A UF Journalism student came over the week before to film me for a project for her TV class project. Her parents had seen photos of my garden on Facebook and suggested interviewing me about gardening in the pandemic. She came Wednesday at 10 a.m. and I showed her my garden. Unfortunately, she didn’t get one of the shots she needed, so she returned the following week, same day, same time and asked me to wear the same clothes and hat I’d worn the week before. Like I said, Groundhog Day. Here’s the resulting product.

Besides that, I’ve learned some new words- Herd Immunity (does this mean we’re cows?), contact testing and tracing. I’ve also signed up for a lot of different accounts I never had before – Zoom, Instacart, Total Wine, Twitter (so I could watch Phantom of the Opera) and the United States Postal Service (to order stamps by mail). With these new accounts, come new passwords, which I quickly forget, leading to resetting of the password and a labyrinth maze of computer hell. I forgot the security question for the USPS, so it instructed me to make a new account, but when I tried to and entered my e-mail, it says: “There is already an account under this name”, leading me back to where I started. Guess I’ll give up and risk my life at the post office.

I signed up for Instacart Express for $9.99 per month since I’ve been using it so much. It will save me the delivery fee. This week I saved $8.92- almost what I spent to sign up, so it’s worth it. My order went better this week, but for some reason I ordered one plum tomato and seven heads of garlic. I did follow Tami’s instructions and followed my shopper on my phone as he shopped. This way I was able to let him know if the replacements he was substituting were acceptable. Despite me say “No, string mozzarella isn’t acceptable as a replacement for a block”, he ignored my orders and now I have three packages of string cheese in my fridge. I did get refunded for it, however. Publix is still out of Clorox Wipes, 409, Charmin TP and yeast and tofu. A lot of bakers and vegetarians out there, I guess.

Our take-out this week was from Atchana’s Thai in Coconut Grove. Atchana is a friend of my sister Elise’s and used to run the “ugly green building” on U.S. 1 serving Thai food. We ordered Pad Thai with Shrimp, Green Curry with Pork, rice and Steamed Dumplings. It was all good and I would definitely get Atchana’s Thai again.

I also ordered a restaurant coupon booklet through Travelzoo. For $25, I will get $25 off orders of $100 or more to: Glass and Vine, Root and Bone, Mi’talia, Fooq’s, Stiltsville and other restaurants; $10 off $50 order from Pubbelly Sushi. $100 does seem like a lot, but I figure it would be a meal and leftovers and, I want to support local restaurants. Travelzoo is in partnership with FIU Hospitality and the South Beach Food and Wine Festival. $5 of every coupon booklet purchased will go to the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality Industry Relief Fund.

Other things I’ve discovered this week. Turkey Bacon is no bacon. It kind of sucks, actually. Since I was out of regular bacon, I decided to give it a try since we had some in the freezer. Its color is that of radioactive baloney and it has a weird scalloped edge, obviously machine-made. It’s basically ground turkey, shaped into a bacon shape and loaded with nitrates. Bottom line: it doesn’t taste very good. The only upside is it’s only 25 calories, but that isn’t enough reason to recommend eating it again.

Zeke apparently caught on to my complaints (hint, hint) of being sick of cooking and he cooked Monday. He made grilled shrimp, which he served over spaghetti in a lemon, garlic sauce (all Wild Fork purchases). It was good and I tried Palmini, hearts of palm cut into pasta like shapes, with it. I mixed it in with spaghetti to cut down on the carb and calorie content. It wasn’t bad, although despite rinsing it repeatedly, it still retained a bit of a bitter, acidic flavor. It’s similar to zucchini noodles, but it comes in a can. If you drown it in enough sauce, it’s acceptable.

I ate ham and hard boiled eggs, ’till it came out of my ears. Sandwiches, omelets, quiches. I’m glad it’s gone. I made this easy quiche from the blog The Frugaler, which doesn’t require a pie crust or flour. It uses Bisquick, much like the zucchini pie from the 80’s. I added some sautéed kale I had in the fridge for a little green and it turned out pretty good. I served it with sautéed mushrooms and leeks and little herb salad I made with parsley and cherry tomatoes from my garden. The last of my Romaine lettuce was looking iffy so, a little helpful hint if you’re out of lettuce- you can make a salad out of herbs you may have growing or on hand. I used parsley- Italian and curly leaf- but basil, dill or mint would work as well. I tossed it with a mustardy vinaigrette. If you’re using herbs from your garden, make sure to rinse them thoroughly in cold, salty water to get rid of the dirt and bugs.

