Getting out and about

[Gemini]

In the months of lockdown, semi lockdown, easing of restrictions, then new added restrictions, social distancing, masks, and all the rest , getting out isn't easy.
Sometimes it is just easier to stay in.

We do need to get back out there, for many reasons. The government want us back out and spending. I understand that and feel for the many, many businesses which are going under due to Covid. We will all do what feels right for us however. I have an evening meal out booked with two friends next week and it remains to be seen whether or not I will back out closer to the time!

Getting out is good for us. Walks be they short or long are good for our mood and our body.
Getting out to do more 'normal' things again does us good. Theatres may be a long time reopening. There is some talk of some cinemas reopening, but no sign yet where I am.
Many lovely gardens are now open, wildlife parks, and other mainly outdoor attractions. The beach is a free attraction, but you have to be able to locate a quiet one!

To get out safely to some these places is the way forward I think. Everywhere has new restrictions, social distancing, one way systems, contactless payment, hand sanitising stations. Most have pre booked restricted entry systems.

We have been to a couple of gardens, a wet and windy beach, a very safe art exhibition, and plan to go to a wildlife park. GD and I went to the Cat Cafe. Getting out feels good. Not the same, but something of the normal comes back when you get out.

Where have you been, do you plan to go anywhere? Are you just not ready for going anywhere yet?

[Glammanana]

I had made arrangements to meet up with my friend for lunch this afternoon at a little Bistro at the bottom of my Road so no long distance walking for me and we could have sat and eaten on the pavement front,all that has been cancelled due to the horrendous rain and there are no tables available for indoor booking as they are all reserved so we will have to try next week its a new business and we so want to it to do well and support it.

[Oma]

Yesterday going to the Hairdressers was so strange ,I was a bit anxious but felt perfectly safe the measures they had put in place was astounding ,
we thinking of visiting our local garden centre after lunch just ease ourselves out gradually but it’s coming in black so it may rain .

I would like to meet our friends next Sunday for our (in normal times) usual Sunday morning coffee and breakfast but we won’t make any definite arrangements yet see. How we feel

[Nanto2girls]

I've only been going supermarket shopping.
But, this Satruday if its nice weather we are planning on going to Pontefract.

[Oma]

Went to garden centre the actual garden bit was empty but the Cafe was absolutely crammed it was ridiculous , because they have this food offer thing on ,

It was wall to wall pensioners all crowding in together no social distance and very few masks even though there was big signs everywhere .
Member of staff said they tried to make people line up outside but they were getting abuse ,
These are people who because of their age and risk should know better .

we left I didn’t feel safe walking past them to get to the plants

[Daisy]

Oma - those people should be ashamed of themselves - it's not up to the garden centre staff to police them!

My DIL says there are times when she feels very stressed in the shop. At first everybody stood outside until someone came out, then the next one went in, but yesterday the shop was empty and a lady (regular customer) opened the door, realised she'd forgotten her mask and asked DIL if the should go back to the car for it. DIL said it was up to her, so she went in. Which was fine - DIL was behind the screen. But what she needed meant DIL had to come out from behind the counter, so she put her mask on. Then a man came in, no mask, and sat at one of the kiosks and started sorting out his photos. Then a very elderly and rather frail looking couple came in, wearing masks for the gentleman to have his photo done for a disabled badge or something. So of course he had to take his mask off. DIL, through no fault of her own, felt the wheels were coming off by then, even though they were separated by screens.

OH has been to the next village to post parcels (my Hermes, in a convenience shop) and he sometimes gets a paper and any oddments we've run out of while he's there. He's filled both cars up at a small family-owned garage. I'm going on a group dog walk once a week, which by its nature (and the nature of some of the dogs) is amply social distanced, in the middle of nowhere and none of us wear masks for that. We've only been in the gardens when visiting family. But a neighbour has set up a little social group for the ladies in our cul de sac for coffee sometimes. We've decided against meeting in a cafe, and will use our gardens instead. There are 9 of us, but it's unlike everyone will be able to join in.

I suppose we're lucky in living where we do (apart from holiday makers who think there's no problem), and I very rarely shop anyway. I'm not particularly worried about going, but don't see the point unless there's something specific I need.

[WeeGranny]

I just can't understand the mentality of some people. We say it's the young ones who aren't abiding by the rules, but as Oma has seen, the old ones are just as bad.It Puts you off going anywhere though, doesn't it?

[Daisy]

WeeGranny - it does put you off, really. There's nowhere I want to go badly enough to put myself or my OH at risk.

[Oma]

We ventured to Aldi at 1pm I was pleasantly surprised. Everyone was keeping a safe distance and only one person without a mask and she had a sunflower tag on to say she was exempt ,
wasn’t busy at all so felt ok going in , much better than garden centre

[Daisy]

Oma - it's good to hear something working well. I didn't realise the sunflower tag was how you could tell someone was exempt.

[Gemini]

Those tags are a good idea. It must be hard for exempt people who get dirty looks or worse from people.

[Sum1Ls]

We’ve seen both families either in the gardens or a country park, our 87 yr old neighbour for a BBQ when it’s warm enough in our garden and three walking friends again in our garden for tea. Other than that it’s been very long country walks. I reckon we’ve clocked up at least 200 miles since lockdown. It’s been really good to discover places which are fairly close to us and only need a shortish car journey to the start. We really miss stopping at a good country pub at the end though. A bottle of water and a packed lunch just isn’t the same.

[Plantaholic]

I prefer to meet people in gardens rather than restaurants. My GS4 works atm in a cycle shop, a customer refused to wear a mask so my GS said he would not serve him in that case. Of course the shop can afford to stand their ground as they have many customers who will wear a mask. Unlike you Daisy, I do like to do my own shopping and enjoy wandering around J.Lewis. I am missing that.

[Gemini]

I enjoy seeing the photographic evidence of your walks Sum1!

[Daisy]

I enjoy seeing the photographic evidence of your walks Sum1!

So do I, Sum1. You find some amazing places that I bet most people don't know about or pass by without seeing what you see.