used to living with restrictions!

Ok, cinemas, indoor gyms and hair dressers had to shut.

That's pretty much it. ALL the shops here are opened, no browsing "just" click and collect but they are opened."
Restaurants and pubs are doing similar now, either take-away or deliveries.
You can drive anywhere - looking at the traffic, no one is feeling restricted unless you talk about traffic jams!
Schools opened too obviously.

And frankly, even if it's theoretically not allowed, people don't care anyway, there are parties, gatherings, and people meet without second thoughts. It's pretty obvious when half a dozen cars suddenly park in front of a house for a day or an evening!
I can think of a few hairdressers offering home appointments at the moment.

So the holiday side is a huge blow, and there are inconveniences, but in England at least , this is so not a lockdown. I do feel sorry for the very few who are suffering (again, cinema, wedding industry etc...) because no one else cares.

[Buddytheelf85]

For everyone saying this doesn't seem like a lockdown just shows how much we've got used to living with restrictions!

Yeah agreed. None of us had ever really heard the word ‘lockdown’ before the beginning of the year - it doesn’t have a formal definition - so I find the disappointed-sounding ‘this doesn’t even feel like a lockdown’ comments really strange. You can’t see family or friends (except one at a time and outside), you can’t stay overnight away from home unless you’re in a support bubble, you can’t go on holiday, you can’t go to the gym, swimming or any other indoor sport, soft play, farm parks, restaurants, pubs, non-essential shops, the cinema or theatre or any kind of group entertainment such as sports, indoor tourist attractions like museums, or work unless you can’t do it from home. That’s hardly normal life is it?

I‘m finding this lockdown much easier than the last one, but there are still a lot of restrictions so I wouldn’t say it ‘doesn’t even feel like a lockdown’. It just feels different to the last lockdown, which was absolutely horrendous for many many people.

[LondonlovesLola]

For everyone saying this doesn't seem like a lockdown just shows how much we've got used to living with restrictions!

No. Traffic is heavy and our town centre was really busy this weekend. Supermarkets are letting everyone in at the same time.
People are out and about.
It’s as if the restrictions don’t exist.

[shinynewapple2020]

For everyone saying this doesn't seem like a lockdown just shows how much we've got used to living with restrictions!

Cases in my area have shot up dramatically. We have had one week of Tier 2 but expect to come out of lockdown into Tier 3 . So the result is the lockdown will be that instead of moaning about the new restrictions we will be grateful to see the leisure facilities open back up.........

[AntsInPenzance]

The only good thing about lockdown 1 was the reduction in traffic, which I still miss.

This one doesn't even feel like a lockdown at all.

[squishee]

@squishee - please please please promise to post this on every future thread with a demonic bridezilla

Haha, thanks, I'll do my best - it may turn out to be a full-time job!

My now DH and I were just glad to be able to get married. Our rings and my dress were sitting in locked-down shops for a few weeks. But luckily we were able to pick them up with a few days to spare. We're so glad now that we didn't postpone the wedding.

[Lemons1571]

I think this time round, schools need to grasp that parents can’t wfh and homeschool at the same time, during isolations. It’s not disinclination to do so. It’s just not possible unless you have an ultra easy uber flexible job. I’m not sure our primary has managed to set up a full zoom timetable yet, but neither of us are free to help with twinkl worksheets. It doesn’t mean we don’t love our children. It means we love earning to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. And can’t be in two places at once.

[PontiacBandit]

My life has mostly been the same since March; work from home and study, eat, sleep, repeat. It's been far easier to do that this time with kids at school and not attempting to homeschool as well as as working and studying, it was just too much.

[kittensarecute]

@psychomath

Glad to see you on the thread *@kittensarecute* - I hadn't noticed any posts from you in the last few days and was a bit worried

You are very kind, am just trying to have a bit less time online at the moment. I'm OK.

[psychomath]

Glad to see you on the thread @kittensarecute - I hadn't noticed any posts from you in the last few days and was a bit worried

[User158340]

@DrCoconut

This time round sucks. The weather is rubbish, it's dark early and all the things that usually provide a bit of a lift at this time of year are gone or at risk. I absolutely hate autumn and winter anyway and suffer from SAD so this all just makes it worse. I have very little energy and just want to go to bed by 5pm.

December would be really tough if it's like this. It's the darkest month of the year and bad weather, but it's the Christmas season that makes it bearable. If the markets, parties, pantos etc are off limits then it'll be more depressing. We don't know if the pubs and restaurants will even be open (or in tier 3 etc). Never mind an amnesty for the 25th, there's 3 and a half weeks of the month to get through first.

[kittensarecute]

@Biscuitsneeded

I miss the birdsong of Lockdown 1.

Same. I enjoyed listening to the birdsong.

[DrCoconut]

This time round sucks. The weather is rubbish, it's dark early and all the things that usually provide a bit of a lift at this time of year are gone or at risk. I absolutely hate autumn and winter anyway and suffer from SAD so this all just makes it worse. I have very little energy and just want to go to bed by 5pm.

[Emmapeeler2]

Lockdown 1 was dire for anyone living on their own for months on end and people shielding. I was not but I have no fond memories of struggling to work while basically ignoring my children. I am glad they are at school this time, for their sake, and I am glad I can bubble with my DM.

I also hated Zoom quizzes.

[User158340]

@psychomath I found the first lockdown tolerable and didn't really mind it on a personal level. However, all the people going on about how great a time they were having was really annoying and the downside of it.

[psychomath]

@Royalbloo

I dunno - I quite like Covid Mark 2...it's cold, the weather is shit, we can all eat mash, work are sold that we can all wfh, no one is having loads of fun, it's not sunny, the days are short, I can whack up the heating and drink hot chocolate. And we have another go at getting sober/losing weight etc. I'm up for this one - the last one was terrifying.

This time I know I have a job and the DD is at nursery. I prefer this one...

Apart from the fact that I'm no longer WFH (which I hated) and don't have kids, all this with knobs on. If we're going to be miserable, let's do it when every bugger's miserable anyway, and not surrounded by people trilling on about how delightful it is to enjoy the wonders of long sunny nature walks while listening to birdsong.

[User158340]

@Covidchameleon

This is lighthearted and I’m not making light of the shitty situation we all find ourselves in.
However this lockdown seems to be missing some of the elements that made the first one bearable

Tiger King, great memes, queuing outside Sainsbury’s etc.

This feels instead like and endless slog - so Aibu to ask say the sequel is not as good as the original?

It depends on your situation obviously (living space, young kids to deal with, personally affected by the virus) but the first lockdown I didn't find a problem at all. I was WFH, the weather was great and the roads were that quiet I could walk in them.

This is no way a lockdown anyway but it's dark and the weather is miserable and people are worn down after 8 months of this now.