April Amusements

Anticipations 

I am most certainly looking forward to warmer weather! We had such a mild Winter here but for some reason, April has really not been playing fair - it's been cold and wet, which seemed worse for all the time being stuck inside. I'm hoping the weather will take a turn for warm and sunny in May!

There are no baseball games or Bible study meetings or gatherings in public of any kind to look forward to in the month of May. The state of Virginia is under a shelter in place/stay at home order through June 10th and so that means I'll continue to work from home and wear a face mask when I do leave the house.

I suppose the anticipation is that with each day that passes, we are one day closer to returning to some sort of normalcy in day to day life - even if there isn't necessarily an end point in place quite yet.

Books I Read

The Wondering Years by Knox McCoy - I enjoyed this quippy little read from Knox McCoy; one of the hosts of The Popcast, which I listen to weekly! Knox writes like he speaks and the book was amusing, offered plenty of laughs and also shared some gentle notes on faith and Christianity. This was a quick and light read and really enjoyable!

Buzzsaw: The Improbably Story of How the Washington Nationals Won the World Series by Jesse Dougherty - I devoured this book and it was spectacular! It documented the Nationals 2019 season and their historic comeback from a season that started at 19-31 and ended with the Nationals being the World Series Champions. The book truly shares how each person on the team and involved with the team was an integral piece of the puzzle that is this championship winning team - and it was thrilling, fascinating and just an all around excellent read!

Get out of Your Head by Jennie Allen - I am only about a quarter of the way through this one but so far, I'm really enjoying it. I have a tendency to over think every thing and this book is about taking one thought captive and just going with that - in a Biblical way. I'm interested to finish it and learn more!

Books on the Shelf

I am still working through the mound of books I bought back in mid-February (it's like I subconsciously knew that we'd be forced into quarantine in the future...) and I'm also "reading" audio books pretty prolifically while I work each day!

I "read" through Little Fires Everywhere this month on Audible... if you can call that reading! 

Movies of the Month 

Well guess what - this category is pretty empty, isn't it? Theaters are closed and while some things are popping up on streaming services, I didn't watch any new movies this month. I encouraged my family to watch Onward when it appeared on Disney+ at the beginning of the month and as I exercise, I am making my way back through the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So far I've re-watched Iron-Man, Iron-Man 2, Thor, Captain America and Iron-Man 3.

Must See TV 

Schitt's Creek - The final season of Schitt's Creek was everything that the show has been consistently throughout it's six season run: it was hilarious, heart-warming and ended on a perfect note! I am so glad I stumbled onto this show and I enjoyed every minute of my time spent with the Rose family! I look forward to re-watching all six seasons again and again, ha-ha!

Westworld  - The third season of Westworld only has eight episodes and is rumored to be the final season and its' certainly quite different from the first two seasons that took place completely within the park setting of West World. I'm still intrigued by the show, the acting, the story-line and the look of the show is still just as spectacular as ever - but I don't know that it will ever be as good as it was in season one!

Little Fires Everywhere - This short miniseries was excellent and essentially was an acting showcase for Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, who played their parts like - WOW. The show is all about race, community, the wealth divide and so much more and it plays out through an eight episode span that is fascinating, engrossing and left me glued to the TV. If you have Hulu - you'll want to check this out but note - not for the younger viewers!

Killing Eve - I tried to get into this about a year ago and couldn't make it past the first episode but at my friend Meridith's insistence, I started it back up and absolutely devoured it! The show follows MI5 (MI6?!?) employee Eve as she becomes involved in the search for serial killer Villanelle - and as her search deepens, the relationship between the two women becomes a strange push and pull of fascination, repulsion and obsession. It's fascinating and I cannot get enough!

I've also been watching travel shows like Places to Love with Samantha Brown and Rick Steven's Europe because that's really the only way that I can "travel" right now... since no one is traveling very far past their own front door.

I feel like I've watched a LOT of television this month... but then again - it's something to do, right?

Tasty Treats 

It would seem that even in captivity (I know - it's not that... but it feels like it sometimes) I have managed to have some delicious things to eat! We have been frequenting our favorite local eateries in hopes of helping them stay afloat and have had several really good meals - and yet the only thing I have a picture of is Panda Express! *facepalm* It was really tasty though!

