• Scannable Menus. My husband and I went to a Noodle Bar in South Miami, pre-Pandemic, where you scanned the menu on your phone, ordered on your phone and paid on your phone. We thought, at the time, it was a little too high-tech, difficult and impersonal. Two years later, post-Pandemic, it seems genius. Scannable menus are not going away, but now, luckily, a lot of restaurants give you the option of the good, old-fashioned hard copies, as well.
• Rising Restaurant Prices. For those restaurants lucky enough to survive the Pandemic, something had to give for all those months of either being shut down or just doing take out. Many restaurants have raised prices for their menu items, in order to compensate for the unprecedented disruption.
• Limited Menus. Along the same vein, some restaurants eliminated menu items that didn’t make them much money and kept the money makers, thereby cutting down on menu choices.
• Upscale Restaurants in Museums. Remember when, if you were famished after visiting a museum, you were stuck with a restaurant that served cafeteria-like food, where you had to wait in line to order and ended up with a stale-bread sandwich or watery soup? Those days are gone, with very important chefs opening restaurants in museums all over the United States. Shown below is Leku, housed in the Rubell Museum in Allapattah. Verde, in the Perez Art Museum, is another upscale, desirable restaurant following this trend.

• Automatic Gratuity. I think we all appreciate the servers and food workers in the restaurant industry a lot more since the Pandemic occured. I sometimes took their work for granted and have tried to tip higher in the aftermath of COVID. I tipped 25% on a recent lunch, only to discover afterwards that the restaurant had already added a 20% gratuity to the check. I have no problem with an automatic gratuity at restaurants, but just think they should let you know so you don’t double tip (no wine was involved at this lunch).
• Pantry Meals. Similar to cooking after a hurricane, many of us found ways to cook during the Pandemic with staples stocked in our pantry to avoid frequent (and potentially hazardous) trips to the grocery store. Did you say Tuna Casserole again?
• Instacart is King. Many of us discovered how easy it is to simply go to our computers and order food online, a trend that is unlikely to die out entirely. One rainy day, when I had zero desire to trek to Publix, I realized I could Instacart my groceries. My day was saved! I especially like Instacart for Cotsco. Instacarting for Total Wine proved too dangerous for this household.
• Ghost Kitchens. These are kitchens that use under-used urban spaces, such as parking lots, and house truck-trailers to prepare meals for various restaurant’s delivery service. It’s a less expensive way of preparing food and is set up to get food to diners more quickly. REEF, a Miami-based technology ghost kitchen startup recently raised 1 billion dollars to set up Ghost Kitchens in Miami, so you know it’s a real thing.
• Vegan/Vegetarian Food. This trend shows no sign of dying, but has only gotten bigger with the introduction of meat alternatives, such as Beyond and Impossible meat substitutes. Also, restaurants now realize a boring Veggie Plate won’t cut it to appeal to the growing expanse of diners who want to increase their vegetable intake. Restaurants like Planta Queen in Coconut Grove offering dishes like Watermelon Sushi, Mushroom Bao Buns and Crispy Vegetable Dumplings, make trying veggies an exciting, rather than boring, experience.

• Earthy Ingredients. Mushrooms, Roots and Herbs are making a splash these days. In keeping with the vegan theme, but getting more into the earth that we all live on, and rely on, these ingredients are taking center stage.

See me, feel me, touch me, heal me.

The Who.

• Plant Jerky. See above. Jerky, that chewy, beefy, unami treat, is reappearing in Vegan form with jerky being created out of coconut, mushroom and eggplant. Sounds interesting and not a Slim Jim around.
• Carb Alternatives. I’ve tried Keto and will never do it again, yet I do find myself searching for carb alternatives, such as Hearts of Palm pasta and Cauliflower Pizza Crust, because I think it’s healthier to incorporate plant-based foods into my diet. So rather than a total, cold turkey nuking of carbs, I’m slowly leaning into more veggies and/or beans and leaning out of white flour and sugar.
• Milk Alternatives. Why is dairy suddenly evil? I’m not sure, but I have been trying to eat less dairy, especially in my morning coffee. I tried Almond Milk, but it tasted like white water in my coffee. I now am using Oat Milk sometimes, which is better than Almond, creamier and sort of sweet, but it also has a slightly soapy taste to me. I will, however, never give up cheese because life is too short and Vegan Cheese too bad.