Impossibly Easy Quiche from The Frugaler

• 1 cup cooked ham, bacon, sausage
• 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, etc…)
• 1 cup Bisquick
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a pie pan with non-stick spray.
2. Place your choice of meat in the bottom of the pan. Layer the grated cheese on top of the meat.
3. Mix eggs, baking mix and milk together with a whisk or in a blender until smooth. Pour over the cheese and meat mixture.
4. Bake for 45 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

I try to write three things every day I’m grateful for. Even in this fearful and stir-crazy time, there’s always something to be thankful for. Things I am grateful for:

1. I don’t have to Home School small children. I can only imagine how challenging that would be. Yikes!
2. I didn’t lose my job and can work (write) from home.
3. I’m healthy and my family’s healthy. I saw a neighbor walking her mother down the street. The mother was on a walker and struggling. I feel empathy for people caring for elderly parents at this time. Also, people who are sick, physically or mentally, hungry, homeless and women trapped in domestically violent situations. I feel blessed.

There are other silver linings during this period.

1. People are acting nice to each other. At first, all I felt from other people was fear, but now, as it goes on, I’ve had people saying hello on the streets (unusual in Miami) and sharing things other people need. My friend Tami had a friend who needed flour so I gave her some and she brought me some Everglades tomatoes, jalapeño peppers and small bouquet of flowers. Flour for flowers. The bartering system is back.
2. Nature is resurging. From frolicking dolphins in Italy, bears in Yosemite and goats in Wales, animals- without the presence of humans, cars and cruise ships- are making a comeback.
3. Free Events. There are so many virtual tours- of museums, travel spots, national parks and free concerts steaming online, lessons- like cooking and guitar, that we definitely have more than our fair share of things to occupy our time and distract us.

Also, some restaurants and theme parks are releasing their formerly secret recipes. Disney Theme parks released their recipe for the Dole Pineapple Whip you can get outside the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room. I made one for lunch and ate it while I watch a You Tube video of the Enchanted Tiki Room. I didn’t use a star shape piping bag, so it didn’t turn out as pretty, but it was just a delicious. It was only three ingredients- 1 big scoop of vanilla ice cream, 1/2 cup pineapple juice and 2 cups of frozen pineapple. Put it in a blender, blend it up and voila! Delicious and oh so refreshing!

And McDonalds released their recipe for their Sausage Egg McMuffin. I made it according to the recipe and just substituted ham (leftover!) for sausage. I didn’t have American cheese (McDonald’s actually has their own formula that melts over a hot English muffin) so used sharp cheddar. The only item you might not have is the egg ring to break the egg into. They sell them at Bed, Bath and Beyond or online. My homemade McMuffin was quite tasty.

We had another Corona Virus Go Away! Zoom Happy Hour this weekend. It was Adele’s Birthday, so we all sang her Happy Birthday as she cooked her own birthday dinner. We were off-key but enthusiastic. Everyone seems to be holding up well during this stressful time, although some of our hair definitely looks better than others.

The Natives are Getting Restless.

I’ve had this sense for the last week or so (at least). People can only be by themselves for SO long without going a little crazy. At least two couples I know, had other couples over to their houses, six feet apart of course. Human connection is crucial.

I also had a Social Distancing Happy Hour, six feet apart, with my Book Club. While there, drinking drinks we’d brought ourselves, I asked everyone what they missed most in this continuing s**t storm of the coronavirus. Most everyone agreed getting their hair done and getting mani-pedis. Guta, an interior designer with fabulous taste, said she missed the gym and shopping to find the perfect, little thing she didn’t know she needed and then, having a leisurely lunch with a girlfriend. Diana, who owns a couple of chain restaurants, said she misses tennis and dancing. She normally takes dance lessons a couple times a week and is in great shape. She’s applied for assistance for her restaurants, but wonders what the restaurant scene will look like, when the dust settles. Vicki, our resident nurse, misses Pilates and going with friends to restaurants. Loli, who hosted, misses getting her hair done, eating out, seeing the water (she calls herself a beach bum) and going to the movies. As a former actress, she says: “streaming is ok, I guess, but like to see movies in the theaters.” I agree!

Sumita, a realtor who started our Book Club and always tries to look on the bright side of things, said “all this”, motioning with her arms to indicate hair, nails etc… Then she elaborated “going to visit my parents (they live in India), going for ice cream on a whim, dinner parties with friends, office meetings with colleagues, hugging a friend.” Louisa, an ESOL teacher, misses being able to visit her mother in Stuart, attending physical therapy sessions and eating out. She also misses her children, who live in different states; any of us with children we can’t see, miss them.

