Showing posts with label alcohol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alcohol. Show all posts

Monday, October 3, 2022

Thoughts on living through a pandemic...and coming out a changed person.


Please join me on the porch of The Humble Bungalow.
Not in person, of course, but in the spirit of friendship.

Our porch is a quiet contemplative place to sit outside 
in the sunshine
a place to chat and perhaps sip a beverage
make yourself comfy...


The news over the past few years has been disheartening and grim.

We've suffered a catastrophic worldwide pandemic...
Covid has changed us all and not necessarily for the better.


Many of the early days of Covid were dark and filled with fear...
we couldn't see our friends or family.
We were set adrift from our comfortable and often predictable routines
left alone to endure and weather the storm.

The Nightly News was focused around the serious nature of the disease
the deaths and the spread of the virus.
Things were incredibly bleak.

We were told the scientists were already working on a vaccine.

We waited and waited
often impatiently 
for the promised vaccine.

I had to limit my exposure to the news broadcasts 
to prevent myself from going down a dark rabbit hole...

I embraced the basic simple joys to keep my spirits level...
my moods were not euphoric but the little things in my daily round kept me going.


Getting outside in the garden was a gift...
We were so fortunate that we could dig in the dirt
plant seeds and watch them grow.

I think we grew closer as a couple and relied on each other 
more than ever before in our married life.
Our "BUBBLE" was small...
two humans and two cats.

The roses rewarded us with blooms for our hard work tending to their needs.
We took JOY seeing things bloom and thrive, 
excited to see seeds sprouting.


Cutting a few blooms and bringing them inside was a luxury.

Popping them in a vessel, be it a jam jar or a crystal vase
was a tonic that enriched our days.


Escaping safely to the cottage to cocoon was an absolute godsend.

We were able to self isolate and have a change of scenery.
It helped to temporarily soothe our worried minds...

We've now come through several years living with this virus.
have had our 4 vaccinations and we have changed...

Life as we knew it will never be the same.

I've learned a lot about myself...

Discovered that I am resilient, and can rise to a challenge.
Am able to amuse myself for long periods of time without going stir crazy!
Can make do and mend.
Will laugh at the littlest things...

Found out the small (est) things can and do bring JOY...

sweeping the floor
cooking new recipes
listening to music
washing the dishes
knitting
reading a good book
collecting sea glass on the beach
walking 
the songs of the birds
butterflies
the smell of a scented candle
coffee
fragrant soap

I think expectations I have held onto for years have been drastically altered.
I no longer crave expensive things...
or even "things" if I am being honest...
I desire only the comforts of home, family and friends.

It is a shift in mindset, 
honestly it is the one huge takeaway for me, from these past two years.
 
I also decided to declutter the entire bungalow...
donated most everything that we no longer use.
Gave away a lot to charity.
We do not NEED to KEEP stuff we don't love and use.
The feeling of having less stuff is so uplifting.

I did that to my clothes closet too!
My scarf drawer has been reduced to about a dozen scarves in total...
The cupboards look really organized and some quite bare!

I don't crave designer or name brand things...
a few well made items work and I have not shopped as much as pre Covid.

I did buy two lovely linen aprons which I have happily
worn to cook and clean...
with my pearls :-))

My daily household uniform is simple...
Jeans and a Tee, or top, linen apron and a strand of Akoya pearls.

While I know that pearls might be considered a wee bit "mumsy"
I don't care if they are not "on trend."
I wear what I like and they bring me JOY.

Family and friends are so precious...
we make time to see them whenever possible.
When it wasn't safe we saw people outside from afar...
thankfully now we can see the nearest and dearest close up.
What a huge relief that is!

I drank too much alcohol during Covid...
Possibly I was trying to numb myself from reality.

I've not had a drink for 3 months now 
am sipping a tasty faux beer called Partake these days.
Enjoying a de-alcoholized bubbly from Italy called Bottega.

Surprising
it was not hard to quit drinking, but now I crave chocolate!

I haven't decided if I will drink alcohol again or not?
It is too early to know...
I know that I sleep better without the wine.
Our recycling box is not very full these days :-))

I have a lot more things that I could say about Covid and how it changed me...
 this is a good start or maybe it's enough?

How has Covid changed you?

While I am on the subject...
there is a lot of room for (self) improvement left here too...
for example I could lose at least 15 pounds.
Maybe WW is in my future?


I'll close for now 
hope that you will chime in and share some of your thoughts...


What simple JOYS do you enjoy?


The fresh air walks are one of my favourite ways to banish
any negative thoughts and energy.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Sunday flowers...giving up alcohol on the blog today.


Remember these pink foxgloves?
The geraniums are still going strong but many of the garden flowers have faded away...summer is slowly but surely on its way out 
surprisingly the sunshine and warmth have not yet waned.


When we have finished working in the garden we are able to sit on the deck in our comfy chairs and survey all our hard work.


The garden has many plants that love the heat and perform well over the entire summer season...
others fade as soon as their blooms have wilted.
The lady's mantle is looking very straggly and needs to be drastically cut back.


Inside The Humble Bungalow the orchids have taken a beating...
something has crept in...
an unwelcome insect or pest
that has affected several of the older plants...
I had to throw them into the compost.

Fear not, 
I will be on the look out for a sale and find a few replacements.
They do add loads of cheer to the windowsill above the Humble Bungalow farmhouse kitchen sink.


The rose scent hunt for "the one" is still ongoing...
I have eliminated quite a few on the quest to find one or two that I love.
I will report back when I have completed my testing.


Love a pop of colour in the garden...
these chairs are perched on the railing of a porch on Denman Island
placed next to a jumble of blue flowers.


Delphiniums and bees.


Clematis
gardening is a green thumbs' way of painting!


After trying and failing to lose 10 pounds several times
I am back counting my points and have quit drinking all alcohol 
in an effort to get back to my goal weight.

The liver plays a significant role in burning fat so cutting out anything that impedes this progress is worth it.
I've been sipping non-alcoholic wines 
which are 1 or 2 WW points per 8 oz. glass.
After sampling several varieties ~ red, white and bubbly...
I have found a couple that taste great, and I have opted for the 1 point wines.

The plan is to return to weight watchers in September...
in the meantime 
I am back counting my points, making sensible food choices
and walking briskly every day.


Putting my "best foot forward" 
as I did it before
 I CAN do it again.


I have lusted after the red Ferragamo Varina's for many years 
IF I can find a pair this Fall 
providing I get back to my WW goal weight 
that is going to be my reward.

Nothing like a red shoe to make one feel cheerful.


There's a lot to do in the garden so I must hasten away and get busy.

Have you seen The Gardener's Cottage newly designed blog?
Janet has been one of the first bloggers that I discovered and I think she's just delightful and her new blog is wonderful.
Pop over and take a look.

Until next time...
Be well and Be Kind.
XO