This time last year

[dudsville]

This time last year I was still in denial. I simply couldn't understand what was coming. I thought people were overreacting with talk of the possibility of a "lock down". I honestly thought my colleagues were being ott with the handwashing and antibacterial stuff. I thought there was no way I wouldn't get to make the trip we had planned at the end of March.

By the beginning of March, I was still in denial but things were starting to close down, traffic eased, streets were quieter. Mid March I got sent home from work because of a Corona scare re someone I had spent the weekend with. I didn't know what to do. Had to get food so I picked up potatoes, a chicken, a bottle of wine and cigarettes (I gave up smoking when I ran out!). I got home and freaked out. Then the 1st lockdown started a week later. We'd been quarentining so had to learn how to get food. I read dystopian novels and watched the films. Lost the plot a little, remained baffled and confused for months. Several friends have lost parents to covid. When my mum contracted it we sat quietly for a couple of weeks, waiting, she sailed through it!

I haven't been back to work since buying that chicken. I'm scheduled to return soon. Today's news is such a relief. Hard to imagine now how clueless I was about it all just a year ago.

I just wanted to write that out.

I’m not quite ready to do a de-brief but I have been thinking about a post like this.

When we get to June, fingers crossed all going well.

Today I’m musing on the lovely weather and blossom and daffodils and very much looking forward.

I remember going out for dds birthday Earley March and then having a tea party. Then a week later lockdown.
I remember me telling dh we'd prob end up in lockdown. And dh saying don't be so daft. Let it take its course.! He changed his mind a few days later.

Last year on the 22nd I went to an event with thousands of people. I now can't imagine why it went ahead. Most of the people who attended were children but there would have been plenty aged in their 60s. We were advised to bring hand sanitiser and that was the only extra precaution.

This time last year my hubby was trying to convince me how bad this was going get, we'd been following it from the beginning in China. He said we need to get some extra shopping in just on case there are issues with supply. I reluctantly agreed even thought I thought he was been a bit extreme. So glad we did now with all the panic buying that was to come. Never knew how important those toilet rolls would be🤣

I spent the first weekend of March last year visiting London, sightseeing, in crowded museums and attractions. Travelled halfway across the country on the train, packed on the tube. Other than a bottle of hand sanitizer on the train, we ignored it. I remember laughing about the odd few people in masks on the streets!

This time last year I was pregnant, due at the end of March. I was vaguely aware of what was going on in China but I didn't want to scare myself so didn't keep too close an eye on the news (I had been terrified about Bird flu/Swine flu at those times).

The first time I properly worried was the week before I broke up from work. I work in financial services and as the stock markets plummeted I can remember thinking how bad it must be (and secretly wished I'd broke up the week before!)

I broke up on 13th March and we went out for a meal to celebrate with some friends, and although there was talk of shops starting to be cleared of toilet roll it still felt really surreal at that stage. After our meal about midnight we decided to nip to Tesco to pick up some toilet roll and handwash and they were completely cleared out - we managed to get some the next day from Home Bargains but my DH said the queues were huge.

The following Monday didn't seem too abnormal (one week pre-lockdown) - I remember having to go to the baby shop to get a new part to our cot - my DM and DF came with me (they are CEV and have been shielding). By the Wednesday my DH was working from home and I was in full panic about if one of us got symptoms what would that mean for me giving birth, as a FTM I was a wreck.

Saturday night I went into labour and went to the hospital Sunday at 10am (Mother's day) - the hospital was eerily quiet. We didn't see a single soul on the way to the maternity wards. My DD was born that afternoon, my DH wasn't allowed to visit on the ward but thankfully we only stayed for one night, we made our way home on 23rd March about 5pm - just in time for Boris's announcement about lockdown at 8pm.

Seems so weird thinking back on that time now!

This time last yr I was telling teen work colleagues I thought it was going to be like swine flu.All stirred up in the media.The week of 16 March I remember Boris doing a press conference as I was on holiday and Started a journal.
It has been a real yr of expecting the unexpected. One minute working over 50 hr weeks next no work at all.Luckily I have had no MH issues well not as a result of lockdown anyway.

