Marley444

I use to get quite agitated by rule breakers but now I just keep myself to myself, follow the rules and try not to let other people's selfish acts impact my mood :)

I totally agree - in France, they were saying you can't go further than 5 miles from your home address - at least then there is no room for misunderstandings.

Judging by what I saw at the weekend in my local area, I was walking my dog, and was surprised at how many groups of people are out walking, cycling in packs with a real lack of social distancing. It is such a challenge to get this right but judging by the numbers which keep increasing we are not getting it right. There seem to be so many mixed messages. I still find it quite staggering that some people value their freedom more than their life!

I was having this exact debate with myself this week! Partly because I couldn't find a small enough turkey portion for 4. I never cook a whole big turkey anyway as it takes up too much oven space, and is a challenge to carve. For some reason the shops including M&S, Sainsburys and Waitrose (I checked all 3 last weekend) aren't displaying any small turkey joints yet where I live, so I was very tempted to get a chicken instead. I am still undecided but it wouldn't feel right to me not to serve turkey of some kind on Christmas Day.

I have to say I think it is total madness! The writing is on the wall - if we cared for our loved ones, why would we want to risk giving them a lethal disease? We have waited this long, a vaccination is in sight. There are so many mixed messages and all this dithering is not helping. We need leadership as I don't think we can trust everyone to make the most sensible decision for our nation. If the numbers are increasing at exponential rates, we need to act now.

This is the one year when I would welcome a white Christmas. I love walking on crisp white snow and let's face it - I won't be driving and going out and about this year so there isn't much else to do!

I would have thought that if you are watching a drama on TV that you would assume that not all of what you see is going to be factually correct. If it was a documentary, then it would more likely to be based on fact. Not sure what all the fuss is about

I am still laughing at your reply :D such a great idea - I will order a nice box of the finest chocs, a bottle of prosecco, order some more gas and get that tent ordered! I have just told my husband of my new plans for Christmas! LOL!!!!

I have just been discussing this within my current family bubble, and whilst I know it is up to us to do a risk assessment, I can't help thinking that the new rules don't make sense in my old head! As Boris says, the virus doesn't know it is Christmas and won't be taking the day off - I just saw a scary public health video on TV with funny coloured dummies at a dinner table spreading germs and that on its own has fuelled my anxiety. Coupled with encouraging us to open windows - my husband is going to have a field day with the heating thermostat!

Yes I think this is the end of cash in our society - I rarely have cash and don't really have access to it unless I venture out which at the moment is very few and far between. I know in China they are virtually cashless and most transactions are done via your mobile phone - I think we are heading in the same direction.

I was just reading a comment on the facebook page, from an Australian member who was saying how they seem to have turned the corner - if only we could follow them :)

What a lovely idea and thank you Silversurfers for always being there in our time of need. Such challenging times for us all again, but we have to keep positive and enjoy the simple things in life such as a crisp sunny day, the autumn colours, the birds that sing. I find that a positive mental attitude helps me through the day and am also thankful for technology to keep me in touch with my family. I love my daily dose of Silversurfers too - keep up the good work and thank you x

We don't usually have more than 12 round our table at Christmas but this year I think we are already being realistic. The virus knows no bounds, and doesn't recognise public holidays! So the risks will be the same as any other day during the pandemic, although even greater if people think it is ok to mix! We are going to scale our celebrations right down this year - I have pre-warned our family it is unlikely we will all meet indoors this year and we are mentally preparing for the worst I am afraid .. on the positive side - it takes the pressure off preparing loads of food. Think we will be zooming and drinking bubbles together virtually!

Funnily enough I was just talking to my neighbour this morning - she has her grandson living with her and asked if he could come trick or treating next Saturday - of course I said yes, and will make sure I have some treats, but I won't encourage others to visit, and will probably not even buy a pumpkin for the first time ever.

We have really lovely neighbours either our age or older. I would not report them if they had an extra child or grandparent to visit - how can you leave grandad at home on Christmas Day and just invite grandma??? If I had neighbours who were partying or obviously have large social gatherings that would be different. I just hope people behave responsibly.

