The lovely Bill over at A Silly Place invited me, amongst others, to write about what that first weekend after the end of quarantine or lockdown will be like for us. You can find his post on the subject here.
The thing is that himself and I were discussing UK plans to lighten the lockdown and we feel that they’re making changes prematurely. So we’ve decided that we’ll do “lockdown plus two”. The numbers aren’t low enough yet, letting people socialise more and visit more businesses will result in an increase in numbers in a few weeks. The powers that be know that. They’re expecting another spike and more deaths, they’re planning for many more people to die and taking action that they know will lead to that result. What sort of society do we live in that is managing death rates, deliberately allowing them to increase, instead of trying to minimise them altogether?
Just like when the autumn budget didn’t increase taxes on higher earners, we decided to spend at least £5 a week on donations to our local food bank, we’re overriding the government’s stupid, selfish, harmful decisions. We’ll be staying home for two extra weeks after lockdown is lifted because we believe that infection rates will increase and the danger to the vulnerable isn’t worth our small pleasures. If we’re proved wrong and two weeks after lockdown is lifted, there is no evidence that more people are becoming infected and dying they we’ll have been over cautious. We won’t be ashamed of that.
So, back to the purpose of this post, enough ranting.
The first weekend after lockdown, for us, will be just like all the weekends before. We’ll be home. Three weekends after that though, if all is well, then we’ll be out and about.
Three weeks after lockdown ends
We had SO many plans this year, for holidays and visiting friends and family, having them visit us. But that first weekend that we allow ourselves some freedom? Well himself’s family is kind of far to go for the weekend (8 hours each way in the car) so maybe we’d go to my parents? Or else visit himself’s sister and hope his parents can come down. Maybe we’d have all the parents visit us in one go – though that seems a bit risky, bringing two sets of over 60s together from different ends of the country.
I don’t really think my head’s in the game here. I’m so embedded in considering safety that, even post-lockdown, I can’t think about doing anything without worrying about the potential impact if lockdown is lifted too early. I think maybe I’ll imagine the perfect trip after the virus is well and truly trounced, when we don’t need to even think about it anymore.
After its really all over
Friday afternoon, I pack the truck up ready for a two week road trip. I load up the boys’ bikes, scooters, extra pillows, and plenty of clothes. Himself comes home from work at lunchtime and works from home before we pick the boys up directly from the end of school and we get on the road. We drive up to Glasgow to stay 2 nights with himself’s sister, eating dinner at a Burger King on the road and arriving before 9pm. We settle the kids in bed and have a catch up with himself’s sister and her husband until late at night.
The next day we visit a country park with four kids and their bikes, or a wildlife park, or a science museum. We just have some lovely family time, walk along the canal near by, maybe enjoy a pub dinner. In the evening the adults enjoy some beers and prosecco.
On Sunday we have a lazy brunch and then we’re back on the road, driving all the way North to himself’s parents’ house. Arriving late afternoon, there’s time for a run around the garden and dinner before bathing the boys and putting them to bed. After a quiet evening in front of TV, we get an early night followed by a long lie in as my mother in law gets up with the kids.
We spend a week visiting local places, the stony beach at a near by town, the motor museum a bit further away, the amusement arcade at the sea front, maybe a trip to the cinema, some walks and bike rides by the river or in the castles not far away. Lots of cafe lunches and garden centre coffee breaks. In between, we play board games, the boys get out the Lego and micro machines and transformers from himself’s youth. The boys stay up late but get up at the same time as usual, they get tireder and tireder and grumpier. At last they have a long lie in and normality is resumed.
Eventually its time for the next stage. We pack up again and say a tearful goodbye early in the morning and set off on the 8-10 hour trip to my mum and dad’s. The beautiful mountain views accompany the first few hours, giving way to rolling English countryside and then the flat fenlands. We arrive not long before bedtime and we’re greeted with bear hugs and maybe some tears – I’m welling up just thinking about hugs from my parents. We put the boys to bed, one in each spare room then move small boy when its time for us to turn in. Mum and Dad provide wine and cheese and biscuits, we chat until we’re too tired after the long drive.
The week’s stay brings marshland walks, long flat runs (maybe even some PBs!), visits to the aircraft museum and the bowling alley, bike rides in the woods and a visit to my gran. We eat Mum’s home made bread and devour their marvellous cheese selection – large boy loves interesting cheeses. The boys eat raspberries straight from the bushes in Dad’s veg patch and help pick peas for tea.
When the week comes to an end, we leave with more tears; in time to visit my grandma for lunch on our way home. She’s a joy as usual, sharing art and history nuggets with the boys and feeding them cakes.
We get home towards the end of the afternoon, unpack and put washing on. After two special weeks with family, its still nice to come home to our own beds. Our home has been a sanctuary for months and it’s security is comforting.
Your turn
Now that I’ve answered Bill’s challenge, well sort of, I get to do one of my own. Here are the people I’m challenging to share what their first post-lockdown weekend or trip would look like.
Smelly Socks and Garden Peas 
This is a great idea for a post. I think we have opened far too quickly and we are now going to be paying the price for a long time to come.
I work in a school and the amount of children who have stepped off a plane and back in to school from all over the world is scary!
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I wrote it in May and then we pretty much played out the dream in August.
I won’t be surprised if we’re back home learning again before Christmas.
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Sounds like a great way to start the end of lockdown!! So many things to look forward too! Wonderful post!
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And it might happen!!!!
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As much as we’re all sick of lockdowns it is easy to see how they have been working in the US. I am lucky enough to live in Vermont where our COVID cases have been steadily dropping. I am positive there are a number of reasons for this but the three biggies are how quickly we locked down, our tracking of the infected people and whom they may have infected AND our gradual reopening. Many people are not at work and our summer camps are very different but we are allowed gatherings up to 25 people, and our numbers are still decreasing!!!
