Things I've learned during quarantine
Frozen milk takes approximately 3 years to thaw.
Ok, so not actually, but it feels like it.
HOW DOES IT STAY ICY FOR SO LONG???
I've been buying extra gallons and throwing them into my chest freezer (to help cut down on milk runs) and my soul, I cannot believe how long a gallon of milk takes to thaw.
(To freeze milk, just pour out a cup or two into another container so that the milk has room to expand while freezing. And then put the milk container into the freezer.)
I do not like trying to avoid grocery shopping.
It's not so much that I mind doing a big trip (though that is a little annoying).
It's more that I hate the feeling that I really, really need to not forget anything.
Down the road, feeling the freedom to make a fill-in trip in between larger shops will really help.
I like having a two week plan of meals to choose from.
I don't really like the process of coming up with 14 meals at a time.
But once that's done (and the shopping is done), I love the feeling of knowing I have a long block of time where I don't have to think, "What could I make for dinner tonight?"
I really miss having fresh bananas around.
I try to buy a combo of ripe and green bananas when I shop, and I refrigerate the ripe ones to extend their life.
But still, there are times in the two weeks between shopping trips when we are, sadly, banana-less.
And that is sad, because a banana with peanut butter makes such a great snack.
A chest freezer is awesome. But I'd also like an extra fridge.
I am massively happy to have my chest freezer! And I can hardly imagine trying to shop every two weeks without it.
If I were going to keep shopping for several weeks at a time, though, I'd be pining for an extra fridge. It is so hard to fit two week's worth of cold things in my not-enormous fridge.
(We are temporarily ignoring the fact that there is nowhere in my house for an extra fridge to go. I'm just saying I can see a serious benefit to having one.)
Staying home makes some parts of my life easier.
It's easier to:
- get blog posts written (I've been pretty prolific lately!)
- stay caught up on laundry/household chores
- get regular workouts in (no appointments in the morning, so I can work out right away)
I'm a homebody, but I do like going out a little bit.
I can be a very contented homebody.
However, after this long a period of mostly staying home, it does feel kind of good to hop in my car and go somewhere (like when Sonia needs an allergy shot).
It takes me a long time to get bored at home.
As in, I have not gotten remotely bored during the stay at home order. I still have lots of fun and/or practical things I could fill my time with.
This is most definitely due in part to the fact that I have kids at home, but I think even without kids, it would still take me a while to get bored.
I am very glad we do not live in a tiny house.
Our house is not huge, but it is big enough for us to not have to actually spend every single moment together.
(I think we would be very, very tired of each other if we had no space to be apart! Even Sonia, the most extroverted among us, likes to have some quiet time in her room.)
And also, it's nice that we have an office with a door that shuts, so that Mr. FG has a place to work from home.
A surprising number of people do not understand how to wear a mask.
If your nose is sticking out of the top of the mask, it would seem obvious that the mask is no longer effective.
But this has not occurred to some people, apparently.
(At first when I saw social media posts griping about people wearing their masks wrong, I was confused. Was I wearing mine wrong? Is there a trick to masks? Some special way to wear them? But then I went to the grocery store and my confusion was cleared up. Ha.)
We have been having food delivered every 2 weeks, and it is beginning to drive me crazy. I forget to list ingredients, we run out of produce after a week (or it goes bad), they bring the wrong item...I used to enjoy the little trips, too, to get out and about a bit or just to see another store. I am an introvert, too, and it IS getting tiring and trying.
The good news is my husband is now eating a regular diet, being off the medicine that forbade it. Our meals are much better, even the not so fresh ones.
When we got this apt. I thought it was too big, with a guest room. with bath
and a small den we use as the grandkids' playroom. The rooms are big, too. Now, like you, I am glad to have some space. I even go for walks inside!
Thank you for blogging and thank goodness for this Ipad that we thought to buy at the beginning of March so I could get lib. books free w/o going to the now-closed lib.
Mostly I feel bad for the kids about the world we are handing to them. I feel it is going poorly in the U.S. and hope things will get better.
Thank you for wearing a mask and, always but esp. now, for your tips on food, shopping and attitude. You are doing a service by remaining a virtual friend and resource to your readers. Best wishes.
Well. I guess all I can say regarding all the grocery thoughts is welcome to my life.
And I say that with no pleasure whatsoever for those of you unexpectedly dealing with a situation that I chose purposefully and have some experience with already. I would find it much more frustrating to be near a store and unable to go to it. Like holding candy out to a toddler. 🙂
Yes! There are something like 10 grocery stores within 10 minutes of my house. So tempting!
I am finding some benefit to doing a once a month big shop with a small fill in shop around 2 weeks, but a few days ago I just missed the convenience of taking shortcuts. I needed to make a birthday cake and felt like I was running into problems left and right. All I wanted to do was go buy a cake at the store, but that felt somewhat irresponsible in the current times.
Birthday cake aside though, I think I like only doing the shopping 1-2 times a month now, although it's more expensive to get a variety of stuff when there aren't weekly sales to shop.
I feel like we've had to learn or try something new everyday. I wasn't much on technology but have had to learn how many things I thought I would never need worked. I don't mind the learning, it's that it's all at once.
