A Year In Lockdown. 2021.

[Anna B 1,414]

A year ago we went into the first Lockdown. Today is the first anniversary of this year like no other.

Hopefully we are on the last leg now, and I was wondering what our experiences have been, good and bad, what we have learned, and what we might do differently in the future, personally and nationally.

 

I think we should record our thoughts for posterity. 

 

Personally, I think I am one of the lucky ones. I didn't lose anyone, and had the pleasant company of my partner throughout lockdown. We spent a lot of time in our little garden during the Summer and enjoyed it, but we lost our beloved dog, Ruby, to old age. I found the Winter much harder. I never managed to master zoom or internet shopping, but found the internet a godsend for much of the time, but TV was a big disappointment. I missed friends and family more than I can say, though we keep in touch by phone - but then again not much to report as life is still very quiet and uneventful... 

 

Being retired meant I didn't have the worry about jobs or money, but my heart goes out to those beset by grief, loneliness, debt and worry because of the pandemic. I think I appreciate things much more now, especially the little things, and how much we owe to the ordinary workers who kept things going.

 

I hope we can all learn something from it, and that can translate into everyday life, so I'm feeling quite positive about the future.  

Edited March 23, 2021 by Anna B

[tzijlstra 11]

It's been an insane year, I've lost a member of family, work has been absolutely manic, in particular working from home. 

 

And yet, so many lessons to be learned from this, inadvertently we've made a huge jump towards a sustainable economy if we all accept that working from home is here to stay, no more senseless two hour commutes to 2 hour meetings. An acceptance that flying isn't all that necessary, a realisation that seeing your direct family is important... 

 

Most of all, it has jogged my brain to begin and explore what I find really important in life. I might be able to update on that some time soon. 

[hauxwell 243]

1 hour ago, Anna B said:

A year ago we went into the first Lockdown. Today is the first anniversary of this year like no other.

Hopefully we are on the last leg now, and I was wondering what our experiences have been, good and bad, what we have learned, and what we might do differently in the future, personally and nationally.

 

I think we should record our thoughts for posterity. 

 

Personally, I think I am one of the lucky ones. I didn't lose anyone, and had the pleasant company of my partner throughout lockdown. We spent a lot of time in our little garden during the Summer and enjoyed it, but we lost our beloved dog, Ruby, to old age. I found the Winter much harder. I never managed to master zoom or internet shopping, but found the internet a godsend for much of the time, but TV was a big disappointment. I missed friends and family more than I can say, though we keep in touch by phone - but then again not much to report as life is still very quiet and uneventful... 

 

Being retired meant I didn't have the worry about jobs or money, but my heart goes out to those beset by grief, loneliness, debt and worry because of the pandemic. I think I appreciate things much more now, especially the little things, and how much we owe to the ordinary workers who kept things going.

 

I hope we can all learn something from it, and that can translate into everyday life, so I'm feeling quite positive about the future.  

What a lovely idea Anna.  

[Rollypolly 51]

Anna, you have completely echoed my thoughts. I've also found the winter much harder but I've tried to focus on a (hopefully) brighter future. Other than looking forward to seeing my family and friends I'm also looking forward to getting plants for the garden, catching the bus into town, getting dressed up to go out for a meal etc etc. Nothing major just normal everyday this that we used to take for granted.

[Anna B 1,414]

2 hours ago, Rollypolly said:

Anna, you have completely echoed my thoughts. I've also found the winter much harder but I've tried to focus on a (hopefully) brighter future. Other than looking forward to seeing my family and friends I'm also looking forward to getting plants for the garden, catching the bus into town, getting dressed up to go out for a meal etc etc. Nothing major just normal everyday this that we used to take for granted.

That's been a big thing for me too - realising how much we take for granted, and how much we all miss the normal things.

[whiteowl 54]

Can't see my mate ever forgetting the date of the first lockdown as it was his 50th birthday. I dropped a card off yesterday to congratratulate him on being one of the first to have a second birthday in lockdown.

 

It's been a  tough year for most people and I have to remind myself every time I start to feel a bit down that I'm not badly off. I have a garden, live less than ten minutes walk away from Graves park and have my health to enjoy them. Others are not so fortunate, living in tower blocks, dealing with poor health and even death.