I was supposed to go visit my son Christopher and his wife Courtney in Tallahassee in April, when the weather is glorious and the dogwood and azalea trees are in full bloom. My flight, on April 2nd, was cancelled. I thought about hopping in the car and doing a road trip, but my daughter-in-law is a labor and delivery nurse who works in a hospital, so my son advised against it.

So, I miss road trips and traveling in general. Also, I really miss getting my monthly massage. I need to get my teeth cleaned and this is something I can’t do myself, despite enthusiastic brushing and flossing. They are starting to get that slimy feel. I miss going to Trader Joe’s to shop- everyone there is happy and helpful and they have things you can’t get other places. And also dinner parties- going to or throwing them.

As for what we’ve been watching on TV, we still haven’t finished McMillions (about McDonald’s Monopoly game scandal) but we did enjoy Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, about Fred Rodgers. This documentary, chronicling the life and legacy of Mr. Rodgers, is an upper, and honestly, who doesn’t need that these days?

Up Next: Foods to Fight Viruses and Projects to do Around the House while you’re stuck inside and have nothing else to do.

If I’ve heard any phrase repeated lately, in the midst of the coronavirus Pandemic, it’s this one. While I think most of us believe this, the question to follow is “When?”

And, of course, none of us knows. We could look at what happened in China, but the U.S. isn’t China. There a charts and statistics aplenty, enough to make your head spin. We will not know how this is going to play out, how widespread and catastrophic it will be, until we know. The human species doesn’t like the uncertainty of it all, the loss of control over outcome of events. But the best thing we can do is STAY HOME, except when absolutely necessary and then taking all recommended precautions. Americans don’t like to be told what to do- we love our freedom and this unseen virus is taking our freedom away.

When I was at CVS recently, there was only one other person in line and the lady was on top of me. Why? Has she not heard about Social Distancing? And I’ve made recent trips to grocery stores in the past week- Publix, Milams & Whole Foods- and there are so many people in there, it does not feel safe. There was a lady with her cart on one side of the aisle in Publix; she was directly across from her cart, checking out the sea salt of all things, completely blocking the aisle. And I wanted to be like “Really, lady?” And I was at the small Publix, where there’s no way you’re six feet apart from each other down any aisle. So, panic, unrest, anxiety erupts.

These times have made us tense and, for me, less patient. So for now, I’m staying home and living off what we have in the fridge and pantry. I was never a Girl Scout and I don’t feel prepared for whatever this is, but my kitchen, fridge and freezer is pretty well stocked. I will try InstaCart the next time I need food and drink. Even getting take-out feels iffy, when there are several people picking up at the same time. My husband got pizza last night at Miami’s Best, and it was packed. They charged him incorrectly, so he paid the $40 for two pizzas, and decided to haggle with them later, away from possible corona infection.

So, we’re stuck at home.

Of course there are upsides to being forced to quarantine- an Italian word meaning forty days (quarantina). Will it be forty days? The musical word sounds nice enough and my friend Martha’s mother had a theory that many plagues and pestilences took place during Lent, so that by Easter, it will be over. But will it? Apparently Trump thinks so, but I’m taking my advice from scientists, not politicians.

The worry about who the coronavirus will affect, how many people will die, if we have enough tests, masks, ventilators, hospital beds, medical personnel is overwhelming. Added to that, is what the pandemic is doing to our economy. The stock market, of course, but all the industries and people out of work, as well. The fallout from this COVID-19 is mind-boggling and terrifying. I have a couple shows I like to watch on TV, but lately they’ve been interrupted with more coronavirus briefings. Nothing seems normal anymore and I’m trying not to check my phone 24/7 for the latest news update.

The nicest part about being stuck at home, for me is that I’ve been taking walks with my husband around the neighborhood- six feet apart from other people, of course. I often walk about the neighborhood, but Zeke usually goes to the gym (now closed) so we’ve been walking, something we used to do when we were first married. It gets us out in the fresh air and, as we walk down the trail, if we’re approaching someone, we step away, onto the street. Unfortunately, most people aren’t taking the same precautions. Still, I’ve never seen so many people walking, running and riding their bikes in our neighborhood as I have this past week and a half.

