The positive mental health thread - part 4

[Spudlet]

Keeping it positive, keeping our sanity, people 👍

Actually I've got a positive story to share (since my last update a few moments ago!).

We're currently in Australia on our 'big trip' that we'd been planning for years. We've been campervanning and camping around. Our flights home have been cancelled and we're likely to have to stay here for at least a month longer than we had planned to. Not only that, if we go into lockdown there won't be any campsites to stay at. DP was working remotely on a contract while he was here but his boss suddenly terminated the contract due to Covid cutting back. So we're out here with little cash with no home to 'stay home' in! Anyway we're in a small family hostel where the owners are incredibly kind and friendly. They've told us we can stay, along with a handful of other stranded people who've been here for months already. They're refusing all new guests and everyone that can leave is being asked to go. They're frantically anti-bacing every surface in sight and sharing their gloves and spray. Not only that, they're allowing us to stay for a nominal rate. We all had a little cry when they told us and they said we're part of their family now so we all have to look after one another. Peoples' generosity knows no bounds (they also took is every family they had room for during the bushfires back in December). So not only do we now have a home to stay home in, we have a family too.

not sure what i'm doing on this thread but I can't concentrate on anything at the moment. Every thing in my brain is obsessing over this virus, i have the tv news on most of the day and i check online multiple times an hour....I know the advice is to limit news to two trusted sources but i'm scared to be out of the loop. i'm really fearful about the economic effects as well...this is a nice thread

This thread is one of my few ‘safe’ internet spaces. It’s very calming to come here and read about gardening and puppies. I also like the good news stories.

In my good news: my kids didn’t drive each other or me completely nuts on day one of school-at-home. My husband and I are hopeful that we will qualify for the 80% wages government scheme, which would cover our bills at least. I finished a knitting project and immediately started a new one.

I also woke up at 4.30 with a knot in my stomach, but I guess you can’t have everything 😉

Haven’t posted for a while, but I’m still here.

Waking up to a slice of good news. Candy Crush is giving everyone unlimited lives for the rest of the week

Also I had a repetitive dream last night about washing my hands which made me smile when I woke up.

Turnandface, that’s so lovely ❤️ My boss has been out there doing similar, not sure what’s happening about her flight or accommodation though

Robin, that’s good news, in an odd way. I hope you can go home soon, take care

Funny old world to wake up in, it’s always quiet here, but you can hear the distant hum of the motorway if you listen carefully. All I can hear this morning is silence.

Thankfully, a fellow livery and police officer assured us all that we could still go out to the horses, maybe not “as usual” as we need to limit visits as possible, but we need to care for them. I think I’ll pop out early to avoid people, who seem to be going later, since mostly WFH

It's like Christmas Day here (South Wales) or a Six Nations Day - very quiet. Are people still allowed out in the garden? My husband can't speak since his stroke and I am not sure what he is asking me. I think it is about the garden but I am not sure.

Thank you very much for this thread, it is so calming. I just heard on Radio 4 that Italy's numbers have gone down for a second day. Here's hoping.

I love Good News Network at the best of the times, if anyone's feeling bleak, have a good old browse around, lots of cheery stuff. This link is to a round up of positive CV stories, I'll copy and paste a wee summary and you can follow the link for more details:

www.goodnewsnetwork.org/another-roundup-of-positive-updates-on-covid-outbreaks/

1. World Health Organization (WHO) Officials Say There Are Now 20 Coronavirus Vaccines in Development

2. From Individuals to Countries and World Governments–donations of face masks

3. As American Cities Close Up Amidst Outbreaks, Pollution Plummets, environmental scientists are estimating that the improvement in air quality could collectively save as many as 75,000 people from dying prematurely.

4. Researchers Develop Several Low-Cost Ventilator Solutions

5. Communities and Countries Opening Up New Lanes of Free Entertainment for the Masses - link in this one to virtual visits to over 2500 art galleries and museums, also zoos. I'm going to get DS onto this to keep him quiet for a while.

6. More Than 100,000 People Have Already Recovered From the Virus Worldwide

7. Nobel Prize Winner Who Correctly Predicted COVID-19 Trends Says ‘We’re Going To Be Fine’

8. Celebrities and Businesses Have Contributed Millions Towards Feeding and Caring for At-Risk People

9. No Matter Where You Look, People Are Being Kind to Each Other

@Mrsorganmorgan yes you can go into your garden, make the most of the nice weather!

Hey guys. Thanks for all the supportive messages last night. I was up checking DS temp last night and it was all good,back down to 36 generally and no coughing in his sleep. He's just been into me saying he feels a bit dizzy and has coughed just once as I type but isn't doing it persistently. So 🤞🏻he's ok

Very glad I found this thread, and the previous three! Thank you to those who set it up.

