Tuesday, 5 May 2020

LIFE IN LOCK DOWN - STAYING IN

OK so we're in lock down. We've been in lock down for more than 6 weeks. We're only allowed to go out for our daily exercise or food shopping or to pick up prescriptions. …...............Or to walk our dogs.

I've just had a video chat with a couple of friends and one of them hasn't actually left her house since lock down was announced. …..........Oh I tell a lie. She did go to the end of her street to post a letter. How can she be happy doing that? How can anybody be happy having no human contact for 6 weeks? She's the same age as me. (61 years old if anyone is interested) and she lives alone, like me.

The difference between us is.................. I live alone in my own flat with my dog so I have a reason to go out. I've lived in six different countries during the 61 years of my life. I've worked in numerous different jobs and I've had numerous different relationships. All of which have failed I suppose. But there again can a 'failed relationship' only be judged on the fact that it didn't end in marriage?

I digress.

My friend lives alone in the house that she was born in. She was briefly engaged for a short period of time, more than 30 years ago, and that didn't work out, so she stayed living at home with her mother, until her mother died a few years ago. And now she is 'home alone' in the only house that she has ever lived in for the whole of her 61 years of her life and has only ever known. 61 years in the same house? I can't even comprehend how someone can live a life like that. My friend worked in the Civil Service since she left school until she took early retirement in her late 50s.

Anyway, I've known her since I was about 12 years old, and along with another friend that I've known since I was about 12 years old....................... we had a video chat.

Even though I've known this very lovely lady since I was about 12 years old, I don't actually know how she spends her day to day life. I know that she is very close to one of her sisters and very close to her niece who lives abroad. Apart from that I have absolutely no idea how she spends her days. To be honest I don't think we have that much in common. I'm a 'social butterfly' and am always out & about in normal circumstances. Because I live by myself and am 'home alone' I'm finding this lock down thing really hard. I HATE it.

However it transpires that my friend hasn't even been out of her house to buy food. It's not even like she's in the vulnerable category. Apparently her very much older sister & brother-in-law do a 'click & collect' thingy and so pick up groceries for her and drop them off on her doorstep. Fortunately the weather has been lovely in April so she's been out in the garden a lot, but she's not been out for a walk or gone out to the shops or gone any where. Apart from to the post box at the end of her street!
How can anybody be happy only doing that?

I feel like I'm in prison but at least I have a dog that I can take out twice a day.

I'm used to going out to my fitness club 4-5 times a weeks and I'm used to going out working and in normal times I usually meet up with friends at least once or twice a week for meals out or drinks. And in normal times I will go to a friends house for dinner or they will come to me for dinner.

I guess it's different for everyone but I don't really understand why she doesn't go out for a walk or go out to do her own shopping. When I asked how she spent her days she said she'd been out in the garden a lot. I agree that we're very lucky because for the majority of the last 6 weeks the weather has been really good. And my friend does have quite a big garden which I'm guessing requires a lot of work to maintain it. But seriously?...................... How can anybody be happy trapped in one house and garden for more than 6 weeks.

Oh well, I guess we're all different and everybody is coping with this lock down thing in different ways. If my friend wants to stay in, who am I to say that she can't?

See you all tomorrow.
Toodles.

No comments:

Post a Comment