And now it's May. Strange to say, but this new normal is starting to seem normal. I hardly remember my last meal in a restaurant, pedicure, carefree shopping trip, or neighborhood gathering. My greying roots, however, tell me exactly how long it's been since my last visit to the hair salon!
Oddly enough, it has been a good couple of weeks. I've managed to carve out at least an hour of reading time every afternoon (thanks for the inspiration, Judith!), tried quite a few new recipes, walked on the beach at least once every day, and even scored some toilet paper at the pharmacy. Most importantly, we all remain healthy.
Recent reading//
by Barbara Kingsolver, narrated by the author
Our library book club was supposed to read Animal Dreams last month but, obviously there was no April meeting. Rather than rereading an older title, I opted for one of Kingsolver's more recent books instead. I've read and enjoyed most of her novels over the years and have come to expect themes of environmentalism, feminism, and social justice. While present here, the novel did not feel especially heavy-handed.
Unsheltered, published in 2018 and set in Vineland, NJ, features dual timelines, over a hundred years apart, centered around the same house. This format doesn't always work for me. One story often grabs my attention while the other seems to drag. The modern story here was slightly more appealing, but I loved how Kingsolver included historical figures (Charles Darwin, Mary Treat) and events in the older timeline. Of particular note, these two narratives fit together better than any dual-narrative novel I can recall.
This was a read/listen combination for me. Kingsolver narrated the audio version herself and, as with Flight Behavior, I increased the speed slightly but thoroughly enjoyed her performance.
by Anne Tyler
There is something comforting and familiar about an Anne Tyler novel. I fell into her world - with slightly off-beat characters, set mostly in Baltimore - and my world melted away. Nothing too heavy or too taxing, I breezed through this book in a couple of days, enjoying every moment.
Current reading//
by Margaret Atwood, narrated by Kimberly Farr
Judy's recent review of The Robber Bride inspired me to revisit a favorite Margaret Atwood novel. I loved both The Robber Bride and Cat's Eye back in the 90s and let library availability determined my ultimate selection. This started a read/listen combination, but I'm mostly listening now as other ebook library holds have arrived.
I'm a third of the way through and still love the book... despite experiencing feelings of dread and anxiety along with the main character as she "reminisces about a trio of girls who initiated her into the fierce politics of childhood and its secret world of friendship, longing, and betrayal."
by Anne Tyler
I wasn't expecting to read another Anne Tyler novel so soon, but my library hold of her latest arrived Friday. This one is very short (under 200 pages) and also features unusual characters in Baltimore.
In the kitchen//
As I've mentioned before, my kitchen has been extremely busy during this pandemic. My challenge is to prepare three meals per day for five adults, with limited availability of certain ingredients and infrequent trips to the grocery store. Here are some new favorites:
I've been looking for the perfect bolognese recipe for years. The updated Weeknight Bolognese vfrom Barefoot Contessa is the best one yet. Next time I'll dial back the black pepper, maybe by a third.
Dinner doesn't get much quicker or easier than this Taco Salad Casserole from Taste of Home. I made it twice last month to rave reviews all around.
If I can get a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, this Asian Chicken Rice Bowl (also from Taste of Home) will be on the menu again this week. My husband mostly tolerated it, but all three girls loved it!
Ground turkey has been plentiful. Tonight we're having Turkey Black Bean Enchiladas from Diethood for the second time. Easy to make and so good!
I'm also baking more than normal (so happy to find a bag of flour last week!) and usually make soup a couple times each week, too. Nothing I'm preparing has been especially fancy or involved... we're mostly craving comfort food these days.
The week ahead//
More of the same for us. The state of Florida is moving ahead with phase one reopening, but I'm happy our island/city decided to extend the ban on rental accommodations and keep beach public parking lots closed until May 15. Restaurants will reopen tomorrow at 25% capacity indoors and outdoor seating with appropriate social distancing. I will not be among their first customers... and am worried about a spike in two or three weeks.