Also having to put off stuff because of business being closed. We have some warranty work that needs doing, can't get it done yet. I miss running into the store and picking up the sales. This is the main way I shopped for years. Now I've gone back to big shopping trips, which cost more and take longer. I do most transactions with cash, which is not happening much now.
But I really can't complain as I mostly stayed home before. Just adjusting to new routines. Though this morning the internet service was not working. That would take a major adjustment if it quit. Plus all the stuff we have to do online now.
I am very grateful for Aldi grocery delivery. I'd prefer to go in person so I can pivot if something isn't available on my list because sometimes Instacart's substitution selection is also out. I'm looking at it like writing a wish list letter to Santa and then waking up on Christmas morning to find what wishes were granted under the tree 🙂
I love the Christmas list / under the tree thing.
I've been mostly lucky that my missing items / substitutions generally work, except for the time that a bag of red lentils was out of stock and I received enchilada sauce instead. But even that is something I'll find a use for.
I've never done grocery delivery/online ordering. Did someone think that enchilada sauce is somehow equivalent or related to red lentils? Lol! How does this work? Do you have to pay for it if it isn't what you wanted?
Things I have learned in QUARANTINE
1. I like every two weeks grocery pick up. Never did grocery pick up before. Sometimes I get weird substitutions so it is kind of like an exciting grab bag situation.
2. I am not bored when the weather is nice , but days and days of rain makes me feel a little TRAPPED.
3. I have natural urges to organize but I do not have natural urges to DEEP CLEAN.
Agree with all of these. No urge to deep clean at all.
I read once that there are two instincts for cleaning: Organizing and scrubbing.
If you have one, the other doesn't necessarily interest you.
I would re-arrange my medicine cabinet six times before I would scrub the sink, if so allowed.
For what it's worth, the divots in the side of the milk jugs are sufficient to hold the expanded volume of the whole jug while frozen. No need to pour any out. I've never poured any out and I've never had any break on me. And I agree, milk takes 3 years to thaw. Ours will still have ice crystals in the jug up to a week later.
Ohhh, really? I will try that next time because I'd prefer not to do the pouring out.
FG, do you have room for a little fridge? I find that a cube fridge makes a big difference. Mine lives on a side table in the living room.
I did my first grocery delivery yesterday. It was strange, and I forgot things, and a 1 lb box is not an even substitute for a 2 lb box. I think I'll end up going to the store this week anyway. Nonetheless, I needed the practice because I'll be strictly quarantining for 2 weeks before seeing my parents in June.
Even though I'm WFH and keep a regular schedule, I forget what day it is.
I like exercising with a Nintendo Switch. It had been a year since I was regularly exercising, after having left my dojo and not found a new one.
I am maintaining a daily schedule and daily tasks but the larger projects are a challenge, which is a change. I'm substantially behind on dealing with my insurance company (I'm really, really dreading starting that task), I haven't filed my taxes yet, I need to sort last year's bills. I've even been avoiding organizing the deep freezer.
William B, do you mind sharing how much you can fit in your cube fridge? I don't have enough space for a second full-sized refrigerator, either.
I repackage the produce into TellFresh so it fits better. I can fit 2-3 4c. containers, 1-2 2c containers, 3-5 bags of baby carrots/snap peas/green beans in the soda can dispenser, and 1-2 tall flat things in the door.
That's 2-3 days of snack produce around here, which is nothing to be sneezed at.
I too am not easily bored. I think because this isn't massively different from normal life for me. Besides working from home, not much else has changed I spend most evenings in and don't have lots of outside activities. I'm not liking being under stay-at-home orders in a city because every venture outside, just down to my mailbox in my building feels like a production because of masks and hand-washing. I know they aren't a big deal, but the mental weight is weird. Same for just going on a walk, nothing is just simple and unthinking. I have an apartment sized fridge (since I live in an apartment) and I am very much wishing for a even a small chest freezer and a 'regular' sized fridge, even though honestly its all fine for two weeks at a time as it is. I think what is hardest for me is that friends are having a hard time and I feel more isolated because they aren't interested in chatting because it feels like nothing is new or has changed to talk about. Also annoying, I finally have health insurance after a long period without it, but I can't make use of it because you can't make appointments unless its an emergency.
I am so like you in the fact that I love being at home. Home is my security and my sanctuary. However I work from home, and have been for close to 19 years, and I do need to get out and talk to humans every once in a while. Those quick trips to the grocery were it. And now, I go and do my business and get home. I try to go in and out with a list so I don’t have to spend too much time in a store. My husband does not understand why!
And I agree that the masks are very stuffy and kinda make it hard to breath, but you certainly DO NOT want to breath in other people’s germs!!! So cover up your mouth and your nose!!
I knew I was an extrovert. I knew I felt energized after being with friends. I didn't connect why I was struggling to work and do things after 2-3 weeks in with the lack of seeing friends for probably another week. Because I'm around my family, so I feel like I'm around people. But it wasn't enough. And it has been harder for me to work & multi-task. And I learned I stay up way too late and sleep in when I don't have to get up and my kids are big enough to make their own breakfasts.
Things I am learning in quarantine
I can find something else to make to eat/bake if I can't go to the shop for that one thing for that one recipe.
I shop for fun IRL And it costs me money that I don't need to be spending.
I love being able to sunbathe in my garden during my lunch break.
Meetings are usually less efficient over bad tech than in person and my annoying colleagues are still annoying over Skype.
