First we had the great toilet paper shortage. Could this picture be any cuter? Found it on FB.
I've noticed that the stores near us, are still a bit challenged in that department. Maybe this little hoarder above has taken all the rolls. We can have a little giggle now, but I found it very challenging at first. Trying to organise food with the thought that I may need a few weeks worth, in order not to go out, was a new learning curve. I'm a shop as you need it kind of girl, and have never had to shop for weeks in advance.
Life Happens, Chocolate Helps.
I mean how do you plan not to run out of chocolate? I was amazed that the chocolate aisle didn't get hit as badly as the TP one did. I think given the choice I'd sacrifice the TP. This is a sweet potato and cacao pie, I've been learning some new plant based recipes during lockdown, to stay sane. It's been a game changer for us.
Luckily I've been watching a few sailing vlogs and that has stood me in good stead, there's so much to learn from our sea faring friends online. Like how to provision for a long haul. So I went in search of info, and my favourites from SLV, helped out considerably. SO love this family.
You better cut the pizza in four slices, I'm not hungry enough to eat six.
Another recent learning, how to make a healthy pizza. I'm not really a pizza lover, until now that is. This is a whole food, plant based pizza, no cheese, no meat, who'd a thunk that my meat loving hubby would be salivating at the thought of this. Not me, but he's enjoying this experiment too. After watching Game Changers on Netflix, he was keen to give WFPB eating a go. It's kept us busy trying out new recipes.
Art is one of my hobbies and during lockdown, I haven't done a thing. LOL's. But today for the first time I ventured back into some painting. It was lovely to splash paint on paper again, here's a few of my works in place...
Today's artwork with collage. The collage pieces just happened to be at the top of my stash, so I went with those, I couldn't help but think it was an interesting synchronicity given all the images emerging from the US at present. I hope that things ease for all. It would be lovely to go exploring there soon, we are hoping to visit Vancouver Island and experience all the delights that the area holds.
I think the hardest thing for us during lockdown, was the inability to see our family, it made the time seem very difficult. I came to deeply appreciate how much life is so much better with loved ones around us. To a degree that I haven't felt before. Maybe that's one of the gifts from this time.
We were able to visit the forest again, and this photograph was taken the on one of the first days that the National Parks re-opened. Everything seemed so intense, the colours, the sounds of the forest, it truly is a magical place.
Walking around the neighbourhood noticing the small things. Funnily enough writing things for this house sitting blog, has helped me notice more, and I find that I feel happier. So maybe we do need to sweat the small stuff after all.
Then the challenge of the virus was overtaken by the loss of our wee doggie. Sadly for us at the end of May, our beautiful little Sheltie passed away. It was another reminder to treasure beautiful moments while we have them.
Emma came to live at our house when my mum broke her hip in October 2017. I thought it was just going to be until my mum left hospital, but sadly complications set in and we lost my mum in the December that year.
She was a dear little dog, mum used to say, 'she's no trouble'. And she sure wasn't. She'd developed a heart murmur and was going pretty well, under the watchful eye of the vet. And then out of the blue she had a massive seizure as we were walking down the steps of our home. We rushed her to the vet, and made the awful decision to let her go.
These dear little creatures leave a big space in our hearts and our homes when they leave. Our house feels so empty without her. We've had a series of rescue dogs now over the years, and sadly because they come to us as elderly dogs, we don't have them for very long, but each and every one we've had, have made such an impact on our lives, I'm really grateful they came to be with us for a while.