The Quarantine Baking (or cooking) is a real thing though - I've made multiple grilled pimento & cheese sandwiches, whipped up some stuffed pepper and made a coconut cream and banana trifle for my Dad's birthday! We also made all sorts of variations of Smore's dip, cinnamon sugar blondies and we popped into Baskin Robbins for ice cream. I'm not sure how I managed to lose any weight this month - but I did! 

Tunes & Talks 

As mentioned - I've been listening to a Audible and I currently have about seven books in the line-up that I can listen to (I had about 10 credits just stored...) and I discovered a new podcast, courtesy of a and I've been binge-listening to that pretty good. It's called Crime Junkies and I find myself fascinated by it.

I'm still listening to plenty of music and most of it is instrumental and is some sort of combination of nature and instrumental sounds because I find that it makes working from home very calming.

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What a month April was! It was the first month that most everyone spent; in it's entirety, in their own homes due to various degrees of shelter in place orders across the nation. I wonder what the month of May and the rest of this year will have in store for us?

Watson Wednesday

I think some days - even the puppy is feeling all the feelings about this whole quarantine. That; or perhaps he's just tired...

If Not for Sunshine...

Thank goodness for the sunshine or this weekend might have pushed me over the edge. It was forecast to rain all weekend but thankfully that didn't come to pass. I think this weekend was a tough one for me - the whole staying home thing really got to me more this weekend than it has previously.

If you were wondering how I was feeling on Friday night - that selfie up there is about right. I feel like it has been ages since I have put on nice clothes and seen other people. I know there are people in much worse situations and I am thankful for mine but man - it just starts to wear on a person! I ended up binge-watching the rest of the second season of Killing Eve on Friday night - if you haven't watched it, I'd highly recommend it!

It rained from about mid-day on Friday through the night but amazingly when I woke up on Saturday, the sun was shining and all I could think was that I absolutely needed to get out of the house while the opportunity was available. A look at the forecast told me I had until around 3:00 and then the weather was going to take a turn again - so after coffee and breakfast, I changed into some athletic gear and headed out the door!

 

The walking paths from my house to the clubhouse seemed like the perfect option and I've wanted to walk all the way to the clubhouse and back... it's not a big goal, but a goal nonetheless and Saturday seemed as good a time as any to accomplish it. I even loaded a little back pack with some waters and my pup's water carrier so that I'd have refreshments along the way and then we set out. 

  

It was a lucky thing that no one happened to be at the dog park when we (my parents were along for the walk) arrived at the clubhouse, so I let Watson out so he could explore and play in an area that is new to him. He doesn't actually "play" in the true sense of the word, but he did seem to enjoy just sniffing at every tree, bush and stalk of grass that was new and different for him.

  

We also perched in the grass at the top of the hill overlooking the lake for a long while, watching people fishing on the lake and just enjoying the sunshine. I didn't make Watson love me... even if that's what the pictures look like, ha-ha! I like to think he actually does love me quite a lot - even if I have to hold him close to snap pictures sometimes! 

The lake is really alive right now - trees are blooming, there is so much green everywhere you look and even with the six feet distancing rule - there were boats all over the lake. I suppose you hop in your boat and row away from everyone and that takes care of that. I'm not much for boating but depending on how long this whole shelter in place stays... in place... I may have to go rent a kayak and embrace the open water.

After lunch I stayed outdoors as much as I could - I read on the deck for a bit, just laid in the sunshine for a while, rode my bike around the neighborhood some - whatever I could do to stay out in the sun! As predicted, around 3:30 the clouds started to roll in and so I took a shower and by the time supper rolled around - the rain had returned. We had Chick Fil A for dinner and I started the third season of Killing Eve before calling it an early night...

I had my usual coffee breakfast on Sunday morning and then actually got myself together for "church" - which takes place on the couch. There were some grocery items that we needed and so we made a trip to Martin's to grab those things and pick up a late lunch from Firehouse Subs. I was tickled by the Corona de Mayo signs with the Coronas... I can help but think how ironic the sign was and so I had to take a picture with my fancy face mask that is now a requirement for any kind of human interaction.

After lunch - the afternoon just seemed so "blah". I know the drizzly weather didn't help but the hours ticked by anyway - a long call with my sister, walking the dog here and there, watching the newest episode of Outlander, doing a Marco Polo call with a friend... and suddenly it was time to cook supper.

