Welcome to week 14562798 of quarantine. This week has been a bit different for me as I’ve actually left the house a few times. My mask has gotten some use and it’s been a mix of feeling free and feeling claustrophobic from having a large cloth covering my nose and mouth. I’ve gone out for a couple of errands and a doctor’s appointment, nothing crazy, and am taking all the precautions but still feel safest at home. What’s your current mood on the whole thing? Are you comfortable going out or would rather continue staying in?
I do have to say, other than the fact that I miss my husband something awful, I have really enjoyed spending so much time with my family. My sister and I stayed up late last night working on a puzzle. My mom and I always start our mornings together. I’ve shared endless bowls of popcorn with my dad while he’s been home for the longest time in our entire lives. We’ve played tennis, biked, and gone on after-dinner walks. I don’t take this privilege for granted and whenever I feel down, I focus on the magic that has been family time. I know once Matt gets back and life picks up again, things will change. We will never have this time just us again, and I am savoring every moment.
Speaking of savoring, my parents have been doing the bulk of the cooking around here, which is nice because it makes my sister and I feel like we’re kids again. But, I did cook one meal for the family this week and that’s my go-to vegan lasagna from Chef Chloe. I’ve visited Chloe’s restaurants literally all over the world and have used her cookbook for years. Whenever I’m traveling and needing something hearty but still within my food parameters, I will drag anyone who’s with me to By Chloe. I’ve gone to her restaurants in New York City, Los Angeles, and even London.
Any of her recipes are always a hit with non-vegans and I’ve made this lasagna too many times to count.
It’s creamy, cozy, but still feels light because *no dairy*. There’s also always leftovers and is so nice to be heated up the next day, I feel like you get even more of the flavors that way. Edit: I’m actually eating some leftovers as we speak and mmm, it’s delish.
While my mom and I were waiting on the dogs at the groomers this week, we were conveniently parked in the same lot as HomeGoods which, also conveniently, happened to be open. We’re moving very soon (back into our old house, long story) and have been online shopping for some new pieces, but when we saw HomeGoods we decided to suit up (again, claustrophobic in the masks) and have a look around.
I’ve missed having plants around. I gave them all to a friend when we moved out a couple of years ago, and so building back up my little plant family is one of the first things I want to do when I move back in. While in HomeGoods, I found the cutest houseplant stands in the clearance section and knew I had to grab them. They’re a perfect mix of my bohemian/Scandinavian love for design.
While we’re on the topic of design, I’ve been thinking about writing a blog post on how I’m planning on styling the house. Is that something you’d like to see? Let me know in the comments.
And that’s been about my extent of activity the past few weeks. Otherwise, we’ve been home most days taking it easy, working, and just doing life in quarantine. I’ve really been honing in on my meditation practice and developing a strong morning routine, which has been nice. My sourdough starter has made a comeback, I bought a vintage bread box (more on that later), and we’ve been able to go on the beach again.
I guess that’s the beauty and heartbreak of life, it just continues on.
Hope you and your family are well, safe, and healthy. Sending all my love.
Always,