How are you holding up? Is your state opening up again? What have you been cooking and reading?
The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
It's Monday... What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.
I agree, the new normal HAS become somewhat normal. Like you, I have no desire to go back to restaurants anytime soon. I'm very worried about the next wave. Also glad to see you liked Unsheltered! That was one of my favorites last year -- also a read/listen combo for me. Glad you are all staying healthy!
ReplyDeleteMelissa - I debated whether to give Unsheltered 4 or 4.5 stars for way too long... and probably should have gone with 4.5. The second wave has me worried, too. My plan is to stay put for another 2-3 weeks until we can access the effect of these re-openings. Scary times...
DeleteI agree with you on the dual timeline in Unsheltered being one of the best. After all, it IS Barbara Kingsolver! I too felt comfortable when I read Clock Dance and remember Cat's Eye well. Looking forward to Redhead. I also plan to stay at home at least until May 15 and watch the numbers! I don't color my hair anymore so I can just live with it being long and straggly-:) Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteJudy - Other than our trips to the grocery store, we'll likely stay home through the end of the month... or at least until we see the effects of partial re-openings. I like Redhead so far, but not as much as Clock Dance. It's probably too soon to read another book by the same author, but that's how library holds seem to work for me. Thinking I may use this opportunity to just go grey... we'll see!
DeleteGlad to read that you are all doing well. I chuckled about the graying roots as I'm 9 weeks without a cut or color. I've decided to finally embrace my grays after 20+ years of coloring. When the salons do open I plan to add some gray highlights to avoid the skunk stripe :) It seems many 40 years olds think going gray is hip these days LOL
ReplyDeleteI've been making 2 meals a day, mostly simple ones and although I miss our 3 to 4x eating out habits, i won't be visiting restaurants or movie theaters as soon as they reopen. Looking forward to the new Anne Tyler book! Have a good week.
Diane - This be my chance to embrace they gray, too. My color has faded, but maybe they can fix that and add gray highlights to "help" the process. No final decision yet...we'll see.
DeleteEveryone is on their own for breakfast here, but I do try to have something available for lunch. It's so tempting to return to restaurants tomorrow, but I think it's better to hold off for a few weeks. Hope you have a good week.
The new normal definitely seems more comfortable. Our restrictions are in place until May 18 at least, and both Boston and Massachusetts just finally made masks mandatory when one is in a public place. I made myself a second one which came out more elegantly than my first one, so I'm rather proud of resurrecting my 8th grade home ec skills. (And we won't talk about roots, unless we mean root vegetables, OK?) I've been reading more too - nothing that has particularly grabbed me, but at least I'm reading again! I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteAudrey - I'm glad you're reading again... it's made such a difference in my overall well-being. The re-openings have me worried. It just feels too soon, but we'll see where the numbers are in 2-3 weeks. Not sure what to do with my hair, but this may be the time to embrace the grey!
DeleteI'm glad you're all healthy! Our state is reopening, too. Restaurants can open for outdoor dining only tomorrow and all tables must be 8 feet apart. I'm not sure it's going to help restaurants much but I won't be there to see. We're going to continue with out contactless curbside sales because we're not convinced it's time to move forward.
ReplyDeleteKathy - I'm glad so many businesses have embraced the curbside contactless pickup... it's made a big difference for us!
DeleteWe still on a strict curfew and the current one will be lifted on 11th May (we hope). I don't intend going anywhere though because banking and groceries are all attended to. I think the longer we stay in the better chances we have. Ours is a crowded environment for the most part so that is our problem.
ReplyDeleteStay safe. The food looks delicious. As someone said we will come out of this as drunks or chefs!
Mystica - I think that's the only way forward for densely populated areas. Not sure when my daughter will be able to return to NYC. Stay safe and enjoy your books.
DeleteGood morning and happy May! Yikes, it seemed to get here so fast.