Speaking of trends, I made a Banana Bread for a Girl’s Weekend in the Keys recently. I had remembered there was a good, “healthy” one in an old Jane Fonda cookbook I had called Cooking for Healthy Living. When I looked it up, it had NO FAT at all in it (because fat was evil at the time), but tons of White Flour and Sugar. Just goes to show, what we thought was bad back in the ’90’s, is now being embraced by popular diets like Keto. What I do know for sure (channeling my inner Oprah) is that the Global Pandemic we all went through, has affected our lives in many ways, including what, how and where we eat.

Up Next: A cell phone doesn’t belong at the Dinner Table!

I think this is the most important bit of advice, should you choose to grocery shop and not Instacart. I’ve been venturing out more lately and some people (like my friend Sherida) like to shop themselves. So “my” Publix on Monza is super-small and the aisles are tiny, so I do not feel safe shopping there. But “my” Winn Dixie in South Miami (although I hesitate to claim it) feels much safer. It’s emptier and more spread apart.

#2 Know the time to go.

My aforementioned friend Sherida has determined “Trader Joe’s is the best” for shopping. They clean the carts, limit people (which I’ve yet to encounter) and have only one checkout line. She says 6 p.m. (when many people are home eating dinner) is the perfect time to go. There is a line, but it goes fast.

#3 Know the lay out of your store.

This is not the time to dilly-dally and debate the virtues of which sea salt is better, or which Chex Mix has lower calories (guilty). Get in, get out. Don’t squeeze the Charmin, or any of the produce. If you know where what you’re looking for is, you’re much better off.

#4 Make a List

The old fashioned kind, on a piece of paper. Try to put like items together (milk, cheese, yogurt) on the list to avoid missing something and having to revisit areas you forgot.

#5 Go Alone and Infrequently

Try to shop once a week. This is not the time for a family field trip. If you can avoid it (and I realize not everyone can), go solo. Three people in the grocery store triples your chance of exposure to the new (but not improved) coronavirus.

#6 When you arrive at your carefully selected Grocery Store…

Put on your mask, grab your list and make sure you have your hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes within easy reach. I have hand sanitizer attached to the outside of my purse for easy access and the Clorox wipes on top. Put your phone away (it is a germ collector), leave your reusable bags in the car, take a deep breath and prepare to enter the battlefield of grocery shopping in 2020. Almost all the articles I read said not to wear gloves shopping, as it creates a false sense of security. Unless you use them properly (and remove them properly), it’s better to go bare-handed and sanitize frequently.

#7 As you enter the Grocery Store…

Some grocery stores now have a designated in and out door, so pay attention to the signs. Most importantly, stay 6 feet apart from fellow shoppers. Your biggest risk of catching the coronavirus in the grocery store is from exposure to other people. If the carts/baskets haven’t been sanitized, grab your wipes and clean the handle and inside of the cart/basket. Throw away the wipe. Sanitize your hands.

#8 Get in and Out of the Store as quickly as possible

With your list, broken down into different departments of the grocery store, start shopping. Many grocery stores now have directional arrows indicating which way to proceed, so pay attention. If there’s someone stuck in an aisle you need to go down, and not moving, go to the next aisle and come back later.

#9 Can’t Touch This

This one is really hard, but try to be conscious of not touching your face. Don’t read the labels of items, just grab and go and sanitize frequently. Same with produce, don’t smell the bottom of a pineapple, or squeeze an avocado for ripeness. Just grab and go.

#10 As you Check Out…

Give the cashier and bag person some space. Many stores are now equipping plexiglass in front of the cashiers. I had a great experience at Winn Dixie (not crowded, quick), until I reached check-out. The cashier was behind plexiglass-glass, but I was inches from the Bag Boy. Let them bag your groceries. Reusable bags are not advised (and in some stores not permitted).