While I know some people are saying this is a great time to get around to projects you’ve been avoiding at home, this feels too stressful for me at this time. I’ve been meditating more, doing yoga from You Tube videos, praying, watching shows on Netflix and reading books. Easy ones, like cookbooks and Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography Born to Run. This is not a time to read War and Peace, watch Pandemic, or work on my taxes. I crave stress-free activities. I’m also been spending more time in my yard.

I’ve been weeding and pruning, watering and tending to my yard. I’m planning on turning my meditation garden into a rock, zen garden, so have been removing the grass and weeds from that area. My herb & vegetable garden was filled with weeds and leaves, so I cleaned that all out, swept it up and gave it a good watering. I also planted some seeds with Wyatt today. It’s such an exciting thing to see a tiny green sprout erupt out of black soil- something concrete and living to look forward to. It gives me hope; I always turn to gardening when I am overwhelmed.

I love watching CBS This Morning on Sunday mornings. It usually has interesting stories, with artists, musicians, actors being interviewed and different themes each week; Jane Pauley is the host. This Sunday, Jane Pauley wasn’t there and it was mostly about the coronavirus, so it wasn’t as good as normal, but they always end with a couple minutes of video somewhere in nature, like a national park. No people- just the sites and sounds of somewhere beautiful and quiet.

Last Friday, March 20th, was the first day of Spring. I wanted, in this new blog, to photograph my yard and garden during the four seasons of the year and post them here. So today, I leave you with photos of my Spring Garden. A little bit of hope and brightness in a world that can feel so full of doom and gloom these days.

“One is nearer God’s heart in a garden, than anywhere else on earth.” Dorothy Frances Gurney

I consider the beginning of this strange, trapped-at-home situation to be the Monday before the state of Florida shut down all the restaurants (March 16th), because that’s when s**t really started hitting the fan. This week has been called the “Pearl Harbor” of our generation by the U.S. surgeon general, for the escalating amounts of coronavirus deaths anticipated and the lack of critical equipment available to some states.

Sobering news, for sure. It’s such a strange and unprecedented time, I have decided to give myself some kind of structure in my life as a way to not go crazy. So, besides the different themes for dinner each night, I will do laundry on Monday, clean the bathrooms on Tuesday, InstaCart shop on Wednesday, etc… The more structure I can self-impose on myself, the more in control and less helpless I feel. When I wake up in the morning, I make my bed and get dressed; these simple tasks make life seem more normal.

I always thought it would have been interesting to have lived during World War II. Besides the fact that I love the clothes, music, movies and cars of the era, it must have been an empowering and communal experience to rally round the flag to defeat a common enemy.

But this pandemic is different. The enemy is invisible, for one thing. Facts we always considered true, like: “get some fresh air” are now false. More like don’t breathe in while passing another human being. And even the ultimate comfort of gathering together to talk, hold hands, listen to music, eat dinner, hug or just hang out, is forbidden, and deemed dangerous. The danger isn’t a mustached Hitler hiling, the enemy is us, our fellow man- friends and family included.

So, I don’t imagine it feels the same dealing with this pandemic as it did living through World War II. There are shortages, like there were then, so home cooks are starting to get creative. Gardens, especially those bearing food to eat, are popular, like the Victory gardens of the forties. But I haven’t experienced that feeling of goodwill and “were all in this together” as I imagine would’ve been prevalent back then. Besides the fact the bear I put out for a kid’s Bear Hunt got stolen, when I pass people in the street (6 feet apart) the most palpable emotion I feel is fear. It’s hard to be magnanimous when you’re afraid for your life, when you look at each person you pass with suspicion. “Do you have it?” I wonder.

Women also pitched it during WWII and made a real effort to support our troops and take over in factories for the men serving in the armed forces. I’ve been wanting to help, but mostly what seems to be needed is people sewing fabric masks and I don’t sew.

I did volunteer to help serve meals to unemployed workers and the their children at a restaurant called Someone’s Son, through the Coral Gables Community Foundation, but my sister Kelley read me the riot act and begged me not to do it.

“Even with a mask?” I asked.

“Yes, even with a mask,” she said. “You’re going to be around a lot of people.”

Since she used to run a nursing home and now owns a pharmacy, I figure she knows what she’s talking about. We now have masks stationed by the front door, to go along with the gloves and hand sanitizer that was already there.

Now, in a total reversal of the original advice, the CDC does recommend wearing a mask while out in public. This is not so much to prevent you from getting sick from others, but to prevent spreading the virus if YOU are sick. Many people with coronavirus are asymptomatic and can spread the virus unwittingly. Others who get it can be contagious up to 14 days before coming down with it. I got a video today on a group chat about how the Czech Republic significantly slowed down the spread of the coronavirus, as compared to other countries. The one thing they did differently? Wore masks when they left the house.

