After driving home from the Keys in the rain, my bags in the trunk felt a bit damp. As I opened up the trunk to see what was going on, I was greeted with a good inch of water inside. I pulled out tons of ruined Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons, my reusable shopping bags and gym clothes, all soaked. I dried out my trunk with three rounds of towels. Obviously, there was a leak in my convertible roof, but I wasn’t going to take it in anytime soon, so I spent the following morning clearing out our garage to squeeze in my Mini Cooper.

I’ve had to cancel my Book Club Meeting, which I was hosting outside, twice due to the weather. Then, with the incessant rain, our roof started leaking in not one, but three different locations- the dining room, family room and living room. We have pots and pans stationed around the house and are awaiting our contractor to take a look if it ever stops raining.

On top of that Emma’s cat Eloise has started peeing all over the house. She started peeing in litter-box like containers (baskets, boxes) but now she’s just peeing on anything that is rectangular in shape, including my stove top. When I spied the puddle on my stove top one morning, I thought at first it was another place our roof was leaking, but upon further inspection, it was cat pee. Gross!

And Rachel spotted a rat in our hallway. The one job this cat has to do, she’s failing at! I’ve heard rats have become more aggressive during the Pandemic due to lack of food, but I think it was more the rain that drove this one inside. If it knew any better about what’s going on in our house, it would abandon ship!

My favorite outlet during the Pandemic has been writing and posting my Foodie in Miami blog, but my liquid-damaged laptop has grown progressively slower and slower, making it impossible to write. The Computer guy at the store told me it will cost almost as much to service my laptop as a new computer would cost, with no guarantee it would even resolve the issue. Apparently, liquid damage is pretty serious and it tends to keep corroding the insides of the computer. So I need to buy a new laptop. That was an expensive glass of vino.

Financially-wise, I hadn’t felt the pinch of the pandemic much, until this week. I have two real estate investments that weren’t giving distributions, but I figured that wasn’t too problematic. Then our partner on a store on Miracle Mile (that’s been vacant for more than a year) said we needed to kick in money to cover the rent. My other investment is a hotel in Orlando. Of course it occurred to me it wouldn’t be doing well during this time, but I thought the company would be ok, since they have hotels all over the world. Then I got an e-mail with the ominous heading “Capital Call.” I wasn’t quite sure what a Capital Call was, but knew it wasn’t good.

“As usual,” said the e-mail, “it is you, our investors, who will pull us through this crisis.” Great! In the same batch of e-mails, I got notice that our condo in the Keys is socking us with a big assessment to repave the driveways. Assessing us in the middle of a Pandemic with portfolios plunging? Brilliant! Along with the constant plink, plink, plink of rain drops hitting me this week, has been a ka-ching, ka-ching of money flowing out of my wallet, with no end in sight.

To cheer myself up, from the endless rain and deluge of Bad News, I made myself a little sundae, with vanilla ice cream and a fig, caramel topping. I took one bite and promptly pulled the crown off my back tooth. I just had it reattached about three months ago! I really thought things couldn’t get worse, as I headed out for my “free” hot dog at Riviera, when I flushed the toilet and it overflowed, creating my own personal shit show. While mopping up the mess, with Clorox and Fabulouso, I felt a bit like Job. It’s been that kind of week.

On the plus side of this week, I made my first trip to Trader Joe’s since the beginning of the Coronavirus lock-down. I went on a Monday at 11 am, probably not the best time to go, FYI. While the parking lot seem emptier than usual, there was a line out front, under tents outside. There were little circles to indicate where to stand to social distance and a sign that read: 1) Mask Up/Sanitize 2) Leave Your Bags at Home 3) Plan and Stock Up 4) Social Distance. They were limiting the amount of customers, which is good, but when I entered, the produce section had a lot of people clustered together, not moving. I tried to grab what I could, holding my breath, and then tackled the rest of the store.

The shelves in Trader Joe’s were well stocked and there were arrows indicating the direction of traffic flow. Some customers, like the attractive yoga-clad woman cheerfully pushing her cart down the aisle, apparently didn’t know what the arrows were there for.

