Observations on Quarantine Life

1. Life under quarantine is no different to life as an introvert, except now I am more aware of the sheer numbers of people strolling down my street.

2. My partner is finding solace in baking, but it is not so much the act of baking as it is the ability to eat unlimited quantities of good quality cake at all times of the day.

3. I too enjoy the ability to eat unlimited quantities of cake at all times of the day.

4. The weekly date night has been replaced by a weekly take out order. The fanciness of the meals have not changed. Last week we ate a sous vided beef short rib prepared by Passerotto, and this week we ate an exquisitely pan fried fish from The Barn Steakhouse.

5. It feels somewhat jarring to eat a meal that costs more than US$100 (including delivery and tip) in a dining room that is filled with my half finished DIY projects. I am now dreaming up brand new DIY projects to turn the dining room into something that approximates a fine dining restaurant. Something like Lume would be lovely, although impossible to recreate in an apartment facing away from the sun.

6. Last year I purchased a large amount of tupperware in various sizes to accommodate my meal prep habits. I say Tupperware, but they're actually a combination of Pyrex, Sistema and Decor Tellfresh. Meal prepping is less of a necessity nowadays because I'm home all the time and I always have time to cook from scratch, so my tupperware cupboard is an unorganised mess.

7. American "to go" boxes are different to Australian "take out" boxes. Australian "take out" is delivered in clear deli containers that are stained orange after transporting spag bol. American "to go" food is delivered in black plastic boxes that are both very roomy and very sturdy. I have elected to keep all the boxes I receive in my takeout orders because they are all very good quality.

8. My tupperware cupboard is also on the verge of bursting at the seams. I may have to do a thorough konmari-ing of the cupboard before the end of April, but if all the tupperware brings me joy, what then?

9. Earlier this week I made a bicycle trip to deliver homemade face masks and pick up twill tape. I used this as an opportunity to test out my new face mask. I learnt that face masks, strenuous exercise and prescription glasses are not a good mix if I want to be able to see while on the road.

10. Staying inside as much as I can and washing my hands more often has not stopped me from getting sick. I have a sore throat, and now my neighbourhood walks and bike rides have been put to a halt.

11. The upside to not going out is that I don't have to wash my hands as much anymore. My manual dermatitis flare is receding.

12. There are daffodils bursting out of the ground in front of the apartment building opposite me. I would take a picture, but that is beyond the capabilities of my phone camera. It would be lovely to have an expensive DSLR with a huge zoom lens, but then I would be tempted to use the zoom to peer into all of my neighbours' apartments.

13. I am sad to miss out on the best parts of spring. I'd like to spend more time appreciating the early crocuses and the tiny green leaf buds popping up around me. The birds have emerged and are back to frolicking in the grass. I'd like to go to the farmers market and buy giant bundles of asparagus and snap peas and gorge on them in the course of one afternoon.

14. There is no point in being productive while sick. The lack of external pressure to do stuff has led me to churn out an unusually large number of crafty goods. In lieu of face masks, library work and Accessibull Eats work, I have made a lampshade, multiple knitted baby accessories (for other people, not me), bread, button magnets and miniature curtains.

15. I am not productive when sitting at my desk. When I am at my desk, I eat food and watch YouTube. I also end up with a back ache from a desk that is too tall and a dining chair that is too deep. Even though this desk was free, and a very attractive shade of walnut, it makes me miss my rickety Ikea desk from the kids section.

16. Early last year I had a major gripe with my desk at work. It might have been an adjustable sit stand desk, but the lowest height it would go was still too high for me. I was pretty much restricted to using it as a stand only desk if I wanted to feel okay at the end of the day. Goodness, those were the days!

17. My productive spot is the chaise longue, with a cushion on my lap to approximate a laptop stand. Really, it's my partner's - he was the one who wanted to buy it. I have appropriated it for my own use. Isn't it nice when the morning sun streams through?

Edit: All better now, no longer sick.