What will we look back on from the COVID crisis: Positive, Amusing, Frustrating

[rmurphy195]

Switching off for a moment from the awful things that are going on, and which assail us via the media in every waking moment (or so it seems).

For me so far

THE POSITIVE

Video calls of our 3 and 4 year old grandchildren baking cakes, organising easter egg hunts, and showing us what they've learnt that day

Calls "from" our 2 month old granddaughter talking (aka gurgling!) and being cuddled by her elder brother

People politely walking - and cycling - around and away from each other

Texts and emails from friends and relatives "yes, we're OK thanks"

Seeing an Asian lady in full traditional dress, looking out of place in a predominantly white middle class district, happily delivering prescriptions to elderly people.

Keeping our hands warm on Thursday evenings, along with the other residents of the street.

Neighbours giving us home-grown (laid?) eggs and rhubarb, and us being able to pick up the odd bits of stuff for them while we are shopping.

THE AMUSING

Going to our local garden centre's "pop-up" vegetable store and being asked what size protective gloves we need! (Won't let you in unless you are wearing them)

Chatting to people from the opposite sides of the road, or from opposite sides of our gardens (tricky when one of our neighbours is hard of hearing!)

Realising the sudden sneezing fit is due to seasonal hay fever rather than anything more serious - and having to take antihistamines before going to the shops!

Running out of minor DIY or gardening consumables and not being able to pop out and get more - such as ant powder, and the last drill bit of a particular size that I've just broke.

THE FRUSTRATING

Putting my name down among 750,000 others on the volunteer list, then having my wife pointing out my age and health issue so having to remove my "I'm available" times. Thus having to put myself with the majority of people who are striving not to add to the problem, instead of positively being part of the solution.

Carefully planning shopping to minimise visits into shops, and finding there's still items that are being stripped from the shelves. Yes I know I could pop to another supermarket to try and get what I need, but that's defeating the object isn't it. (A couple of bags of bread flour for example can save me and extra shop visit or three over a few weeks, apart from it tasting much better when I make it!).

Not being able to take our occasional (sort of weekly) trip to places further away for walks. At least we are saving on fuel!

Not being able to visit our children and grandchildren, and help them out when they need it most

[pwa]

The negative stuff we all know about. But of the positives, these come to mind:

Quiet roads for rides in my area. I hate the C19 situation, but the quiet roads are lovely.

I like the fact that normal life is suspended and we all have a chance to step back and take stock of what really matters to us. Maybe something good will come from that, or maybe not.

I like that the NHS and care workers are being valued, and given the prominence they should always get but rarely do.

[peetee]

Re your first point. Do what I do. Disconnect from media and just listen to the midday news.

Anyhow, back to the subject of the post. Shopping is fairly relaxed here and anything missing one day is usually there the next visit so overall it’s quite a nice, speedy process.
I have to take my son to work as he doesn’t drive and it’s nice to be able to take advantage of the empty roads and drive as frugally as possible without winding up other motorists. Currently averaging 60mpg.
And it goes without saying that empty roads are a blessing for cyclists and with the lack of background noise it’s amazing how far nature’s sounds travel and the sheer depth of birdsong.
I am currently rather concerned about the lack of compost and hoping that the supermarket will have some bagged up outside. Otherwise my garden will be bare but for a load of withered seedlings in trays.

[llayercake]

Positive

Definitely the family video calls.

Having to be disciplined in order to avoid just laying about all day. Achieving 30 to 60 minutes daily exercise without leaving the flat has forced an element of creativity.

I've started reading 'Moby Dick' for the first time.

I really, really appreciate the time I spent cycling in the mountains prior to the lockdown and realise just how much I took for granted before.

Amusing

Mainly the differences in sense of humour demonstrated by the various videos and jokes that I've received.

The amount of people that have forwarded chain letter advice nonsense. It's been surprising how many people forward such stuff, presumably, without reading it first.

Being made to don transparent plastic bags on top of my rubber gloves at the entrance to the supermarket because they have run out of disposable gloves.

