July 2020 - CASIE STEWART

Casie July 29, 2020 LIFE Muskoka

Day 136: Measure for Measure

I always say ‘summer forever’ but today I woke up to a cooler morning thinking about fall fashion and the changing leaves. I love the feeling of changing seasons and although we’re not quite there yet, I feel a change coming. The last six months have been a rollercoaster of emotion but also a great time to think about what I want in my life. Who am I becoming? What does my next season look like? A few months ago I told the universe what I dreamed about, how I believed in myself, and how I could achieve it. I know she’s listening. I value chats with mum so much, we reminisced today on one of our favourite quotes we’ve carried for over 20 years. It’s a good one to remind yourself that in order for things to happen, you can’t doubt yourself or stand in your way, you have to believe you can achieve it, and go for it. I firmly believe this to be true. “Our doubts are traitors And makes us lose the good we oft might win By fearing to attempt. William Shakespeare, –Lucio, Act I, scene iv Measure for Measure (c. 1603) Find your courage and go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

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Day 135: Are We Running Today?

For about a week of this month, I fell off my fitness game, I just didn’t feel like it. I’ve learned over the past few months of working out that consistency matters more than exactly what you do. I find I’m happiest and most productive when I get moving and sweat at the start of the day. It helps me relax, relieves stress, and opens my mind. Some days I totally zone out to music or a podcast. This week, I’m back at it! Since January, I’ve joined monthly challenges on the Nike Running app hosted by Amy (aka @lesbest) and they’ve been SO HELPFUL with motivation. This week I need to run 20k to make up for the week I missed, so I can get 60km for the month. Today I broke my own record for fastest 1 mile and I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF. Late 2019 when I started, it was a struggle to run one full kilometre and now I feel great when I run 5Km. For the record, I usually walk a little of the 5km but I’m getting there. Today I dreamed about running a 5km for charity, a race but only really to beat my own best time. Today was a great day! We had a BBQ for dinner then took a family trip to town. Picked Em up a new bathing suit and I got two new plants. Watched Floor Is Lava on Netflix before Em went to bed and I finished reading my latest book Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewel. GOOD READ. If you’re looking to get running or join a challenge, add me to the Nike Running Club app (CASIE STEWART) and join my challenge for August. We’re gonna start with 2km a day! I’d love to have some new…

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Casie July 27, 2020 PLANTS Muskoka

Day 134: Growing Roots

Cut my own hair about a month ago and it’s growing nicely. I’m not sure how long I intend to let it go but this is the longest, strongest, and darkest it’s been in over a decade. Started using a lightening spray I found in the cottage bathroom and one of my cottage friends asked if I had my hair done! ? I’ve had bleach blonde hair for so long but I actually really like how it is it now with the roots. Ran 4.5km in the morning and did some work for a couple of hours. Emily arrived mid-afternoon and hung out in the kitchen with me working on her crafts. Repotted my aloe plant that was busting out of its pot, growing roots with tiny pups all over the place. Checked Pinterest for what to do and I really hope they all live through the process! I have a Plants & Garden board on Pinterest here with all kinds of resources for growing indoors, outdoors, and plant care. Over the pandemic, I’ve been propagating my pothos plants and have two that are really starting to grow in their pots after growing roots in water. Come winter, I hope to live in a greenhouse! I’m a nature-loving Taurus and I love taking care of my plants!

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Casie July 26, 2020 2020 Muskoka

Day 133: Lazy Lake Lady

Slept in. Watched Netflix. Took naps. Made vegan spaghetti. Ate snacks. Did some work. All around lazy Sunday. It was really hot and we stayed inside the whole day, lazying on the couch in front of the fan. It started raining as I was heading to bed, it’s gonna be a great sleep. Tomorrow Emily’s mum is dropping her off to spend a few days up here with us. I think my sister might visit for a day this week too. I’d really love to see her! Here’s to a great week! And a great sleep!

