To go to a local garden centre?

[Thetimehascomethewalrussaid]

I feel like I might get flamed for this. I'm on maternity leave and obviously we're in full lockdown. Where I live is also currently in the throes of Storm Christoph and the rain outside is literally like the wrath of god - so no chance of a walk. My baby is teething and really grumpy and I'm going out of my mind being stuck in the same four walls all day every day. All baby classes have been cancelled, can't even go somewhere for a quick coffee to break up the day. My husband is at work (he's a teacher and over half of the school are in because the government have massively expanded the list of what constitutes a 'key worker' - so it's not really a lockdown, but that's another thread!) We have a support bubble because we have a child under 1 but they're also at work in the week (also teachers). Our local garden centre (2 min drive away) is open - would I be unreasonable to pack the baby in the car and go and have a look round there for an hour? Just to break up the day and regain a bit of sanity? Not an essential journey, but arguably important for mental health! My husband now has weekly COVID tests - he had one yesterday and it was negative so it's highly unlikely we have it! Feel like I'm going mad!

[ServeTheServants]

@Sparklingbrook

During Lockdown round 1 Wilkos put brown paper all over the pic and mix and closed it off. It's all open now which is baffling. Go in, get your essentials and get out? Nooooo ponder over the pick and mix, and touch all the scoops, maybe use your fingers if you fancy. No thank you!

Surely this is a risk regardless of Covid?! It shocks me how precious people are about this only now Covid has emerged; did you not consider the risk of catching an awful D&V bug which is likely to be as debilitating as Covid for the demographic at which Pick n Mix is aimed?!

[Samcro]

@Icanseegreenshoots

Absolutely go! Buy something lovely for yourself and show your baby the plants and flowers. Do what you can to make life more bearable.

and when the lockdown drags of for longer because of all the people doing this.
don't complain.

[ouchmyfeet]

@Sparklingbrook

it is full of complete lockdown lunatics

Rude.

But true

[Sparklingbrook]

You might be right actually, i have never been a fan of communal food. I never eat from buffets and always lament the Lidl bakery.

But it's also the time element-our Wilkos always has a queue they are really good at limiting numbers. the thought that someone is in there maybe deliberating at length between a flying saucer and a sugar mouse is a bit galling when you just want some cat litter and to get the hell out.

[Carysmatthews]

@GirlCrush

Arguably for mental health??

What does that even mean?

It’s often used an excuse for ignoring or bending the rules.

OP I know the weather is rubbish, it is where I am, but I would still bundle up and get out with the pram. I feel for anyone on maternity leave at the moment but you can always get out for a walk.

[Icanseegreenshoots]

*it is full of complete lockdown lunatics

Rude

..... and completely true, self appointed covid police that have totally lost the plot.

[Vintagevixen]

So infection rates have dropped this week, despite these terrible non-essential shops open. Does that not indicate that these non-essential shops are not really large drivers of infection then?

For the last few days there have been record numbers of admissions from care homes - higher than even in the spring. Should people not be directing their anger at this fact instead of some poor mum wanting a half hour wander around a garden centre?

Loads of posties /warehouse staff off isolating because their conditions are terrible, but (non CEV) people need their online deliveries because they cant take the tiny tiny risk of going round a huge, airy, SD shop and haven't left home since March.

Perhaps we should be looking at where the actual areas of spread are? Sharing the risk by ordering less stuff online (excluding the CEV or vulnerable) and actually going out to shop for ourselves instead of putting poorly paid and protected workers on the line.

Get angry at the government failing to protect care homes, cutting critical care beds to the bone for years, the rate of in hospital infection, the plight of zero hours workers exposed to infection for the needs of the worried well instead.

[Sparklingbrook]

I still think the OP has gone to the Garden Centre while the bunfight ensued....

[Icanseegreenshoots]

samcro If the lockdown drags on it won't be because the odd person had the audacity to buy some seeds, it will be because the hospitals are still transmitting lots of covid, or a new variant or those that are partying regardless. One socially distanced visit to a garden centre is not going to give you covid!!!

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

@Icanseegreenshoots

*it is full of complete lockdown lunatics

Rude

..... and completely true, self appointed covid police that have totally lost the plot.

How? Honestly. How is it losing a plot by saying shops are not there for a walk when weather is shit. It's a different matter if you go actually buy something

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

@Sparklingbrook

I still think the OP has gone to the Garden Centre while the bunfight ensued....

Same. She could grab me some perlite🙈

[Icanseegreenshoots]

sparkling hopefully op will report back that she had a wonderful time, and can tell us all what the garden centres are like these days. I don't need to go, I am in a good place, but I can definitely understand why someone might like to go and collect some flowers if they are struggling. Anyone who can not see the value in a trip like that, and can not understand that essential has many meanings clearly have no idea about life beyond their own four walls. My weekly day out is a trip to the dump and the supermarket on the way home. I look forward to it.