So everything is changing on a daily basis, which inflicts panic and fear. I’m writing, reading and cooking a lot, lifting free weights, gardening and saying Novenas for my family. A journalism student from UF is coming tomorrow to interview me about my garden, after seeing photos I posted on Facebook. Zeke and I are still taking walks, but trying to vary our routes to change it up and stay away from crowded streets. And we’ve been noticing a lot of piles of junk in the swale in front of houses. Apparently, people are taking this unintended break as an opportunity to Spring clean their houses and garage.

My themed dinners this week went well.

Zeke and I were the only ones who showed up for Meatless Monday. The Curried Lentils with Kale (a Linda Gassenheimer recipe) http://www.dinnerinminutes.com was served over jasmine rice with an avocado salad. It was delicious- even Zeke liked it (I did give him some chicken to go with it). I put a homemade Middle Eastern hot sauce on it that gave it I nice kick. I love the one at Daily Bread, so made my own with jalapeño peppers I’d frozen, garlic, cilantro and olive oil. I’m on a bit of a homemade kick and also made homemade ricotta (an Ina recipe) that was SO easy and much more delicious than store bought. I spread it into my baked Ziti last Sunday and on the Date Nut Bread I made last week.

Since the chef needed a break, we ordered Flannigan’s take-out on Tuesday. The week before it was buy one, get one free rack of ribs, but this Tuesday it was buy one, get one free chicken wings. Zeke picked them up curbside, but being pandemic paranoid (aren’t we all?) didn’t check it. They messed up the order- fries instead of dirty rice and no coleslaw. Verdict: the ribs were good but the wings smallish and kind of dried out. I won’t be racing back to Flannigan’s for take-out.

Thursday the mystery meal was Chicken Quesadillas made by Emma and Lauren. They were served with yellow rice and refried beans; it was nice to not have to cook! For Fishy Friday I marinated shrimp in a delicious cilantro lime dressing, that also served as the dressing for my romaine, grilled corn and cherry tomato salad. The recipe came for the Serve it Up! cookbook I helped work on as an Autism fundraiser for the tennis community. Zeke grilled the shrimp and some cherry tomatoes on a skewer, as we sat outside, drank wine and listened to Bob Marley tunes. It almost seemed normal!

I had a Virtual Happy Hour with my Corona Virus Go Away text group on Friday at 5:30 pm on Zoom. It was great to see and hear everyone, although we did have some technical difficulties. Two of our six participants were away from Miami, so we got a peek into the landscape where they’re bunkered down for the pandemic. We cheered with our individual drinks and talked about how it’s been going. When the talk turned to toilet paper- favorite kinds, where to get it, how much we had- someone noted “This is a sad happy hour.” Sort of a contradiction, but a sad Happy Hour is better than no Happy Hour at all.

The winner of best dinner this week goes to the grilled TriTip steak we ate Saturday night. If you’ve never tried TriTip, it’s an economical and delicious cut, kind of like a brisket (according to Zeke), so it tends to be a little chewy but has a lot of flavor. We rubbed it with Santa Maria Seasoning, grilled it, let it rest and served it with mushrooms sautéed in red wine, boiled potatoes with dill, truffled green beans and grilled Italian rustic bread. It was so tasty and even better the next day, on a TriTip sandwich.

Now that we finished Tiger King, we’re on to McMillions (about the McDonald’s Monopoly scandal). We watched Screwball (funny!), so I guess we’re on a bit of a documentary kick. We also watched The Talented Mr. Ripley, one of my favorite creepy movies, last night. If I was home alone (a girl can dream!) I would be watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger musicals (Swing Time), romantic comedies like The Philadelphia Story, It Happened One Night and The Thin Man series. These movies were made during the depression, when people needed an escape from reality and I can’t think of a time I’ve ever needed an escape from reality more than now.

I started the new book for my book club, Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton. I’ve only just begun it, but like it. It’s a food memoir. Zeke just finished The Boys on the Boat and gave it a thumbs up. My Book Club meeting was supposed to be at my house this month. Obviously, that’s not happening now. I suggested a Zoom meeting, but didn’t get a lot of positive feedback, so we may just postpone it until we can actually get together in person. We will have all forgotten the book by then.