Frustrating

Not having the forward vision to have bought a turbo trainer or punch ball before the lockdown.

Watching the online prices of turbo trainers and punch balls sky rocket. Slightly tempered by the accompanying announcements that they are all out of stock anyway.

Trying to open a plastic bag in the supermarket fruit section whilst wearing latex gloves coated with 'dry' handwash covered by a plastic bag.

[Mick F]

Some positive things.

People walking, cycling, dog-walking, smiling, greeting. Very enjoyable!
Roads round here as quiet as they were 30odd years ago when we moved here.
The weather has been wonderful. Just imagine if this situation was in Dec/Jan/Feb! We should thank our lucky stars that the weather is wonderful.

[Cyril Haearn]

Maybe cold weather would have killed the virii

[Oldjohnw]

Since it's in virtually every country in the world save N Korea (oh yeah) and a couple of South Sea Islands, it appears that neither hot nor cold weather kills it. We will know eventually. Possibly.

[francovendee]

The ability to get some long overdue DIY done.

Catching up with friends and family.

Hearing from friends how worried they are for us here in France with the numbers dying from C19.
I am getting tired of informing them we're safe and the numbers reported are all deaths, not just hospital deaths ,and at present we've had around 3000 fewer than the the UK so don't worry about us.

Frustrated not being allowed to cycle.

[Ben@Forest]

I am getting tired of informing them we're safe and the numbers reported are all deaths, not just hospital deaths ,and at present we've had around 3000 fewer than the the UK so don't worry about us.

I'm not sure that 3,000 one way or the other is statistically significant in countries with populations of 66 million.

Age and underlying health conditions are more likely to be factors and we have heard nothing of those who've died from 'normal' flu. On average 17, 000 people a year die from flu in UK, if the current Covid tests are as unreliable as has been reported how sure can we be that someone has died from Covid or another flu strain?

[reohn2]

I can't look back on anything I'm still in the middle of.

That said though the restrictions are being felt,particularly by Mrs R2 who can't walk very far and enjoyed a ride out in the car to have lunch and a walk around a garden centre a couple of times a week.
We're missing our family.

On the plus side I'm getting out on the bike more and did a 150 mile week last week

[francovendee]

I am getting tired of informing them we're safe and the numbers reported are all deaths, not just hospital deaths ,and at present we've had around 3000 fewer than the the UK so don't worry about us.

I'm not sure that 3,000 one way or the other is statistically significant in countries with populations of 66 million.

Age and underlying health conditions are more likely to be factors and we have heard nothing of those who've died from 'normal' flu. On average 17, 000 people a year die from flu in UK, if the current Covid tests are as unreliable as has been reported how sure can we be that someone has died from Covid or another flu strain?

I think it may be significant to the families of one of the 3000.
None of the figures on deaths are 'significant' in populations of 66 million if you follow this through

[reohn2]

I am getting tired of informing them we're safe and the numbers reported are all deaths, not just hospital deaths ,and at present we've had around 3000 fewer than the the UK so don't worry about us.

I'm not sure that 3,000 one way or the other is statistically significant in countries with populations of 66 million.

Age and underlying health conditions are more likely to be factors and we have heard nothing of those who've died from 'normal' flu. On average 17, 000 people a year die from flu in UK, if the current Covid tests are as unreliable as has been reported how sure can we be that someone has died from Covid or another flu strain?

I think it may be significant to the families of one of the 3000.
None of the figures on deaths are 'significant' in populations of 66 million if you follow this through

Quite!
Statistics never tell the human story

[rmurphy195]

On my ride this morning spotted my daughter cycling in the opposite direction! Haven't seen her for weeks, hubby (a key worker doing shifts) looking after children while she gets out for an hour. Magic! One for the "positive" section to look back on.

[kgw2511]

Naturally my rowing club is closed during the crisis, so with nothing else to do on early Sunday mornings I dug out my 1986 Orbit 531C and am absolutely loving riding again.

Does anyone want to buy a boat ?

[mercalia]

Clapham Commons answer to "only come here for exercise"

all the seats have been taped off. Petty?