How To Make the Best of Quarantine
While we have all been sheltering in place, I turned 30. Needless to say, turning 30 did not quite look the way I had originally anticipated. Right now Davor and I were supposed to be in Napa for my birthday trip. We had planned to be drinking champagne from a hot air balloon as it glided over the vineyards, going from winery to winery for tastings, and eating all the fresh and wonderful food we could find. Instead, we are sheltering at home, wearing our dogs out on as many walks as we can manage, and otherwise shuffling around the house in our pjs.
This whole situation is so weird. If you had told me in early March that this is where we would be, I would not have believed you. It escalated so quickly and now normal looks so completely different than it did, even a few short weeks ago. I keep going through waves of all sorts of emotions - from resolved positivity to deep sadness for the plans that we are missing out on, hopefulness that we are indeed flattening the curve to depression that things will never go back to normal.
I guess overall the range of emotions are fairly normal, right? This is new territory for sure but we are doing our best to navigate the current situation with our chins up and heads held high. There have been genuine moments of happiness and joy as well, of good things to hold on to. I have been lucky enough to keep my job and my sweet coworkers threw me a social-distancing birthday lunch. They brought in my favorite pizza, they made me a gluten free cake, and showered me with more presents than I ever expected. It was so kind and truly turned around my birthday. I was feeling so down and depressed about the whole ordeal and not getting to celebrate, but they made it wonderful. Davor and I have gotten creative about date nights at home and it has been so fun! Last night we tried to recreate a Napa setting with a lavish cheese board and California wine. The other night we got dressed up to eat pizza at our bar and played Italian restaurant music in the background. We are saving money by not going out as often and Davor has been cooking delicious meals. We are seeing our family via Zoom calls and Facetime and although we are all far away, in a weird way I feel like we are keeping in touch with loved ones more so than before.
There are good things. And although I am a firm believer in feeling what you feel and allowing yourself to feel all the things, I think it is important to feel everything but to also look ahead to what we can control. I can only control my own actions in this case. I can only control my own attitude and how I choose to show up for myself, my husband, my friends and family. Albeit, virtually or otherwise. :)
How is quarantine or sheltering in place going for you? What have you found that is saving your life right now or getting you through?
Here are few things we have enjoyed and to consider:
British Comedy TV Shows - Lockdown Editions -
Tiny Little Quiz of the Lockdown: Davor and I are absolute nerds and we love British comedy. We binge watch a number of shows such as Would I Lie to You, 8 Out of Ten Cats does Countdown, etc. One program we look forward to every year is the Big Fat Quiz. It is a Trivia Quiz with several Comedians competing against each other to answer questions about the year before. The show’s host, Jimmy Carr has launched a Tiny Little Quiz of the Lockdown on YouTube and he posts a quiz with answers every day. We have way too much fun looking forward to his post every day. Again, absolute nerd alert. You can link to his channel here.
#HomeTasking: Another show we love is Taskmaster. The premise for this show is that a number of British comedians are given a number often random, silly, or extreme tasks to complete and they compete against each other. It is so funny but it is also really interesting to watch how people approach problems completely differently. During the lockdown, they have launched a version for viewers to partake of at home, and it is hugely entertaining to see the creativity of so many. You can find the link here.
At Home Date Night -
Recreate Favorite Restaurant: This really was so fun the other night. Honestly, just changing out of my yoga pants and putting on some mascara made a world of difference! We normally sit and eat at our kitchen table for most meals but this time we moved to sit at our bar counter top. The change of location alone made it feel different than any other night or meal at home. We ordered our favorite pizza, we ate by candlelight, and we had Italian Bistro music playing in the background. It was somehow, exactly what I needed. Check out this post by Grundig for more ideas!
Spa Day: We have planned an at home spa day before and I think it will be in our near future again. It is inexpensive to make a sugar scrub at home, soak in a bath with epsom salts, or give yourself a manicure or pedicure. Since this lockdown has begun, my nails seriously need some love. Check out the Dating Divas for additional ideas to enjoy from home.
Outdoor Dining/Activities: Just as simply changing our location for eating dinner the other night made a world of difference, enjoying the outdoors can have the same effect. This of course depends on the weather in your location, but if your weather has been fairly mild such as ours, consider planning a picnic in your yard, grilling meats and veggies, or building a bonfire for roasting marshmallows. Personally, picnics are one of my favorite things to do for date day/night, regardless of the time of year, and I feel like you can’t go wrong! Check out these tips from Taste of Home for a perfect picnic.
Social Distancing Gatherings -
Zoom Calls: I have found you often have to have a limited number of people for this to work well. Too many people and everyone is constantly talking over each other. But find your sweet spot and it can be fun! Plan a Zoom happy hour with your family or girlfriends, and have a competition to see who can create the best cocktail or snack from home. Play an online game together for a game night for a fun option as well.
Driveway/Front Yard get-togethers: I have seen several groups do this with lawn chairs spaced 6 feet apart. Have your friends or neighbors bring their own drinks/snacks and show an outdoor movie (for up to an acceptable number of course). Have a bike ride gathering in a park and keep careful distance from each other. There are lots of fun options to consider that will still keep everyone safe.
In these unprecedented times, there are still fun ways to enjoy time together, even from a safe distance. Although it may not be the same as hot air ballooning over Napa or whatever you may have been originally planning this spring, there are still fun things to consider and to look forward to. We are nothing if not resilient people, we will get through this, and hopefully we will be stronger and closer for it.
Hang in there and see you on the other side!