Slow and steady wins the race!
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I was unclear in this comment, I meant to imply we can easily see how lockdowns and reopening are and are not working across the US. Some states opened quickly and have locked back down. Vermont is opening gradually and being successful.
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I think in the UK we’re reopening too early and people who are making the most of bars being open are not being responsible about it. There are mass gatherings with no masks and numbers aren’t dropping. If we had locked down earlier and had a proper track and trace, maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess.
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We have had several states open with mass gatherings (Florida and Texas are prime examples) that are locking back down.
We’re in Stage II if reopening. We started with groups of 6 or more, then 12. Now one can apply for a permit for groups of 25.
I do wish, that this point we would support (with $ and empathy) those at risk being in lockdown and the rest of us restarting our economy and social health. I know some people have huge risks but it seems like locking down and supporting the minority would make more sense than locking down everybody. The economic effects, the effects on our educated students will be felt for decades based off of right now. We need to take steps to recover and move forward (not to mention repair the costs already spent).
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This sounds like a great first weekend out! We’re technically in phase two of reopening our state (never fully locked down) but it’s looking like all across the US we’ll be sent back home cuz people can’t follow simple directions. We never even flattened the curve here! I’m hoping we will be able to rent a little cabin by the river this fall for a couple of nights.
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That sounds lovely too. We’re taking about trying to get away somewhere too. If it’s safe.
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Sounds great! lots of nature involved, maybe a museum and a pub. 🙂 I like the idea of a seafood dinner by the beach and a trip to a lake
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Thanks for reading. I hope it really happens sometimes soonish.
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Sounds like you have some amazing things planned for after lockdown. I can’t wait to be able to visit and see family again once it is all over with.
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Video calls just aren’t the same are they?
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They are, even got my eldest step daughter and 3 of her friends that video call weekly and play games.
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Love your visiting family adventure after lockdown.
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Thanks, just like everyone we’re missing them lots
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Your post lockdown sounds lovely! I tried to think of what mine would look like, and I’ll have to think some more. I also struggle with imagining a post lockdown without all the safety precautions. 🙁
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Thanks for reading. It was really hard and emotional just thinking about hugs from my mom.
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So, I COMPLETELY agree on staying home a little bit longer after the government lifts the quarantine. My husband and I were actually just talking about this.
Your post quarantine plans sound really nice though. It seems so normal, I almost can’t imagine just visiting family anymore.
Thank you so much for sharing! Great post.
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Thanks! It is really hard to conceive of being with my family but it’s also the thing I want most.
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Your first adventure after lockdown really ends sounds wonderful. I’m hoping to visit family and maybe go camping. I too am worried that things are opening up too soon, though. I reserved a campground for September, and I’m hoping that it isn’t too soon, but if it is we won’t go.
Thank you for sharing, I like the concept of this writing prompt.
-Hillary
http://www.hillarybush.com
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We’re booked to go camping with friends the last weekend of August. I doubt it will happen but really wish it does.
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Our government has started easing lockdowns as well in the Philippines. Malls have opened. But like you, my family and I are staying put for now at home since we know that just because lockdown is eased, it doesn’t mean the threat of the virus is gone.
This is also a nice exercise/challenge you have here. Imagining what you’ll do once this pandemic over can lift one’s spirits.😊
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Thanks for reading. Yes we’re being cautious and prefer that to indulging it little pleasures at the risk of others.
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Hello, stumbled across your blog. I love your first adventure after lock up. I will definitely be doing some sort of road trip after as well. Making sure i eat in lots of restaurants, as i miss doing that the most.
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Hello and welcome! Yes, restaurants are another highlight to look forward too. Eating at our parents houses is just as good. My mother in law and my dad are both great cooks who don’t like interference.
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It is scary thinking what to do “after” knowing the second wave will be worse than the first…
Right now we’re super excited to be reaching the end of our distance Ed school year! 2-5 more weeks depending on the grade level…
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We’ve got one more week, a 2 week break and then 6 more weeks I think. If reception go back 1st June, our small boy will not be going I don’t think. I think the infection rate is going to rise with the loosened rules and then they won’t go back until September
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This is a great post! I can’t even imagine how the world will function after this pandemic. I miss meeting my friends and family and going out for dinners. Thanks for sharing this post!
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Thanks! We’re so grateful for video chats, they don’t replace hugs but at least for us we aren’t in the habit of seeing grandparents several times a week. For children who see their relatives lots it must be such a wrench. Ours are used to seeing theirs only every couple of months. Trying to see the positives.
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Another excellent read. We’ll have so many things to go at when this is all over. The list grows bigger every day!
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Thanks! The list of other people to see is also huge. Our friends are spread all over and we’ve cancelled several meet ups. I’m trying not to dwell on that too much though.
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This is a lovely post and great for reflection! I honestly do not know how I will feel when the lockdown is lifted or what I will want to do first. It will be a strange time nonetheless and I will probably be a bit nervous, but maybe seeing my friends and family! Great post xx
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It was really hard to imagine seeing family when we still can’t. Broke my “head in the sand” protection philosophy.
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Great plans!! Love this and will get my one up at some point this weekend 🙂
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Can’t wait to see what your plans would be.
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I love it! Great job!
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Thanks! It was really tough to imagine the thing we want most but can’t have right now.
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That is a lot of travelling. We have everyone in the one town, so I don’t have those type of issues, but I do understand even just the visiting from here. We are still in lockdown. But if you ever want to meet up in Glasgow, even for a coffee give me a shout. xxx
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Yeah our family is all over. Will definitely let you know next time we’re in Glasgow x
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