The 1500 piece puzzle’s done and we picked up more from a friend’s mother. Emma and Lauren have been attending classes online, so they stay busy during the day. I read an article about people going back to hobbies they loved as a child or adult, but had neglected. I bought a calligraphy tablet awhile ago I’ve finally gotten around to practicing on. It’s relaxing. I’m ordering photos I’ve taken to make into photo cards (another hobby of mine). I thought I could send them to people who need cheering up.

Zeke and I have been getting along well. I think it helps he goes to work in the morning- makes it all seem more normal. But sometimes, when he’s crunching on something while he eats, it really gets on my nerves. I just have to walk out of the room and breathe. He comes home for lunch, which he used to before, but now he’s home all day after that. I would normally have those hours between 1 and 6 to do what I wanted. Now, it’s different. We’re adjusting.

I got to see my grandson Wyatt a couple times this week. He was sitting in his Dad’s pickup truck in the driveway as we spoke from six feet away.

“When are we going to go to Disney World?” he asked. We were supposed to go two weeks ago.

“I’m not sure,” I said.

“Maybe when the virus goes away?” he asked.

“Yes, we will go when the virus goes away,” I said.

“When will that be?” he asked.

“Well, that’s the million dollar question baby,” I said. “Nobody knows.”

This week was Palm Sunday and I noticed a lot of people with palms on their doors. Has this pandemic ushered in a wave of faith? Maybe- kind of like finding religion in a foxhole. On the plus side, someone dropped off a container of purple flowers by my front door. I still don’t know who it was, but it was appreciated and I was thrilled to spot my first mango of the season on my tree. I can’t wait to taste it!

Easter is next Sunday. I asked A.J. if I could do an Easter egg hunt in the backyard and watch Wyatt through the sliding glass doors. She agreed.

“That’s so sad,” said Lauren.

It is sad, but right now, it’s better than nothing.

I haven’t decorated for Easter, really don’t feel in the mood for celebrating anything, especially since Wyatt won’t be here. But I will dye some eggs (blue for Wyatt, pink and purple for his Mom) and for the rest of the family with our names on them. I will hide them around the backyard, within sight of my deck upstairs. I will sit on the deck, watch Wyatt find them, squealing with delight and that will have to be enough for this year.

“Don’t worry about a thing, ‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright.”

Bob Marley

Tiger King

Yes we watched it. Yes it’s good, crazy good. It’s definitely a case of truth being stranger than fiction. You can’t make this s**t up! If you haven’t watched it, what are you waiting for? It’s the wild Binge everyone’s gobbling up while sheltering in place.

Banana Bread

People stuck at home must have a lot of bananas going bad on the counter because Banana Bread, that easy-to-bake favorite, has been everywhere in the coronavirus era. It has been an era already, right? Chrissy Tiegen traded her homemade banana bread for Romaine lettuce, which she couldn’t find at the grocery store. I’ve made some and a couple ladies I’m on text threads with, have as well. Banana bread is nice to have around when you have a house-full of people, which I do these days. This recipe is from the Serve it Up! cookbook and was contributed by my former tennis teammate, Kelly Glascock. I also like to add a little vanilla to the batter and fold in toasted nuts.

Kona Inn Banana Bread

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup softened butter

6 ripe mashed bananas (3 cups)

4 eggs, well beaten

2 1/2 cups cake flour (if you don’t have cake flour, remove 2 TBL flour and put in 2 TBL cornstarch)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. With electric beater, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add bananas and eggs, beating until well mixed. Sift together dry ingredients. Blend with banana mixture but DO NOT overtax. Pour into 2 lightly greased loaf pans. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour until firm in the center and edges begin to separate from the pans. Cool on rack 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Family Togetherness

Some friends of mine who have been missing their adult children, got their wish answered when said children flew home to the coop. How said togetherness and family bonding is going I cannot say, but it seems like an endless Christmas vacation at our house. There’s lots of drinking, overeating, family squabbles, followed by long walks around the neighborhood. Be careful what you wish for.

Cleaning!

My theory is you’re either a cleaner or a cooker (aka chef). I definitely fall in the later category and don’t enjoy cleaning unless I’m stressed or angry. But lately, I’ve been cleaning all surfaces, handles, light switches and knobs first thing in the morning with 409. My house- at least the handles- has never been so clean. When Kim Kardashian starts having to do her own laundry (as she’s claimed), you know things are bad!

