Dear fellow isolators,
How our world has changed in the last few weeks!
I hope everyone is staying healthy as well as in touch with friends and loved ones. I am in London trying to keep busy, or at very least occupied. Yesterday evening we had a cocktail party with friends – over the phone. They were on speaker, as were we. It was actually fun and uplifting. My dear friend Jacky Brown is a nutritionist and shared why it is so important to laugh. When you laugh, your body stimulates certain neurotransmitters, sending messages round your body to reduce cortisol and adrenaline, your stress hormones. This relaxes your body, lowering heart rate and blood pressure.
So, remember smiling and laughter is contagious!!! (A bit like the bloody COVID-19). Here are some things you can do to put a smile on your face.
- Watch your favourite comedy shows/movies, the ones you can watch over and over again.
- Watch your fav stand-up comedian.
- Go through old photos/family videos. Now’s the time to sort out those pictures you’ve been meaning to do forever.
- Take time to listen to your favourite music, maybe have a little dance about. (Turn off the news for a few hours).
- Remember the good times you have had with family and friends.
- Set up some drinks/cocktails with friends overseas by Skype or Facetime. Tell a few jokes and chat about stuff.
- Play some games like Twister – even if you are alone.
I am with Hans, my old man, locked-down romantically at home in London. He has a magnificent list of chores to get on with around the house and nowhere to escape to. I have to say that it is comforting being here with him since he’s an expert on staying in his jammies all day, watching the telly and being fed by his loving wife. I, on the other hand, I am a do-er. I like to keep busy, so I am finding being cooped up a bit of a strain, but here are some things I am up to. They are saying that overcoming this crisis will be a marathon, and not a sprint, so here are my thoughts after 2 weeks in isolation:
- I am losing weight because we have cut out breakfast as we can’t be bothered to get up!
- I am working-out with a whole load of on-line exercise teachers, sometimes more than one at the same time. But my speciality is the Savasana pose – I will probably be in this for the next month.
- I am keeping my protein levels high, so I roast a chicken but eat it straight off the carcass saving on washing up and remembering my teenage years living in a cupboard in London.
- I have discovered Tequila – only drink left in the supermarket – good with anything – especially in a cucumber smoothie – we are having a lot of smoothies because I pressed the wrong amount on my online order and have about 40 of them – so if you have any recipes for cucumbers please send them.
- Saving on razors – I am rather liking the stubbly leg feeling – this could be a new trend I am thinking.
- In a slight panic about getting my roots done – my usual salon is closed, and my old man has offered to do my highlights – I don’t think so. I will take a garbage bag and make holes in it and use some bleach!
- Today I fought for the last wrinkly lemon in the supermarket, losing to an extremely aggressive 90-year-old. It is going to be hard to get citrus fruit in the UK as it is not coming in from Spain – seriously – no limes either which is not good when you have switched to Tequila.
- I may have to cover all mirrors around the house. Why wash your hair or pluck those that are sprouting from your chin – who cares.
- I will be adding net curtains to the front of the house. Now I get what it is all about – it really is exciting watching the world go by outside. Mind you, the streets are empty so perhaps I will scrap that idea.
- I am hoping Piers Morgan will walk past as he lives in my hood. He is saying this it is all women’s fault that the pubs are shut and the sport is turned off, so that the guys can stay home and get all those jobs done and. Oh Piers!
Join me for a drink this Sunday, March 22, 2020 at 11am EST – 3pm UK time – if you fancy it – my dear friend Jacky Brown will be on the phone with me for some nutrition advice and I will be live on Instagram with my tequila!
Cheers and stay safe everyone
Debbie and the Tribe at The Tuscan Getaways