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Casie July 25, 2020 2020 Muskoka

Day 132: Love the Lake With You

We went for a nice slow cruise around the lake in the morning. It’s very hot this weekend! In the afternoon, we ventured out to Bracebridge, visited a couple of shops, got groceries, and had some lunch. Wherever we go to town we try to stick to the list and be efficient, by the time we get home we’re exhausted. Shopping and getting supplies during quarantine is stressful. I used to love going to the grocery store and dilly-dallying around the aisles but it’s not like that anymore! Found a cute second-hand shop inside the Muskoka Natural Food Market called Revolution with heaps of nice clothes. I didn’t get anything but I might take a few nicer items from my closet to donate. Check them out on IG at @revolution.mnfm. Yes, I wore my fav outfit 2 days in a row. ? At night we had a little hangout with some cottage friends on the lake. Sometimes I miss being in the city but I love being here with Sean so much. ❤️

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Casie July 24, 2020 2020 QUARANTINE

Day 131: Shiny Disco Ball

I ordered this outfit at the start of quarantine and tbh it’s one of my favs!. Sean likes to say I’m riding in the Tour de France in it haha. We’ve got a pretty nice indoor garden growing in the kitchen now. I put a little disco ball in the window and each day around 4 pm the sun hits it just right sending glitter dots all over the room. It’s a simple thing that makes me smile! This is the most populat tweet I’ve had in a while. I had a little meltdown about a project but everything was a-ok. Sometimes you just need to cry it out and make yourself a bowl of tiny pancakes. In other news, my roots are so long now that I had to get darker bobby pins! I don’t mind the way it looks now it’s just a change, longest and most natural I’ve had it in over a decade! I don’t think I’ll be having a hair appt for a while so I have to get used to it. ? Spent the night watching Love on The Spectrum on Netflix and had a Facetime hangout with two of my BFFs. Feeling good!

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Casie July 23, 2020 LIFE Muskoka

Day 130: Pleasure & Peace

Sean has been kayaking in the morning since spraining his ankle last week. Today he came back with a beautiful water lily for me! They symbolize pleasure & peace and are so beautiful. Heaps of them blooming on the lake right now. I haven’t been running as much the past week but after sitting in my workout gear all morning, I did 3.3 km at 3pm. In other news, Taylor Swift put out a new album today called Folklore.

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Day 129: Book Recommendations – Summer 2020

I’ve been reading a lot over the last few months. Since I haven’t been working as much I’ve tried to make the most of this time with workouts, clean eating, creative projects, and books. I’m registered as a Professional Reader on NetGalley, a media review site for writers to receive advance copies from publishers around the world. I mostly stick to the same types of books including suspense/thriller, or female focussed adult fiction. I finally got around to putting a few book recommendations a list, see my favs below! Here’s a list of a couple of books I’ve enjoyed over the last two months. They’re all linked on Amazon and listed on my Amazon Book List here. Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner This was a great book, perfect summer 2020 read! The characters were interesting and I loved the element of drama, talk about influencers, and how the author described the locations there were. It was easy to follow and I couldn’t put it down! You can find this book at your fav bookstore or on Amazon here. The Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry Highly recommend! I can’t imagine going through the tragedy that these families face and then all the other secrets, lies, and things they deal with on top of that. I was hooked from the first page and read this book every chance I had to finish in a couple of days. This book is out mid-August, 2020 and is available for pre-order. Spring Girls by Karen Katchur I didn’t realize this book was part of a series but it is definitely good as a stand-alone read. It follows a detective and the murder of three girls in the spring. As they try to finds the Spring Strangler they talk to one of the survivors and…

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Casie July 21, 2020 LIFE Muskoka