Tik Tok

I’d never heard about this app, but Emma explained to me it’s like Instagram but with only videos that last 15 seconds, no still photos. A lot of them are dance videos but trending now on Tik Tok is a frothy coffee-making video that Emma is obsessed with and making every day (and night). If I get bored enough, I may have to learn a dance and post it on Tik Tok. Kids, get ready to be embarressed.

Zoom

I’d never heard of Zoom before (only Face Time and Skype) but it’s become a super popular way to have meetings, classes and Virtual Happy Hours. My husband Zeke is in a Zoom Happy Hour with a bunch of men who normally meet at Riviera Country Club, called the “Table of Knowledge”. Ahem. He was able to join the Virtual Group last night and they all caught up with their lives and how they’ve been dealing with life in captivity. It’s so important to stay connected to our support groups at this time.

Bear Hunts

Neighborhoods all over the country are scheduling bear hunts (after the book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt), with stuffed animals replacing the real thing, hidden in bushes, trees and windows. Our neighborhood had one yesterday and I had, what I thought, was a brilliant idea. Emma had a HUGE (53 inch) Teddy Bear an old boyfriend had given her. He actually wanted her to take it to college (she didn’t), but my grandson Wyatt loved going into her room and getting scared by the bear. Emma came to hate the bear and wanted to donate it, so I asked her if I could put it out for the Bear Hunt. She agreed and I wheeled it down the street in a wagon to a busy corner. I made a sign that said “I Love You”, to show the kids on the bear hunt my support. I went to retrieve it around 6 p.m. and ran into Emma, who was walking away from the bear’s spot. “Someone took it,” she said. They did, however, leave my sign. I hope the bear went to a good home. Sigh.

People Who Need People

I’m in five different text threads with friends and acquaintances. One is just a fun group (Coronavirus Go Away) that sends jokes, memes and practical advise like where to find toilet paper. Another is a spiritual group with inspirational quotes and postings and the occasional cute Italian yoga instructor video. My Book Club Wats Ap group tends toward more intellectual articles and information. We have a nurse in that group that keeps us informed with practical advise and current CDC guidelines, but we also share movie, TV and book recommendations, word searches, photos of our organized spice drawers and uplifting videos from China, Italy and Spain. My garden club has asked members to post photos of their gardens and projects as a way to keep in touch.

Gardening and DIY projects

Apparently Home Depot is one of the economic winners in this pandemic, with some people taking the opportunity of their time off to start or complete home projects and gardening. My 82-year old mother has been out in the yard “for the first time in years,” according to her. “You wouldn’t believe to what length these yard men will go to avoid hauling stuff away,” she said of her backyard discoveries. She’s also painting pots and light fixtures around the house and had the foresight to buy Netflix, Amazon and Clorox stock when this whole thing started.

Puzzles, Board Games and Paint By Number

The 1500 piece puzzle is finally finished! Yipee. Apparently, puzzles are a hot commodity right now. I’ve also dusted off some board games- Scrabble and Scattegories- to have a Game Night this week. Lauren is anxiously awaiting the Paint By Number kit she’s ordered, but it’s been delayed. Everything seems to be taking longer to ship these days. Thank God for Amazon Prime.

InstaCart

I’d heard about InstaCart before Corona and had an account, but had never tried it before last week. I was most excited about it originally, because the stores they serviced included Cotsco, thereby eliminating that trip. I ordered via InstaCart from Publix. My first order was a bit of a fail, the second one was better. They give you a time frame they will deliver. Mine said between 4 and 6 pm. They actually came at 7:20 pm and left 4 plastic bags outside the front door (instead of the bench where I’d requested). They do keep you updated re: your shopper and replacements they have made, but I just noticed I got charged for a head of cauliflower I didn’t get. You get a receipt at the end so check it closely. Also, I ordered a buy one, get one free (BOGO) cans of refried beans and since they were out of the 16 ounce cans, my shopper substituted a HUGE can (31 ounces) instead. Not exactly what I had in mind. Better light a match!

Working out at Home

The walks, walks, walks! I’m lucky that I ‘m already set up at home with free weights, an exercise ball, jump rope and exercise bands, but when Lauren tried to order some weights, they were all sold out. With people not being able to go to the gym, they are turning to working out at home. I’ve never so many people in my neighborhood walking, biking and roller blading than in the last two weeks. I’ve also been doing yoga videos on You Tube called Blissful Yoga Flow for Unsettling Times by Boho Beautiful.

