Insights I gain from home quarantine: video calling on the toilet is not done

Day thirteen at home and I'm doing well. Not thin but healthy, which is a blessing in these times. Although I do show some signs of decline, isolation madness, and remarkable behavior, from which I gain insights again.

1.  You can let bananas turn brown in the oven if you want to bake banana bread. I consciously say: want to.

2.  You should always check your pick-up order carefully. I ordered (I thought) two plant-based butters at Jumbo, because: the second one for half price. And then it turned out that I had clicked like a madman and well, then there were three.

3. If your dog runs after a flying stick, you should let go of the leash. I crashed face first onto a gravel path this weekend and for the first time, staying home worked out a bit for me.

4. My neighbors are quite suitable people. Until recently, I maneuvered skillfully around them, now I walk the last stretch home with neighbor Ans and her little dog. What my guest dog also appreciates, because Ans always hands out cookies to neighbor dogs. All at a distance of one and a half meters, don’t worry.  

5. If you have the urge to suddenly start baking, you just have to wait until it passes. It really happens. Then you can leave this to any housemates, I to my boyfriend.

6. Watching Netflix apparently does not count as doing nothing. Suddenly, it turns out that I have spent hours and hours and evenings and weekends very usefully. It was my boost of the day, you understand.

7. It is never okay to take someone on the phone to the toilet, no matter how long you are in home quarantine. Although I just got the tip that you can turn off the sound, which then offers options.

8. A boiler suit is the ideal stay-at-home workwear. You only have to think about one thing in the morning, it’s less hassle in the toilet because you’re at home and can let it hang, the top is suitable for video calls and the bottom is not too constricting. What I say: suitable.

9. You are also not invisible now when you walk the dog. I managed to go out in my brown Timberlands, in my petrol jogging pants (that exists, yes) and black sweater with my checkered coat on top and a red scarf around my neck. I swear I saw two girls in a MINI laughing hard at my colorful outfit. Although I then wondered what those two girls were doing together in one car. Yeah yeah...

10. Walking is not as stale as you think. I walked in the woods this morning at half past seven and I saw three deer that were still having a nice time before the crowds broke loose. That is never stale.

11. Three cups of coffee in the morning is really the max fuel when you are working alone at home. She said while she was enjoying her fifth cup.

12. A filled refrigerator is the equivalent of happiness. I just looked contently at my hummus, grilled vegetables, and wines for Friday. And on the weekend, I will happily continue testing the restaurants in the area. Never not eating. 

13. Meanwhile, I try not to eat my way through the day, which turns out to be my biggest stay-at-home challenge. So, if that’s the worst, then we’re still doing pretty steady.