What we can or cannot now do

[matticus]

Now all my spring/summer plans are in tatters, I'm considering mini bike tour, minimal food shops, no pub/caff stops (but I quite fancy somewhere with a roof and a real toilet in early-season UK):
What do we think about hotels? You can very often get in/out with no human interaction - and it's upto the owners/staff if they want the contact. Tricky ...

 

[Globalti]

Surely the fewer people are there, the lower the chance of passing on an infection?

 

[Blue Hills]

Many events (well actually all) I was down to go to in London have been cancelled.

Every day I get mails from venues - at first said something like closing at end of week, then tomorrow, then at the end of the same day.

Yesterday I got one that said they had shut the day before.

Just had a mail saying Tate Britain and Modern in London plus their other places are shut.

In short all there is to do that isn't inside your own house** is I think to go solo cycling.

For that pleasure at least I suppose all us lot on here should be grateful that we have that safety valve.

** Can watch the telly of course - cycling link - Talking Pictures tonight showing The Owl and the Pussycat - remember seeing it on telly in my distant youth - hope it holds up - remember a very funny scene where streisand confesses to having appeared in something called

Cycle Sluts.

with group rides off have to content yourself with that.

 

[slowmotion]

No television, no landline, patchy mobile coverage, it’s wonderful.
I’m looking forward to long walks, watching the wildlife and seeing hardly another human being.

Have you got an open fire?

 

[Archie_tect]

Have you got an open fire?

If only I had chestnuts....

 

[ColinJ]

No brass band rehearsals or concerts for the foreseeable future. What the hell am I going to do with my evenings? I might actually have to practice!

I'm thinking that spending even more time indoors for a few months would be a good opportunity for me finally to make some progress on the guitar!

 

[Globalti]

I expect there will be a baby boom in about nine months.

"I name this child Corona Shagathon Smithers...."

 

[Blue Hills]

I expect there will be a baby boom in about nine months.

and maybe divorces.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Have you got an open fire?

Yes. Keeps us roastie toastie.

 

[Globalti]

We've had the Millenials... now for the Coronials!

 

[Lullabelle]

Theatre is closed so Saturday is cancelled

 

[Drago]

Mrs D been told to work from home aw she's considered high risk.

This is a disturbing development. Retirement won't be half so enjoyable if the world is clogged up with workies 7 days a week.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Theatre is closed so Saturday is cancelled

We are going to a six day week to fight the virus? I was hoping to do something on Sat.

 

[Wobblers]

A thread for specific social events or activities you had planned but are now reconsidering after the latest virus advice.

I meet my elderly mother for lunch a few times a year, which involves a long car journey for me, and a shorter one for her and my older brother who drives her.

Mother is certainly in trap one for 'at risk', but she enjoys our occasional engagements.

We had one planned for next month, which would have gone ahead because we regard the risk/benefit equation as acceptable.

But there has now been official interference.

My view is my journey can hardly be considered essential, although every lunch could be the last one.

The lunches are beneficial to mother's health in terms of getting her out of the house, although she could - and does - lunch locally.

Just bashing on is an option, but none of us are keen on the idea of ignoring the restrictions to suit.

Should our planned lunch go ahead?

Is there something you had planned which has now turned into a matter of conscience?

The trip would be beneficial for you, your mum's and your brother's wellbeing - that sounds pretty essential to me. The proposed restrictions are (at the moment, at least) to reduce contact rather than stop it entirely. I think you'd be perfectly justified in your trip. If the weather's nice, would finding a nice quiet spot in a park somewhere for a picnic and natter be a workable idea? The chances are that cafes and restaurants will be closed by next month.

 

[Pale Rider]

The trip would be beneficial for you, your mum's and your brother's wellbeing - that sounds pretty essential to me. The proposed restrictions are (at the moment, at least) to reduce contact rather than stop it entirely. I think you'd be perfectly justified in your trip. If the weather's nice, would finding a nice quiet spot in a park somewhere for a picnic and natter be a workable idea? The chances are that cafes and restaurants will be closed by next month.

This seems to me a well thought out solution which I will suggest the other parties involved adopt.

I've not spoken to them yet so have no idea of their view on the restrictions, but I'm sure they will both want to do the right socially responsible thing.

We usually meet at one of those pub/restaurant chains attached to a Premier Inn.

Hopefully it will still be open in some capacity.

As you say, it wouldn't matter if food wasn't available, but access to some shelter would be good as my mother will not want to sit out.

Worse way we could sit in one car for a short while and eat a snack.

Another thought is a motorway service station, as we meet not far off the M1.

The toilets and somewhere to sit should still be available even if the corona restrictions are biting harder by then.