Take-Out Food

One can only cook so much, especially when one’s cooking Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. We are lucky that in this day and age, our take-out options aren’t limited to pizza and Chinese Food, like in the old days (when I was a kid). During the coronavirus pandemic, is the perfect time to try those restaurants you never got around to dining at. Of course, the atmosphere and presentation won’t be the same, but you will get to sample their food, drinks and dishes. Pick it up yourself, if you can, as the delivery services cut into the restaurant’s bottom line. See my earlier post for recommendations and information.

Masks

First we were told you didn’t need a mask unless you were sick. Now we know that up to 25% of people with coronavirus don’t show any symptoms and those that do fall ill with symptoms are contagious up to 48 hours before they realize they’re sick. They are coming up with new mask guidelines as we speak, but it appears it certainly will help stop spreading the virus if everyone wore them. Of course, that’s if you can get your hands on a mask. We don’t have any, but I do have a plethora of bandanas. So if you see me out and about, I am not the Frito Bandito, I’m just trying to save my self (and you) from infection!

Toilet Paper

AKA “White Gold”, it’s got to be the hottest commodity right now. Our family’s tp of choice is Charmin (“Love the Go”), but we are making due with some toilet paper Zeke rescued out of his office building. It’s not Charmin, but at least it’s 2-ply. This crisis has brought out the best and worst (hoarders) in people and has also shown how particular we are about our brands of toilet paper. Sushi Maki in South Miami is giving out toilet paper rolls, with their sushi rolls and luckily stores are now limiting the amount individuals can purchase.

Hand Sanitizer

Purell is the brand of choice and I gave my last two small bottles to the girls. Luckily, my sister Elise gave me the heads-up that Ace Hardware had some and I was able to get some more (off-brand) hand sanitizers. It’s still best to wash your hands with foaming soap and hot water while singing Happy Birthday for 20 seconds, but since that’s not always possible (in the grocery store for example), hand sanitizer is a life-saver (literally). I just saw a video demonstrating how flammable it is, so keep it away from flames. You can make your own, if you have Aloe Vera Gel and rubbing alcohol, but I haven’t been able to find alcohol.

Self-Care

It was a buzz word before the Corona s**t hit the fan, but now we all have a lot of time on our hands and can no longer rely on our salon, mani/pedi spot, facialist or masseuse to go to due to: Stay at Home orders. I’ve given myself a mani and am contemplating which color nail polish to use for my pedi. My sister Kelley gave me a box of facial masks as a Christmas present and I hadn’t gotten around to use them, but now I have nothing but time on my hands. I like to put one on, lay down and meditate for 20 minutes.

Meditation

My friend Sumita made a beautiful video on Instagram telling us to get our MEDS- Meditation, Exercise, Diet and Sleep. My Guided Meditation I planned with the family was a bust (no one showed up but me), but it’s more important than ever to calm the mind, breathe and relax. I have an app on my phone “Simply Being” that I use, but other apps are “Calm” and I’ve also done “Headspace”, which is good for beginners. There are also guided meditations on You Tube. I’m worried about my family, my friends, our country, our health care workers, people out of work, the hungry and suffering, our economy, our future, the world. But when my mind jumps ahead into worst case scenarios, I have to stop myself and just concentrate on this day, this moment and trust we will all get through this. And meditation helps.

Inspirational E-mails and Texts

I’ve been invited to a Women’s Virtual Table of 8, which is where you invite 8 women you admire to sit at your virtual table, via email and text. Another email I received was asking each participant to send an inspirational quote to the person that’s #1 on the list, move #2 up to one and put your name as #2. Like the dreaded chain letter of our youth, or those friendship breads of the 80’s, you might wish you didn’t get tagged on this, but it is trending. So far, I’ve only received one quote, but it was a good one.

“Today is a Difficult Day,” said Pooh.

There was a pause.

“Do you want to talk about it?” asked Piglet.

“No,” said Pooh after a bit. “No, I don’t think I do.”

“That’s okay,” said Piglet, and he came and sat by his friend.

“What are you doing?” asked Pooh.

“Nothing really,” said Piglet. “Only, I know what Difficult Days are like. I quite often don’t feel like talking about it on my Difficult Days either. But goodness,” continued Piglet, “Difficult Days are so much easier when you now you’ve got someone there for you. And I’ll always be there for you Pooh.”

And as Pooh sat there, working through in his head his Difficult Day, while the solid, reliable Piglet sat next to him quietly, swinging his little legs, he thought that his best friend had never been more right.

A.A. Milne

Coming up: How to Shop and stay Healthy at the Grocery Store and Foods that Fight Viruses