What normal things are you longing for again?

[Carolina24]

What normal, perhaps even mundane, events are you longing to participate in when lockdown is over?

I have a young baby so there’s loads of stuff I’ve missed - meeting friends and family, baby groups, antenatal classes etc - but the thing I’m honestly most looking forward to is just going to cafes. Sitting somewhere totally normal for a cup of tea and a slice of cake, chatting with my mum or a friend.

What previously completely normal event is everyone else excited for?

Going to the seaside for the day.

Hugging friends.

Meals out.

Being able to ditch the mask & smile at people again.

My tweens being happy again.

Holidays.

Properly, celebrate all the lockdown family birthdays we have had.

Having a bit of space to get the house properly clean and organised without having to homeschool or make constant meals and snacks for people.

Getting my teeth sorted out at the dentist - they really need a proper descale and I think I need a filing in one of my molars.

Having a pedicure or foot massage.

Soft play!!!

Never in a million years did I ever think I would miss noisy smelly soft play 🤣🤣

I just want to take my pre-schooler swimming. She keeps asking and asking....

Standing in a gallery, taking time to get lost in a painting. Not worrying about making it hard for people to socially distance, just spending time to really take the piece in.

Also... being in the house alone! It has been a very long time since I have been home all by myself as someone else is always here now.

Seeing my family and being able to hug them.

Going to the shops without a mask - so sick of glasses steaming up.

Putting the groceries away without wiping everything with antibac first - takes sooo much longer, dread it now.

Going to a National Trust for a picnic with my family.

Swimming and my niece and nephews big snuggles all round soon !

Pottering round the shops then stopping for a coffee.
Cuppa with a mate.

Cinema. So much!
Live music.
Teaching without a mask on!

Oh yes- gym, swimming.

I want to lay on a sun lounger next to a pool with a cocktail in my hand in at least 30 degree heat.

Then I’d like to sit outside a bar in the sunshine in a country not the U.K. with some snacks or tapas and a crisp dry glass of rosè

To get a coffee, sit down and people watch. Bumping into people and just having a good chat, no social distancing or being conscious of being in a group.

Going to work in an office. And more importantly, leaving all my work there and coming home and NOT HAVING ANY WORK AT HOME. I hate WFH. I feel like I’m living at work. And in a weeks time I’ll have been doing it for a whole year 😢😔

It's silly and I know so many people hate it (I do too normally!) but I miss crowds. I am a Londoner so used to there being too many people and not enough space so I don't like it when I get on a half empty bus. I want to be able to go to the chip shop with more than 2 people inside it at once and squeeze past someone on their way to the bar. All those little things!

Something that will take a long time to come back properly - Chinese buffet! I know it's looked down upon but it's a great way to get the kids to try something other than noodles and I really miss unlimited duck pancakes 😭

Also having someone over for coffee, or even better, going to their house.

Cinema in person not streaming.

Watch my children play football at weekends 🥺

Popping into town and just browsing
Going out for a meal
Taking a trip to the seaside and eating fish and chips (nearest is 45 min drive so not local)
The end of "socially distanced of course"
Going to the supermarket with DH
The end of people frothing at others crowding the beaches/parks etc
People generally being judgy
Parkrun
Having something (ie certain plans) to look forward to

Just to go in each other’s houses. I want friends and their children to come over for a cup of tea, catch up, let the children play

Pub
Gallery
Meal out
Browsing shops

Sitting at a beach bar with a cocktail and my feet in the sand (probably doesn't count as "ordinary" but I can't wait and I will savour every second) other than that sitting in for a coffee with friends, and going for a nice pub lunch after a walk.

We have a weekend in the lakes booked for end of April and it’s only cheap and on a caravan site but I can’t wait! I don’t even care if we just end up walking loads and not much is open - I just need to get out of my own bloody town!

Oh, and getting my eyebrows waxed and tinted - I’m booking in for mani/pedi and eyebrows as soon as humanly possible!

Seeing my family.
Getting my hair done.
Impromptu pint/pub lunch.
Beauty treatments.
Holidays.

Going out for a delicious meal and not have to worry about cleaning up.

Popping round to a friends house on a Saturday afternoon and sharing a bottle of wine.

@Biftekomama

Something that will take a long time to come back properly - Chinese buffet! I know it's looked down upon but it's a great way to get the kids to try something other than noodles and I really miss unlimited duck pancakes 😭

Also having someone over for coffee, or even better, going to their house.

I adore Chinese buffets! And the Pizza Hut lunch buffets, plus the bigger ones where they have food from all over the world! And 3 times a year me and 2 work colleagues go to a carvery and have unlimited potatoes and as many veg as we can fit on our plate - last year was the first time since 2014 we hadn't done it! It might not be posh but loads of us do love these places, otherwise they wouldn't have any customers!

Going back to my gym classes

Swimming

Being squeezed too tightly by my mother in law

Beer gardens

Taking ages to choose a library book