#11 Use a Credit Card, Apple or Google Pay to pay

If possible, use contactless payment such as Apple or Google Pay (on your phone). If not, use a Credit Card, making sure you sanitize your hands after touching the pay pad. Avoid using cash.

#12 Exit the Store

Breathe a huge sigh of relief (through your mask), but you’re not done yet! Unpack groceries (I’ve been putting them in the trunk). Sanitize your hands before touching the steering wheel and head for home sweet home.

#13 When home…

Unload groceries from car, putting bags on kitchen floor. Remove mask. Wash hands for 20 seconds.

#14 In the Kitchen…

Unpack the groceries, wash the produce in cold water and put away. Experts do not think it necessary to wipe down items from the grocery store, especially if you’re not using them right away. From the Department of Agriculture FAQ “We are not aware of any reports at this time of human illnesses that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging.”

#15 Crack Open a Bottle of Wine

Pour a big glass and toast yourself! You’ve survived Grocery Shopping in this crazy-ass, totally bananas time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Up Next: Spring Meals to Savor and What to do with 10 pounds of Stone Crabs.

“Well, I’m still alive,” my mother said. “I haven’t got it yet.”

She said she was finding plenty of things to keep her occupied, painting a wall workers had recently fixed, which led her to painting her lanterns “while the paint was out”. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie scenario, and working in the yard and taking walks. Bob, on the other hand, is “like a caged lion”, according to her, since he’s not going to work.

“Are you going to the grocery store?” I asked.

“No!” she said.

She’s using Instacart for Publix deliveries.

“I’ve had some strange experiences,” she said. “The first person who shopped for me seemed like someone who had never been to a grocery store before. I don’t even know what some of things they got for me are or how to cook them.”

It sounded similar to my first experience, where they crammed five bags of food into two paper bags and put the rolls on the bottom of the bag. Who does that?

The second time she ordered Instacart she requested a turkey breast to cook and instead they brought her something that looked like it came from the deli. It would be good for sandwich meat, she agreed, but she wanted to roast the turkey herself. She said one store she ordered from was going to take days to deliver, but another only hours, so she cancelled the first one.

My second Instacart experience was better, but they replaced a Buy One Get One free (BOGO) can of 15 ounce refried beans for one huge 32 ounce can. I also asked for whole mushrooms, but got sliced. Not the same, the sliced mushrooms go bad much quicker. Anything pre-sliced, like lettuce in a bag, is more perishable.

My third Instacart experience was last week. I ordered it Tuesday and was told it would be filled between Tuesday and Saturday- kind of a long range of time, but I guess a lot of people aren’t going into grocery stores and needed supplies for Easter and Passover. They also charged our credit card for the items before they were delivered, which I found strange, especially since they were apt to be out of items.

This experience was better. My paper bags of groceries were left on the bench by the front door, as requested. My Instacart shopper must have been new, because she took a photo of the bags on the bench. They keep you informed when they are shopping via text and let you know if they replace items or if they are out. So, no Easter jellybeans, Cadbury chocolate eggs or marshmallow Peeps (my favorite), but they did have Lindt Easter Chocolate Bunnies, although I found out later they replaced 2 milk chocolate for white chocolate. Also, I got a spiral ham, seeded rye bread (they were out before), asparagus and a fresh pineapple. Who knew I would appreciate simple, basic food so much?

I’d ordered three dozen eggs, one to hard boil, one for Lauren, but only got one as I think they’re limiting them to one per family. My whole mushrooms were substituted for sliced again, despite my note that I didn’t want sliced if they didn’t have whole. She replaced my Reese’s Eggs with Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. The Sargento pepper jack cheese slices were replaced with pepper jack sticks (not the same!) and since they were out of Cascade dishwashing detergent, I got the pods. I also had to substitute Tide liquid for pods. I never buy pods because I think they’re wasteful and lazy. But desperate times-

Instacart shops at these stores:

Publix, Aldi, Total Wine, Cotsco, CVS, Petco, Milams, BJ’s, ABC Wine, Fresh Market.

