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Post by casimira on Apr 29, 2020 21:58:39 GMT
I have been giving this some serious thought over the past few days and I realized that there are certain "things" that I really, really miss during this pandemic.
Quite naturally is the freedom to be able to go where we want to go anytime we want with no restrictions. The everyday things.
Then, there are things that I really miss more than others.
First off, not being able to go swimming at the fitness center I frequented at least 3 times a week. As Whatagain mentioned in a post, even when they begin to ease up on the use of fitness centers/gyms, they are, to me ,anyway, the last place I would feel safe enough going to due to the high percentage of germs that can be transmitted by perspiration and steam in the air etc.
I really miss going to my local café where I would go 3 or 4 times a week and visit outside at the tables with my friends and their dogs. The café is open but only to purchase items to go and there is no outdoor seating allowed.
I really miss all the crawfish boils we would be going to especially as it is the height of crawfish season and also the New Orleans Jazz Fest would be going on right now which always would mean even more outside food gatherings especially crawfish.
I miss being able to go to hear live music. Again, with Jazz Fest not going on, many of the music clubs that would have early shows more conducive to my lifestyle and there would always be out of town musicians that I am fans of that are not here.
I miss going to visit some elderly friends that are confined to their homes. I am able to drop off homemade meals for them but not visit with them. I also have some friends that are confined to residential living quarters where many elderly people live.
I miss going to the weekly Farmer's Market.
I miss going to half price day at my favorite thrift store.
I sorely miss not being able to go to my library.
I miss going to movie theatre matinees.
I'm sure I can think of others but I am getting weary just writing this...
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Post by lagatta on Apr 30, 2020 0:59:06 GMT
I'm just overwhelmed by these. Would be pretty much the same, except that full spring is just getting underwar up here. Obviously, seeing my friends, near and far. Saving graces are Livia and my plants.
I wrote much more here, but my internet connection is very screwy!
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 30, 2020 3:58:43 GMT
They say we may never be getting back some of this stuff.
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 30, 2020 6:53:27 GMT
I've been sitting here trying to think of what I miss from pre-Covid times. Very little apart from one major thing and one smaller thing. I'm not generally a social person, I enjoy the day stretching out before me knowing I have little or nothing I must/have to do. With having a nomadic lifestyle for many, many years I have no friends other than those associated with Mrs M and none of them would I visit by myself, though I would be welcomed without a problem.
I don't need to rely on people nor crave physical contact. I don't need support from a social circle nor feel the need to support others. I'm not a person who goes to sporting events any more (can see it better on the TV), nor music events (I appreciate the energy/atmosphere, but don't now want to spend time listening to half of it that I don't like and when it's often too loud (loud noises to me are painful and make me aggressive to try and get them to stop)). Being in Germany means I have no restrictions on going out, so that's not a factor. We still have the fruit and veg farmer's markets and food stalls, so nope, not a problem for that. Cinema visits are few and far between and usually prompted by Mrs M anyway.
Of all the shops that are shut the only thing I could do with is a hair cut, but the smaller thing I miss is eating out from time to time. Of all the social restrictions in place the only thing I miss is...... not a lot. There is very, very little that I would think to do and then suddenly realise, I can't do that now, be it a big thing or a small thing - apart from the major thing and that is travel internationally. That I do miss. We are all different and just because I am one way and someone else is another, it doesn't mean I'm right and they're wrong and it doesn't mean I can't understand and sympathise with how they feel, I can. I'm just a different variation of a person and I don't feel I am missing out on anything.
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 30, 2020 7:06:08 GMT
Mark and I have led very different lives but are very similar in outlook.
Having said that I miss live cricket and visiting garden centres. Also, because my daughter and family are babysitting us I miss not being able to go out when we want.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 30, 2020 12:09:55 GMT
This is an interesting topic & I've been thinking about how to answer it since it was inaugurated. The short answer is that Mark and Mick have already answered for me.
Sure, it's a little frustrating when I'd like to do something & remember that either I can't or it's not a good idea, but the payback for not doing those things is a pretty big deal.
It's not that I'm some paragon of patience or of zen-like calm, but in the grand scheme of things it feels like I've gotten off lightly & many of the things I could do, such as ordering out for food or hanging out with people who are casual about distancing, are things I choose not to do out of prudence.
There are two things I miss the most. One is not being able to build in any kind of going-out activity into my day aside from walking the dogs. There's no more meeting someone for lunch or even going somewhere like the paint store, which would be an objective & a way to get supplies for finishing a project. The other thing I miss is not being able to plan a trip.
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Post by casimira on Apr 30, 2020 12:50:36 GMT
If they had crawfish boils there, I am absolutely positive that would be on your list Bixa.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 30, 2020 13:05:19 GMT
Well, the lack of crawfish is a constant, low thrumming chronic pain.
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Post by lagatta on Apr 30, 2020 13:25:57 GMT
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Post by casimira on Apr 30, 2020 13:47:05 GMT
I would venture to guess that it has to do with the preparation of them. Crawfish, when large amounts of them are boiled with a variety of seasons and other foods added to the pot (corn on the cob, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, potatoes, onion, andouille sausage, etc.) makes them appealing.
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 30, 2020 14:35:38 GMT
Are they all actually boiled? It doesn’t sound very appetising.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Apr 30, 2020 14:38:25 GMT
I miss my sisters and brother desperately. I usually see two of my sisters at least once every week. I meet the other sister and my brother in town for coffee and a natter about once a month
I miss garden centres and farmers markets.
