What feels 'normal' to you now that 18 months ago would've seemed unthinkable?

[GoldFrankensteinAndGrrr]

Life feels very much back to normal in many ways now, but I was just thinking about the little (and some not so little) things which, if you could go back two years and tell yourself about, would've seemed unthinkable. Stuff we all now take for granted almost.

Mine would be

Buses with their destination and 'via vaccination centre' and a picture of a syringe/cartoon virus on their LED displays

The idea that if you test positive for an illness you have to stay at home for ten days, you'll be checked on to make sure you are and if you don't you'll be fined (all with good reason of course)

The way that lockdowns/when the next one might be or if there'll be one at all/memories of the first three are discussed - pre pandemic I'd only heard of lockdowns in relation to American school shootings/terror attacks/on disaster films. When I heard that northern Italy went into lockdown my stomach fell through the floor it felt so unreal. Now it's just something else we all talk about

Masks. The first time I saw someone wearing one in Sainsbury's in March last year it was so jarring

What are yours?

That shoving a cotton bud up my nose would be normal before I went out somewhere/met up with someone.

@InTheNightWeWillWish

That shoving a cotton bud up my nose would be normal before I went out somewhere/met up with someone.

And squinting at/stressing about possible test lines would become a twice weekly occurrence!

Working out whether you can risk going on holiday in case you need an extra two weeks on the end.

Leaving the booking of said holiday to the last minute to minimise the risk of it being longer than planned...

Getting ready to quickly run to the shop: Keys, purse, phone and MASK. Seems weird to think that I used to go out of the house without one shoved in a pocket!

I think coughing for me.

I can't ever imagine or remember being bothered by a cough before. Years of people just coughing all over the place.

Now I hear a cough and I almost freeze, particularly when it comes from one of my small children.

I went to an event at the weekend and laughed at myself when I realised in previous years I’d always cursed myself for forgetting to bring hand sanitiser for after the portaloos - as if I’d ever forget hand sanitiser nowadays!

Apart from that; I have a team under me now where I’ve only met 2 of them in person once, and haven’t met another one at all. That’s have been a completely inaffective way to manage a team previously, but now it’s the norm and we’ve managed to come up with some pretty creative workarounds to build team camaraderie - though I’m definitely counting down till we’re allowed in the office more often!

Being told by the Secretary of State for Education that parents are responsible for whether a public health issue gets worse

Hand sanitiser in my car, and using it every time I get back in the car. Social distancing when queuing.

Living in the office. ie my living room feels like an office as I work from home. It’s got it’s upside though so I’m not totally complaining! A bigger house with study would be nice!

Feeling like a leper when I’ve got a cold, I’m a bit snotty at the minute (not covid!) and I popped to the shops today and stopped for a coffee and I had to blow my nose and the looks I got, I get it I’d probably feel the same way but it’s weird!

Being in the house ALL fucking day without hearing "I'm bored" a million times.
It used to only happen if me or one of the kids was ill, now they're used to it

Restricting activities for few weeks before a major event to avoid missing it through isolating.

Staying in so much.

WFH, school holidays even weekends.

We didn't go out every weekend previously but when we were home it often felt like we needed the break.

Now a combination of things closing, kids being older both not always wanting to come out with us and making their own plans more and more and having fewer extended family visits all mean been in much more at weekends - starting to seem very normal and we struggle to think of things we could do.

@TheRebelle

Feeling like a leper when I’ve got a cold, I’m a bit snotty at the minute (not covid!) and I popped to the shops today and stopped for a coffee and I had to blow my nose and the looks I got, I get it I’d probably feel the same way but it’s weird!

I've had terrible hay fever this year (worse than it's been for years, naturally 🙄) and every time I've sneezed/wiped my nose in public I've felt so self conscious. I sneezed on a full bus a few weeks ago, it was awful, so embarrassing.

Home schooling!

Having to say ‘it’s not Covid’ every time we or one of the DC has a cold or a cough.

Regularly shoving a swab up my nose.

Another one - releasing that the cocktails I make at home are just as good as the ones I pay a tenner for in a bar, plus the music is better and there's less distance to stagger to bed

I missed gigs and theatres and cinemas but there are some aspects of socialising that I've realised I can do without. But also some I really can't!

None of it feels normal to me - I still find all the restrictions and so on really strange and jarring.

Oh and another thing is we can’t just go anywhere, we used to wake up at the weekend and see how we felt or what the weather was like before saying shall we go to the zoo/soft play/out for lunch but now everywhere has to be booked in advance and numbers restricted so we just don’t bother as much.

I think the reverse bothers me. I used to luck there end of my finger before opening a plastic bag in the veg aisle (shudder)

Masks, working from home 3 days a week being completely normal, and retirement.

For me, lockdown one was like a dry-run for retirement. I hated the thought of it beforehand. Now I look forward to it.

I used to go into work ill. Wearing a mask inside public places.

Now it's deliberate infection of kids, although still haven't got head round that one.

I agree that the lack of spontaneity is is crap.
But then I don't to want to book anything too far in advance either, as who know what restrictions will change, and I don't want too much money sunk on tickets for things that get postponed seemingly neverendingly. It's like COVID has created this strict 2-4 week planning window.

Wearing a mask to see my psychotherapist. I can't even imagine what they would have said back in 2019 if I had turned up wearing a mask every week and worn it throughout the session.

1. masks
2. working at home being 'normal', and having your own workspace in your home is practically essential
3. having to book a slot to go to a museum

I have confirmation that I was right in sending DS to school rather than homeschooling, I am not designed for doing that.

I think the spontaneity is what I miss, DS normally goes to summer club once a week, just to give us a bit of a break from each other, I didn't book it in this year for financial reasons and also because I didn't know whether the restrictions would change, or if the whole place would shut down due to covid (live near a large hospital so lots of people in this area work there, so I felt like there was a higher chance)

Normally try to get to London or the beach but I couldn't face the train travel with a mask on for that distance, so its been a very local summer term. I was starting to make plans for the half term but I have put a hold on that as well, till our term time begins and I will see what happens.