I think you will find some helpful information here - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/

Whilst I haven't had personal experience as I have not really been out and about much since March, I have heard that it is a real challenge to get a local test if you need one and some people are being expected to drive 200 miles for a test, which seems ridiculous. I find it incredible that we still don't seem to be on top of the system of testing and I have no confidence at all that there is a concrete strategy in place - not sure where Boris is, but it feels that he is not at the helm - keep seeing him in hard hats around the country! I feel very uncertain about the winter we will be facing. So many mixed messages stay in, go out, meet friends, stay in don't meet friends! Go on holiday, don't go on holiday, quarantine but don't get a test - get a test but we don't have capacity!!!!

I have three daughters and I definitely accept there is such a thing as Middle Child Syndrome. My lovely middle daughter feels that she is neither the oldest nor the youngest and has always had an issue with her place in the sibling hierarchy, even though as parents we have spent our whole lives telling her how special she is and that we have treated them equally. She has always been much more needy and craved validation

I am absolutely a Silver Streamer! Partly due to our TV remote for BT not working, partly due to lockdown and that there are very few new TV programs on air and mostly because I prefer to watch a season of something on Netflix or iPlayer ... we don't have Sky - just BT Vision.

Any vaccine offered will have gone through a lengthy process of testing etc so I for one would be very happy to be offered the vaccine as soon as it is ready. I would rather be offered protection that live in this vulnerable and stressful situation of feeling at risk. I thought that was the only light at the end of the tunnel for the world and find it hard to understand why anyone would not want to protect their own life and the lives of others.

The wearing of face coverings should have been compulsory from the beginning, as it was in many other countries. How can the science vary on this topic??? The only reason I believe it was not implemented to begin with is that there was a supply issue. Now we are awash with options and the supplies are plentiful - the virus is still here but perhaps the spread would have been limited if this had been the mandate back in March.

:D thanks for your permission swaneldo :D

I must say, that in recent weeks there have been a few heated debates in our household, and I quite often feel it is better just not to express my views and keep quiet to avoid tension. I don't know if it is a generation thing, as when we grew up, times were so different. I try to be 'woke' as much as I can in this new era, but sometimes I feel that my views are compromised. I often wonder what my grandmother, who was very opinionated, would say!

I couldn't think of anything worse than going to the pub this weekend! I think many people have adapted to a new way of life and a glass of wine in the garden with a handful of friends is far more conducive to enjoyment than being in a pub with the potential risk. I don't think it is our generation that will be out and about on 4th July somehow. I wonder if those who are desperate to get back to the pub have managed to retain their job in this economic downturn? I hope so :)

LOL :D

Yes I find it incredible to think that any other country would want us Brits arriving, especially if they haven't experienced the harshness of this pandemic yet.

I am feeling extremely anxious at the thought of leaving the safety of my home and flying off anywhere. We have flights booked for our whole family in August, and at the moment we can't even meet up in our home, so I can't imagine how we will go from this to sitting on a plane load of people and heading off. I am hoping to cancel or postpone till next year, but know we will have to wait till much nearer the time when we have updated advice from the foreign office.

As much as I have a concern for the high street and the economy, and people's jobs, I won't be going back to the high street any time soon. I have been once to my local garden centre mid-week which was very reassuring - very impressed with their Covid measures. But I am happy to buy everything else online. I have my groceries delivered and happy to buy clothes online - not that I buy much. Just took delivery of some new hiking trainers this week. I miss my hairdresser more than the shops, and I would also like to get a pedicure, but that's is about all for me.

He should resign now before he causes any more friction! The bit I don't understand is, if him and his wife allegedly had the symptoms of Covid19, there was no room for misinterpretation of the rules 'Stay At Home'. Why was it sensible for him to take the virus to his family???? And surely if they had been in contact with there son, then he potentially had it and had to quarantine with the too. I am sure they would have been able to care for each other like others have managed to do. Why did they feel the need to risk others to help them care for their child???

