I know that the days and the weeks have started to blend into one long, “Groundhog Day”-esque loop as of late- especially for those of us who are presently working or teaching from home and have grown accustomed to the same routine every single day from the confines of our bedrooms, living rooms and/or home office spaces.
Despite the occasional bout of boredom or cabin fever- I think I did the best I could to keep my overall spirits up and stay productive during the month of April. When I wasn’t working remotely, I spent a good chunk of time organizing and cleaning my apartment, reassessing my budget, and taking care of small tasks and errands that I had otherwise been procrastinating about. These feats- however small- made me feel a little more accomplished than I think I would have felt if I had just spent the majority of the month playing Playstation or watching Netflix (don’t get me wrong- I absolutely did those things, too.)
As for blogging, I think it’s safe to say that for many of us who try to maintain a set writing schedule- coming up with or generating content every week isn’t exactly easy in times like these. While many of my posts pre-coronavirus focused on local businesses and travel- quarantines and closures have made writing about those things a little more difficult. I’ve instead turned to sharing some of the New England oddities and abandoned, historic beauties that I’m fortunate enough to live within driving distance of. In April, for example- I shared the somewhat spooky Giovanni’s Motel and Ristorante and more recently- the historic Northfield Drive-In.
I performed my usual amount of kitchen sorcery in April, of course- including these delicious beef empanadas and Disney-inspired cookie fries. I also shared two polar opposites in my Springtime wardrobe- starting with my favorite pair of quarantine joggers when I’m working from home, and then shifting to my more flirty floral-printed dress that I had hoped to wear for Easter (maybe next year!)
And although no apologies should be necessary with all things considered- I do feel I need to say sorry for the quality (or lack thereof) of my “Outfit of The Day” photos. Social distancing means I can’t get some assistance from my usual photographer until this is all over.
All I have right now is a cell phone and a self timer- and I’m doing the best I can with both.
I shared my simple and budget-friendly Spring 2020 makeup collection, and did some hiking both locally and in Vermont post-snowstorm.
I think my most important post in April- at least to me, anyway- was when I talked about the grief and anxiety that comes with facing a global pandemic while isolated- and shared my personal tips/tricks to make quarantine a little easier.
And they’re all tips/tricks I will undoubtedly carry with me into May as our quarantines and efforts to flatten the curve continue.
In the coming weeks I have more recipes and closet classics to share, as well as a few more roadside curiosities from my neck of the woods as I continue to practice safe social distancing- and a peek into my current skincare and hair care regimen as the warmer weather and sunshine finally breaks through the non-stop April rain we’ve been having as of late.
I know these past few weeks have been rough- and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any easier anytime soon- but here’s hoping May is a bit more gentle to all of us.
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 