The last Saturday before lockdown

[Joan0fSarc]

What were you doing?

I had a lovely afternoon in town with DH looking at guitars in music shops, buying some wine and bits for dinner. Really mundane stuff by usual standards but I'd give anything to do that now. We came home on a crowded bus - I had no idea it'd be the last time I'd use public transport for months!

[CremeEggThief]

My last normal weekend was the 6th/7th March, as I was starting to become concerned. I went to the beautician and Asda and then had a coffee and creme egg brownie in a new local coffee shop and ice cream parlour. On the Sunday, DS and I went out for Sunday lunch (which unfortunately wasn't very good), as I thought it might be too risky going out on Mother's Day, so decided to have a takeaway on that night.

[blubellsarebells]

I was at work in a busy restaurant.
We were ordered to close the following friday if i remember correctly.
That week was one of the worst of my life.
Everything was so uncertain, lots of my friends and colleagues were very stressed and upset worrying about their families in other countries that were shutting down.
That weekend was relatively normal but the weekdays were so quiet, some of the shops had already closed, we were getting new directives from head office for cleaning and safety everyday.
So weird and scary, i was sick with anxiety.
I can't wait to go back to work now, i love my job and i miss it.

[SquishySquirmy]

Self isolating with symptoms... I don't think it was Covid, but by the time our 2 weeks were up lockdown had happened.

[megletthesecond]

Already social distancing so not much.

I avoided the shops and we went on a bike ride taking the quieter routes to avoid people. Threw some wildflower seeds bombs en route. Must go back and see if they've grown.

[Poetryinaction]

I can't remember. When was it?

[Bouledeneige]

I went to stay with my friend in Scotland and we walked, went to pubs and restaurants and browsed in book shops, delis and interiors stores. I loved it. We didn't know how rapidly things were going to change. I'm so glad I happened to have it planned and that I got to Madrid in January. I love to get out of town.

[psychomath]

I don't remember what I actually did that day, but I know I got absolutely plastered with my mate the night before and was extremely hungover So probably spent a lot of it in bed!

[feelingfragile]

Was ill at home with coronavirus so the whole family was already in lockdown.

[MissMatchedClaws]

We’d both been sent home from work by the Wednesday. Saturday I was belting around an almost deserted town centre trying to get DS’s mobile phone fixed before everything was shut down,

[MissMatchedClaws]

Went to see my parents (100 miles away) the weekend before to get in before we were shut down. Very glad I did that.

[Derbygerbil]

There was the weekend of 14-15th March, which was the last weekend of near normality for most ... Boris announced on the following Monday that over 70s should self-isolate, we shouldn’t go to pubs and we should work from home if we could, and it felt like something had finally snapped.... The Monday 16th was the “oh shit, this is it now” day

And then there was the weekend of 21-22 March - with Mother’s Day on the Sunday - and Boris announcing lockdown proper on the Monday.

I think many people are probably referencing the first weekend (14-15th) in their posts... Most people had practically gone in lockdown, or were preparing to (with all the panic buying etc!) by the 21-22nd weekend with schools having closed the previous Friday.

[MinesaBottle]

I’d been to the market the evening before to get some meat and veg, I also got wine and the guy at the stall (more of a mini restaurant really) was really worried because Boris had just announced the closing of pubs etc later that evening. Saturday was pretty quiet; I’d already been wfh for a week. Had a long chat with my mum in Wales worrying about what was coming. Tbh it didn’t feel real and now feels like ages ago!

[Derbygerbil]

The weekend of 14/15 was very different - we went swimming (only ones there) to the pub and people were still joking about shaking hands etc and numbers of deaths had just reached 100.

It wasn’t even that high... I distinctly remember being shocked on the Saturday when deaths jumped from 11 to 21. Looking back I wouldn’t have believed we’d have had hundreds of daily deaths now for 6-7 weeks. The world changed between completely 14-15 March and 21-22 March, though i think many Londoners had already largely battened down the hatches by 14-15 having been told they were a hotspot.