I didn't really understand what it meant this time last year. It wasn't really that bad in Italy and we'd seen what happened in China but China is so far away in my mind.

I remember some school kids went to ski trip in half term and then I took them to a swim gala.

A week later (early March I had a sinus infection and slight cough a few days later) at this point you still didn't isolate with those symptoms unless been to China.

A week after that lost smell in the Friday then that night Boris shut all swimming etc (but loss of smell wasn't a symptom then)

Took my car for MOT following day () and that night got a raging temp. That was a symptom to isolate. Next 3 days I laid in bed struggling to breathe and the day I felt better they announced loss of taste and smell as symptom.

Realistically I was 10-12 days in by then.

I then spent next 4-6 weeks trying to gain some cognitive function and stay awake!

It all seemed to happen so quickly - handful of cases to masses and hospitalisation a in the thousands and alongside that deaths.

I've been told most likely I got it from a kid who'd been to ski trip. And I always worry who I infected because I wasn't supposed to isolate and so didn't.

I will add I did isolate for 7 days from temp!

I went to see my ds in uni during half term and I remember being nervous in the pub as the news from Italy was looking bleak.

When I went back to school I was washing my hands so much that they gt really sore. A colleague had a very heavy cold/ bad chest and I was trying to avoid contact with her. She thought it was funny and kept stepping forward towards me every time I stepped back. On one occasion she had me pinned in against a wall and I had to ask her to step back. She was far too poorly to be in school, and I do still think now that she was taking a risk with everyone else's health. Her DH worked in a front facing medical role and she should have known better.

I was due to go on a cruise at Easter and by this time last year I knew that was not going to happen, though I was hopefully for my two weeks in Spain in August. Had I know then that not only would I not be going abroad in 2020, but that it would also not be happening in 2021 I think I would have had a breakdown.

I remember the day in work when the newsflash came on the BBC news that Ireland was shutting the schools. I had a quiet word with my lovely TA and said we would be following suit. If I'd have only known it that was my last ever day with a full class in front of me. I left teaching in July.

I was getting a bit stressy about an upcoming trip mid March flying to visit elderly relatives in Scotland followed by a few days sightseeing. Couldn't really confide in DH all that much because he was a total sceptic at that stage. We made the trip and it was really horrible and eerie going through a half dead airport. Once we had seen the relatives I lost the plot and insisted we change the flights and come home early. I was worried planes would all be grounded and we'd be stuck there.

Went to the supermarket as soon as we got home and was very shocked by the empty shelves.

My brother lives in China, and this time last year I remember feeling distinctly sorry for him as to what was happening there. I had sod all idea what was coming!

I was living my life as usual and rolling my eyes at my employer for being worried. I assumed it was going to be like swine flu.

I slightly worried when Boris said pregnant women were vulnerable. Then the big shock came after work, dh picked me up from work to do the weekly shop. Seeing those empty shelves was very scary.

Then a man at the bread aisle calmed me down. By shouting fuck sake. He then turned to me and said I wouldn’t mind it, if the people who were panic buying would actually eat the bread instead of letting it all get stale and binning it.

I realised then it was only few people going crazy and most people were fine.

I was still very Naive to it all back in Feb. China seemed too far away to have any real impact here. Although I do remember a family near me were stuck coming back from their half term skiing trip, but again this was still something that was happening elsewhere.

Later on I remember getting annoyed with a woman on the next checkout to me spending over £350 and joking with the cashier and her daughter (who looked about 14/15) that they are now ready to hide for 6 weeks until this blows over.

I remember another trip to the supermarket and there were lots of empty shelves. So much that a young couple took a picture.

Mid March we did our usual monthly weekend stay at my parents. Things started to get cancelled or postponed. I remember seeing reports about the London Marathon being postponed and thinking that things were moving pretty fast. I did my last parkrun the Sat morning and was really happy with my time. My parents were still planning to go to Portugal later that week (this was cancelled).

I remember being happy at the excuse to work from home and remember thinking I must do lots and lots of work so it can be an option later on. I remember hoping that WFH would last until May/June 2020.

