Lockdown Excess

~ beetleypete

Lockdown life has meant little change for me, to be honest. I cannot drive that far, so I am unable to visit relatives and friends. I didn’t do that much before lockdowns, so it’s not a huge wrench.

But with lockdown comes a psychological impact. Something I hadn’t really thought about.

I might die of Covid-19. That’s a real possibility. Especially when you are almost 69 years old.

The general reaction of others to this fact has mostly been positive. Oldies like me are staying healthy, keeping fit, and even getting fitter than they were before.

My reaction has been the opposite, I’m sorry to admit. Yes, I might die. That’s okay. I am old, and have had a good life, with no serious complaints.

So I can have that cream cake on a Saturday, maybe even a doughnut on a Wednesday. Why the hell not?

And wine makes me forget the possibility of an imminent, perhaps painful death. So two more bottles over the course of a week cannot hurt, surely?

I have embraced excess, without really realising it until now. My clothes still fit, and I feel alright in general. My walks with Ollie seem harder, but that’s easily explained by the constant rains turning our dog-walking areas into quagmires that I have to trudge through in difficult conditions. Or is it that?

Commonsense tells me that I have to stop all this. I have lived through the worst of the pandemic so far, and might survive. Then it would be ironic if a medical condition caused by my route down the road of excess killed me off instead of the virus.

But still, it has been quite enjoyable. So no regrets. 🙂

68 thoughts on “Lockdown Excess”

  1. Dont be so negative, Pete! 😉 Not in these times. This virus and different strains making it possible to die at every age. We should not let the horror news into our houses, only taking much more care. Think on all the people in Asia or in Africa, which over decades had much more harmful viruses and other disease. I am only asking myself about the Armaggedon prophets i had met during the last years. No one of them is here, and preaches. Best wishes, Michael
    P.S.: As long as there is no special German branded virus strain, one can be save. Lol

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  2. Great post 🙂 All of these thoughts about the continuing COVID-19 lockdowns are valid and for people your age, I would not be surprised If a lot of them shared your thoughts that not much has changed or at least, If they had the conditions (for lack of better word) that you do 🙂 Speaking of Ollie, have you ever watched that new version of All Creatures Great and Small? 🙂 It airs on PBS here in the States and it is a joy to watch in these difficult times 🙂 Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂

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  4. Although I have definitely succumbed to comfort eating I have actually lost weight in the pandemic. Possibly because working from home means I now have time to run about 30km a week. I am going to believe that you’re going to survive Covid-19, Pete, the blogosphere needs you!

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    1. Ah, you overlooked the word ‘more’, Robbie. ‘Two more bottles of wine a week’.
      That takes me up to four, which sadly is not moderate. It’s a work in progress to cut that down.
      I only have one cake a week, and maybe two doughnuts a month. The cakes are not an issue, but I am still drinking the wine 4-5 nights a week.
      Best wishes, Pete

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  8. Okay, I’m sorry but I’m doing exactly the same thing, worrying about my age, my lack of working out and my wine consumption. I’m not going to obsess over every thing I do wrong, I have my no wine days too, and I walk my dog or the neighborhood regularly. It’s the best I can do, I always think what will be, will be, so pop that bottle and enjoy, C

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  9. Following every single piece of advice, every single day, on diet, activity, the dos and don’ts on what to eat, where to eat, etc., well – – okey-dokey – but for me? personally? If I ‘buy’ 3 additional years by cutting out my water wine – my mac and cheese when I’m just really in need of comfort food (I do put some peppers and onions in for ‘veggies’ – LOL) etc.? JUST how enjoyable are those extra years really gonna be? I ask myself that every week – – as I plan my menu – LOL

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  10. Enjoy it Pete and don’t worry, just like one of your stories your end will be an unexpected twist, a falling piano, frozen toilet contents from a passing airplane, or perhaps a sounder of marauding pigs 🙂

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  11. I think there is a balance there, Pete. We can’t get crazy with bad habits, but we also need to live in the present. I have watched my mother and mother-in-law live with dementia for several years, and that isn’t really living. Enjoy some of the fruits of your labor. I’ve been trying to live by the “No regrets” philosophy. The way I think about it is to do the things I’ve always wanted to do before I can’t anymore.

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    1. Thanks, Pete. I watched my grandmother live for over 10 years without knowing who any of us were, and probably not knowing who she was either. I definitely don’t want to live like that if I have any other option.
      Best ishes, Pete.

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  12. Thanks for the giggle. Life is way too short not to be self-indulgent with something sweet. Who says 69ish is old says she who is coming up the rear rather fast! Your image is stunning.

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  14. There is a psychological impact to lockdown, no doubt. I guess we are all learning to deal with it differently. Bob & I try to get out in nature and fresh air as often as we can. And in our area of the state we moved into a new phase this week allowing for limited dine-in again. Tonight I’m having dinner delivered and looking forward to it.. I’m also looking forward to springtime and sunshine and being in the garden along with the vaccine to keep healthy. And in the end only God knows how long we have on this earth!