I need a haircut
I miss wandering around the shops on my own, looking for bargains...trying on clothes and shoes...spending ages in Waterstone's book shop...
However...aside from missing family there isnt anything I can't manage without.
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Post by bjd on Apr 30, 2020 15:09:05 GMT
We live very close (100 meters or so) to a lake and crayfish come and eat the eggs of the neighbour's goldfish and koi. I have seen him pull buckets of them out of his fish pond. They don't look appetizing at all and I don't think anyone eats them here.
As for what I miss during lockdown: being able to go where I want, when I want without having a piece of paper and being limited to one kilometre from home. Being able to see my children and grandchildren, none of whom live really close but close enough to see from time to time.
Being able to travel in the foreseeable future. I had to cancel my travel plans for June as well as put on hold plans to go to Canada.
Being able to go and see my friends in Toulouse, which I had planned to do in March.
And I need a haircut.
But like Cheery, I can survive without it for a while yet, although I am looking forward to May 11th.
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Post by whatagain on Apr 30, 2020 17:31:11 GMT
I miss my job, the interactions with colleaguez. I miss my travels, sleeping in unknown hotels in undiscovered towns. I miss going to Paris. I dont miss restaurants but i miss my restaurant with my brother. I miss having barbecurs with friends. I miss my gym too. I miss going to the market and talking to everybody about nothing. I miss my former life even if i know some things will change for ever.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 30, 2020 18:02:43 GMT
Are they all actually boiled? It doesn’t sound very appetising Maybe it doesn't sound appetizing and maybe they don't look appetizing to Bjd, but trust me when I tell you that crawfish are everything that can be wonderful and good about life on earth. That elaborate number of ingredients listed by Casimira is a more recent variation on the classic boil, which used to consist of either just crawfish boiled with crab boil or with the addition of potatoes & corn on the cob. Your first taste of Louisiana boiled crawfish will make you throw rocks at lobster. LaGatta, who knows why they're eaten some places & not others. They're eaten in Sweden & I've heard that besides the Gulf south, the other place in the US where they're enjoyed is Oregon.
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 30, 2020 18:22:18 GMT
Is crawfish the same as crayfish here?
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 30, 2020 18:45:30 GMT
Different names for exactly the same thing.
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 30, 2020 18:58:55 GMT
I like crayfish tails. Local pub does them superbly.
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Post by casimira on Apr 30, 2020 21:01:14 GMT
I like crayfish tails. Local pub does them superbly. Mick, I did a report on a crawfish boil here. It's on page one in the After Dinner section of the Galley. Saturday Crawfish Boil.
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Post by questa on May 1, 2020 5:50:51 GMT
I live a fairly simple life and have hardly missed anything. I have caught up with the gardening which pleases me. I hate walking past my garden and seeing all the things that need doing, but I haven't time.
I have also tried to understand and use my computer but this still my bete noire My workplace had computers for the Admin staff but none for the nurses. Then while I spent 2 years away from Oz, the nurses were given Tablets and trained in their use.
The computers in my overseas office were riddled with viruses and usually not available as the men comandeered them to watch "those" movies.
Part of the problem is things change so quickly that any print book (Computers for Dummies) goes out of date. Also people who try to show me things go too fast and use the jargon and I am confused again.
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Post by lugg on May 1, 2020 9:51:07 GMT
Well obviously my friends and family goes without saying but other than that I miss particularly;
Riding Mac - I could do but choose not to as I don't want to end up in hospital at this time and even though the chance is slim - I am not taking it.
Having the freedom to travel any distance so I miss seeing the sea / beach
Going to the pub for a meal out
But found lots of positives - I work in a small team and this crisis has made us even more supportive of each other; appreciating the smaller things in life etc.
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Post by lagatta on May 1, 2020 11:18:19 GMT
I hope Mac doesn't miss rides too much, horses need exercise!
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Post by bixaorellana on May 2, 2020 23:12:27 GMT
Mick, @mick ~ look what popped up on my facebook feed ~
(must be said that I never went to all this tra-ca)
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Post by lagatta on May 3, 2020 1:32:52 GMT
Looks good. Where's the beer? Do you need a fat guy and a skinny guy?
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Post by bixaorellana on May 3, 2020 1:36:30 GMT
It appears you need a skinny guy to do the heavy lifting.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 28, 2020 20:06:59 GMT
Tomorrow I will try to see two movies to compensate the confinement beginning again on October 30th and lasting until December 1st.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 28, 2020 21:56:52 GMT
I miss hugging my mom so much, I know that I am fortunate to be able to stand 6 feet away from her but I miss our deep hugs.
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Post by lugg on Dec 4, 2020 20:02:13 GMT
I guess that many of us will be missing the normal Xmas gatherings this year but if so .... this may cheer you up
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 4, 2020 20:06:23 GMT
There were some current university students whining about their lack of social life and other freedoms on television today, and an old person asked how they would have dealt with 5 years of war like their grandparents did.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 4, 2020 21:59:39 GMT
The old person may have felt as though he/she scored points, but I think those kinds of comparisons are meaningless. The people who dealt with five years of war had no choice either, and probably many of them did whine. I miss hugging my mom so much, I know that I am fortunate to be able to stand 6 feet away from her but I miss our deep hugs. We all miss physical proximity with our loved ones right now, but in your case it must be particularly keen, Mich, with the very sad loss you all endured. My best friend went to the US yesterday & won't return until after New Year. I was reflexively whining about it when it occurred to both of us that 99% of our contact over the past few months has been by phone anyway.
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