I like the streets being quieter.
80% of people can't read signs or follow arrows in supermarkets.
Wearing gloves and using hand sanitiser is great but licking the envelope does negate that somewhat! I felt a complete idiot when I reaslied what I had done. D'oh
I quit licking envelopes at the beginning of all this. I still have the impulse but get a rag instead.☺ I'm old enough to remember green stamps, we always used a sponge.
I am a grateful person in general, but during covid, I have re-learned the value of very simple and small pleasures—getting to discuss the day’s news over a game of Canasta, in person, with my 3 neighbor/friends.The pot lucks we bring to those games. Quality time with women friends, in person, is what I miss the very most.
I’ve learned that I have to force myself to go into my craft room and start a project even when i don’t feel like it, and then the good feelings will come, as I putter and play. Don’t wait for the “mood”.. cause this virus is causing some inertia for me.
I’ve learned that even 2 lunches “out” per Week are costly, and don’t think we will return to that much eating in restaurants,even when we can.
I have learned how MUCH I LOVE MY LIBRARY. I am getting great books online through the Cloud Library, but those mornings puttering in the stacks, in person,with my husband, were one of our favorite “dates.” Our library is now open, but not sure we’re ready to go out in to public yet.
I have learned that uncertainty is perpetual—did we really thing we would get out of this life without experiencing something like this?? Being prepared, emotionally, household wise, and spiritually, is important (to me.) I am keeping a regular meditation and prayer practice,getting out in nature,taking care of my body, and sticking up a little more than usual.
Gratitude remains an important practice. It is harder on the days I wanna run to Trader Joe and buy myself some tulips and my favorite goodies for supper.. but I am trying to keep my Spirits up as we hope that someday soon life might go back to some version of “normal..”
STOCKING up, lol!!
Things I've learned in quarantine:
1.) I miss casual grocery shopping. I like to look at things and try new things, particularly at Aldi.
2.) I don't have a close friend circle and while it was there it kind of became more obvious. People talk about missing friends or catching up with them on video chats or whatever. I haven't had a single person reach out to me once. I've reached out to a few but more or less just got the "Yeah, we're fine." lines.
3.) I've learned that so many people I know cannot handle any sort of financial crisis. It's rather disheartening to work hard, save, be frugal and prudent and see the same people who are irresponsible get bailed out time and time again. Many of these same people crashed and burned in 2008 and forgot every lesson they were taught back then.
4.) I actually miss alone time. Now that my wife is working from home and my daughter isn't in daycare I don't get that buffer after work that I used to get. I don't get to casually go shopping or catch up on my movies and shows and stuff. It's not that I don't love my family but I don't have any alone time any more.
Battra92, I'm there with you on number 2 and number 4! Okay, all of it, actually.
Number four is super relatable for all of us introverts, I think! It's hard to never be home alone, even if all we were getting before was a brief period of alone time.
Can you go for a walk by yourself? I've done that a few times and found it refreshing.
I'm actually not really an introvert; at least I don't think so. It was just nice to be able to enjoy some things that I enjoy alone (e.g. certain shows I watch that my wife doesn't care for, playing some video games, etc.) When I get home from work I immediately take over childcare as my wife has been watching our daughter all day long while she works. Lately I've been taking her outside and playing with her.
Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my family, but some days I just want to decompress after work. I want to relax or just get caught up on something that needs to get done. I don't have that time any more and it's been rough.
I'm in a very similar boat, for sure. It's been a bit tough for me to ask my wife for time to do stuff when I need it, but I've found she's understanding when I do ask for it. When I don't, I tend to just build up and start venting in other ways, which is never productive.
Just because she's been with the kid(s) all day doesn't make your needs less valid. It's just down to having enough flexibility to take the time when it works best for everyone, or least inconveniently at worse.
It's so hard to ask for something like that, because it's easy for the other person to take it personally ("You don't want to spend time with me? You need space from me?")
So, it's awesome that your wife is being understanding!
Could you perhaps ask your wife for that? Could you ask her if it would be ok if you came home say 30 minutes later one night a week so that you can have that moment? In order to be the best we can we need to heal our own selves first. For introverts that means time alone. It's not that you don't want to help, or be with the family. It's that you want them to have the best version of you and that 30 minutes would go a long way to doing that. I think as long as she knows ahead of time and can adjust her expectations, you should be able to work something out.
+1 on Number 4!
My husband and I have a three bed house, and I can go into my office and close the door, but knowing that I'm never alone has been really difficult. Even going for a morning run, which is my favorite bit of alone time, has been fraught because I can't wear a mask while running and fear mask-shaming.
It's getting old.
I couldn’t agree more with #4. People talk all the time about how quarantine is great for introverts, but it has had the opposite impact on me. I’m used to having a good chunk of time alone in my house and I really miss that.
Totally agree on all 4!
I get you on #4. Our small children are outgrowing naps. One only sleeps 6-7 (usually non--consecutive) hours a day (compared to my need for 8 to function). All 3 are learning letters/numbers/reading. My husband, who used to work all hours of the day is home with very little work he can do because of the nature of his job. I feel so crowded, even more so than before quarantine when we had hours of doctor/therapy appointments a week and very little free time. I was good the first 6.5 weeks of quarantine. The last 2.5-3 have been really rough. I adore my family. I feel like I have no space to think and process so that I can fully enjoy them. One day at a time, right?