Day 128: You Are What You Beet

Today was so nice out, perfect weather. Haven’t been feeling the best this week and have slacked a bit on my workouts. I feel sluggish but I’ll get back to it, I feel like this happens every now and then. I took Sean for a wakeboard and then sat in the hot tub for a bit before it warmed up outside. This is my new fav swimsuit, Giant Tiger $10. Best store around these parts! For lunch, I made a delicious beet salad with pecans and goat cheese. Sean grilled beets on the bbq last night and had them in the fridge. I love beets! I’m onto another book today after just finishing The Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry. It comes out in August and I received an advance copy via NetGalley. Highly recommend, it’s about a tragedy three friends face when an accident happens with their kids causing injury and death. I sped through it in a couple of days. My next read is The Broken Hearts Honeymoon, a more lighthearted feel-good summer read. Jen made us vegan spaghetti & meatless meatballs for dinner and we had rosé. At night we watched the sunset on the dock, had a fire, and listened to music. I’m still a few days behind on updating last week’s daily diary but I’m working through it. I have an exciting post about my first trip to a spa where I had a couple of treatments AND an announcement about a cool project I’ve secretly been part of during quarantine. Lots to share!

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Day 127: Girls Night!

Today we had our first summer guest since the start of quarantine, the one and only Jen Kirsch! Jen and I have been friends for years, we’ve travelled to Spain, New Orleans and been to hundreds of events together. She’s been isolated with her dad in Richmond Hill and we thought it was a-ok to finally have her up. We played games in the living room, danced, and went to our Monday night regular hangout, ‘Vinyl Night’ at Communist Daughter via Zoom. It was so much fun! I’ve really loved her new podcast Lockdown Love with eOne Entertainment, download it here and follow her on IG here.

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Day 126: Taco ‘Bout Love

Sean asked if I wanted to go get tacos and the obv answer was YES. We took a nice drive up to Port Carling and had a late lunch at Tilo’s Taqueria which used to be Grand Electric Muskoka. The food was great, the booths were outside and distanced. It was quite cloudy but the rain held off enough to still sit on the covered patio. Tomorrow Jen Kirsch is coming up for a couple of days, our first guest! Looking forward to surprising the Vinyl Night crew when we show up on the Zoom together.

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Day 125: Mid-July, Where Have The Days Gone?

I can’t believe it’s been 125 days. I started this Daily Diary part of the blog thinking it would be a couple of weeks, months, maybe? Sometimes I’ll be doing something and totally forget how the world is so different now. Then I remember and feel overwhelmed. One minute I’m doomscrolling and having anxiety and another times social media gives me a great place to escape. I feel uncertain about everything today. Given that the world has changed so much in the past six months, it’s impossible to predict what will happen next. What tragedy or terror will we face? Apparently the worst hurricane season is on its way, there are UFOs, and second waves of are COVID happening in multiple countries. I’m grateful to be at the cottage and have Sean by my side but everything comes with challenges. What you see on the internet is only a small slice of someone’s life, the curated version. I haven’t posted much on my Instagram this month, I just haven’t felt like it. I’ve been a rollercoaster of emotion since June and I’m really hoping this ride slows down a bit in August. If you are reading this any feeling any of the same feelings, please know you are not alone. I welcome you to reach out if need/want someone to talk to, I’m a great listener and am usually good for a laugh. Send me a DM on Instagram, a Tweet, or an email. I’m almost always on the other side of the screen, wherever you are, right here in your phone or on your computer. We will get through this and we will be ok.

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Day 124: The Playsuit by Biddell

I’d seen Evan Biddel post the famous Playsuit he’s been making and asked if he could make a yellow AND HE DID. I am so obsessed with this one-piece outfit. he made it a little smaller or me and it fits perfectly. You can check out his other versions at the Biddell Shop and see him as a guest on Canada’s Drag Race this season. After my trip to town and the post office, Sean and I hung out and had a drink on the dock. I picked up a cute bathing suit from Giant Tiger for $10. Up until now, the bugs have been really bad at night so we haven’t been sitting out. I made a nice fire and we watched the sun set on the lake.

