Lockdown lessons: things I miss

It really sounds like Lockdown is going to be with us for a while longer. This morning, in the shower, I got distracted by all the things I’m missing and want to do after the restrictions are lifted.

Obviously, I’ve no idea when that will happen, and I’m quite happy to stick within the regulations until such time as it’s safe. Or safer.

So what am I missing so much that I can’t get the thoughts out of my head?

Hugging my mum, my sister, my niece and my nephew. I just can’t wait until it’s possible to head up to Scotland and spend time with my family in the flesh. FaceTime is great, but it’s no replacement for being in the same room as the people you love.

Hugging my friends and sharing a pizza over beers. I miss hugging, full stop. But my closest friends and I are all in agreement that one of the first things we’ll do post-lockdown is engage in some massive hugs and then some more hugs and then spend an evening drinking excellent beer and eating delicious pizza.

Lying in the sun in my garden and getting lost in a book. We have a shared garden – shared with the eighteen other floors in this apartment building. So, right now due to the social distancing rules, it has to be pre-booked and only for thirty minutes at a time. I love the garden and look forward to spreading out a blanket and spending an entire afternoon there.

Walking naked on the beach and feeling the surf cover my feet. I should have spent this weekend in Sitges, frolicking naked on the beach and sunbathing until I was a deep mahogany brown. Obviously, I’m in London and missing the beach terribly. It’s both relaxing and rejuvenating and I hope I can spend at least a long weekend there before the end of this year.

Going for a long run, uninterrupted by social distancing panic. I’ve basically stopped running, as it was getting too difficult to distance myself from walkers, runners and cyclists. I was coming home anxious and thoroughly annoyed. Running is such an excellent stress-buster that I’m dreaming of long, uninterrupted runs along the Thames in the months to come.

Enjoying a meal in a restaurant. TheFrankFlyer and I have been doing our best to eat healthily, but also keep the menu varied and interesting. We haven’t been ordering in take-away meals at all, so I’m keen to have a meal someone else has cooked in one of my favourite restaurants.

Enjoying a beer outside in the sun. While I’ve not been beer-starved over the last few months (have you even seen my Instagram feed?!) I miss being able to enjoy a brew in the sunshine outdoors. I don’t care if it’s in a beer garden or it’s outdoors on the streets of Soho, I’m looking forward to enjoying a beer or three with the sun shining down on my face.

Booking a holiday and knowing I’ll be able to go. As of today, I’ve had to cancel seven trips this year. More will be cancelled as we progress though the summer and, for this avid traveller, that’s just painful. I’m looking forward to the day when I’m confident a booking will be honoured and will be hassle free. I’m just not sure when that’s going to be.

This is by no means a finite list, just what occurred to me as I scrubbed myself down this morning. I’m sure I could think of a hundred little experiences and pleasures I’m looking forward to.

What about you? What do you miss?