I understand your #2! You really get a feel for who your true friends are in this type of situation. I find myself reaching out to people, but I've been kind of surprised by how few have reached out to me. Some of it I don't take too personally, because everyone deals with a crisis in their own way. But it's certainly interesting. I've started joking that if someone doesn't answer my call, I know they're screening me, because I *know* they're available! 🙂
I am a teacher currently working from home and teaching my kindergartener. We are finishing up the school year and, while I loved and appreciated my child’s teacher this year, I am learning that if this continues into the fall I might choose to homeschool because I’m enjoying it. It’s a hard decision to make, though, because it would not only affect us financially, but it would also hurt funding for our very small school district. We will see what August brings...
I have always done my grocery shopping in two week intervals. I’ve attempted to do 2 1/2 to 3 weeks recently, and it is challenging. I have two small children and they were initially wanting snacks so frequently that I put a child lock on the pantry cabinet. Ha! It worked like a charm.
We have a small chest freezer like yours. Are the dividers built in or is that something you purchased? We buy a 1/4 beef each year and that would be a great help in organizing it!
Just another comment about masks. Many people grab the front of their mask and pull it down, or to adjust it. This is not good, unless they wash their hands after and do not touch their face, which many do when they pull the mask back up. Once you touch the front of the mask, any virus that has landed on it is now on your hands.
We have an apartment sized fridge that sits on a workbench downstairs. It holds extra milk, coffee creamer (my one vice), a block or two of cheese, some refilled water bottles. It's really handy; we keep it just a degree or two above freezing. We got it at a yard sale, years ago.
*I've learned to do what feels best and safest for my family and let others do what they will even if I do not agree. We are social distancing and wearing masks; I can't control other people who choose not to do so, I can simply choose to not be around them as much as possible.
*We really miss going to karate class and the library and those are things we don't want to do without. My son learned that he actually does like the structure of going to school all day.
*I've learned that I'm an introvert but that doesn't mean I don't like to get out of the house. I need time to re-charge away from others to feel like my best self again; sometimes that means quiet time at home, others it may mean going to the park by myself or to a store.
*shopping habits re-evaluated, I have mixed feelings about online shopping. Shopping around for deals and values was what I did before and I miss the freedom of that. I feel like online shopping can be a little too convenient at times and it's easy to end up buying stuff you don't really need.
*I love having an additional fridge during this time (and always) but I definitely want to purchase a chest freezer too. It's hard to stay organized when the freezer is packed full.
Putting the frozen milk jug into a bucket or bowl of water hastens the defrosting process.
I used to put it in a stockpot of water and give the jug a good shake every time I walked by. That speeded thawing up considerably.
Now I don't freeze milk because my husband and I became lactose intolerant as we got into our 50s, so we don't drink it any more.
My method of thawing frozen milk: (full disclosure here: I get milk in bags.) I found it takes about 1 hour to thaw milk in my sink with hot tap water. Because my milk comes in bags I do not pour off milk for freezer expansion. When I need milk I take out one of the 1.3 litre bags, put enough hot tap water in the sink to almost cover the bag of milk and constantly swish it around in the water. The hot-cold transfer is quicker and the milk doesn’t get a chance to have “hot spots”. You may be able to do this method of thaw with the jugs too.
1. That I don't need nearly as much as I thought I did. Having the time to inventory and pay closer attention to what I have and how long it takes me to use it up has been very enlightening and has also eased my anxiety and kept me from hoarding.
2. That even though I thought I didn't, I actually did use shopping as a form of entertainment sometimes and am more subtly triggered by ads and social media than I thought I was. I have been observing the itch to shop as it arises, as well as why I felt a need to, and in many cases it was boredom or seeing something online. That awareness has given me the ability to stop before I shop!
3. That I can be very resourceful. I have found ways to make do with what we have like making beer bread since I can't get yeast or making masks out of old pillowcases. t-shirts, and shoelaces.
4. I actually like working from home as it frees up more time to cook and read. I do miss my colleagues though, they are really great people.
5. Tying in to number 4, I am very lucky to still be working. I am budgeting in a portion of each paycheck to help others who are not so fortunate.
I am finding that we need less than I thought. This goes along with the last couple of months (pre-pandemic) of me dieting and realizing I really didn't need as much food as I think (or would have liked to think) I needed.
And learning to use what I have at home, rather than just buying whatever. Feels good.
Re #2 and your important ability to stop before you shop: The TV ads these days, (CBS Loves You! We are all in this together-- Buy Buy Buy!), and online ones, are probably going to get even more intense in the next several months, as companies work to recover.
Decide now what you want your Christmas to be, because the loving communal emotional commercials will probably reach new heights then. Especially if there is a second wave of virus in the fall. Hallmark card ads already usually make me tear up, as do travel ads.
When the time comes to replace your current fridge, if you have the room, I highly recommend getting a freezer-drawer-bottom, french-door top fridge! We had a GE one in our townhouse.
I could easily fit a huge grocery shop in it. A chest freezer would have been nice, but even without one, the freezer drawer was large enough to handle our compost bag, several whole frozen chickens, several packages of frozen ground meat (sausage, ground beef, etc.), frozen fruit and veggies, several containers of ice cream, my bags of veggie ends and bones for making broth, frozen broth, etc. (We kept our compost in the freezer to keep it from getting stinky before the weekly drop-off at our community's compost spot - living in a townhouse we couldn't compost at home).
