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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what you miss about lockdown - light hearted

201 replies

Nopurchase · 12/03/2023 21:59

This is light hearted and OK so I know that this is unreasonable and 100% I wouldnt want to go back into lockdown but there is a part of me that misses that initial feeling of feeling safe and cosy at home with my family (not that I dont now), playing games, no school runs, working from home being able to go out for a walk and it was so quiet and peaceful you couldnt hear any cars and so many birds, this was before all the big restrictions came in. I know it was so hard for so many people and dont get me wrong for us it was immensely difficult a lot of the time mentally and extremely stressfull, but there is a part of me that misses close family time in a bubble.

What do you miss?

OP posts:
dizzydizzydizzy · 12/03/2023 23:50

Hatching chicks. We don't normally have rhe time. DD2 says it was the best day in her life when they started hatching.

blebbleb · 12/03/2023 23:51

Not having to wear a bra!

Summerscoming23 · 12/03/2023 23:55

I worked as I'm nhs.
But loved;
Spending so much time together
No visitors
Doorstop drop offs ( giving and receiving)
Virtual catch ups ( where everyone made an effort to attend)
Cooking
Walking

quietnightmare · 12/03/2023 23:55

I loved it. First time in I don't know how many years I didn't work 16 hour days, did loads of kareoke with my husband 🤣, made a podcast with each other that never posted of course but funny to look back on, drank more than we should of, kept having bbqs in the garden most nights for no reason, used up the random load of sparklers we had accumulated over the years, watched so much tv that we made drinking m/ dessert eating games out of shows, did makeovers on each other, order so many dominos pizza the same guy kept deliberating to us just for a tip I'm sure. Tidying up and Decluttered the whole house, up cycled furniture, painted loads of stuff, made loads of bead and strong bracelets, took up knitting for about a week, then crochet for about a week, organai for about half a day, painted my nails more than I've every done in my life, learnt to cut my husbands hair, didn't set an alarm every morning, ate crap and just generally had a wonderful time

AutisticLegoLover · 12/03/2023 23:56

The time. The quiet. The lack of pressure.

I absolutely hated the neighbours being in their gardens being obnoxiously loud and breaking the rules though. Fuckers.

sst1234 · 12/03/2023 23:57

toomuchlaundry · 12/03/2023 22:13

Blue skies with no airplanes

Yes the sky is so full of them now that you can hardly see any blue now. What colour do you see by the way

Nopurchase · 13/03/2023 00:03

ouchmyteeth · 12/03/2023 23:35

I feel the same. Hated the lockdown for so many reasons! Most of these replies are from people in very privileged situations and not representative of all the many people who really suffered in the lockdowns (which is obviously to be expected on a thread about what you miss!) but yeah, dark times for me and I hate looking back at it!

I am so sorry that it was such a dark time for you as it was for others, it was not great for us we lost immediate family who we were unble to see, fear of lack of work, mental health struggles it was not all sweetness and Rose's, this thread wasnt to highlight those that were 'privileged' but to reflect and ask if antone appreciated and missed anything during that time that they likelycwill never have again, it was so unbelievably different to normal life. I did really appreciate the simple things like the bird song, no cars/noise, prior to lockdown it was a part of life that I probably took for granted/ignored and I will never experience life like that again.

OP posts:
cadburyegg · 13/03/2023 00:04

It was the worst time of my life (my marriage broke down and my dad died) but I do miss the amount of money I saved. The cheap petrol. Not having to drive anywhere and that weird feeling getting in the car, as if I was about to do something illegal. Before H left I went for a run every other day, which was glorious.

We got a kitten when it was allowed and being able to stay at home all the time with her was lovely. Except now she's 3, she complains when I go out 😐

PutKettleOn · 13/03/2023 00:05

The feeling of home being your safe space.
3 months furlough, with oldest DC 15/16 at time having nothing to do as GCSEs cancelled so we spent loads of time together.
Would never have had that opportunity otherwise to spend so much quality time with my teens.
It did help that weather was great but its the most relaxed time I've had with DC since maternity leave.
I also liked social distancing in shops and generally the slower pace of life, less traffic and no planes but having said that, loved being able to return to foreign travel.

Nopurchase · 13/03/2023 00:05

TopEndChops · 12/03/2023 23:44

Worked throughout as a postie, enjoyed the lack of traffic and the fact that everyone was home for their parcels. Didnt enjoy having nowhere to go to the loo

I never thought about that what do you do normally go in a supermarket?

OP posts:
undersleptagain · 13/03/2023 00:06

The zoom get togethers with family and friends.
I am a foster carer so the best thing ever was not having unannounced visits from social workers!
The quiet roads. We live in a popular tourist area and having empty beaches and roads when the weather was glorious was amazing.

Okisenough · 13/03/2023 00:12

AutisticLegoLover · 12/03/2023 23:56

The time. The quiet. The lack of pressure.

I absolutely hated the neighbours being in their gardens being obnoxiously loud and breaking the rules though. Fuckers.

This plus the kids enjoyed home schooling and we all enjoyed no commuting and living in comfy clothes. I missed people but I learnt to enjoy my own company and solitude which I think is a skill.