ReplyDeleteTo start with your books, I love a dual timeline so that might be a Kingsolver book I'd like. Haven't read Attwood in ages but I did like Robber Bride among some of her other work. A big thank you for turning me on to Ann Patchett! Loving The Dutch House and I can see me buying more of her work. In my book newd I was excited to see Jane Harper has a new book coming out and I preordered it from London!
I want to try your taco salad cap, all your meals look great. I may want to jump into the Sunday Salon posting too.
Tina - Hard to believe May, but April seemed to last forever. So glad you're enjoying The Dutch House! Ann Patchett is a favorite and I think I've read all of her books, fiction and nonfiction. Tried and true authors seem to be working better for me these days. That taco salad casserole has become an instant favorite... so good!!
DeleteI always feel cozy and comfortable when reading Anne Tyler...her characters are so familiar, in that they usually are odd or quirky in some way. Now I want to reread Clock Dance. I had the book, but alas, my daughter didn't bring it over in the move. Guess what I'll be ordering from Amazon soon! LOL
ReplyDeleteI love the tempting foods you've prepared, and now I really want to try the Turkey Black Bean Enchiladas. I think I might be able to manage it. I still struggle with some foods.
Enjoy those beach walks! Stay safe and well. Here are my WEEKLY UPDATES
Laurel-Rain Snow - I feel the same way about Anne Tyler... have been enjoying her books since the 80s. All the cooking has become as much of an escape for me as reading these days. Reading is less fattening though ;-) Stay well!
DeleteThings are still all on hold in the UK. There are murmurs and rumours of changes, but no real truth behind them. I think the uncertainty is just getting to people.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Margaret Atwood in years - I need to recitfy that!
Louise H - Uncertainty is so hard and I'm sure it's taking a toll on people everywhere. It's been a real pleasure to revisit Cat's Eye. Familiar authors and books are exactly what I need now. Stay safe,
DeleteYour books look good! And so does that taco casserole.. I am craving Mexican food right now!
ReplyDeleteMy state has lost its mind. I am in Michigan and I am very worried about another wave. We are keeping to ourselves and we are not going to probably really venture out for a while, not even after we reopen.
Erin - I'm not sure why I've been cooking so many Mexican dishes lately, but we're all enjoying them. The video from the Michigan statehouse last week was just horrifying. You are smart to consider staying in for a while longer.
DeleteWow! I want to shelter in place at your house. The food looks amazing, plus the long beach walks both sound amazing.
ReplyDeleteGlad you've found a routine that's working for you. I still seem to be bouncing all over the place and feel quite unsettled. It does help a lot when I can find a book to get lost in.
Susie - We've been very fortunate with our "safer at home" circumstances. I've finally found a workable routine, Our daughters are concerned about when/how/if they return to their NYC lives, so are under some stress. Stay safe!
DeleteI am not doing well with the shutdown. I have found that I am not a person who likes to be alone (or almost alone, as my husband is here) and I know now that drive-by friends aren't enough for me. That said, I think a shutdown was imperative, and I'm terribly worried about how Texas is opening back up so quickly. My hope is that the natural tendency of the virus to die out in hot temperature is true for this virus, too.
ReplyDeleteI had mixed feelings about Unsheltered. I tend to like stories that feel like they flow naturally and I felt like I could occasionally see the writer at work on the plot while reading Unsheltered. I saw the author speak, though, and her speaking about the political and ecological troubles in our country was as inspiring as an old-school evangelist. So I think I gave her points for that, too.
I'm glad you are embracing this new normal. I am fighting it, and that's not working well. I shall try to embrace it a bit more this week, I think.
Deb - Your feelings on the shutdown mirror those of so many people I know. I think having all three girls here has made the difference for me ... might be a different story otherwise.
DeleteHonestly we have less than 100 deaths nationwide since March 1 and we are very tentatively lifting restrictions, I don’t understand your govts attitude.