We moved into a single-family home that came with a side-by-side, and it's SO INEFFICIENT on space! Ugh. It works great, and probably will for years, but I had to change my shopping to weekly because there just isn't space to handle two weeks' worth of groceries.
A side by side design is just awful. You can barely fit anything in there! The freezer is especially terrible.
We do have a drawer on bottom with a single door up top. So my basic design is probably like yours; it's just that my fridge is on the smaller size due to space restraints with a wall and cabinets. We got the largest size we could possibly squeeze in there, but it's not as big as I would wish for, esp during times like there!
We have a few in common. I also miss having fresh bananas around. I have not been bored. I am an extreme homebody and I’ve been surprised how much I have missed going out (especially to the thrift store).
I have learned to make gluten free sourdough bread.
I have learned some gumption and opened my hoped-for Etsy shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/FabricSpeaks
I have learned how to host a zoom meeting for 23 people (we did one for my mothers 74th birthday with us three daughters and our 14 collective children plus some spouses. It was awesome).
I love to hear what everyone is learning!
Also regarding masks, please please don’t touch your mask to adjust it after you’ve put it on. And if you absolutely do have to adjust it, please use hand sanitizer. I see this nearly as much as I see people wearing it below their noses. Thanks for listening .
1) I have basically no control over anything but my attitude. One of my colleagues said (about the transition to online teaching), "You can make plans if it makes you feel better, but don't get attached." I told her I wanted to cross stitch that and make it my new life motto. It's so true about so many things! Obviously I need to plan things to give me structure, but I can't feel so emotionally attached to those plans that I melt down when they don't come to fruition.
2) I learned to make sourdough! I've struggled with breadmaking for YEARS (except your easy French bread recipe - that one always works). I have finally learned how to make 9x5 loaves and round country loaves with sourdough starter that are delicious and not uranium-level dense. I'm so happy!
3) I was pushing myself WAY too hard in my work. I crashed so hard once my university announced that we would have an additional week of spring break that it took me nearly two weeks to come back from it. I have to take better care of myself so I don't die of exhaustion.
4) It wasn't time that I needed to get projects done. It's that I don't want to do some of those projects. Those projects that aren't mandatory? (Or those hobbies for which I made all of those purchases and then never did...) I'm saying good-bye to them.
We go through very little milk, but even so, I'm freezing some so it does not go bad before we can finish. I realized I do not want to be a full time work form home person. I miss having a separate work place. While the flexibility to telework a few days a week, or on bad weather days is very appealing, this nine weeks from home has gotten old. I've also learned some people that I spent a lot of time with in the pre-COVID period, have not really been missed, other than to know they are safe. That is a bit of a sad realization..
I don't ever freeze my milk because I get non-homogenized full-fat milk, and the fat turns grainy after being frozen. However, I get my milk delivered from a farm, so I've had no problem with getting fresh milk. Could you put it in four quart bottles so at least it would thaw faster?
What I learned:
I learned that I need outside time. I normally walk at lunchtime at work and found I had to go outside at least some during the day when working at home.
I learned how much I enjoy seeing my kids and grandkids in person and how much I miss it when I can't. I understand now why my parents were so utterly overjoyed to have the grandchildren come visit, since they all lived far from my parents.
I learned that I can be very motivated to do projects, even cleaning, if I have enough time.
I learned that I will easily fall back into my old night-owl pattern if nothing makes me get up earlier than 7:30 a.m.
I also learned how much I enjoyed the hunt for neat stuff at thrift stores and how much I looked forward to getting back on the hunt. Before, I never would have said shopping is a hobby or real pleasure of mine, and it isn't, for new things, but I missed shopping for stuff I could use at thrift stores.
So much on the wanting a second fridge (& people at my house). I saw one for a very good price at business Costco this week and would have impulse bought it if I could have gotten it in the minivan.
- Going for a walk every single day is good for my mental health.
- Not being able to see and laugh with friends is bad for my mental health.
- My kids do better with regular school than online school.
- I miss being at church every week.
- I like keeping up with medical appointments and feel weird that the interval of time between them is longer now (example: more than six months between dentist visits).
- I think I'll appreciate work more when I go back.
I have continued to learn the gift of being content. I look in my closet & I have enough. I look around my (rented) home & I have enough. My cupboards, pantry & freezer are all filled. I look at my life & I am blessed. I have a job (as a teacher aide in high school) & although our school is closed, I can work from home & I am getting paid & I still have my health insurance. I am so blessed. I have found joy in eating breakfast & lunch outside while listening to the birds sing. I look at the birds eating at my feeders & I remember the birds don't worry about tomorrow, & are cared for by Him. If He takes care of the little sparrow, how much more He will take care of me.
...beautiful. What a wonderful reminder!
1. I am learning how susceptible I am, not to ads or social media, but the news when they rail on and on about shortages - I've bought so much meat, etc,m that I have had to duct tape my freezer door closed. For reals ...
2. I really, really want to retire from my 8 to 5 job. Note to self - stop doing above, and pay off my car and credit card to achieve this. Motto going forward: "I have enough of everything that money can buy!"