“Uh, you’re going the wrong way,” I said, as I passed her, definitely not six feet apart and pointed to the arrow on the floor.

She smiled, nodded and kept going the wrong way. I felt like the Coronavirus police, apparently not an effective one. I got food for my Book Club party, as well as items I always get at Trader Joe’s (wine, cheese, nuts) and checked out $250 poorer.

On the bright side of things, I finally got my hair cut and colored this week! Yipee! If a mani-pedi can make you feel like a new woman, a haircut and color can give you a new outlook on life, which is even better. My hairdresser stopped working briefly when shelter-in-place began, but people started calling for appointments, she resumed working and hasn’t stopped since. I didn’t know this information, or I would’ve been there sooner, but it’s great to finally feel like myself again.

Other shafts of light peeking through the grey skies: I got my first gardenia of the Spring last week. Gardenias always remind me of my Elementary School of Epiphany and the month of May, as we had a nun (Sister Grace) who would keep gardenias in a vase on her desk, in front of a statue of Mary. They smell delicious!

Also, my son Christopher and his wife Courtney drove down from Tallahassee to visit. I was supposed to fly to see them last month, but obviously the flight and trip was cancelled. I hadn’t seen them since December and they had some exciting news to share. We stopped by my Mom’s house on the way to the Keys and Christopher showed my Mom the ultrasound of the baby they’re expecting in November. Sex unknown.

My Mom seemed happy to hear the news, if a little non-plussed. “Well, I figured you had baby-fever, with all the photos you’ve been posting of your niece.” It will be her fourth great-grandchild.

We stopped at Robert is Here to pick up some mangos. They are only doing drive-thru, since the fruit stand is too small to social distance. You tell the first person your order and drive to the second person to pay and pick up. Kind of like McDonalds, but healthier.

We ate lunch at Skipper’s in Key Largo. This restaurant, in the Holiday Inn where the famous African Queen is located, is open at 50% capacity. They didn’t have their full menu and there wasn’t live music, but it was a nice change to be able to sit outside, by the water and have lunch. We saw a bunch of nurse sharks swimming in the canal and their conch chowder got two thumbs up from Courtney and I.

Friday night we got take-out at Num Thai restaurant, which is now open for dine-in business in Key Largo. Shrimp Pad Thai, sushi, steamed dumplings, soup and salad were the items we enjoyed for dinner. Saturday, Chris and Courtney went out on the boat to the Sandbar, as I stayed in and read, watched TV and went paddle boarding. Chris cooked rib eye steaks on the grill Saturday night and I made baked potatoes, a salad and garlic bread.

Sunday morning, we made a big breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, English muffins, coffee and fruit salad. It reminded me of how my Mom would make us a big breakfast on the weekends, when we had a condo in Buttonwood Bay. On the way home, we stopped at Hole-in-the-Wall for lunch. Chris ordered at the bar (behind plexiglass) and the server delivered wings, fish dip and fish tacos. I had a Freedom Tower beer; it hit the spot. There were quite a few people inside eating. Diners are required to wear a mask to their table and to the rest rooms, but can take it off while seated at the table.

My son Christopher wore a mask to order at the Hole, but, other than that, he’s an anti-masker. I give up with fighting with him about this, as it is as pointless as our heated political discussions. Meanwhile, I’ve realized that masks, as part of our daily apparel, are here to stay. Since I’m not wild about the blue surgical masks, I ordered a few fabric ones online. I told the Publix cashier yesterday with the cute sunflower mask: “I like your mask.” It’s the new “I like your shoes” compliment. I suppose masks are a way of expressing our individuality, with college logos, sports teams, favorite flowers, animals and activities represented. For us ladies, this is also a good time to perfect that smokey eye, since lips aren’t visible. “My eyes are up here, officer.”

My sister Kelley told me that she heard, if you can blow a match out with a mask on, it’s not doing it’s job.

“So, you mean, I basically have to feel like I’m suffocating for it to be effective?”

“Yes,” she answered. “Or fog up your glasses.”

