*sigh* The travellers will stop coming now, dammit, I was just getting used to the upswing as well. 

I've had so many timewasters and now in tier 3 but getting an average of 3 bookings a day and I put my price down a bit which is pulling in some guys that had seen me at my lower rates. Sharing accommodation with a friend helped me mentally as it can be frustrating and lonely trying to get genuine bookings in, helps with the rent on a serviced apartment and as I'm not as busy as I was it's worked so well and we all need to vent to someone. But i plan on doing one last weekend and then off til mid January.

I feel similar to you denise, This year's been tiring both mentally and physically but as long as the powers of be let us live with covid nect year and the vaccine, we should get back to the way things had been before covid. It's been hard for most people. Morale is low everywhere. Limited travel and accomodation is blocking most of us from making a good living. I'm happy with any profit at the moment with a family to support.

Well since I decided to pack up for the festive early I have been swamped with requests.  Sods law.

Regulars have all vamoosed however.

With furlough extended to April I imagine lockdowns and changing of tier levels is planned to go on up until then. What's annoying is the government already know what they plan to do but give 2 days notice. So its impossible to plan ahead or even have an idea of what we may earn, Stay or even save. And that's for many and not just us. It's the uncertainty that adds to worry. I don't want to book any apartments for January because who knows. Still be work around but sporadic, My AW messages are non existent yet clips and gallery sales up. Going to switch off the week before and after Xmas and see what boris and sage tell us to do. But it's a game of hockey Cokey.

And the questions, Today a guy asks if I'm available and then ends with...."I worry about these rules and malicious reporters!!!!  Grown men should do as they feel is safe but why keep questioning us for our choice to work or try and plant seeds of doubt in our actions. So many have since the beginning of lockdown. At first I cared but now I realise everyone is divided and either fearful and cautious and will hide away or those that make their own choices to take take their chances or have no choice financially. But the questioning of my choice to work gets my goat. In a few years we can hopefully fully reflect on this year and what may follow and judge the situation and ourselves. I already regret not working during first lockdown with reflection now. And glad I've done what work I can to not be in debt. Sorry for the rant, Having a rubbish month with shoulder pain and pushing myself physically and mentally. I appreciate so many of us are in the same boat or worse.

Decided to work this weekend but already I feel it's going to be hit and miss and will have more questions and timewasters.

Hope others are doing well and hugs to those feeling the strain.

London going into Tier 4 for the rest of the month now.  Only allowed to see one person outside your bubble outside.

This scuppers a lot of potential to work for me.

London and many other areas:
https://www. bbc. co.uk/news/explainers-52530518

as I use hotels I’m pretty much fucked for the time being. There’s always the outcall option but very few of my clients are unattached so I won’t hold my breath on that one. I certainly won’t be offering incalls from my home.

I can't, I don't live alone.  So I feel you.  At least 60% of my outcall bookings are hotel travellers.  So that sucks. 

Oh well, just going to rest easy at home.

Honestly Celeste, it's no more a 'lockdown' than anything else we've had in the last few months - nobody is being sealed in their buildings to wait for food drops from the army or having their papers checked on their street corner when they nip out for some milk and a KitKat. Unfortunately this sort of ridiculous, dramatic tabloid language isn't going to have it's fun spoilt by actual reality when they can sell more shitrags by stirring up a panic

It's not such bad timing for me as I was packing up before going home for Christmas anyway and it's unlikely I would have time to do any more bookings inbetween last bits of laundry, shopping and so on but then I've had a few decent weeks and can coast a bit. The hotels being closed would be the big difference to most people here I would think (and expensive as my flat is, I'm bloody glad I got it when I did).

I'll just remind everybody that they can still apply for.the current SEISS grant if they haven't already (I wasn't going to as I was ticking over fine, but I have now), and also that we still have some food vouchers available for anybody really stuck - I can't remember how many, but they definitely haven't run out .