HeeHee! I thought I was the only one who had to duct tape the freezer door shut to make sure it doesn't magically open on it's own in the middle of the night!
lol this is a great idea (and a worry of mine!) - thank you!
I seriously miss grocery shopping and volunteering.
I'm not good at sourdough, gardening or mask making (but I'm still trying.)
I hate online shopping, shipping packages and conducting all business virtually. (To be clear, there are aspects of all of these which are palatable but if given a choice, I would avoid these options.)
It is virtually impossible to conduct all business virtually! 😉
I really appreciate that you've been posting so much during this period. I enjoy your daily dose of optimism and positive attitude!
I totally agree with this! It's been so fun to engage more with this community online.
About the milk- I know people freeze meat like ground beef or sausage by putting it in a zipper bag and flattening it to store more easily (stacked) and thaw it faster. I suppose you could do that with milk, but would it be worth it with the time, bags, etc.? Probably not! I'd be nervous about leaking bags, too, but I would also about those plastic milk bottles, especially if I didn't pour a little out before freezing to make room for expansion.
I guess freezing in smaller containers (quarts, half-gallons) would make it thaw faster, and we all have containers easily available.
Shelf-stable and powdered milk are options, but only for cooking, I think.
Being just one person here, who doesn't drink much milk but wants to have it, I buy the organic milk which has a much longer life. It's reasonable, especially when on sale. I never researched why it has such a long life- it doesn't say ultra-pasteurized, like some of the products...
I freeze my milk for camping trips and it takes three or four days for a half gallon to thaw in the cooler. The kids really like the milk with icey crystals in it. They think it is a lot of fun!
In California, it's not a great idea to stock up on a lot of food in the freezer because come fire season we may be faced with more multi-day power outages again (and "fire season" is getting longer and longer each year). We lost about $200 worth of food last summer even though we prepared by freezing bags of water to make huge ice cubes to keep everything cold and avoid opening the fridge and freezer. So we are trying to buy just enough to get us through two weeks or so and pray that food supplies will not be running low when we go shopping next time.
1. I really miss being able to shop around for the best deal on groceries. It's silly, but having been jobless for so long and pinching pennies, it gives me the vapors to be paying 30 to 50 percent more for food.
2. However, we learned how to bring our DIY skills up a few levels and have built/sewn/repaired numerous items using just what resources we have around the house.
3. We have learned how to get by with less of everything, although when we grocery shop, we make it count and now have the pantry and our little chest freezer restocked.
4. This has made me worry a lot about our pets. (We have three rescued dogs and two rescued cats, several of which need daily medication and special diets.) Instead of buying food and medicine for them as needed, I have had to plan ahead to make sure they don't run low.
5. We have always been a family of introverts, but now I actively treasure our quiet evenings reading and talking to each other because we are so happy with each others' company.
It is really eeiry that this is your topic today, I just pulled frozen milk to defrost last night before bed only to find it solid as a rock this morning, and did internet research to see that method can sometimes take 3 days. Not alone in my frustrations today, I see.
Leave the milk in the sink overnight. It will defrost, but still has some frozen in the middle. I then put it in the refrigerator.
What have I learned during quarantine....
This was the most surprising. I am more afraid of my cancer (breast 2x) coming back than I am of the virus. With the virus I have some control and can make decisions but with cancer it is already inside you aand you are a sitting duck.
Someone mentioned this, at first I was speaking to family and friends and texting like crazy but that has settled way down. I think because we are doing so much less there is less to say. And how much can you discuss this virus!@#!
I am between an extrovert and introvert. Is there such a person? I miss being with friends but love the quietness.
I do not like shopping and making a meal plan for 2 weeks. When I get home I organize everything by when it will spoil and start with the most fragile. When the plan gets off kilter I start to fret because I never had before had food waste and didn't not want it now.
I loved that society was slowing down but I realized it came at quite an expense for some others
I am soooo glad I do not have children in school. I feel so sorry for that whole mess.
I call your preference "social introvert." The definition depends on how one recharges -- from being alone (introvert) or from being with other people (extrovert) -- rather than if one enjoys the company of other people.
5 Things I’ve learned during quarantine...
1. Powerful leaders have been brought to their knees during this pandemic because God is in control if ever.
2. I really have enjoyed listening to our virtual Sunday sermons in my PJs while drinking coffee.
3. I love Instacart delivery for our weekly groceries.
4. A home cooked meal enjoyed with a glass of wine and good movie is absolutely priceless.
5. Walking trails have been much more enjoyable than a smelly gym!
I didn't know you can freeze milk. I learned something new today. Question for cooks: Can you freeze bananas without the color changing too much? I want to use mushy bananas for banana bread. Also, fresh mushrooms. They are not lasting long before they go bad. Can I freeze fresh mushrooms? Thanks!
I freeze bananas for smoothies all the time and the color gets a little darker but not too much. Just peel them first.
I mush up the bananas in the right amount that I need for banana bread. Like 4-5 for Joanna Gaines' recipe, I put in a little bit of lemon juice, then stack them flat in the freezer.
Mushrooms freeze fine once they are cooked. I fry them in butter first or leftover bacon grease.
Bananas that have been frozen, make wonderful inputs to banana bread and such. Just be sure that they're overripe when you freeze them.