I am sorry you are so sad and miserable you would sooner berate a mother of a young baby than do something to makes yourselves feel better about your own life.

[FlamedToACrisp]

@Peanutquavers123

I'm lucky - our entire household is retired/not working due to health. I've left my house 10 times since last March, 4 times to take a disabled relative to medical appointments, once to post an urgent parcel (I did buy a few items from Iceland on the way home as it was almost empty) and 5 times for a walk late at night to avoid other people. I don't expect other people to put their lives on hold for my sake, but I am doing my best.

[UrAWizHarry]

@Rhiannon13

Christ the covid police are out in force, again.

Define 'covid police' *@UrAWizHarry*. Would that be anyone who understands the rules? Comments like yours are so depressing and are always from those who just don't get it. We're going to stuck in this for months.

Oh, I get that there are plenty of people positivily enjoying being able to judge the fuck out of people for doing anything outside the daily enforced march, even if those people are sticking by the rules.

[TrimmedMyBush]

Just go. Don’t write it on here. Mumsnet is full of crazies. Wear your mask, keep your distance. Feel better. I am sorry you are on mat leave during all this, better days are coming :-)

[Sparklingbrook]

@Icanseegreenshoots

sparkling hopefully op will report back that she had a wonderful time, and can tell us all what the garden centres are like these days. I don't need to go, I am in a good place, but I can definitely understand why someone might like to go and collect some flowers if they are struggling. Anyone who can not see the value in a trip like that, and can not understand that essential has many meanings clearly have no idea about life beyond their own four walls. My weekly day out is a trip to the dump and the supermarket on the way home. I look forward to it.

I am sorry you are so sad and miserable you would sooner berate a mother of a young baby than do something to makes yourselves feel better about your own life.

I at least want to see their haul. if there's not a Yankee Candle, some regional Cider and an orchid I will be very disappointed.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Perhaps we should be looking at where the actual areas of spread are? Sharing the risk by ordering less stuff online (excluding the CEV or vulnerable) and actually going out to shop for ourselves instead of putting poorly paid and protected workers on the line.

A lot of the stuff I’ve ordered online isn’t available in shops, or not local ones anyway.

[Samcro]

@Icanseegreenshoots

samcro If the lockdown drags on it won't be because the odd person had the audacity to buy some seeds, it will be because the hospitals are still transmitting lots of covid, or a new variant or those that are partying regardless. One socially distanced visit to a garden centre is not going to give you covid!!!

we have been told to stay at home.
the op can do this, she does not need to go to the garden centre.
news to me it the hospitals transmitting covid. odd.

[LizFlowers]

@GirlCrush

What about the staff?? Don’t THEY matter?

They are at high risk of covid and mental health watching non essential shoppers....browsers in your case.... are making staff anxious!

If they are open they must expect people to come along and browse. A garden centre is never really in the 'essential' category but people have been visiting them in lockdown.

It's surely no more dangerous than a supermarket - probably a lot less so because there will be fewer shoppers.

[GabriellaMontez]

Yanbu

The staff will be pleased to see you.

Customers make it more likely that they'll have a job in a few weeks.

If they're working in a garden centre it sounds like they cant rely on wfh jobs (with a bit of mumsnetting thrown in)

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

but I can definitely understand why someone might like to go and collect some flowers if they are struggling

But Op didn't say she is going to pick some flowers. She said that weather is bad so she would go for an hour to look around. That's different from "I could use some plants and soil so going into the garden cencer"

[Peanutquavers123]

[quote FlamedToACrisp]@Peanutquavers123

I'm lucky - our entire household is retired/not working due to health. I've left my house 10 times since last March, 4 times to take a disabled relative to medical appointments, once to post an urgent parcel (I did buy a few items from Iceland on the way home as it was almost empty) and 5 times for a walk late at night to avoid other people. I don't expect other people to put their lives on hold for my sake, but I am doing my best.[/quote]
If you truly have only left your house 10 times in almost a year, then your entirely unreasonably (slightly hysterical, sorry) post to the OP is more understandable - living isolated to that degree is bound to take a toll on anyone’s ability to risk assess or see reason.

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

It's like going for a walk in Tesco because one is bored at home, but has no plants to buy anything🤷🏻

[MichaelMumsnet]

Hi all. We've removed a few posts from this thread that are just personal attacks. If all those concerned could stop calling each other twats it really would make our morning moderation shift a little easier.
Peace and love.
MNHQ

[Lovemusic33]

I’m guessing OP has gone.

I’m sure most people are struggling being stuck indoors but if we all declare “we need to go to the garden centre due to our mental health” then there will be 100’s of people looking around the garden centre spreading the virus. Unless you need something essential (not sure what at a garden centre) then I don’t think you should go.

I’m bored shitless today, I would love to go to the garden centre but would prefer the gym, I will be staying in because I feel each time I stay in I maybe stopping the spread of the virus. Bake a cake, watch some rubbish tv, do a jigsaw puzzle (I know all pretty boring).