ReplyDeleteGrocery supply is no longer an issue here thankfully. I still make lunches on a Sunday afternoon for the week ahead for the kids, and meals every night. This week the menu includes homemade chicken burgers and chow Mein,
Wishing you a great reading week and good health
Shelleyrae - I think there has been a deliberate decision here to put the economy ahead of human life :( We are having some grocery supply issues again, this time with meats. Our store imposed limits on chicken this week... but we were able to get toilet paper. Hope you're having a good week.
DeleteA walk on the beach sounds wonderful. How nice that you are able to enjoy that. I love Anne Tyler's quirky characters. I read Clock Dance not too long ago and thought it was a fun read. Our state is opening up again too but I'm not about to go out just yet. I'm fine waiting longer as I'm sure we'll see cases spiking up again. Anyway, stay safe!
ReplyDeleteIliana - I finished Readhead by the Side of the Road and again enjoyed my time with Tyler's characters... perfect pandemic reading. Glad you'll be staying in a bit longer. Stay safe!
DeleteGlad you liked Unsheltered - I agree that the modern story was more appealing overall, but I loved Mary Treat's correspondence with Charles Darwin.
ReplyDeleteThe perfect Bolognese is a great quest - I'm sure I've tried and enjoyed Ina's as she's usually my go-to source. The taco salad really appeals to me right now. I'm a bit tired of going right now and that sounds simple and yummy.
Stay safe and healthy.
JaneGS - Tried and true authors have been getting me through this strange time. The only Kingsolver have left to read is The Lacuna, so I may give that a try soon. My favorite Bolognese is from a tiny Italian restaurant on the Upper West side of Manhattan... must have it every time we visit. My attempts never quite measure up, but Ina's was pretty close.
DeleteParks and golf courses opened up in my state over the weekend, although maybe only at 50% capacity, I'm not sure. I know several were filled up really soon after opening. Schools, however, will be closed for the rest of the academic year. I think the one thing that sticks out to me is that it's not easy to just go to the store on a whim. I feel like I really need to prepare, and be ready to accept that they might not have what I want. It's just hard trying to order everything online.
ReplyDeleteAngela - That's the biggest thing for me, too. If I need an ingredient, it's not like I'm going to run to the store before dinner to pick it up. It takes a lot more effort to plan for the entire week (or two) and then make do with what you are able to find...
DeleteMmm those recipes! Yes imagine the queues at the hairdressers when we are out of staying at home! I have not read Anne Tyler before but I can see a little way into it its going to be very readable.
ReplyDeleteKathryn - If you like this Tyler novel, there are SO many earlier ones you'd probably enjoy too. Her books all seem to have similar characters and themes:)
DeleteI've noticed that I could use a haircut. Luckily, I wear my hair in a bob so letting it grow isn't really a problem. It just gets to be a longer-than-I-like bob. I do miss going out to eat but we had already cut way back on that for health reasons even before the pandemic. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteKathy - When this is all over, I'm going to find a simpler haircut and maybe even embrace they grey!
DeleteI'm definitely very worried about spikes. That feels very inevitable. Worse, it's going to be couple weeks before we start seeing the impact.
ReplyDeleteThose dishes look delicious!! I think I'm going to have to try couple of them.
I'm craving some Margaret Atwood. None of her books are available in overdrive right now but I do own about 5-6 of her books so I just need to carve some time to read a print book (difficult with kids).
Athira - I'm hoping those spikes don't come, but feel like it is unavoidable. Nothing much will change for us right now. I'm impressed you're able to read and blog at all with little kids. When mine were that age, it seems like it took me months to finish anything. Hope you're having a good week.
DeleteThanks for the recipes, the taco salad casserole will be perfect for us. :-) That's a lot of cooking you have to do, sorry about that but glad everyone is well there and you have your island staying safe till May 15. Also that's quite a line-up with: Tyler, Kingsolver, and Atwood. Great writers. You know I read Robber's Bride but I don't recall reading Cat's Eye so I really need to go back for that one! You're back on a roll ... keep the anxiety at bay with the books ... i'm worried about the states.