My experience is that cooked mushrooms freeze fine, raw mushrooms are a disaster. How are you storing your fresh mushrooms? The best method I know of is to get them out of their plastic wrapped containers and store loose. You can use a paper bag or (if, like me, you forget about them if they're paper bagged) in an open container. Either way, add a piece of dry paper towel to absorb the moisture, and remove it when it's wet. (Since the PT is only wet and not soiled, I let it dry and reuse it.)
But you may have a different experience of frozen mushrooms. Why not freeze a couple and see what you think?
thanks for the tips. I was leaving the mushrooms in their original plastic packaging and they were going bad in a few days. I am going to leave them in paper bags or paper towels now (maybe cook with butter and freeze if I don't use them in around 4 days)
I freeze mushrooms all the time. I buy them in bulk. Wash and slice, fry in butter and add a bit of red wine. Drain and cool. Since there is only 2 of us, I package in snack bags, then put these in a larger freezer bag. Freeze flat. Then you can take out what you need for a recipe, they thaw quickly.
Mushrooms are absolutely gross and inedible if frozen. I guess if finely chopped in a stew or something would be OK, but whole or sliced or in pasta sauce are weird, rubbery, watery, disgusting!
Bananas turn brown but who cares for baking or smoothies. You can freeze whole in skin, out of skin, smushed, chunks, since it won’t matter anyway.
This year when the college students came home I put the mini dorm fridge in my kitchen for extra fridge space. It holds two. Gallons of milk two 18 count cartons of eggs, extra drinks and dressings ketchup salsa etc. I will miss it when they go back to school .
I have remembered how much I like being outside. Pre-covid I spent so much time in waiting rooms, that I rarley had time to go outside, but now my freckles are darkening so I look much less like one who rarely sees the light of the sun.
I have learned that despite my strong desire to spend time alone, getting out now and again is good for me.
Sometimes I get extra milk & freeze it like you do. I put hot water in the sink & let the container of milk set for a time to thaw. I've never left it overnight though. My husband was not a believer at 1st that milk would not thaw in the fridge like most everything else does. He put frozen milk in the fridge at night before going to bed, next morning the milk was still froze exactly how it was the night before. Amazing!
I have learned that:
I REALLY miss going to church in person!
It is nice to have a clean house and bookshelf that I can ZOOM in front of (hahahaha)
Things vary greatly all over the country in response, in groceries available, in degree of fear, degree of regulation, etc. (We never ran out of flour and when I mailed something at the UPS store, the worker told me that a lot of people were mailing food from central Florida.)
You can only organize and clean so much.
I need to limit my news intake. Just find out what the current rules are for my area and ignore the rest.
Intentionally find the humor/joy/happiness in life and things to be thankful for.
It only takes one text or phone call to initiate a conversation. My wonderful daughter in law sends me pictures of the grand kids EVERY day and I am sooo thankful. Nebraska is a LONG way away and I love the pictures, videos, Marco Polos, etc.
Thanks for keeping up your blog, Kristen, it is a nice part of my routine!
Oh my! The masks! Yes, I see people with their noses hanging out and just shake my head - LOL!
I work at one of the largest employers in the country and have watched this mask wearing with fascination. Not a single person if I watch them long enough wears them correctly because of all the mask touching and the need to breath if they are hustling hard. Not to mention the masks they bring from home that are never washed....yuck! Of course everything is sanitized but it is virtually impossible to do if you look at every touch surface especially entrance doors, breakrooms, and bathrooms.
I live in an area of over a million people and we've had about 30 deaths. Most of these are nursing home deaths and not the healthiest with many underlying health issues. Average age of death over 80. My doctor friends say I'm correct in my assumptions that mask wearing is not needed. They say if they wore them the way we do during surgery all patients would be have rampant infections. Herd immunity is a real thing and I refuse to wear one outside of work and be shamed because of it. I grab uncleaned grocery cart etc as I did pre virus. I feel this is no way to live as humans who crave interactions with others or to have a viable economy.
Most of our efforts should have been focused on protecting the vulnerable and not closing down the economy in my opinion. It's become very political in my state with many people losing their businesses and deaths are happening because medical needs are not being met. My own dad's health is precarious at this point because of doctor offices being shut down and surgeries not happening. I don't think our country will recover from this and see many shut downs around the corner. I don't think politicians should have any say in if we can do business or not due to a virus. Feel free to wear a mask but please don't shame those who don't. Remember we were first told a mask was not needed so no one really can know the truth.
I've learned that people are in very different places in terms of their willingness to accept reality with this pandemic. For example, some of the commenters on this post mentioned mask shaming, as in shaming someone who chose not to wear a mask. In my area, at first it was the opposite: like people ridiculed you for wearing a mask or using hand sanitizer saying you were being "neurotic" or "listening to the hype." But then...people started dying...like, a lot of people...I don't know a single person who hasn't lost someone they love to this virus. And that's the new reality around here. So now, everyone wears a mask, and maybe there's a random person here or there who goes out without one, but everyone gives that person a real wide berth, because there's likely something wrong with them. It's been interesting (and terrifying) to watch the social structure change so quickly in my area. And to anyone who still thinks they can get away with not wearing a mask in public, ask yourself if you want to put your family through the hell of a virtual funeral service. I've unfortunately had to attend some and they are like being trapped in a horror movie.
