After so many months of full lock-down life, then a partial lifting of stay-at-home restrictions to include outdoor-only stuff, to me it feels really weird to be considering going out of the house and into an indoor business premises with other people present for something more than picking up essential groceries.
Although most of our other shops have been open again since 26th April, personally I’ve been a bit slow at getting back to browsing just for fun. Over this last year caution has become the new norm for me and for now, unless I truly NEED to look for something specific, it seems I’m OK to wait a bit longer before returning to any real semblance of retail therapy…
And I do miss going for an occasional leisurely pub lunch with my husband but I’m not sure how long it will be before we try out that out again. Right now I feel that restrictions and relaxation make uneasy bedfellows, and the thought of eating on edge makes me hold back a bit. Time-limited dining in small, cordoned-off, see-through cells doesn’t really appeal to me in quite the same way as the collective camaraderie of the old days. It’s as if the whole experience by necessity truly is sanitised beyond the point of enjoyment for me.
So for now I’ll probably stick with my half-way-house approach to rejoining the world at large. Go shopping for things in indoor public places but only when I need to, and go out to pick up an occasional takeaway meal to enjoy at home with a bottle of wine from the fridge. Still support the local economy, but safely, cautiously maintaining my distance until I feel more confident that Covid is no longer such a viable threat to our future.
Whenever that may be…
Ruth Blogs Here 
I think that’s the difference. We can go out, but do we really want to?
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Very relatable. I’m doing the same until forced back to the office. I’ve created new habits this last year and enjoy staying in.
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Hi Jilly, so that’ll be your hand shooting up when they mention working from home, then? 🤣
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Yes! First in line if possible
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🙂
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Having been made redundant recently, I no longer have a job to go back to – otherwise I would already have been back to work too! 🙂
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I hope you find something new if that’s what you’re hoping for. A few have said it’s a blessing in disguise. If anything we’re all changed from this shared experience. One way or another.
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Thanks Jilly! 🙂
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Nope not me unless I have to…
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Things have opened up around here, Ruth, but like you, I’ll take it slow. Nice job with the prompt.
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What you describe, “time-limited dining in small, cordoned-off, see-through cells,” does not sound fun for me, either. 😦 Things are much more relaxed here. I hope things keep improving for you.
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