Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift which is why we call it the present.
With the uncertain time we are experiencing all over the world and social distancing the new norm, I’ve been keeping busy at home planning meals, cooking and freezing food, taking time to exercise and learning all I can. Years ago I lived on a farm, a time in my life I’d decided to be self sufficient. Some of the things I learned then are coming in handy as grocery store shelves are emptying by the hour. Eating a vegan diet certainly has come in handy too. I stopped by the shops today for whatever fresh produce I could find and some extra canned foods for the stockpile – the meat section was cleared.
It’s been interesting to have to contemplate the idea of not having enough of the things we take for granted every day. I’ve been juicing and instead of throwing the scraps away, I’m packing them for breakfast muffins. I’ve also been basing my daily meals on what needs to be used up first in the fridge so that nothing goes to waste. I’ve blanched and frozen veggies and made household cleaning supplies. Now we wait.
This is a list I copied from an article online of things you might want to consider keeping in your pantry right away:
Canned and dry goods
- Tomato paste
- Jarred pasta sauce
- Canned fish
- Canned vegetables (carrots, peas, diced tomatoes, green beans)
- Canned fruit in water
- Applesauce and other fruit purees
- Boxed macaroni and cheese
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Chicken broth for homemade soups
- Granola bars
Grains and rice
Protein
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Hummus
- Peanut or other nut butter
- Meat to freeze (chicken thighs and breasts, ground beef and ground turkey, pork chops)
Frozen goods
Long-lasting fruits and vegetables
Nuts and dried fruit
The kitties know how to do this pandemic right, napping, drinking plenty of fresh water and sitting in the sunshine. I’m feeling especially grateful that we’ve been having some beautiful sun filled days. I’ve been doing my daily yoga outside on the my patio and it feels great.
Now is not the time to be shopping ; only the essentials. It’s refreshing to put into perspective what is truly important, what it is we really need when it comes down to it. I do appreciate some of my favourite Youtubers still posting videos with makeup tutorials and sharing things they’ve been buying, it’s another way to get off the news for a bit and relax.
So for this entry I’m going to share things and products I’ve had for a while, that work really well or that I really appreciate right now as well as ways to keep entertained while social distancing.
Essence Eyebrow Pen
Our eyebrows can really transform the way we look. They frame the face and bring everything together when doing your makeup. I’ve used brow powders, gels, pencils and honestly this little discovery I made a while back has changed the game. This eyebrow pen by Essence has a felt tip with ridges (3 or 4) just like the Glossier ones so when you brush it onto your brows it draws on individual hairs and looks completely natural. The price is right too: $4
Old Books
I’m old fashioned, I keep a physical library in my home. I do love my kindle and iPad but there is nothing like holding a book and turning the pages and losing yourself in the photos. These are some of my favourites.
Joie de Vivre: French Style for Everyday Living
When it comes to making the most of life, nobody does it better than the French. The Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living, an inspired fusion of art, style, recipes and easy-to-implement ideas, anyone can feel like they spent a weekend in the French countryside, no matter where they live. By Chef Robert Arbor . For many years Robert’s recipe for oven roasted chicken was my go-to.
A Year Of Style
Written by world renowned hair stylist Frederic Fekkai. Unlike any other beauty or style guide, Frédéric Fekkai A Year of Style acknowledges that a woman’s look is constantly changing with the season, with fashions, and as her own lifestyle evolves. Frédéric Fekkai A Year of Style works like a daybook, offering twelve chapters packed with advice for living life more beautifully
The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes To Glow From The Inside Out
Whether you are a vegan, “vegan-curious,” or you simply want to eat delicious food that just happens to be healthy, this cookbook is a must-have for anyone who longs to eat well, feel great, and simply glow! By Angela Liddon. I got this book for Christmas. Every recipe is delicious and easy to make.
Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use
Social Media Detox
For the month of February I took time away from social media. No Facebook, no Instagram and dedicated my time to reconnecting with hobbies and things I’d left on the back burner. We’re so distracted all the time with our phones and computers and T.V’s. One thing I’ve been promising to do for a couple of years has been to study the Tarot. I used to read tarot cards when I lived in South America but after so many years of not doing it I’d forgotten how. During my social media detox I studied 1 card a day, made notes, meditated on it and am so excited to be able to understand the cards without having to consult my guidebook.
Homemade Beauty Products
Skincare is religion to me but some products can get really costly. There are so many ingredients just sitting in our cabinets that have all kinds of wonderful benefits for the skin. I do have a lot of extra products some may not have because I’m an Aromatherapist (and had my own business for 13 years) so I have many products like essential oils, clays and seaweeds. But You can make a simple masque however with oats, honey and egg whites that leaves skin soft and tightened.
Custom Home Delivered Hair Colour
I’d never dyed my hair in my life but as a few greys have started to appear recently I’ve been seeing a stylist in my neighbourhood every 8 weeks or so to cover my roots. The problem with that is that it’s not cheap. I recently came across E Salon; an online company run by professional hair colourists who will custom blend your dye for you and ship it to your home. All you do is fill out their very in depth questionnaire and that’s it! Whether you’r covering greys and want to keep your natural colour or you’re wanting a change, it’s $24 (50% for first time customers). They’ll even set you up with a plan so that you can automatically get a re-fill however often you want it. Oh and they’re a Canadian company.
Shoes
I think next Christmas, I’ll hold off on asking for anything and shop after boxing day. For Boxing Day 2019, I made a few purchases thinking about Spring/Summer 2020. These shoes (By Steve Madden and River Island) were very discounted and suddenly I’m seeing them pop up everywhere for the season. Yes I bought both pairs because they look very much like the styles Gucci released last year. The black slides will be great with high waisted jeans and I’ve been already wearing the sneakers with summer dresses I’ve winterized by pairing with a turtleneck or chunky cardigan.
Vinyasa Yoga
There is no way I could just stay home all this time and sit on the couch. Exercise is important to myself and my husband and we’ve been taking an hour every day do move. I personally need to stretch. I don’t know if it’s because I danced ballet for so many years but I can feel my muscles getting tight from sitting or standing too long. and don’t like it. Vinyasa Flow Yoga is an important part of my routine. I like running and hiking too but do Vinyasa 6 times a week. This is a great beginner video if you’d like to try. Exercise is free and a great way to break up the monotony of being indoors.
Games
Games are a great way to distract ourselves from all the ominous news. It’s important to be informed and to follow procedures but to be bombarded by fear and information that isn’t all that reliable at times isn’t the best for our minds and spirits. If you’re alone at home Solitaire and Sudoku are good ones to play. Jenga and Monopoly deal are 2 we like playing at home. After dinner instead of rushing to clean up (there’s nowhere to go!) games are keeping us entertained.
Starting A Garden
With all the commotion, the first day of Spring came and went with barely any notice. What a perfect time to start the garden. We’ve had some bright sunny days in the city, a little too cold still in the evenings for seedling so I’ve started mine on a sunny windowsill in my studio. This is cilantro. There’s something about the smell of the soil and watering plants that soothes the soul and connects us to source. My kitties love watering plants, they try to lick the water coming out of the watering can, so cute!