 

One positive coming out of this year for me is that I've reconnected with a lot of old friends, we have a virtual pub night on a Friday and hopefully we'll continue that once things return to normal, minus the virtual bit of course

 

As Captain Sir Tom Moore used to say - "Tomorrow will be a good day".

[Guest]

I think people should reflect more- this has shown how easily the world can turn on its head.

 

It must have brought things into context for so many.

 

 

[Padders 2,863]

I'm sick of living life in the slow lane, the quicker I get back into the fast lane, the better.

I like to get out and annoy as many people as possible, scrounging is my Forte, also boring the pants of people.

I can walk into a room, and empty it in minutes.

End lockdown, take the shackles off, let me loose, the wild side, the rebel inside me, is waiting to be unleashed.

[pattricia 575]

I have not been too bad in lockdown because I have a lovely son who invites me to Sunday dinner every week. His dogs fuss over me when I walk in, so I class myself as being lucky. Remember, there is always someone worse off than you ! My friend who lives on my road, has no children. She nursed her husband through cancer ( he died) , her mother, and aunt, were all looked after by her before dying. Now she has terminal cancer herself and has only got months to live.

Count your blessings, and as I said previously, there is always someone worse off than you.!

[hauxwell 243]

23 minutes ago, pattricia said:

I have not been too bad in lockdown because I have a lovely son who invites me to Sunday dinner every week. His dogs fuss over me when I walk in, so I class myself as being lucky. Remember, there is always someone worse off than you ! My friend who lives on my road, has no children. She nursed her husband through cancer ( he died) , her mother, and aunt, were all looked after by her before dying. Now she has terminal cancer herself and has only got months to live.

Count your blessings, and as I said previously, there is always someone worse off than you.!

After reading your post I’m counting my blessings.  I hope your neighbour has someone to nurse her.

 

 

[mikeG 16]

After the last year, I feel grateful to be old and retired.  Our family are doing ok but Covid took one of our friends who was just 48. The place where I used to work is closing down putting 2100 jobs at risk. If I were 30 years younger and still working there with mortgage and family,  I would be very worried to put it mildly. The pandemic has changed our way of life, not necessarily for the better. I shopped in a nearby town today and was saddened by the number of shops and businesses shut down. Shops, cafes, a betting shop and  3 charity shops to name but four.

[Anna B 1,414]

2 hours ago, mikeG said:

After the last year, I feel grateful to be old and retired.  Our family are doing ok but Covid took one of our friends who was just 48. The place where I used to work is closing down putting 2100 jobs at risk. If I were 30 years younger and still working there with mortgage and family,  I would be very worried to put it mildly. The pandemic has changed our way of life, not necessarily for the better. I shopped in a nearby town today and was saddened by the number of shops and businesses shut down. Shops, cafes, a betting shop and  3 charity shops to name but four.

I know what you mean. I feel Britain (maybe the world) has undergone a major shift, accelerated by the pandemic.  Things that have been around for centuries are now  disappearing, and changes, both good and bad, are rapidly coming about, that I never thought I'd see in my lifetime.

 

Who'd have thought that physical money would be replaced by online transactions and debit cards, leaving physical money itself at risk, that online shopping would see the demise of the high street and quite possibly whole city/town centres, bringing such unemployment. That working from home would be possible in such large numbers, and continue as a preferred method of work for many. That home is where the heart is and everyone is entitled to, but doesn't have, a decent one. That it's possible to join online groups by zooming, which in future could be a boon for the housebound, bit isn't the same, and that we can 'see the doctor' on computers and smart phones.  -That the future us digital - so get used to it. 

 

I'd like to think that these, and other changes, are thought through very carefully, before we see the laws of unexpected consequences come into play.

 

On the positive side, we've also seen what can be achieved when we have a common purpose and all work together. We've seen great acts of kindness, sacrifice and selflessness. We've learned how to communicate with each other in difficult circumstances, and we've realised we're really very social animals, and just how much we need each other. 

   

Edited March 25, 2021 by Anna B