Prices tend to be more than if you shopped yourself and there is a delivery fee and service fee. I was happy to see, however, that Publix was offering BOGOs and honored coupons, but these items seem to sell out quickly. There’s also an option to join Express that gives you free delivery for $99 a year or $9 a month.

Some tips for InstaCart:

• Busy days are Sundays and Monday, so try to order on days other than that.
• Keep a list and order all your items at once.
• Order bigger packs (like family packs of chicken) and break it down to save on frequency of ordering.
• Choose your preferred replacements. If you don’t want a replacement, note it on your order.
• Choose Leave at my Door delivery. You can also tell them where to leave it.
• You can also send groceries for friends and family in a lot of different cities.
• Thank your shopper with a tip, especially in these times.

I talked to my friend Tami, who’s been using Instacart for two years (on the advice of her hairdresser) with much success.

“You’ve got to take Instacart these days with a grain of salt,” she said. “They’re not doing so well in the Pandemic.”

She sent me an email from Publix basically apologizing to Instacart customers for the difference in their shopping experience these days. Tami told me: “There’s a bit of a learning curve, but after you master Instacart, it’s great.”

The first time I ordered on Instacart, I went through the departments one by one and ordered. I found it time consuming. I did better with a list, but pay attention to the packaging. I ordered my Siggi’s yogurt, but got 9% fat instead of 2%! I didn’t even know there was a 9% fat yogurt. And my sister Kelley recently ordered all-purpose flour from Cotsco, only to have a 10 lb. bag delivered. That’s a lot of banana bread being made.

According to Tami, shopping during the Pandemic is “a whole different ballgame” and stores are out of many items they would normally have. And even though she’s requested a specific place to drop the groceries, saving her from lugging heavy items like dog food, the Instacart shopper doesn’t always follow these instructions. This could be due to a language barrier, or the influx of new, inexperienced shoppers hired by Instacart during COVID-19.

Another thing Tami loves about Instacart, is that they can deliver to different cities. This came in handy when her son, who goes to college in Boston, got sick. She was able to send him chicken soup, medicine and snacks, via Instacart.

Another friend uses Instacart to Host a Hero. With this non-profit charity, donors with a second home offer their places for an active duty military person and their family to vacation. Since my friend likes to have the fridge stocked for the family, she lets Instacart know when the family arrives and they deliver groceries to the door. For more information on this worthy charity, check out their website hostahero.org.

The last time I checked Publix via Instacart , they were out of Clorox Wipes, 409 and rubbing alcohol, but they did have toilet paper, including my family’s preferred brand, Charmin.

Her three important tips on Instacart shopping are:

1) When you’re ordering you can choose a replacement (like Publix butter for Land ‘O Lakes) or you can put “Do not replace.”

2) Once your Instacart shopper starts shopping, pay close attention. They will text you, let you know if they are out of items at the store and if they are replacing them with something else. There’s a window to chat with your shopper while they’re shopping. This is the time to tell them if you’re ok with the replacements they’re making.

3) Tip well. Instacart automatically adds a tip, but that can be adjusted and she believes it is reflected in the shopping experience you receive.

I wanted to report a problem with my purchases, but when they sent me an e-mail saying “How was your Instacart experience?”, it had a photo of my shopper, with a star rating. I didn’t want to get my shopper in trouble, so didn’t bother with that, but when they forgot my cauliflower, they did refund me right away. Tami told me there is another area on the website where you can report a problem, other than the star rating.

She also said if they give you the wrong item, they will refund it for you.

“I know they’ll refund me, but I’d rather have the item I wanted and that they read my notes.” There is a section to leave your shopper a note (like don’t substitute my whole mushrooms for sliced) but obviously, they don’t always read them. Despite that-

“Overall,” said Tami, “I love having Instacart.”

Instacart can be a lifesaver, literally, in these uncertain times.

Up next: Week in Review and Foods to fight Viruses

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