I really miss the library. I've been reading ebooks, but can't read right before bed (my favorite time), because the emitted blue light disrupts my sleep. I am so excited they start curb pick-up next week.
It's been very freeing not wearing make-up. If I have to wear a mask whenever I return to work, not sure I will wear makeup. Maybe mascara only.
I much prefer working from home. I have a window to look out of, the bathroom is across the hall and not down a floor and at the other end of the building, and I can have toast for lunch if I want.
I don't think I will buy any more jewelry. I will be retiring in a few years and staying at home shows me I won't be wearing much jewelry.
I miss walking to Lidl at lunchtime.
I can go longer than 5 weeks without a haircut.
So many lessons, big and small, to learn for all this.
I am with you on the bananas! I like them a little on the green side so I only get 2 or 3 and then I am banana-less for days and days. (I'm doing biweekly shopping too!)
What else have I learned:
If I don't answer the phone because I am napping and don't want to disrupt the cat sleeping on my chest, a friend WILL show up to make sure I am OK.
My temperature runs a little low. I learned this from obsessively checking my temp just in case.
I don't mind buying ultra-pasteurized organic milk because it lasts a really long time and I don't have room in my freezer to freeze milk.
I actually don't like working from home that much. There are obvious benefits but I don't like my work life invading my personal space at all.
So many other things! But I'll keep it short.
That I truly loathe the gym vs. being active outdoors in fresh air. So it's been cancelled!
That I desperately need social interactions, so clearly an extrovert.
That both music and being on the water on my SUP make my spirit soar.
That all people, including me, are inherently crazy, so I need to exercise more compassion.
That I love restaurant food, but have been fine eating it as takeout. So it's the food after all, not so much the environment.
That streaming concerts and plays comes pretty darn close to being there live, even generating goose bumps and tears during a few.
That I cannot exist without regular doses of family.
Yes to pretty much all of these...you had me at milk taking forever to thaw. Any tips? I’ve been leaving it out for most of a day and trying to gently shake it until it seems there’s just a little ice left, then in the fridge overnight. But it takes planning ahead!!
I've been freezing milk in smaller quantities in freezer bags. If you freeze them flat, they don't take too long to thaw. I measure them out in amounts that I use commonly in baking and label them that way (1.5 c for pancakes, etc). Then if we're getting low, I use the frozen stuff for baking and use fresh for when we want to drink it straight.
1. I really enjoy smiling at strangers. I look forward to when I can do this again.
2. My neighborhood has a lot more squirrels than I ever knew.
3. I've learned the name of my governor (it wasn't the one I voted for and I had forgotten who it was - sorry) and the name of the governor in the state south of us.
4. I've learned how to stay at home. I've always said that I'm a stay-at-home mom that's not good at the "stay-at-home" part and usually get antsy after just a couple of days if we're stuck home with a sick kiddo. Turns out that I can survive days on end of being home.
5. Church at home can actually be fun! I can't wait to be back together, but I love doing the songs with my kids and seeing the videos their teachers make. Then I just pray that they'll play quietly long enough for us to watch ours without too many interruptions.
6. Scrap gardening. My mind is still amazed at this concept. God made the coolest things.
7. Watching ants outside can be really fascinating.
8. I should probably own my own copy of Pride & Prejudice.
I totally agree with your #1! I walk a lot and love smiling at folks I pass. I’m also walking three dogs so I can’t wave. Now with the mask I’ve started doing a head nod to acknowledge people that I pass. But I do miss smiles!
Purchased #8 on VUDU! I have yet to regret that purchase!:)
What I’ve learned
1. I really love our house and yard.
2. I’m easily amused
3. I have lots of wonderful friends and neighbor
4. I enjoy being creative more than buying new
5. I learned how to use Zoom and other virtual platforms for my work. And I love working virtually! Never thought I would.
1.To appreciate the resilience of my grandparents. They dealt with similar shortages during WWII and the polio epidemic. I never thought about how they overlapped and how emotionally hard that must have been to face both at once. My Mom has been sharing some stories from that time.
2. That I'm much more productive not actually seeing clients in person.
3. How important it is to have your affairs in order (wills, trusts, etc.). I'm an otherwise health mid 50's woman, no underlying conditions, exercise, eat right, etc. and I was sick for over 6 weeks and honestly didn't know if I was going to make it. Wear your masks and wear them correctly. You do not want this and you really don't want to give it to your family.
4. On a lighter side, when you chop off the bottom of a romaine and stick it in water, it really will grow more leaves.
1. I'm significantly less introverted than I thought I was. I don't like working at home nearly as much as I thought I would.
2. I have a definite threshold for what I consider to be irresponsible and selfish behavior, and zero hesitation about ending a friendship when someone crosses that threshold.
3. How to make sourdough bread. In the bread machine, but I'm still counting it.
4. To never, ever, leave cats and a work computer unattended together.
1. I appreciate the my home and family to an even greater extent. I value to the time to get more organized and tackle projects.
2. Due to my age and health issues, I have grocery delivery. With careful planning, I have had once a month delivery.....I have 2 refrigs. I love it....I don't think I am going do my own shopping again. I don't miss the shopping....lugging it to the car....and at home out of the car. I just sit down to my computer and put a way after delivery. I have limited not on the list impulse buys!
3. I have come up with more creative solutions to some everyday needs....that in other times, I would have solved with a trip to the store and a purchase.