ReplyDeleteSusan - I've decided to stick with favorite authors for a while... titles I may have missed years ago, new releases, or rereads of books I loved. That seems to be working for now. Hoping to get Emma Straub's latest novel soon.
DeleteJoAnn, I am glad to hear you have a good couple of weeks of reading, walking and cooking. I have also been enjoying cooking: making new rice salads for healthy lunches and on Sunday, I made Masala-Marinated Chicken for lunch, which was all delicious.
ReplyDeleteI wish you all the best as your community starts a phased re-opening of restaurants. Here in the UK they have not announced their plans for us to phase out of lockdown. Take care and I hope you have another good week.
Jessica - Sounds like cooking has been a good outlet for you, too, during these crazy times. The response to the restaurant openings here on the island has been tentative... not sure about the mainland. We may venture over to pick up supplies soon. I'll be curious to see how crowded the parking lots look. Hope the UK's reopening plans will be cautious and sensible. Take care.
DeleteThis Friday, some restrictions in Ca will be lifted but not by much. We have a lot of people violating the current restrictions so our numbers keep going up. I think if everyone had listened then we'd be in a better place but these people are unreal. Screaming about their rights, etc.
ReplyDeleteAll the food you shared here looks good. I am making nachos tonight but really don't have enough of the ingredients I need. I may have to send the boy out to get more but he is not all that careful with his mask or contact.
Ti - I hope the reopening in Ca can proceed safely... such a worrisome time. I'm glad your son is back home. All this cooking keeps me busy and keeps my mind off the news. It gets to be too much sometimes! Hope you're having a good week.
DeleteSounds like your life has settled down, JoAnn, and the food you've been cooking looks really good. We're still doing what we've been doing for several weeks. My husband is not missing his commute, but he is missing his office setup for triple screens, etc. And Texas has opened up some, but not completely and won't for a while. There are big parts of Texas that have had very few cases or none at all. I think people in those areas have had a hard time with their lives closed up, even knowing that it is for the protection of others. Our urban areas are where most of the cases are and have been except for a few spots where big groups took trips overseas, etc. All I know is that the people in charge have tough decisions and it doesn't matter what they pick, many will criticize.
ReplyDeleteOn another topic, I have meant to read Cat's Eye by Atwood for years and years. Think I should? Have a good week!
Kay - FL and Texas definitely share some similarities in case distribution... large areas in the panhandle have very few cases, while the Miami area has been hit hard. That area is not involved with the phase 1 reopening here.
DeleteCat's Eye is still a wonderful novel. Atwood's portrayal of the more toxic aspects of female friendship is spot on... dredges up old slights from elementary school for me. Things in this novel get rougher during high school if I remember correctly. The main character is an artist returning to Toronto for a retrospective of her work. She reflects back on her childhood/adolescence while preparing for the show. Does that appeal to you?
Yes, the new normal does feel "normal." I'm lucky in that my blondish hair hides most of the gray, but I will want to get back for a trim and highlights later this fall. My husband's hair is getting to that bushy stage, but I don't dare cut it since it's curly and I wouldn't know what to do with it. He may wind up with a ponytail before this is all over!
ReplyDeleteMy trying to carve out time during the day to read, as well. I'm so glad I have finally been able to get interested in some fiction (thank you, Louise Penny!). I'm not a big fan of Anne Tyler, but her new books sounds interesting. I may look for a library copy once our library re-opens. They aren't even doing curbside pickup, which is too bad. Not that I don't already have enough books on my shelves...
I'm impressed that you are fixing three meals a day! I don't mind fixing our dinners, but my mom and husband are on their own for breakfast and lunch. We eat breakfast together, but not always lunch. I've made Ina Garten's bolognese and agree that it's quite good. Thanks for the reminder. I think I'll make it tomorrow night! That taco salad casserole looks delicious. I'll have to give it a whirl, too. Actually, all the recipes you included here look great. I wonder if I can sneak the turkey in without my husband noticing... :) My latest menu items include migas, risotto & shrimp, Welsh Rarebit, beef stroganoff, and enchiladas. Tonight we're having simple quesadillas and homemade Adirondack margaritas for Cinco de Mayo.