Lauren has decided on Georgetown to get her Masters of Law, so that’s exciting news. It was her first choice of law schools she applied to; she’s studying for the Florida Bar now. She’s not sure if classes this Fall in D.C. will be online, in person, or a combination of the two. Emma celebrated her 22nd birthday Sunday in Tallahassee, but we’re going out to dinner to celebrate some more. She starts work at My Tribe, a boutique for kids and teens, this week. Little victories, I’ll take them.

As for me and cooking, I’ve kind of gone on strike. I did cook an Asian Chicken soup Monday, adapted from Forks over Knives and I made the dinner I was going to serve my Book Club (roast chicken, smashed potatoes, radicchio salad and French bread) Tuesday night. Someone in my Book Club wanted to know why I insisted on having dinner outside. “Does it have to be outside? Well, I guess y’all are still worried…”

Yes, we all are worried. Maybe, not as much, but still. There was news this week that if we’d shut the country down just a week earlier, we could’ve saved thousands of lives. And the U.S. just passed the grim marker of 100,000 deaths, which some people are saying is an undercount of the real toll. A tennis teammate’s father, who was a well-respected and philanthropic doctor, died last week of Coronavirus, leaving behind his wife, four daughters and nine grandchildren. Tragic, especially if it was preventable.

We’ve finished doing all the puzzles my friend’s mother lent me and I’ve finished all the episodes of Dead to Me, so can the Pandemic be over now? We are now watching what seems to be the new must-see Netflix show, Schitt’s Creek. I watched an episode of Marie Kwondo while down in the Keys, so got inspired to organize my t-shirt drawer on one of our many rainy days. The concept of items that “spark joy” really does makes sense, the more you try it. So, farewell, old non-joyful t-shirts, hello, clean and organized drawers.

The U.M. Hurricane Football Season is likely to be on for this Fall, but without fans and I just found out my favorite neighbor is moving. Her 90-year old husband Bernie, the love of her life, died last month (not of Corona) in their cute, little house next to ours. She says the house was so much about the two of them, it makes her sad to be there alone. I will miss her.

Travel this summer is apparently going to feature R.V.’s and Road Trips. I don’t have an R.V., but have always thought it would be neat to be able to take one across the United States. The advantage to an R.V. is that everything is self-contained (bathroom, kitchen), with minimum contact with the outside word. Which is probably a good thing, since it’s been reported to avoid Public Restrooms, as flushing the toilet aerosols droplets, possibly spreading the dreaded CV into the air as you breathe.

I do have my Mini Cooper, however, so I’m able to take Road Trips. Just as soon as I get that top fixed-

“Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in.”

Leonard Cohen

Up Next: Spring Meals to Savor.

Puzzles. Zeke finished another puzzle last week.

I am sick of puzzles, sick of Tiger King, Banana Bread, Sour dough starter, hearing whipped coffee being made, washing my hands, sheltering in place, social distancing, #stayingathome, hand sanitizer, staying six feet away from people. I am also sick of masks, gloves, Clorox wipes, the constant stream of depressing news, people that think the pandemic is a hoax, people predicting the next Great Depression, people who say this could last ten more years. I am sick of anything that reminds me of this COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, I have Quarantine Fatigue! It’s a thing now, a diagnosis many of us can relate to. Enough already! As Someone in my Coronavirus Go Away! group commented.

I long to be with people who are not the family I’ve been quarantining with, long for socialization, long to see people’s faces unobscured by ugly masks; I long to go back to things being normal. Like Conan O’Brien, I’m starting to miss the things I used to hate, like meetings with real live people who aren’t on Zoom.

There are those who think we will never go back to “normal” and I tend to agree. It’s like life before and after 9/11. Life changed, our world view changed, the way we traveled changed and now we are used to it and it’s become part of our lives. Adaptation. Many people who lived through WWII compare this time to that, with rationing, fear and “we’re all in this together” mindset. This fight against a deadly, but invisible virus feels like a war and I am battle-weary. Keeping up hyper-vigilance against an unseen threat is truly exhausting.

