5 Things we won't miss when lockdown is over
It’ s day 69 and it’s nearly over, surely? It’s rather tedious now and one is not quite sure what is really safe to start doing and what we still can’t do. Certainly in south west London the skies and streets are noticeably busier and the birdsong is starting to be drowned out again.
One thing is for certain, whenever we find our new ‘normal’ there are some lockdown practices I will be happy to wave goodbye to - however Reg and Bob have had little to complain about, in fact I’m sure they wish to be dogs in lockdown indefinitely!!
I won’t miss……………
Crazy dog hours - So the dog father decided 5am walks were the way to get around the ‘dogs on leads’ rule brought in near us - and it seems it was a popular decision with other dog owners too!. An extra couple of hours in bed for me but it also means the boys are ready for another walk mid morning - that is before their afternoon walk! So now an additional walk has been created in their timetable. With the excitement of the teenagers nocturnal visits to the kitchen in search of food - and therefore extra outside visits - getting them back to anything resembling a normal regime post-lockdown is going to be tricky.
2. Entertainment officer - Never have we felt the need to lay on formal entertainment for Reg and Bob during daylight hours. They are quite happy crashing after long walks and apart from giving us timely reminders at mealtimes they don't get up to too much between outings. But worried about their mental health we’ve been providing all sorts of food related conundrums to solve and of course they’ve even learnt tricks. They can turn on the spot, raise their paws in support of the NHS (despite basic recall still evading them) and find treats in the most obscure places - although honestly that’s always been a skill. They are rarely on their own but post lockdown, the human imput will be limited to evenings.
3. Solo dog walks - There’s nothing like having some alone time but equally dog walking is a great way to catch up with friends, put the world to rights and have some therapeutic girl chat (which in a houseful of males is much needed ) while we’re exercising. The novelty of solo dog walks soon wore thin and the ducking and diving to keep the 2 metre rule became tiresome. Although social distancing won’t change anytime soon, we are delighted we can now walk with friends and shout our innermost secrets for 2 metres in all directions.
4. A walk that’s only a walk. For over two months each outing from the house has been a planned and considered event. A dog walk has been a dog walk and not much else. We can’t wait to initiate some extra unplanned activities into our outings - a quick drink in our favourite dog friendly watering hole after a walk or take the boys to a restaurant for a bite to eat because they love the homemade dog treats and we love eating out!
5.The ‘wrong’ hair - Mine and the dogs. Whilst I am pretty pleased with the boys home grooming sessions and believe I can only improve my skills - there is nothing I can permanently do for my own hair and dog grooming salons have re-opened before hairdressers! There is no doubt that hairdressers and colourists provide essential services and I hope, when I do manage to make an appointment, we never have to be separated for such a long period of time again. It’s a coronavirus truth that Reg and Bob are the only ones who can carry off the natural look!
We’ve all managed to get by during lockdown. Life is going to get better and better - perhaps even ‘normal.’ What will you be pleased to wave goodbye to now that lockdown is easing?
We hope that many of the events and fairs Reg&Bob sell at will be going ahead from September, Take a look the events page to see where we’re planning to be.