General Chat

[Istabraq]

Sorry to hear of all those struggling, for what it's worth the chancellor is now very much aware of the economic impact of the first lockdown so I'm sure they'l' be doing everything they can to ensure there'll be no repeat.
17 days for Archie you can pretty much tick off the days but I wish you well, we all managed 12 weeks of it earlier this year so it can't get that bad again.

As someone commented earlier, nothing obvious to look forward to is the big challenge, if I knew I had a Cheltenham meeting to look forward to (attending) life would be much more bearable...

[archie]

To be fair, whatever they call it, the Welsh government has been running at a steady sixty odd percent approval rate for their handling of the virus and, compared to Johnson, Drakeford comes over as normal and human.

[Diamond Geezer]

Sorry for those affected as above.

My wife and I have been self isolating since the weekend before The Festival, we live in Cheltenham and were members but no way were we going to come into contact from folk from God knows where as my wife has virtually no immune system.Even without Covid she has been in and out of hospital at least half a dozen times this year, a complication these days is that anyone in Gloucestershire has to go to Gloucester Royal these days whereas Cheltenham General was just five minutes from our home. With visiting discouraged it's been difficult.

As regards home life at least shopping, medicinal and dairy items are delivered regularly so we survive and Facetime and Zoom calls with family and friends are the new norm.

[Istabraq]

Stay strong DG.
5 mins from Cheltenham General puts you close to Prestbury at a guess...

[Spectre]

Sorry for those affected as above.

My wife and I have been self isolating since the weekend before The Festival, we live in Cheltenham and were members but no way were we going to come into contact from folk from God knows where as my wife has virtually no immune system.Even without Covid she has been in and out of hospital at least half a dozen times this year, a complication these days is that anyone in Gloucestershire has to go to Gloucester Royal these days whereas Cheltenham General was just five minutes from our home. With visiting discouraged it's been difficult.

As regards home life at least shopping, medicinal and dairy items are delivered regularly so we survive and Facetime and Zoom calls with family and friends are the new norm.

It must be tough Roger. At least you've managed to steer clear of it. I'm guessing you've not been anywhere near the hallowed turf since lockdown as a consequence?

[Diamond Geezer]

No, afraid not Paul. I've seen pictures posted by Ben the Head Groundsman though, course looking fantastic. Unlike a lot of the country, we've had a relative dry spell, Mr Claisse has even instructed watering where necessary lately, going at seven o'clock this morning was Good on all the courses, we've had a spell of rain today but forecast tomorrow is mostly dry again.

[Outlaw]

More serious note, how is everyone doing?

I am struggling a bit. First lockdown was alright for me because I could be in the garden a lot. It's too cold and dark too quickly now to make that an option.

I was looking at those outdoor heaters that beer gardens have, but they're a few hundred quid, cost a lot to run and are bad for the planet from the very brief look I had last night. Anyone got one/heard different?

A man well into 5 figures of antepost bets annually, get one bought you tight sod

Notts here so bracing for the top tier imminently, first lockdown was weird as it was all new and highlighted the severity for many. I think plenty thought once that was over things would get slightly better over time, now we are going back to lockdowns albeit regionally for now, it really gets you guessing how many times will we have to do this, and what will life be like going forward as seemingly it will never be like 2019< again

[Saxon Warrior]

By accident we have managed to have a half-term break (Leicestershire half-term not the rest of the country) with family, in the only bit of Tier 1 for miles around us.

In Edale, in the little strip of orange on the COVID Tier map.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ac-map-covid19-lockdown-tiers-oct-21-1.jpg

[somer1]

In some ways I'm lucky. I'm a key worker sending stock to a major supermarket stores from Lands End to Leominster.
But really miss "the norm" Hated not being able to go to the pub or watch racing on the 1st lockdown.
Really feel sorry for Boris as he fucked if he locksdown and fucked if he dont.Stay safe peeps
Forget to say my partner is 15yrs older than me and beat The Big C about 3 years back. Knocked her silly and really aged her so dont want that Covid shit in our house.

[nortonscoin200]

Not great at all Archie. I feel for you and your brother.

My mother is in a carehome. Has chronic emphysema, is five and half stone, caught covid, and incredibly is the only one of the seven who caught it that survived. I've been unable to visit her since lockdown. At her end she's still sharp of mind but bedbound and has been staring at four walls without a single visitor for 6 months. To add to that my Dad died not long before lockdown and she wasn't well enough to go to the funeral. I reckon most of us have it easy compared to her.

Kind regards to your mum Spectre and to everyone on the forum whose family/friends are having really tough times because of lockdown.

The way vulnerable folk in care homes have been denied proper face-to-face visits from their nearest and dearest really is a national scandal. Surely it is possible to find a solution which allows close relatives to visit in relative safety. One suggestion has been for these visitors to be classed as care staff and given tests and PPE. There must be a way. We could be in this situation for far longer than any of us would care to imagine.

On a brighter note Spectre - I loved your idea for a forum Zoom get together before the Festival.

Maybe, with the way things are locking up again, it would be fun to have one sometime next month and in late January too. Just an idea.

[Faugheen_Machine]

I'm working from home, which was great to start with but the novelty has well and truly worn off. I miss all the daft days out with the lads the most and can't see any end to this.

Will 2021 be worse than 2020? Probably not, but how much better will it be?

[Istabraq]

Will 2021 be worse than 2020? Probably not, but how much better will it be?

I think what you will be allowed to do you will appreciate it more FM whereas in the last you would have taken it for granted.
Bad weather aside I never thought I’d go a prolonged period of not getting onto a racecourse, that’s been my biggest issue which means I’m lucky, many others have struggled an awful lot more me.
But if they shut the pubs again....

[doctorwu]

To be fair, whatever they call it, the Welsh government has been running at a steady sixty odd percent approval rate for their handling of the virus and, compared to Johnson, Drakeford comes over as normal and human.

that's because most of them are in the pay of the taxpayer. what else would you expect.....

[FaugheenTheMachine]

I'm working from home, which was great to start with but the novelty has well and truly worn off. I miss all the daft days out with the lads the most and can't see any end to this.

Will 2021 be worse than 2020? Probably not, but how much better will it be?

I’ve been at work all the way through (work in a care home) and it’s only really this last fortnight or so with all these tiers etc bollocks that’s it’s really started to get me down; normally this time of year days off would be spent at some form of live sport but can’t go to football, the racing etc etc and as you say there just doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. Had a good few tickets carried over from sporting events this year to next year but realistically will we even be able to attend next year

[Middle_Of_March]

Meh. University experience this year is affectively non existent which is somewhat frustrating. £10k a year for a course half online takes the piss as well. Been a tough summer mentally and the situation with covid hasn’t really helped.

But I’m alive. So I shan’t complain.

Hoping everyone stays safe and well.