 

After supper, we watched some Rick Steves' Europe because it's the only way to travel right now - living vicariously through other people. Watson has perfected the art of wriggling out of the diapers that he now has to wear because he's an old man. I snapped the picture of him above staring at me in defiance with his recently shed diaper behind him...

I suppose he was just feeling tired of it all and honestly - me too buddy. I mean; I'm not wearing diapers at this stage in life but I think you get the idea! It's sunny today and I'm so glad to see bright blue skies and fluffy clouds... but I'll be even more glad when we can all just go out and enjoy it without worries. Until next time - I hope y'all are staying sane.

Five on Friday

Y'all - it's the final Friday of April! There are days when I look at the calendar and cannot believe that the end of April is right around the corner and other days I feel like this month has lasted forever. Am I the only person that feels this way? Probably not...

One. Planning for the Future - Living with hope that later in this year there can be all manner of making up for lost time, I signed up to go with my church ladies group to the Word Alive Conference in Leesburg in late October. I've sent off the monies and so now all I can do is pray that by the time Autumn rolls around, doing things like attending a women's conference will be socially acceptable!

Are you already planning activities for the future? I hope that by the time Summer rolls around (we'll say mid-June) things will be a little bit back to normal! 

Two. Quarantine Baking - I finally fell prey to some quarantine baking this week and since the recipe turned out so deliciously, I decided to share it here in case you also find yourself succumbing to the urge to bake all the things! I made Cinnamon Cream Cheese Cookies - they're a little like Snickerdoodles! They taste like little creamy, cinnamon-y pillows!

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick; softened)

4 ounces cream cheese (softened)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch kosher salt

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until combined. Add the egg, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Mix to combine. Add flour in slowly until fully incorporated, scraping the sides as needed. Place the dough in the fridge to rest for one hour.

Preheat the over to 375. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Roll the rested dough in small balls (about 2 teaspoons worth) and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until thoroughly coated. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8-9 minutes, until just set. Do not overbake! The cookies will puff up but will not turn golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes and enjoy!

Three. Making the Most of Masks - About a week ago when the realization that wearing a face mask whenever in public was going to essentially become rule of law, I reached out to a woman on Twitter who was making face masks in delightful Washington Nationals patterns and grabbed three for my family! They arrived this week and I must say - if we have to wear masks when we go out, at least we can support our Nationals! 

It's a whole new world we are living in - sometimes I am a little mind blown by how much things have changed in just six short weeks.

Four. Rainy Weekend - This is essentially my view today and it will probably look like this for most of the weekend. The rain rolled into town yesterday afternoon and it looks like it will stick around for the majority of the weekend. I don't know how other people feel - but for me, the presence of rain makes the days indoors seem even longer...

I think that feeling mostly has to do with not having the option to go outside and stroll around the neighborhood or sit on the back deck in the sunshine to read - if the urge so possessed me. Perhaps the weather will move through more quickly than expected and there might be sunshine this weekend...

Five. Online Shopping Strikes Again - I promise, I have been avoiding the online shopping and trying to save my money... but this t-shirt just got me today and I couldn't resist. I got a long sleeve t-shirt instead of short sleeve and mine is bright yellow, but the sentiment is just too true.

I purchased a pair of pants and a top from Loft last week - the pants were 70% off and the top was 50% off, so I didn't feel too badly about spending that money. Now I just hope this shelter in place is over soon enough that I can wear them out to see actual people! 

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Enjoy the last weekend of April - even if your weekend is shaping up to involve rain and staying indoors! Who knows, one day you might look back on all this endless time and wish you had some of it back. I think; for me, that one day will be a long time from now - but hey, it could happen!

Watson Wednesday

 

 

 

A little "Way Back Wednesday" for you - Watson frolicking in the grass four years ago!

Anyone Stir Crazy Yet?

I suppose if there is one thing I've realized in the midst of all this, it's that I'm maybe not as much of a introvert as I thought. I've been working from home for 5 weeks as of today and man - there are some days when I definitely feel a little bit like screaming because of the monotony of it all! I am beyond thankful that I have not gotten sick... that no one in my family has gotten sick... but I think most everyone on the world would agree with me - I really miss "normal" life.

