One thing that I’m really missing since lockdown began is ‘mammy dates’

Chatting over video call just isn't the same.

It's been almost three months since lockdown first began and like most people I'm really starting to feel it. I'm not going to lie, at first I wasn't too bothered about staying at home. I'm quite introverted so I do that voluntarily all the time. It's the not being to have anyone over while I've been stuck at home that has been the big problem. My house is often the go-to place for family gettogethers and parties as we have a big back garden, so the last few weeks have been pretty lonely. One thing in particular that I've been missing is 'mammy dates' and I don't think I even fully realised how much I missed them until I went for a social distance walk with one of my mammy squad last week. As the rules around visiting people eased up a bit, with family units now able to meet outdoors with four other people from a different home, I decided to pop up to visit a relative and sit out in her front garden with her. In the end we decided to go for a quick walk in her local park. Our quick walk soon turned into us doing lap after lap and chatting for over an hour. Neither of us had seen other adults outside of our household (other than passing people at the supermarket) in weeks and it showed. Don't get me wrong we have been video calling each other every other day since quarantine was announced but it's just not the same. There's nothing like being able to physically sit near a friend (2m of course) or even just go for a walk with them. I'm glad that at least some friends and family can come over and sit in the garden, even if it's only small groups at a time, but I'm counting down the days until we can all be in the same room again. I don't think any of us will take meeting up with friends or family for granted ever again.