My daughter and her husband had a very expensive holiday booked with flights they booked separately on Opodo. They have had a total nightmare trying to get a refund. They elevated it to the founder of the holiday company who said he would process the refund but still they have received nothing, and Opodo were impossible to get through to and they are still waiting for their money back from them as well. They are seriously out of pocket and the two companies have been sitting on their money for months ... disgraceful!

Do the majority of people realise that many teachers have been in school this whole time? I think judging by what I have been reading it has been assumed that teachers have been shielding at home but so many have been in school face to face with children of key workers who ironically are the ones who may have been closest to the virus such as children of NHS staff. And they have been given hand sanitiser to protect themselves if they have been lucky enough! My question is, is it worth risking more infection for both the teaching staff and support staff for half of a term of what won't be 'normal' school teaching/learning? Will parents want to risk delivering and collecting their children, and what about those year groups that aren't being offered schooling?

Whilst I understand that the airline business is on its knees, I can't see how it would be in any way sensible for anyone to consider taking a holiday abroad in the near future, and certainly not this summer. Social distancing is virtually impossible in an airport and on an aircraft it is totally impossible! I saw the interview on TV this morning and I think Mr O'Leary has lost the plot! I wonder if it is cunning ploy to get out of refunding money to passengers who have already booked flights for the summer .. if he says the flights are operating and then puts the onus on the passenger to cancel, maybe they won't be liable to give them a refund???

In my opinion, the virus is still here, nothing has changed apart from staying at home has meant that infection rates have reduced. Until there is a vaccine we will all be at risk to this invisible enemy. Difficult to 'stay alert' when we can't see the enemy. I think that any sensible person who values their life more than their freedom will still act with caution and not be in a hurry to go out and about any time soon. I think this message is open to misinterpretation to those who struggled to 'Stay at Home' and these are the people who possibly lack the sense to 'Stay Alert'!

For me, I don't think I am drinking more because of lockdown. I generally drink more in the summer than the winter anyway. I enjoy a glass of wine in my garden after a hard day of toil when the evenings are sunny and light. And we have had some lovely evenings recently so I have to confess the rose has been flowing!

This is so strange. I keep having reoccurring dreams about my hairdresser in various situations. She is not always cutting my hair either! I have been searching for may hair cutting scissors and thinking about them for days now, so I am sure this is why, and as if by magic I found them this morning after waking up from yet another dream about hair cuts! So the good news is I have my scissors, but the bad news is I cannot find a comb in the entire house, as I never use one, and my husband is bald! So I have just attempted a little trim using a brush LOL!

I haven't bought a newspaper for years and I am not going to start now. There is so much news available online and I have the BBC news app on my phone. Printed papers go out of date so quickly compared to online news which is updated instantly. Not quite sure how the Culture Secretary thinks we should all be going out and buying papers when we have been instructed to stay at home .. has he missed the message?? Maybe he needs to read the papers!

I would like to nominate a wonderful young nurse - Nancy - she is working tirelessly on the frontline in a London hospital, has caught COVID-19, recovered and is back on the frontline again helping to fight the battle. Such courage, bravery and commitment with a heart of gold :)

My hair is fine at the moment as I had a cut just before lockdown, so should be ok for a couple of months hopefully. I may be tempted to trim the edges. My husband has his own clippers and one of our daughters uses them on him. He is saying that he may try himself as she is not able to visit. I have offered to do it for him, but I have never done it before so it could be interesting/amusing!

I am having problems accessing the Ocado website ... it seems to be permanently down and although I am lucky enough to have an order placed for this weekend, I am unable to edit it or make any changes that I need to make. I am going to try again tomorrow very early in the morning in the hope that everyone is still asleep! I feel sorry for those who haven't already got an account and are now unable to register.

I can see that they are trying to keep the most vulnerable age group safe and away from the virus spread as much as possible and more importantly out of hospitals to take the strain off the NHS, but I am unsure how practical this will actually be. Also how will this be enforced? Plus there are many over 70s who help with childcare and support the younger generation. We are in a crisis situation and unfortunately there is no right answer