I don't have much to report about my weekend. I made a trip to Target and realized it was the first time I'd left the house to go to a store in almost 4 weeks - and things have definitely changed since then. I suppose I could have aimlessly wandered the store but it's not so easy to breathe with a homemade mask on (I've ordered a better made one) and it's not like you can try on clothes or anything like that... so I just chose the few items I needed, joined the line standing on my sticker that marked six feet of distance and then paid, reaching around the glass barrier in between us...

I dealt with a headache on and off all day Saturday and ended up curled up on the couch on Saturday night watching Spider-Man: Far from Home before "traveling" virtually with an episode of Rick Steve's Europe - I guess since that's the only way to see the world right now, it has to do.

Sunday was cloudy on and off and a bit breezy but after coffee, exercise and church at home - it was decided that some time spent outside the house was a must! It was so nice to wander in nature and just be free from the confines of four walls for just a bit - and happily the trails weren't overrun with people! I snapped some pictures of Spring slowly unfolding all around as we made our way through the trees and trails...

  

 

I have said over and over that I wish there were some sort of end point in place that we could count down to - but I guess that's not something we have right now. The shelter in place order for the state of Virginia is until June 10th and if that stays in place, that's another 7(ish) weeks sitting at my little desk made from a folding table, staring out the window of my living room and watching the as Spring slowly floats toward Summer...

I'm not quite stir crazy yet - but as the each day on the calendar ticks by... well I suppose some days are better than others. I'm writing this on Tuesday because Monday was not a great day for me. We all have bad days - that's part of the joy of being human; the bad days make the good days that much better and all that. I'm making plans for the Fall - hoping that by then, the world will be back to something resembling our usual.

I was turning the pages of my 2020 calendar and realized that Cinco de Mayo falls on Taco Tuesday this year... which makes me amused remembering the memes that talked about how "lit" 2020 was going to be. As always - life is never what you think it's going to be! 

Five on Friday

One. Changes - I started Weight Watchers the second week of January and I'm not sure why I thought it would be really challenging because all in all, it's been pretty easy. As of the start of the April, I've lost 29 pounds and I'm really pleased about that. I finally did a side by side at the start of this week and was sort of mind-boggled at the difference a couple months can make.

I will confess that on Wednesday the Easter candy got the better of me and I ate more of that than I should have... *sigh* but I'm back at it and plan to keep on going! 

Two. Conference Calls - I've become more accustomed to working from home... I think this is the fourth week, so I guess that means I've been doing this for almost a month now. Some of the anxiety that came along with it has died down and I'm wondering when the novelty of it will all wear off too.

One thing that's not wearing off is being able to have conference calls while sitting in my floor with my sweet little old man puppy dog relaxing at my feet. 

Three. Zoom - Speaking of conference calls, I finally learned the joy of using Zoom this week! My women's Bible study had a little meet up on Wednesday night and while it took me a minute to get it sorted out, I finally got things all pulled up and was able to chat with some of my favorite ladies for about 45 minutes! 

Another amazing Zoom related thing that happened - the Washington Nationals held a Facebook Live on Tuesday night and re-watched Game Seven of the World Series together, with commentary, jokes and quite a bit of booze. It was hilarious and I especially enjoyed when they made fun of the Astros (those cheaters...). The whole thing was for a good cause; the re-watch raised over $200,000 for Pros for Heroes - to help healthcare workers!

Four. Yes Please - I'm trying to curb my impulse to shop online and just save money during this time where there is nothing to do and nowhere to go... it's not like I could wear any of the cute clothes that I'd buy anywhere. *sigh* However, this t-shirt caught my eye and absolutely tickled me.

It's looking more and more like there might be no baseball this season at all and that just breaks my heart. I know it's all for the best (I suppose) but I think I'll need this t-shirt to survive it all....

Five. Weekend Plans - I don't know why I keep including this every week! I don't have any weekend plans because there isn't really anywhere I can go (National parks are closed, State parks are closed, the State Arboretum is closed...) and there isn't really anything to do if it doesn't involve being inside. I may go stir crazy this weekend because it's supposed to rain all weekend.

I can't find any quarantine memes that aren't about killing people...killing one another...killing oneself... and I'm not posting that nonsense. Sure, we might all go stir crazy but let's not joke about killing. No thanks.

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Well - here we are in the middle of April and it looks like this whole working from home business will just keep on going. I certainly wish there was an end in sight but for now, it's just a holding pattern. Y'all be safe this weekend and don't get too crazy.