Good News Part 10 - the picnic blanket of hope and good company

[InterfectoremVulpes]

Welcome to the new thread! I will copy over links from the previous thread soon.

Please note, this is a thread to share good news and for wobblers to be reassured. Doomploppers will be met with scorn and derision!

@Reachersloveinterest

No riding lessons till end of March?

They have been going on about outside activities being low risk today. So maybe sooner. Unless you use an indoor arena.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/21/johnsons-route-out-of-covid-lockdown-loved-ones-and-schools-first?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Ooo well I’ve gotten one of my wishes there - outdoor sport at the end of March! That keeps me (hockey), dp and ds (football) happy - just dd left with no gymnastics or swimming. But she’s been doing zooms 3 times a week and has actually been progressing faster so she’ll survive.

Four step lockdown plan? Is it just me thinking BoJo is going to go all NKOTB on the podium tomorrow?

step 1, we can have lots of fun, step 2, there's so much we can do, step 3 - it not just you and me, step 4, I can give you more - huh

Don't you know the time has arrrriiiiived.

Sorry, just think it was a rush to the head with the thought of all the kids going to school.

🙈Nobody wants to see that 😂😂😂

Do we reckon restrictions on how far you travel to meet someone for a walk will be lifted?

It looks like we've lost Easter bookings for the 2nd year. I kind of knew it was inevitable but disappointing nonetheless. Just hope furlough is extended again until we do get a date that we can open otherwise it's curtains.

@sometimesamazinggrace 29th march for the stay local to be dropped apparently

Personally I'm gutted about it being another 5 weeks for the outdoor rule of 6 or 2 household and the local thing, but that's my personal circumstances

5 weeks from now that is, its 3 weeks after schools

Thanks Orange. Yeah, I'd hoped that would happen sooner! I'm glad DS will be back at school but, entirely selfishly, there's a friend I really really want to see in person, and five weeks feels like a long time.

[quote OrangeBananaFish]@sometimesamazinggrace 29th march for the stay local to be dropped apparently

Personally I'm gutted about it being another 5 weeks for the outdoor rule of 6 or 2 household and the local thing, but that's my personal circumstances[/quote]
It will have a big impact on me too, having to wait. I think it's a shame because a lot of people need that lifeline and the virus clearly doesn't really spread outdoors. So many are struggling so badly.

I'm still glad to be moving towards being able to do that, even if it is a while off. It just helps having a date to aim towards I think. It will come around soon enough

@Emlemily that sounds a really hard situation to be in. I really hope furlough is extended and it works out.

Schools is a game changer for me. I do wonder when two households indoors will be ok. I’d love to see my parents and they are too far for a quick outside visit.

Must avoid other threads, feel thoroughly fed up now.

They are all out tonight. Not happy or blissfully happy. Boris is going to upset people one way or another tomorrow.

Really pleased about schools but it's a shame it's still over a month for rule of 6 or 2 households outdoors.

Judging by last summer they change the rules just at the point people are starting to break them. Then it stops the police having an impossible job trying to make to many people behave.

We went out this afternoon to a nearby village by a river as the weather was lovely. There were lots of people sitting on benches by the river, with some enjoying food or drink from the takeaway stand. It made a nice change to see it tbh. Then a PCSO arrived (dressed like Robocop for some reason!) and was stood looking around at people. We wondered if he was going to move the bench sitters on, but it turns out he was just waiting for the loo! Then he left again. I wonder if he knew he was too outnumbered to have any effect or if he just wasn't that bothered about some people sat on benches.

So desperate to see my aged parents again. Don't mind if it's masked up, socially distanced, and outdoors. I've still got my Christmas presents for them . I haven't seen my dad since his heart attack in September.

But that's me being selfish.

Cause that isn't you being selfish.
Bless that must be really hard for you❤
Hopefully tomorrow you will get some kind of idea when it is likely.

Amusing

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-56085529

I’m hoping that no other dates have been given because they can be moved forwards if we’re doing well enough. Next logical set of dates would be 19th April, 3 weeks later.

Ok so schools going back is good but the faux change to meeting one other person is disappointing. There’s only one person local to me that I would meet alone - the rest are DD’s school friends so that automatically breaks the rule of 2. And all our other friends and family are either in the nearest city or at least an hour’s drive. Pandemic weeks do seem to pass quickly though so it’ll be the end of March in no time.

At least we see people in the playground, which has basically turned into the social hub of the town. (Parents all stand a sensible distance, small children have a riot, as they should).

I'm pretty sure it's all provisional. They had talked about having a fortnightly assessment of stepping back plans based on the figures they have to hand at the time. I hope they stick to that, we could find we have a lot more wiggle room.

Just copied this from another thread

The Times

March 8:
Schools
Kids outdoor sport
Golf + Tennis

Early April:
🛍Non-essential retail
Outdoor pubs + restaurants

Mid April:
Gyms

May:
Cinemas + Theatre
Indoor pubs + restaurants

August:
Foreign holidays
Clubs

Really pleased about schools. Tg. Gosh the amount of people who said it wouldn’t happen on here.

Indoor restaurants seems a while away, it’s going to be hard to get a place outside in some but better than nothing

Really pleased about tennis

Seems very cautious but good priority for schools and exercise at least