Like you, I will not be heading to any restaurants anytime soon. My state is still sheltering-in-place, but things seem to be changing every day, so we'll see how long the governor can stand firm against the protesters. I think we'll continue to hunker down thru the summer months, but we'll wait and see. Our county still has a low number of only 5 confirmed cases.
Stay well and enjoy your walks on the beach!
Les - My husband is asking for me to trim his hair, but I may delegate the responsibility to our daughter. She has experience cutting her boyfriend's hair and my most recent is when I used to trim their bangs!
DeleteIf you're not a fan of Anne Tyler, I wouldn't bother with her newer novels. They are pretty much just like the older one. I find them comforting, but they probably won't be for you. Reading favorite authors seems to be just the thing for me now.
I'm not fixing three meals every day. Everybody pretty much helps themselves to breakfast and lunch... but I'm fixing soups, quiches, crockpot steel-cut oats, hot or cold salads, etc so that there is something to choose from. Dinner leftovers are a bonus! Las night I made lime chicken tacos in the crockpot and Margaret made us classic Margaritas. Don't remember the last time we had cocktails (it's usually wine around here.) Such a treat!
We won't make many changes in our activity level for the rest of the month at least, but more likely though June. Ideally we'd like to head north for August and September, the worst of the hurricane season, but we'll just have to see what happens.
Glad you're all safe and well on the west coast!
You've convinced me to skip AT's latest book. I think the last one I actually enjoyed was Digging to America.
DeleteWe rarely have cocktails, either. I prefer wine and my husband prefers beers, although we do have the occasional Manhattan or Old Fashioned. I love the margaritas I make, but they have so much sugar (apple juice, orange juice, triple sec), that I try to limit them to Cinco de Mayo! Lime chicken tacos sound yummy. I need to get back to using my crockpot. I have two SkinnyTaste cookbooks which have a lot of wonderful crockpot recipes.
Take care!
Les - Digging to America is my favorite! I also remember liking Back When We Were Grownups and The Amateur Marriage... both of those were audios.
DeleteI can't wait to get my cookbooks out of storage! We're meeting with the contractor tomorrow. Hope to get an updated target completion date.
We have learned just how much of introverts we really are! My son announced the other day that he was pretty good with things staying the way they were with the exception of a class he goes to once a week! We are officially on a safer at home order and since we can stay home we are doing it! I'm impressed that you fix 3 meals a day! I make dinner but lunch is left overs or you can make yourself a sandwich and none of us really eat breakfast. I imagine it breaks up the day though. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I'd prefer to just have leftovers for lunch, but with five of us eating dinner it's not always possible... most of my big pots and pans are still in storage. I try to supplement with soups, quiches, different salads, etc. All the cooking keeps me from watching too much news, lol. Hope you're having a good week :)
DeleteI totally agree about this 'new normal' definitely starting to feel like just that - normal. I think there are pros & cons with that, of course.
ReplyDeleteThe way the governments around the world are handling the situation is very interesting... Here in the UK, whilst we are still officially 'staying safe at home', the government are set to relax that in the coming week, so we are hearing, and much like the US it seems, it is because they are putting the economy before the citizens.
Much like you say, whilst more is set to open, and restrictions relaxed, I definitely don't think I'll be adjusting to that myself yet - eating out and what not, no thank you!
Ending on a positive, it sounds like you've come to put a nice routine together with walks, reading, cooking and such - these sound like pleasant days (with pleasant landscape on your doorstep also). Stay safe & a happy May to you.
Jade - Restrictions continued to loosen this week to mixed reaction... seems like lots of people are still staying home, doing contactless pickup/delivery, and wearing masks in public. Some beaches that reopened have closed again after being overrun with people. Hope your new normal is comfortable and the UK reopens sensibly. Happy reading, too!
Delete