Fed up of Banana bread and watching TikToks? Same.
Feel like we’re on day 5,862 of lockdown? Same.
Think noone wants to see your overdue root touch up and sourdough starter? Wrong!
I moved into a new house a few weeks before the lockdown, eager and full of promise of starting this new chapter of my alone and having a constantly stream of friends, parties and new boyfriends around every weekend, then BAM. A state implemented lockdown found me alone, friendless & contactless in a new area. Reader, I was scared.
My house has a basement that I was low-key afraid of, a loft I’m still yet to go up in and I found out someone got shot at the end of my road last year. I didn’t want to leave the house into the unknown and virus filled outside and I was scared to stay in and be dragged into the depths of the basement by a demon (yes I’ve watched Paranormal activity too many times!)
(I went tester post crazy in my living room!)
The first few days I charged around the house like I had somewhere to be; I’m always running late so it just felt normal. I ran into shops holding my breath to grab whatever was in reach and worried about making a meal from it later. I went to the park once and it was so full of people I turned and ran home. I didn’t know how I was going to last for the initial 3 weeks, but then it hit me: slow down!
With so much time on our hands, no plans to make/cancel, you can find delight in the most menial of tasks and make it last all day; last week I spent half an hour pleating curtains so they fell perfectly (for an Instagram post, obvs), prelockdown me would NEVER have spent that much/any time doing that! Baking bread and pasta from scratch have been great ways to time pass too, and my mum & sisters have been making all kinds of things like yoghurt, cream cheese, teriyaki sauce and it’s eye opening to realise how simple these things are to make that we just pick up from the shops without a second thought. I’ve been baking sourdough since January - yes I’m one of those clogging up your socials with bread - but I’ve really gotten to know my starter and taking two days to bake bread has been joyful and delicious!
(Homemade onion and mushroom bhajis with tikka salmon chapattis)
Throughout my childhood my mum has always taught us to make something/anything from what’s around us, always learning new skills and crafts and being terrible at most of them, but what I didn’t realise is that she’s been subtlety preparing us for a lockdown for our entire lives. Baking bread, painting & gardening have been a solace in this pandemic and I’m yet to feel ‘bored’ because there’s a whole host of things to do/make and still things I haven’t turned my attention to yet, so shoutout to Susan for a lifetime of lockdown training.
(a painting I’ve done over lockdown and more tester pot madness)
I know I’m extremely lucky to be in this position, to have a new house to decorate and a roster of crafts under my belt to keep me entertained, but I think we’re all extremely lucky. When are we ever going to take this much time for ourselves and not have to worry about plans or flights or wasting time smelling the flowers? This time is ours, and we owe it to ourselves to enjoy every minute of it!
Here are a few top tips from me to enjoy this lockdown
- get dressed UP to leave the house - the supermarket is now the place to see and he seen, to get those lewks out! Those aisles are a catwalk baby
- Don’t put too much pressure on yourself- you don’t have to come out of this lockdown with a new skill, a new language or a thriving sourdough starter, these are not essential. Just getting up and dressed is an achievement for the day.
- Really spend time on dinner - all too often we rush it and don’t enjoy cooking is which is the most fun and the best part! Try new recipes, make things from scratch you’d normally buy, enjoy the process of cooking.
- Unfollow celebrities on Instagram and follow more artists and creatives, this is a big one - following creatives will completely change your outlook and stop you comparing yourself to an unattainable celebrity lifestyle.
- Really embrace your home - I always felt like this was my house but now it feels like my Home. Buy some plants, play with the layout of your room/rooms, buy some tester pots and try out new colours, not only will it feel like a new space but it will spur your creativity!
- Remember we’re all in this together, we’re all having down days and sad moments so check in on your friends and family, we have enough technology that no one needs to feel sad or lonely
- Finally and most importantly wine. Wine wine wine. When time is of no importance it’s ALWAYS wine o’clock. Cheers!
Love Richard x
(My sourdough baby!) x