Hibye23289 · 13/03/2023 00:15

I miss how everything was stripped back, everyone was the same in terms of materialistic things, we all had to do the same and stay at home, there was no comparison of every day life because nobody could do things anyway. I do understand some people had better homes to live in etc I find it so weird that one day when we are all old we will talk about the time we lived through this history and nobody could go out, I wish i had recorded more moments of it i.e photos, videos, writing down memories

Hibye23289 · 13/03/2023 00:16

Oh and I'm sorry because this will bug people who had to work through it but I liked furlough, being paid to stay at home, it is such a crazy scenario but I do appreciate it wasn't like that for shop workers, nurses etc

Nopurchase · 13/03/2023 00:18

Hibye23289 · 13/03/2023 00:15

I miss how everything was stripped back, everyone was the same in terms of materialistic things, we all had to do the same and stay at home, there was no comparison of every day life because nobody could do things anyway. I do understand some people had better homes to live in etc I find it so weird that one day when we are all old we will talk about the time we lived through this history and nobody could go out, I wish i had recorded more moments of it i.e photos, videos, writing down memories

Yes me too, reading other peoples experiences has certainly brought back some memories

OP posts:
quietnightmare · 13/03/2023 00:21

Yayyayitsaholiholiday · 12/03/2023 23:44

Being able to walk nude for miles in the local countryside without encountering anyone.
Travelling down to the south coast to wild camp and having the beach much to ourselves, as everyone was too worried to go anywhere.
My DH having 3 months off work on full pay.

Love this

EmmaEmerald · 13/03/2023 00:22

Hibye "everyone was the same in terms of materialistic things"

Jesus wept.

quietnightmare · 13/03/2023 00:25

@ouchmyteeth
Not everyone here posting was or is on a place of privilege the title said light hearted so wanted the 'positives' of lockdown. Lots of people who have posted here including myself suffered terrible hardships be it personal or professional and just because we have given the lighthearted response as per the idea of this thread please understand there is cleverly a darker side to some of not most posts

EmmaEmerald · 13/03/2023 00:32

quietnightmare · 13/03/2023 00:25

@ouchmyteeth
Not everyone here posting was or is on a place of privilege the title said light hearted so wanted the 'positives' of lockdown. Lots of people who have posted here including myself suffered terrible hardships be it personal or professional and just because we have given the lighthearted response as per the idea of this thread please understand there is cleverly a darker side to some of not most posts

You posted you had a "wonderful time"?

Threeboysandadog · 13/03/2023 00:53

My adult sons both lost their jobs during the first lockdown so it wasn’t all sunshine and roses but not having to force my ND teen into school in tears every morning and to see him thriving at home made everything worth it. The feeling of pulling together as a family and taking care of each other was lovely. I really liked not having to socialise too.

MintJulia · 13/03/2023 00:55

Furlough. 😊

I've had a job of some sort since I was 13 and have worked full time for 37 years.

I was furloughed for 4 months and didn't have to go to work, but not worry about money. The schools were shut at the same time so I could spend time with my ds. And it was April-July so the weather was reasonable. It was bliss.

It was my chance to be a SAHM. And lovely to have a rest, I was exhausted.

(I found out later that I had breast cancer so there was a good reason I was so tired).

PinkArt · 13/03/2023 01:11

I know you said lighthearted, but PPs are right, there is a lot of privilege on display here.
Personally, living alone, with no outside space and working harder than ever, lockdown came close to breaking me. I went for weeks on end without talking to anyone in real life. I put massive amounts of effort into not relapsing into self harm to get through it but wasn't so successful at holding back panic attacks.
If you want to go for a walk, save money because you don't go on holiday or not go to a dinner party, you can all still do those things!

SunsetStrip · 13/03/2023 01:15

Lockdown 1, I pretty much miss it all. It was bliss, I worked through the whole time but I was sat beside my patio doors, beautiful sunshine and ate my lunch on a hammock.

Lockdown 2, winter and crappy weather, I found it hard, so don't miss much.

I still work from home but I now have a home office and things are much more pressured again.

Lunaloud · 13/03/2023 01:30

Space, sanitizer, masks

i absolutely loved going to uncrowned supermarkets, people didn’t look at you as if you were weird for cleaning your trolley, hands and wanting distance or wearing masks. I’m immune compromised so it was heaven for me. Unlike today, extremely arrogant couple crowding me at the bus stop, I’d left a good distance between myself and a group in front of me. We were waiting for an airport bus, a couple came up behind me, breathing all over me trying to push in. It’s pouring down with rain, I have a big suitcase, get on the bus and there is only one big case shelf left empty, I’m literally the only person on the bus with a large case. I’m not slow, I hate dawdling people, so I’m moving at a decent speed even with my health and pain issues, I push through them so others aren’t effected. Anyway I literally bend over to put my case handle down and to heave up my big case when this prick leans over me, slams a carry on case onto the shelf I’m clearly about to use and heads up stairs. There were loads of gaps on shelves, lots of room for carry on luggage but no space to put a big case like mine, so rude and arrogant. In lockdown that would never have happened as there would have been distance.

I also miss my constant deliveries of Wish, shein and aliexpress crap I got addicted to buying through lockdown.

Dont Miss other online shopping, Sports Direct, Matalan, Trespass and others all sent orders with security tags on. Then Carphone warehouse send the wrong phone but absolutely nowhere open for me to return it, but no refund or exchange until I return it 😤

Also very much miss being able to park outside my own house and not having rude parents blocking our road twice a day.

Surely2023IsTheYearForMyRainbowBaby · 13/03/2023 01:52

The only thing I miss is the blissfully quiet roads. Certainly my life a lot easier. Other than that nothing really changed for me. I was still having to go out and work through it. Although due to my job and the risk of potentially giving her Covid we took the decision for me to stop going to my Grandma's to take her shopping which meant I didn't get to see her again before she died