Quarantine Moods

I really meant to write a blog last weekend but I was in a MOOD. I was in a crappy, irritable, can’t get over it, straight up bad mood. I can normally talk myself out of those but this time, I just couldn’t. I did all the things that normally make me feel better- lifted some weights, took the dog on a walk, took a shower and put on some pretty makeup, baked some cookies, cleaned the entire house and…nothing. I was so irritable I’m sure my husband was happy to go back to work on Monday. Even my weekly Zoom call with my friends didn’t perk me up like it usually does. Maybe I was mourning the loss of the weekend that could have been- we were supposed to be in Branson having fun with some of our best friends. We rescheduled the trip and we’ve even invited another couple to go as well. Now we’re talking about New Year’s Eve or maybe in the fall. Maybe I was just irritable that my stepson’s graduation in May got cancelled so we won’t see them as planned. (It’s rescheduled for July). I made him some cookies and sent him a note that basically said, “It sucks that your graduation got cancelled. There’s nothing to make it better but eat some cookies anyway.” How’s that for sentimental? I ordered some not necessary stuff on Amazon- a new phone case and some makeup. (My husband said he would pick up my mascara in Walmart but I felt bad making him do that. He’s been doing our grocery shopping since I’m high risk.)

Eventually, my bad mood passed and I was able to be my normal self again. I talked to several of my friends and we’ve all agreed- we’re over quarantine. I think everyone else is too. I’m tired of worrying if I have to go to the grocery store or not. I’m tired of not going to work. I’m happy to work from home and the extra 45 minutes of sleep are nice, but it’s not the norm for me. I’m tired of not knowing when I’m going to see my family again. ( I haven’t seen my mom or sister since September and haven’t seen the rest of my family since June.) I’m tired of the mixed messages on social media. Half of social media is telling you to dial in your nutrition and get “quarantoned” and the other half is telling you it’s ok to eat your feelings. (For the record, I think both are ok. Depending on the day- I do both!). Half of social media swears this is a conspiracy to rig the next election or topple the economy and the other half is trying to lift everyone up by spreading by showing all of the great things happening as a result of this- people donating money, spending extra time with their families, Zoom happy hours, drive in or boat up churches (which I’m super skeptical of now that I’ve seen Ozark. If you’ve watched it, you know!)

My point is, this whole quarantine is a strange and awkward time for everyone. How are you doing? It’s been so interesting talking to friends or reading blogs to see how other people are handling it. Some are going insane and some are thriving. Some people just want to be away from their spouse and kids and some are lonely because they’re quarantining alone. Both have their benefits and drawbacks and now is NOT the time to compare suffering. Yes, someone else may have it worse than you, but that doesn’t diminish your pain or grief. Someone else may have it better than you, but their worries are just as real. Just stop the comparison game.

I don’t know the correct thing to do during this time and really no one does. If someone tells you they have the magic secret to feeling better during quarantine, feel free to roll your eyes. Their magic secret probably works for them but not for everyone. For me, keeping a routine helps. I’m still working out in the morning, showering, and eating breakfast before I log on to work. I still take some time for lunch and take the dog on a quick walk if I can. (When the weather is nice, I try to walk during lunch near my workplace). I’m trying to get outside several times a day because I know sunshine helps me. For others, watching hours of Netflix or playing games might help. If you’re into Netflix, I’ve been loving the Queer Eye reboot. I want them to come in and make me over and make my house beautiful. Oh- that’s another one! Some people are doing some beautiful home projects during this time. My sister painted her cabinets and now she’s convinced me I can paint an old bookshelf. I think we can all agree that since we’re all spending this much time in our homes, it feels better if we truly love our space. Thoughts and prayers to all the husbands who said, “Honey, I’ll get to that when I have time.” Joke’s on you! Maybe that’s a new conspiracy- this pandemic was created to get men to do the projects they promised their wives they would do. If that’s the case, my husband is probably really happy we have a newer house where the only projects that need done are decorating. Since he’s told me he has no interest in decorating, it’s on me. That’s probably annoying him too. I ordered something to hang up in our dining area and I’ve been nagging him to hang it up since I’m terrible at that stuff.

I truly hope you’re able to at least enjoy some of this time. I hope you’re reconnecting with your family, watching something you love, or making some sort of food that you enjoy. I hope you find something that makes you feel sane and healthy. Just please don’t inject disinfectant into yourself. If you want a recipe for something tasty, make these No Bake Cookies. My mom makes these and I finally started making them. They’re easy and delicious and yes, they have sugar. Some people call them cow-pie cookies, but as someone who as actually stepped in cow shit before, I find that pretty unappetizing.

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 TBSP cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup quick oats
1 tsp vanilla

Directions: Heat the sugar, milk, and butter and bring to a boil. Let it boil for one minute. In a separate bowl, mix the cocoa powder, peanut butter, and oats. Pour the boiling liquid into the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla and mix well. Drop by the teaspoonful onto wax paper or parchment paper. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

** All opinions are my own. I am not compensated for this blog post**