To miss the first lockdown?

[TidyOchreReader]

I know it was a tough time for many but I genuinely loved that first lockdown. I think about it all the time. There was something strangely blissful about slowing down, having fewer obligations and just focusing on connecting with people - even though we couldn’t physically see them. And when you did see someone, the gratitude was immense. AIBU to feel nostalgic for that time?

A lot of people dont realise a lot of that. They are just back getting on with their lives. Cost of everything is going up for a variety of reasons. Lockdown is not a trigger for lots of people.

wrong example

You can put the blame on someone for deciding to be a mistress
You can't blame someone for having a great time in exceptional circumstances, especially when their time was caused by these circumstances. That's what it comes down to.

I find the "performance triggering" of some posters who jump on a thread to tell the OP she's not allowed to have feelings or to post completely ridiculous (I didn't mean YOU specifically, but we had some seriously over-the-top ones on this thread)

A relative had her cancer operation delayed by lockdown. Fortunately, she survived.

This month, I discovered a lump. I was told that there's a backlog for mammograms for NHS Fife. I phoned appointments and was told that if I agreed to be seen outwith the region (in Larbert) the waiting list for my criteria would be 15-18 weeks.

I'm fortunate in that I was able to afford to self-fund a mammogram at a private hospital. If I'd had to fund cancer treatment, however, I would have been stuffed. I needed to know so that I could make appropriate arrangements for various matters.

At the consultation, two members of staff told me that - according to NHS criteria -- my waiting time should not have been anywhere near 15 to 18 weeks.

I agree, our UK business, run remotely from Spain was affected for us, not our team in the UK obviously but not a lot you can do and we just tried to enjoy the freedom for a few hours...yes lucky it was only 1 day ...but I'll cherish it. Regarding cash, in Spain cash is king especially if you are having work being done on your house 🤔....so it was a given to have cash.😁

Christ almighty! Just because a person has had a personal positive lockdown experience within their own walls, does NOT mean that they liked the pandemic or lockdown as a whole.

Nobody is saying “I’m so glad all those hundreds of thousands of people died, and their relatives went through hell, and children couldn’t go to school, just so I could have a few months of peace”.

They are just stating that despite the chaos that was happening outside, their own experience was a nice few month’s rest.

Incidentally, lockdown accelerating the cashless society played straight into the hands of those who thought the government was “up to something”.

”They want to ban cash so they can control our purchases, and make sure we can’t buy non-essential things such as Easter eggs, social credit here we come…”

I'm guessing you weren't financially ruinedby it, or a hospital nurse, or lost three members of your family.

Fortunately I didn't experience any of the above but for many there was no joy

I couldn't see my dad, then he got dementia. Then we were back to one visitor only at hospital and wearing masks and I couldn't take my kids into hospital to say goodbye. So no I don't miss any of it.

Remember only being allowed out for excercise?! That was so silly. Can’t believe we all fell for it.

Along with the myth that only one hour a day was allowed. Gove improvised words to that effect during an interview, and it rapidly became the accepted gospel truth, especially on mumsnet. The government failed to correct the record, and allowed this myth to flourish.

I lost my business and DH was working in intensive care. I still enjoyed lots of elements of it. We did lose two family members to COVID but not until lockdown 2.

I have a ridiculously busy life, crazy social life,, kids do loads of sport, both work full time. It was very grounding to pause. Of course there were shit bits and DH had it hard but the kids were strangely happy in the main and we bonded as a family a lot.

The kids really enjoyed meeting their friends when the rule of 6 happened and spent hours in the park and exploring our massive city on their bikes in a way you couldn't now because of the traffic.

I agree with you OP, but appreciate I was very lucky. I annoyed DH a bit by saying “Aren’t we lucky!” So many times. DH later pointed out that lock down “saved” DD.
The second lockdown (from school) was dull as ditch water, though. I didn’t notice the others, apart from Christmas Day.

Well what else was there to do other than shopping or exercise, including walking. Most places were shut.

And there was the urinary leash, in that most public toilets were closed, so you had to plan carefully.

There was an amazing website called Lockdown Loos, it told you where you could find a loo that was open. Absolutely brilliant idea (says the women who always knows where the nearest loo is on any journey she does because she gets really grumpy when she needs the loo and can't find one😅).

I recall the surprise when things started to open up again, bogs didn't and al fresco crapping rates soared.

Good for you. I was at home with a doubly incontinent terminally ill husband with very little medical help. Hope you had a lovely relaxing time.

@chocolatemademefat I’m so sorry - it’s because of the sheer number of people like yourself dealing with unimaginably awful situations that I think posts like the OPS are in poor taste.

I knew an elderly gentleman who would always speak very fondly of his experiences growing up in Poplar during WWII, but I am pretty sure for most people it was pretty horrendous! Both DP served during WWII. DF would speak a lot of his experiences and DM to a lesser degree (I think she always regretted joining-up). DF didn't even have to join-up as he was in a protected occupation. I was always told never to ask DM's DB of his experiences at that time as he was a POW in Burma. Strange how such traumatic worldwide events can evoke such different memories for different people.

The trouble is that when some people claim to have "enjoyed" lockdown, it starts to give the government of the day the idea to do it again the next time we have a pandemic! We should all be giving a clear message to governments that we won't stand for nonsensical restrictions and that they'll have to be more savvy with their recommendations to reduce and control the spread - not the lazy "close everything down" stupidity we suffered.

A HUNDRED TIMES THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

This is precisely why I felt it was vital to show resistance from the very start, before the idea of lockdowns became normalised, which I do fear may have already happened. And during the mad time (and maybe even now), for all we know some of the lockdown-loving posts on social media (including Mumsnet) were from government stooges.

I wrote to my MP several times to make it opposition to lockdowns very clear indeed. It terrified me that there was no public resistance at all. I took down signs about social distancing in parks, to create a tangible resistance. (I learned later that lots of people were doing this covertly, but they would have been crucified in social media.)

And even now, the harms of lockdowns are still being minimised and hushed up. WE MUST NOT LET THIS HAPPEN. We must keep screaming our opposition to future lockdowns.

So you think the main factor the government will use to determine if they should do another lockdown in the event of another virus killing people worldwide is some people saying they enjoyed it?

It might not be the main factor, but I think the government knew that because the people were so frightened, they could “get away with it”, and drag it out week after week. The government was certainly monitoring the public mood very closely indeed, and Boris Johnson was so desperate to be liked, that sure what the public “wanted” had some influence. But the government were also strongly influencing the public mood using the press, leaking what “might” happen to test the public reaction.

Later on even government psychologists came out and said maybe the "fear factor" was slightly over done. No shit Sherlock!!

Yes I totally agree. There’d be a revolt.