How life has changed
I must be one of the few who’s actually enjoying lockdown! No, I don’t need the white coats to come and take me away. I’m a 73-year-old pensioner who’s enjoying the quiet. No cars going up and down the road. At the top of the street there’s a school standing empty, so that adds to the quiet. No planes flying overhead, and so on.
I’ve done more baking, cleaning and knitting than I’ve managed in years. Having always been a voracious reader I have a huge pile of books that I’m wading through.
After the first week I noticed I felt more relaxed than I had in years, then I realised it was because it was quiet. My husband has been building his models and been on Facebook. I think he was shocked when I baked something. This isn’t normal!
I find I get stressed going shopping, because of the people who get too close. I’m very conscious of that.
I’m not looking forward to the lockdown finishing, as it will be a return to the stressful times we live in. JM HATTON, EMAIL
What I find difficult to bear is that the activities that make me happy have been taken away: my nightly sundowner, visits to see my daughters and grandchildren living far away. The situation is depressing to say the least.
The upside is my weekly YOU magazine. Thank you for the extra puzzles and the good news that they’ll be an ongoing feature. JUDY, WELLINGTON
SWhen lockdown kicked off, I thought its silver lining would be for me to catch some much-deserved rest.
But ironically I started to feel sluggish and irritable after just a week of staying at home. I felt the need to wake up in the mornings and absorb the morning breeze.
Boredom got the better of me and I resorted to helping my wife with house chores, something I’d never done before.
My wife and kids find my clumsiness in the kitchen funny. Utensils keep falling apart when I’m preparing food.
I realise that I should’ve started helping my wife a long time ago whenever I had a chance.
I’m now honing my cooking skills and the family like it. That makes me feel useful and my sluggishness is a thing of the past.
Things got even better when jogging was permitted at the beginning of level 4.
My family and I are keeping safe at home as required by Covid-19 regulations, and lockdown will certainly end with me being a transformed husband and daddy. STILL LEARNING, EMAIL