And starting last Monday, May 18th, some things in Miami did go back to normal, albeit the “new normal”. Restaurants were able to open (at 50% capacity), some businesses were able to reopen, following CDC guidelines. So we dip a proverbial toe into the corona infested water. Yet fears linger. Are we opening Miami too soon? Florida has not met the mandated guidelines for testing that is supposedly needed to re-open businesses and the number of COVID-19 cases in Miami-Date is actually rising, not declining. Will this reopening cause a spike in new COVID cases? Create new CV Hot Spots? Overwhelm our hospitals?

And as life returns to normal, so does our family. One child went to dinner (unbeknownst to us) in Boca, where restaurants were already open and is now in Tallahassee hanging out with friends. One is going back to work at a retail shop in Miami, the other planning a trip to see her boyfriend in California. As my sister Kelley suggested: “Good. Let the young ones go out and test the waters.” The problem with that guinea pig theory is the fact that the young ones may be exposed to infected people, and then come home to live with us old people. I worry about these things.

And, the million dollar question for Foodie in Miami, is it safe to dine out in Miami? From an eye-opening article (written by an Immunologist and Biology Professor) my sister Kelley sent me, the answer is unfortunately, no. You are not so much in danger from the food, servers or hygeine practices of the restaurant, but from fellow diners who may have the virus. Here is the article if you want to read it: The Risks- Know Them-Avoid Them at erinbromage.com. Another friend asked her doctor about dining out and he said he’s not doing it at this time. If you do dine out, try to sit outside. It greatly reduces your risk.

“And Gigi Camp has begun!” my daughter A.J. announced Mother’s Day night, right before she took off like a bat out of Hell. I could sense she needed a break from my high-energy four and a half year old grandson Wyatt. This was the second annual Gigi Camp. Last year I planned on keeping him one week. I made it three days before I cried Uncle. We settled on four and a half days (his age) this time and I survived.

Gigi Camp is an all-indulgent oasis designed for one little boy. The food isn’t gourmet, but the activities are fun and treats, TV watching and Disney Dance parties are allowed. When we arrived at the condo in Key Largo and Wyatt saw some items I bought him which I placed on his bed (a toothbrush, Matchbox car, pool rings and goggles) he said “Gigi, you got this for me? Thank you!” He was so happy at these little gifts. Gratitude.

The one activity we did every day was swimming, which as most parents know carries the added benefit of wearing kids out. We also walked around the Sanctuary, looking at lizards, birds, fish, collecting shells and sticks, climbing trees and swinging on the wooden swing. My attempt at fishing with him was very short lived, which was a relief to me. I don’t know how get a fish off the hook and I certainly didn’t want to filet poor little Nemo.

Wyatt had his Zoom class for his pre-school two days while I had him; it certainly gave me a newfound appreciation for teachers. It’s hard enough to get a room of four-year-old’s attention, but remotely? Many of the children had snacks, drinks, toys, siblings and other activities distracting them in their house. Wyatt kept wanting to talk (but his teachers had muted him) so he kept asking to get “un-muted” to contribute whatever random thought had occurred to him. Those poor teachers!

They conducted the class, with an opening song, greeters and activities, like their class schedule, which I think adds some normalcy to their lives at this confusing time. Wyatt was chosen to be the greeter Thursday and had to ask his classmates if they wanted to be greeted with a wave or silly dance. Most choose a silly dance because, let’s face it, who doesn’t need a silly dance right about now?

All Wyatt wanted to eat was Chocolate Chip pancakes for breakfast and Spaghettios for lunch and dinner. When I ran out of Bisquick, he wanted a big box of Fruit Loops for breakfast, because the toucan is his favorite bird. I talked him into getting the little individual packs with Cocoa Krispies, Apple Jacks and Corn Pops as well, so at least his sugary cereals had some variety. This is what my grandmother used to buy for me when I spent the night over at her house.

Needless to say, I cooked nothing of significance at Gigi Camp. I tried a Bon Appetit recipe for gnocchi with peas and mint, but it didn’t really work so I went back to my Aunt Josie’s foolproof recipe for gnocchi with ricotta. By the time I returned to Miami I was ready for a break from babysitting but also from the crappy freezer food I’d been eating. I craved real food so made myself a panzanella salad with some failed sour dough bread. It was fine in my salad, after being sauteed with olive oil and soaked in balsamic vinegar . I didn’t have the avocado or burratta Eating House’s Georgio Rapicavoli suggested, but made due with with tomato, mozzarella and fresh basil, it hit the spot.