Popping my mumsnet cherry to say I have one little boy who is nine months old this month. My husband has a job that he can't do from home so he's been heading into work every day for the past week (and will still be for the foreseeable) while all the other mums I know have their partners at home now. Basically everyone in my family bar me is some sort of key worker be it health, other public sector or manufacturing so I've been struggling a bit (selfishly) with feeling immeasurably proud of them on one hand, and like I've literally been left holding the baby on the other. I love my DS so much and it's been such a beautiful 9 months, and I know it's just about counting our blessings now and getting creative on the indoor activities front, but yes - it's a bit hard. So, very grateful for this thread and all the positive stories coming out of it :)

Hoping to contribute as well as consume in due course :). Have a good day everyone.

Thank you CaveMum at least he can go out into the garden.

Morning all. Definitely felt a bit odd last night but rationalised it that actually, this makes very little difference from our personal family perspective as this is what we’ve been doing anyway, and it should stop scenes like that picture from Snowdon at the weekend. Although we’re out on a trip this morning, dropping the big car off for its MOT - fingers crossed it gets through without too much trouble, it’s a bit of an old banger.

I can hear birds singing and see sun filtering in through the curtains this morning - life is still bursting out all over the place. Will take DS into the garden later on for a bit of a run around. We also should have someone coming to unblock the kitchen drain which is almost totally blocked, so that will be a relief to sort that out.

Hopefully we will start to see the effects of this in 2 or 3 weeks. That will be a very good feeling indeed.

There’s another thread running about what people are going to treat themselves to when things go back to normal - mine is a great bit of millionaire shortbread and a nice coffee! Anyone got any little nice things they’re going to do when this passes?

I actually feel a bit more positive now "lockdown" has been implemented, we haven't been going out anyway apart from a socially distanced walk and my dh has been food shopping so won't change much for us personally at the moment but I feel that it is the (slow, gradual) start of things changing for the better.

It has already made me reflect on things and made me realise that I do actually want to do my job (after quite a long time of debating giving it up) and made me more appreciative of everything really.

I can't wait for life to get back to normal, I have no idea of time scale but I believe it will.

gingerbreadslice Oh yikes!

Spudlet I'm looking forward to re-arranging the massive family party we had planned for this weekend which was to celebrate several siblings' and cousins" milestone birthdays.

Gosh, this is so scary. My positive is that nature will still be here this time next year. Trees will be budding and the sun will warm the soil. Tulips will still emerge from the winter soil. The grass will grow and the birds will still be singing.

Taking each day as it comes.

Morning - glad Robin is doing well and Lay’s DS is improved.
We are off out on our morning bird watch. We saw a kestrel yesterday and my DD wants to see her “friends” ie the birds are her friends as she cannot see real ones

My good things this morning:

• Managed to get a click and collect slot so we're okay for groceries for the next few weeks (both DH and I have conditions that mean we need to isolate for 12 weeks but we're trying to do C&C rather than delivery when we can as we're able to drive and that means the delivery slots can be used by those who can't get out at all).
• DD has just started showing signs of readiness for toilet training - perfect timing!
• My parents and FIL remain safe and well.

Meant to add - what are yours?

Morning all!
Thanks for all the good news stories, glad to hear your DS is ok Lady. Children seem to be pretty unaffected by this Coronavirus overall which is a relief
@turnandfacethenamechange, I’m so glad you’re being looked after in Australia and bet you’ll always remember the experience, even if it wasn’t what you originally had in mind. We were supposed to be off on the trip of a lifetime to see my sister in Australia via SE Asia at Easter, but clearly that is off the cards now. We changed our plans to 1 week in a uk holiday cottage but looks like that’s not happening either- never mind. We’ll still all have a week off together at home and thinking of ideas to make it nice and holiday like....
Have a lovely day everyone, hope you get a cup of tea in the sunshine ☀️ in the garden

Morning all. Does anyone else fancy posting pictures of their pets as they are very cheery? I’ve already posted a few pics of our bunny but here is one more in case it makes anyone smile a little. So glad for the sun! Going to order lots of flower bulbs today...

Here’s a picture of Spuddog from earlier in the year. He’d been paddling in a swamp and was most unamused to find that this meant confinement to the kitchen and the dog drying jumper of shame when he got home

I felt a relief last night at our lockdown too, I also feel that we are lucky that we are allowed to still go out so let's hope people do this sensibly. My plan is to have a drive to the countryside for a picnic, somewhere really remote like moorland and off the track fields with the kids and have a kick about.

Candy Crush must have gotten a lot of new (or like me returning!) people. I find the low level of concentration let's my brain process emotions of the day, I really feel like I have a front and back thought process and if I occupy the front then the back doesn't take over. Its when I try to focus the back that it's too difficult to concentrate. Hope that makes sense!

It's been heartwarming to watch my DD aged 5 and her best friend/cousin video call each other, the cousin has to isolate due to being immune compromised and they are best friends. We let them video call and they play with their dolls and dress up 'together', they are doing this most days and can do this for hours, it's like they've had a play date! It just shows how resilient and adaptable kids are!

In the nicest possible way, RapidRainbow, you are not allowed to go out for a drive. If you break down or have an accident you will be needing help which involves contact. Apart from shops, medical & helping vulnerable you have to stay at home. You can walk out from your home once a day & that's it.