5 things I’ll miss about quarantine and 2 things I won’t

As the great Dolly Parton once sang, “I can see the light of a clear blue morning, oh and everything’s gonna be alight, it’s gonna be ok”.  If you squint real hard, stand on one foot, and lean, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We’re inching our way out of social isolation, towards a new normal, and safely and responsibly expanding our social bubbles and venturing out into the world.  As much as I’m itching to get out of the house and see friends, SAFELY of course, there are a few things about quarantine I’m going to miss…and two I won’t.

My Morning Routine

My current morning routine is a thing of beauty and wonder.  Wake up whenever, apply the first step of my multi-step skincare routine, have a leisurely cup of coffee whilst I peruse the news, complete the next 32 steps of my skincare routine (exaggerating, kinda), have an English muffin with Kerry Gold butter (if you listen to nothing else I ever say listen to this, use Kerry Gold butter), a second cup of coffee with collagen powder.  That’s my two hour-ish unhurried quarantine morning routine, and I love it.  Unfortunately I’m going to have to get up Tom Brady early to keep it going once I’m back to work.

Home Cookin’

Watch out, Martha Stewart!  Ok it’s more like watch out, Sandra Lee, but I’m doing my best.  I’ve been cooking up a storm for the past three month, and I’m truly going to miss having time to make dinner every(ish) night when I’m back to a traditional workday.  I’m not going to be braising short ribs for seven hours working a nine to five!

Caftan Lifestyle

Even in non-Covid times I wore caftans more than the average bear, but now I’ve taken it up about a dozen notches.  For the past few months my social media has been flooded with jokes about sweatpants and leggings.  FOOLS!  Why settle for an elastic waist when you can have no waist at all?  The real intelligencia know caftans (muumuus, housecoats, robes, shmata, et all) are the way.  I know when we go back to work it will be a new normal, but I doubt my employer’s new normal will let me wear caftans to the office. 

Family Time

I swear I’m not even lying!  I’m lucky to be quarantining with my parents, my twenty year old son, and my aunt, and I have genuinely enjoyed spending so much time together.  Who would have thought backyard bird watching with my mother would be such a thrill?  Not I.  Truly the face crack of the season.

My Evening Routine

My natural inclination is more night owl than early bird, but that doesn’t bode well for being a productive member of society.  Now that I have cast off the shackles of such expectations and responsibilities, I AM THRIVING!  Finish a book at 1am?  You know it.  Workout out at 9pm?  Yes!  Take an online class at 11pm?  Don’t mind if I do!  The things I could accomplish if I wasn’t beholden to society’s expectations of what constitutes a “workday”.

And now two I won’t…

Random Crying Outbursts

I don’t want to brag, but I’m usually pretty good at knowing when I’m going to have a crying fit, and what could bring it on…except with Mama Mia 2 Here We Go Again, that one took me by surprise.  One minute I’m singing along to Angel Eyes, the next I’m a puddle on the floor, the range.  Anyhoo, I’m not typically one to have random, unpredictable crying attacks, but now all bets are off.  Will it be the bunnies in my backyard?  A “congratulations, grad” sign on a strangers front yard?  “Light of a Clear Blue Morning”,  the Dolly Parton song I quoted in the first paragraph?  All great guesses, but who knows.

God Bless America

I would like to start off by saying God Bless America is a beautiful song, one of Irving Berlin’s best, and I love the sentiment, and America, but three times a day for months is a lot.  What’s a gal got to do to get a little Donna Summer in the mix?  I mean she is from Boston (not to be shady but Irving is from Russia) and her yearly  City Hall Plaza roller disco party was cancelled, so I think it would be a nice gesture.  Toot toot beep beep.