I was so excited to have friends Martha and Luis over Saturaday night I could hardly contain myself. Cooking a meal! For people who aren’t my family! Talking to people in person! Who aren’t my family! Yay! I tried to think everything out and was very conscious of safety. Some frozen lamp chops inspired me to do a Middle eastern meal. We had chairs and a table set up for appetizers (6 feet apart), with individual bowls of olives and plates for the lamp chops. Dinner was Persian Chicken Kabobs (my Aunt Emma’s recipe) with Grilled Tomatoes (also my Aunt Emma’s recipe) and sides. For a side, I wanted tabouli, but since I had no bulgur, I shopped my pantry and found barley. I made a salad of barley, feta, bell peppers, toasted walnuts and radishes with a Greek dressing. It was a Publix Apron Simple Meal on the Publix package.

I served individual bowls of Persian hot sauce and Labneh to go with either the grilled flatbread (which tasted of freezer burn) or the chicken. It was such a treat to have friends over to share a glass of wine, gossip and laughs. Martha’s housekeeper’s sister works at Sedonanos and heard the next shortage was going to be rice and beans.

How can I be Cuban without rice and beans?

Martha asked

So now she has a ten pound bag of rice and beans. You can take meat away from a Cuban woman, but don’t you mess with her rice and beans! Martha brought the most delicious dessert, which she says is a favorite in her house. I kept the rest of the plate of cookies in exchange for some Labneh and Middle Eastern hot sauce. Bartering. If you’re in search for a delicious recipe to make while sheltering in place, check out Inas’ recipe for Raspberry Crumble Bars.

On Sunday, we went to Lee Schrager’s House to a “Putting on the Pounds” Bake sale benefiting the FIU Hospitality Relief Fund. There was a line around the block in Coral Gables to buy certain items for $25. Most of the items were sweets or cocktails. We went for The Dumpling Lady’s Miami Spicy Pork Dumplings. Alas, they were sold out. I’ve been craving foods like tamales, meatballs and dumplings lately. Salty, savory, homey. Sunday night, we had a lasagna that I’d made a month ago and put in the freezer. It was a little dried out and nothing to write home about, but with salad and garlic bread, it was dinner.

I have been sending out my photo cards to members of my garden club with a poem about hope by Emily Dickinson. I’ve heard from many members, including former school, teacher Connie Collage who normally gives the (often unintentional hilarious) prayer for our meetings. She called me the other day and told me she just turned 86. Happy Birthday Connie! I also sent one of the free hero Hallmark cards I got to an employee of The Floridean, my family’s former Nursing home, who I thought could use it. This is what she sent when she received my card.

“Thank you for your beautiful card. My days have been pretty long and dark. But the day I got your card was exceptionally dark, and it came as a sign that I shouldn’t make any crazy decision, because I was on the verge of it. So I thank you for taking the time to pick it put, send it and write something so beautiful, but more so for sending the perfect sign to help me see the light on that day.”

So, I took that as a sign, that even the little things I can do, sending a card and writing a note, do matter, perhaps even more than I realize. I am a writer, so I write, but if you’re a seamstress, sew, a musician, play your instrument, a baker, bake some goodies to cheer up someone in need. Do whatever little or big thing you can in this crazy world at this time to help; it will make a difference.

“Hope is the thing with feathers-

That perches in the soul-

And sings the tune without the words-

And never stops at all-

And sweeteset- in the gale- is heard-

And sore must be the storm-

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm-

I’ve heard it in the chillest land-

And on the strangest Sea-

Yet- never- in Extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.” Emily Dickinson

And, as a side note, I’m sorry about the lack of photos and recipes in this blog, but I spilled a glass of wine on my computer while watching Netflix (no judgement) so it’s acting pretty strange and impossible to get my photos on here. Hopefully I can get it resolved and be back to posting photos soon. Even writing this blog post was a Herculean feat, as my computer is about ten times slower than normal.

Stay safe out there! Gina aka Foodie in Miami

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