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  15. Pete, the psychological impact of the pandemic are far-reaching…how to stay healthy while quarantined, how to stay healthy with limits put on activities that normally would allow much more action…and what goes on in the mind when considering all of these impacts…what a time we live in…oh, the two bottles of wine a week are actually beneficial to your health so keep it up! Medical studies show that 2 glasses of red wine a day are actually healthier for men than having none…very positive impact on heart health, circulation, blood flow etc…proven!

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  17. I do my best not to live in fear. Others I know are always worried. I wear my mask and wash my hands. Since I don’t care for crowds, I think this is the silver lining to Covid. I’m happy that I don’t run in to a lot of people and would about-face a place that was crowded. I had the vaccination a few weeks ago. The second one next week. So that’s good. The odds of dying are from my other ailments. I worry more about that than Covid. I, too, have had an amazing life. When it’s time, it’s time.
    I accidently had a whole bottle of wine last night. Oops!

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    1. I am going to ‘accidentally’ have a whole bottle tonight, Cindy. 🙂
      It’s not that I am worried about dying, so much as the drawn-out process of ICU and ventilators. But I don’t actually think that much about it.
      Hopefully, you will be around a very long time yet, dear Cindy. Definitely long enough to leave a nice comment on my obituary post. 🙂 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  18. (1) The greatest danger in life comes in the form of humor!
    — “You’re killin’ me!”
    — “I’m gonna die laughin’!”
    — “I’m laughin’ so hard, I’m gonna bust a gut!”
    (2) I thought “almost 69” was a poorly executed Kama Sutra position.
    (3) I do donuts in the desert, but not on Wednesdays. #CrazyDriver
    (4) “So I can have that cream cake on a Saturday.” You’re applying facial makeup too heavily. I’m wondering if Julie can help you with this? Also, you’re only doing this on Saturday? You need more practice!
    (5) Wine will make you horny. Just ask any winoceros.
    (6) “My walks with Ollie seem harder, but that’s easily explained by the constant rains turning our dog-walking areas into quagmires.” It’s all in your mind. Rain makes the ground softer, not harder. If you want a hard walk, try a parched desert flat.
    (7) “Then it would be ironic if a medical condition caused by my route down the road of excess killed me off instead of the virus.” I’ve been down the road of excess—otherwise known as the Las Vegas Strip—and I didn’t see you anywhere!
    (8) Spock had a message for you. But I can’t remember it.

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  19. I do tend to think I’ll be one of those who die if they get it. I have a history of bad chest infections, but am not on the ‘at risk, stick ‘er with the vaccine’ list, and at times have really worried about how many different people I’m in close contact with every workday. I even worked out that since going back to work after lockdown 1, I’d treated over 500 people in 3 months, but I gave up counting so it will be past the 1000 mark by now. I do wonder about the law of probabilities!! I keep on keeping on, and so far so good. I have a working theory that wine gives you immunity to covid, if not physically at least mentally, so cheers! 🍷🥂 and open another bottle! 🍾 🥴😀

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  20. I have the mindset that I’ll either get Covid or I won’t. I’ll either die or I won’t. It’s not worth worrying about what might happen. I go to work, type my letters and come home. Staff members go down with it and one has died, but I’m still here!

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  21. I wouldn’t dream of moralising [not one of my favourite attributes anyway], but because I’ve never really been the type to do anything to excess, I think “live for today” is about as good a maxim as any for these strange days, and a bit of self-love goes a long way…….. 😀 Cheers, Jon.

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  24. I think walking through a quagmire is the reason for the walks getting more difficult, Pete….but give it a month or two more of excess doughnuts and wine, and you might be onto a bad thing, but hey, if you decide it’s worth it for you….

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  25. Since am a hermit for the most part little has changed for me…..I have Sue, MoMo and the property to keep me busy….at 74 I worry about the infection as well….but I will change little chuq

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  26. I think we have all enjoyed a bit of excess. Ollie may be what’s saving you since you still have your daily walks with him. Perhaps We all should have had a dog companions for this past year. We might all be healthier. I recently read that Covid would knock 1-2 years off of everyone’s life expectancy so why not enjoy it whatever remains?

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  27. Pete,

    Not so much ironic as statistically more likely.

    Analysis by the Oxford experts at the CEBM (compiled from ONS data) shows that the average age of people dying in England and Wales from Covid-19 is 82.4.

    Apparently this is slightly higher than deaths caused by other illnesses, which has a median age of 81.5.

    As 450 people die every day of cancer, and 174 to heart disease, Covid is way behind on 56.

    Perhaps a total ban on cigarettes and alcohol would have saved more lives, instead of locking people down and leaving them to drink eat and smoke to excess.

    Covid is way down the list of what’ll kill you.

    If you are lucky you’ll live long enough to die of Covid.

    Enjoy your cake.

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