The 10 Things I Most Appreciate Whilst On Coronavirus Lockdown

Talking to a friend on Zoom a few days ago as we reminisced  about old times, about five weeks ago when we could go out freely, go to a restaurant, go shopping without standing exactly two metres apart and go to our places of work, we began to discuss what we can’t do that makes us really appreciate what we had.  Speaking to friends and family about the issue has led to a deluge of people wanting to share what they now appreciate most.

Below are the top ten items that many hundreds have said are the things that they now long for or miss most or just appreciate.

  1. Being able to meet with others face to face to hug them or to be able to be in the same space with them. This applies to relatives as well as friends and love ones.  Grandparents miss what they took for granted of being able to cuddle their grandchildren and not just speak to them from afar which makes them so appreciate what they previously enjoyed.
  2. Children going to school. Both school children and parents alike long for the days when they could just moan about the school run.  Home schooling is most parents’ total nightmare in getting children to take seriously their new role and sit quietly to learn.  For children, adjusting to learning in their home space has been very hard too, with many children of all ages longing to meet with their friends and yes, even their teachers!  Many now regret the rough time they gave Sir or Miss, and maybe teachers will be teaching more attentive and grateful children and will be dealing with less critical parents in the future.
  3. The third on the list of most appreciated and missed was the ability to shop on demand or get one’s hair and nails done when you wish. Not being told that you are 165,000th in the queue or that delivery of your food will be in May 2021 is something that most long for.  Many now realise how lucky we were as a nation to always get whatever we wanted or needed immediately.  Seeing the Morrison’s app but not being able to use it is filling everyone with horror.  Now we are effectively on ration it has made many appreciate chocolate or food in a way that we never imagined.    I for one did not realise my overarching need for taramasalata.  The mere fact of being told we can’t have something makes us immediately crave it.  Trying to tint one’s own hair is a nightmare.  Just getting the right equipment took eight visits from Amazon or doing one’s nails without getting our fingers glued together has made us long for and forgive any transgression from our nail technicians.
  4. Fourth on the list of most appreciated, according to many is the element of space. Being stuck together in such close proximity makes people of all genders and ages long for the days BC or before coronavirus when we could do our own thing, watch our own programmes and just have quiet if we needed it.
  5. Fifth on the list of most appreciated is the cleaning lady. Lack of the ability to have a cleaner for many who are home-schooling, cooking and working is driving many to distraction.  Simply learning to put on the duvet cover once a week and wash the bedclothes seems like a mountain to climb for some.  At a time when super cleaning is in double vogue, having to do it yourself lacks the same sparkle than just buying the cleaning products for your cleaner to use.    How we long for the broken objects or stuff put in the wrong place or the interminable humming.  All is now forgiven.  Please just tell us when they can come back!
  6. Being able to go out is 6th on the list as people adapt to Zoom or Houseparty online. Whilst Amanda Holden and Elizabeth Hurley might be able to throw themselves into the genre, the rest of us lesser mortals just long for the days that we can return to even the mediocre lasagne or pasta or moussaka at the local Italian or Greek.  We just want to go out you cry!  We don’t care where!  Restaurants are now tinged with fond and probably fantasised memories as we long not to cook ourselves, or remain terrified at the local takeaway which has never seemed more life threatening.  We also appreciate the ability not to work from home but long for the office where narcissists can order staff about with impunity and get their tea made at the drop of a hat.  To be boss of one’s own domain again how peachy, how exotic, how amazing!  Not to have to struggle with faulty internet connections or everyone yelling “can you hear me”! or to have  face to face meetings with clients or otherwise where  you can say whole sentences without being cut-off or your image or theirs being wiped off the screen.  To be able to walk up the road at lunchtime, what was lunchtime?  It is no more.  Lunch could be enjoyed, exhorted and longed for, now you are expected to work through it – to empty the dishwasher or look after the children or facetime with his mother!  There is no escape!
  7. The seventh most appreciate item was a longing not to have to keep washing our hands all day and night.  A longing to return to the days where you don’t have to wipe down everything in sight including your kids, partner or family with stinky wipes.  Oh, to not have to rub in gels that you felt so privileged to have bought at frankly extortionate prices after queuing for hours.  If I hear from anyone else how to clean my house with a lemon, I may be tempted to put it where they least expect.    Smug cleaners are so irritating.  It makes everyone want to jump in muddy puddles and allow dust to build like never before. There must be more to life than dust busting and polishing your bath taps with lemon and bi carb of soda.
  8. Holidays or rather lack of came in relatively low down the list of items most longed for or appreciated. People now want to do things and the thought of another period of time lacking in activity, which was once at the top of everyone’s list is practically at ground level.  The thought of going on a plane (germs) getting off the plane and going in a cab (germs) to a hotel (germs) with others (germs) has made many holidays averse.  As to cruises, forget it.  The mere mention of it sends shudders down any holiday makers spine.  It is now synonymous with the words “trapped” and “forever”. Some do miss the ability to travel but it may have an altogether different emphasis when we come out of lockdown.
  9. Nineth on the list of most appreciated and missed is lack of rotas. The lists pinned to every wall in the house are looming up at us from every corner.  “It is your turn to put out the bins.  No, I did it yesterday.  No, I distinctly remember I did it, scream.  Let’s look at the rota, see it is definitely your turn.  It is here in black and white”. It is like Judge Rinder on tap, looming large in its judgement not to be questioned.
  10. However, tenth on the list is from pets.  They long for the days when they could stretch out endlessly in the warm.  Where have those days gone as they are endlessly walked and walked and walked by their owners longing to just get away from each other.  How many dogs or cats are being dragged out under protest.  “Hey I thought you did not like to walk; I have got used to running around the garden.  Please don’t walk me up this alleyway again, it is so boring, just leave me be.  No, I don’t want to walk 10 miles a day I am a Chikwawa”!

What is clear is that it is a trying time,for all but what do you really appreciate, how that we are in lockdown?  Please share with us all your most missed items at this time.  Please contact us.

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