I didn't take it seriously at all this time last year and it had barely even registered with me. I was planning on going to Cheltenham until it was pulled the day before (the company's I work for sponsors a main race) and they were ridiculed in the industry press for being over cautious! I remember being really fed up I couldn't go!

I didn't think it would be as bad in UK as elsewhere. Didn't think restrictions other than cancelling major events were needed. I did wonder about the decision to go ahead with Cheltenham...

We were meant to attend a wedding on 14 March but we cancelled the day before because DH had a cough and we didn't want to make anyone feel awkward (never crossed our minds that DH might have covid. I don't think it was but obviously will never know).

I bought new curling tongs to do my hair for the wedding. They're still in the box! I've never used them.

When schools closed, a friend messaged me saying they won't go back until September. I truly thought she was nuts. The concept that schools would be closed until September was so alien and unbelievable. Unthinkable.

This time last year I was planning a 4 week business trip around the US including 2 conferences and a lot of face to face meetings, plus time with my Fiance at his parents house in between.

When I left UK on 7th March (stocked with hand sanitizer my mum had bought this time last year, getting I thought overly worried, UK had 180 cases and US had 7.

Basically got stuck there for 4 months, then voluntarily 'stuck as I couldn't get back to the US after with Trumps travel bans,

3 5 weeks into the UK I've done home quarantine already, and honestly don't know how everyone has put up with such draconian restrictions for so long!

This time last year, I was being a bit of a tit on a prepping thread (9.11am on 29 February if you're interested). Sorry, preppers.

I remember removing my nail varnish and my rings with stones last February half term to make sure I could wash my hands thoroughly. They haven't made a return appearance yet.

Remember stopping at the supermarket half way home from visiting DM in hospital on Monday March 16th too. While I was driving, Boris came on the radio and spoke about staying home for 2 weeks if you had any symptoms. I stopped at the nearest town to find a supermarket and even then, there was no bread, and little pasta or rice. Fortunately I managed to get meat & veg. It was so bizarre seeing all the empty shelves.

This time last year we were prepped and ready to lockdown which we finally did on March 13th

I’m a horizon scanner and saw it coming and realised it was going to be bad

We’re a small family with no support I’m CEV. both teens are CV and DH is my carer when he’s not helping to keep international haulage moving

I knew we would be in trouble as we are coeliacs with a few food allergies thrown in for good measure. After shut down it took a month to get prioritised for supermarket deliveries but 10 weeks before I could get any gluten free bread

Prepping really did save us

It’s been a tough year, both teens and DH. have ASD , adhd and anxiety so I had to ensure they felt safe and knew we would cope

Ironically DD attends an internet school so was quite amused when DS and DH started working from home

We had a bad patch before Christmas when impending Brexit drove DH to suicidal ideation as if we didn’t have enough to cope with. Fortunately I realised where he was and got him help and he’s making good progress now

We’re finally seeing the future arriving, I was vaccinated last week and DH has his tomorrow

On the 13th March we’re holding a party to celebrate surviving the year, they don’t know but they’ve all got presents to enjoy going outside in and with to give them something positive to focus on and time to reflect on how strong we are as a family

This time last year I'd already bought masks and stocked up. Our useless government seemed to have it's head in the sand.

We're pretty much where I thought we'd be now.

This time last year I thought it would all blow over pretty quick, be a bit like swine flu.
Me and dh went to Edinburgh for the weekend on 6th March and it was pretty much business as normal apart from the odd tourist wearing a mask, then when we came to get our train home loads had been cancelled due to staff shortages. Took three times as long to get home. Went into work the next day and felt like it had got a bit more serious. By midweek everyone was talking about furlough and closing places, I begged my boss to not make me stay home because I'd be bored. By that Friday 18th march) she told me I wasn't to come in till further notice (asthma), I picked my dc up from school and all the year sides were crying and saying goodbye. I still thought they'd be back in by june. How naive was i!

This time last year I went to see The Script live in concert and I remember thinking, all these people here, thank goodness we don't have any worries about Covid in England.....