[Toothsil]

Cancelled a visit to my elderly grandmother and cancelled my hair appointment in another town because we were starting to be told not to make unnecessary visits to places/people. Now I wish I'd visited my grandmother because I've no idea when I'll be able to again and now she's unwell.

[OhTheRoses]

Been wfh since 16th
Weekend of 21/22 I recall going to M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury to get enough fresh meat, veg, etc for the week because the shelves were bare. It's the week we had venison burgers, duck breasts and duck eggs!

On the Sunday, mothers day, I whizzed to the garden centre to stock up on bug spray, weedkiller, slug pellets, shrub food and tomorite. V pleased garden centres are open.

Been wondering what parents are doing about children's shoes. Mine would usually have had new ones at Easter having worn out or grown out of their September ones.

[JustStayHome]

We was in all day

We had already locked down, as i was watching the news about Spain and Italy
and knew it was coming here.

We went into lockdown the previous Saturday...

Only left the house for drs, hospital and pharmacy

[didmyhousethismornin]

Was in the park with my Ds’s and family

[NorthernChinchilla]

One thing on the BBC website is 'your last normal photo' (paraphrasing slightly) so I checked mine. Took DD to an ice cream parlour as a treat as her elder brother was at his best mate's house. Stocked up on bathbombs from Lush and commented on how quiet town was....

[SpeckledyHen]

I drove 35 miles to the Berkshire church where my parents are buried and attended to their graves as I knew I wouldn’t be going for a while .
It’s in a famous posh town with good charity shops . I bought a beautiful leather bag and 2 huge new zigsaw puzzles 🧩 for £12 , all yet to be used . I mooched down memory lane whilst I was there and drove home feeling very sad an fearful for what was coming .

[Smileyoriley]

Went into our local town. People seemed nervous and I'm noticed they seemed to have their younger staff on the shop floors. Went to the supermarket toilet and noticed the elderly woman in front of me didn't stop to wash her hands. Picked up a few items in the chemist but decided not to join the long queue when a man had a coughing fit. A man in a wheelchair was ranting to a friend that the whole coronavirus thing had been blown out of proportion,it was only flu. My DP remarked I was home early....

[Joan0fSarc]

I distinctly remember being shocked on the Saturday when deaths jumped from 11 to 21

I was getting ready to go out and DH was reading the news on his phone. He made this shocked gasp sound and I asked what was up - he told me the deaths had jumped from 11 to 21. That jump overnight seemed huge. I think by the following Saturday (the actual last Saturday before LD) the deaths were around the 100 mark. I remember when we were told 20k deaths would be a 'good outcome' thinking, that will never happen, we'll not lose so many people, how on earth can we? It seemed impossible.

[CornishTiger]

Got our hair cut as last minute slot as knew I’d still be working!

[NettleTea]

we were already in lockdown. I was unwell anyway, my daughter had gone into college on the Tuesday and picked up all her work so she could finish as she is in the shielding group, and my son had had a panic attack at school and come home. He didnt go back. So the saturday I think was much like the next few weeks was going to be.

[CornishTiger]

On the day of lockdown I did a road trip with my best friend as had a days annual leave. I’m so glad I got to see him and sing and chill and be twenty years younger again. It’s kept us both going. X

[Joan0fSarc]

Went to the supermarket toilet and noticed the elderly woman in front of me didn't stop to wash her hands

The week before, so Saturday 7 March, me and DH went to the theatre. At that point there had been (I think) one death and it still seemed like something that was happening elsewhere (it's crazy the difference a fortnight made). But there was a sense of unease - when someone on our row coughed everyone turned to look at them. And when I went to the toilet everyone was scrubbing their hands, apart from one lady who just zipped out of the toilet when she'd finished. Someone said 'you wouldn't think there was a virus going around would you' and a few people laughed. The next day northern Italy went into lockdown - me and DH watched the news in shock but still, we felt like spectators, and that it could never happen here. It was unthinkable.