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Day 122: I Went To A Spa! Introducing YOUTH MEDISPA, Toronto

It’s been ages since I went to a spa so when I was invited to check out the brand new YOUTH Medispa in downtown Toronto, I was so excited! I had a Bespoke Medical Facial followed by Botox and filler. This is more than a beauty clinic, they’re a female-led, luxe anti-ageing spa with over 30 years in the business. They offer Injectables, advanced laser and facials, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), hair restoration, skin tightening, vaginal rejuvenation, and plastic surgery consultation. Inside YOUTH Medispa, Toronto With the new Covid19 restrictions, they’re allowed to book patient appointments and are taking all the precautions necessary to make sure your visit is safe and enjoyable. The day before my appointment I was sent several forms and waivers to sign-off on my treatments and informed they would provide a mask if I didn’t have my own. I arrived 15 min early for my appointment and was greeted at the door with sanitizer and one of their specialists who was also wearing a mask. I was so excited I wore a dress and heels for the first time in months. I was the only patient at the time and as restrictions change for Toronto, they will continue to stagger appointments and have both entry and exit doors so no two clients cross paths. The entire space is 3,100 square feet with 4 floors, 4 main areas, and 9 treatment rooms. Big fan of the art displayed, their look is very minimal, black & white, with a pop of colour here and there. They’re paperless and wireless meaning you can pay for your services ahead of time or inside the treatment room without having to go back to through the building. YOUTH Medispa – Bespoke Facial My first treatment was a Bespoke Medical Facial that…

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Day 119: Homeward Bound

We’re hading back to the city today for most of the week. Sean’s dad is coming to spend some time up here. It’s gonna be nice to be home. i have a few dates planned with friends, at safe distance of course. Over the last few days, we really worked together as a family team to make the cottage look spotless. When we first came up here in March we packed up a few things we thought we needed and over the months we’ve made it feel more like home. This week we cleaned up some of the clutter we don’t need and packed a few things to take home. I’m really into this simple concrete/wood bookshelf Sean and I made. We also got some new chains to hold up the hammock, it’s very relaxing. Great for reading!

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Day 118: Cottage Friends for Life

The last few days have been spent cleaning the cottage top to bottom and doing odd around the place. Sean’s sister is coming up for the week with her family and we want to make sure it’s clean and ready for them to enjoy. I went over to Leslie’s place for a girl’s night in the evening and we boated around the lake a bit and hung out on the dock. It’s SO NICE to have cottage friends on the lake! This board suit has become one of my fav cottage outfits. Last summer I could hardly even fit into it! Huzzah!!!!

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Day 117: Stormy Weather

Sean called me outside when he was checking the boat after the storm to catch this family going by. We’ve watched them grow since the spring. I really love being up here in the words. I think it’s changing me for the better. For so long I’ve been running from one thing to the next, the next job, event, project, I didn’t realize how tired I was. This isn’t how we pictured our summer but I’m grateful for the opportunity to be spending more time here.

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Day 116: The Stingray

Sean has been cleaning up the Corvette (1982 Stingray) today. I love this car so much but it’s been sitting in the garage, unused, for years now. It’s been in his family since he was a teenager. I think he finally has a buyer! My parents used to have a very similar model when they moved to Canada in the late ’70s. It was the first brand new car they ever bought. It was really sunny today and I’ve been working on my tan. ? Always nice to end the day with a sunset boat cruise. We’ve had a bit of a tough time w/ Emily the last few weeks and after a few good family chats it’s was nice to see her smiling on the boat today. This quarantine and lockdown has been hard on kids, no friends, no school, and being stuck at home all the time. Let’s hope for a another day with lots of smiles tomorrow.

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Get Hitched at Love Shack Toronto! ???

Have you heard about Love Shack? It’s the coolest, cutest, and smallest wedding venue in Toronto located at Stackt market. My friend Nataleigh has been working on this idea for a little while and I’m so glad to see it come to life! If I was getting married, this is 100% something I’d be into. For the record, Sean and I have been together for 8 years but don’t at this time have plans to get ‘hitched! ? I’ve never been one to dream about my wedding but the idea of a quick & cute ceremony sounds ideal. Then you can have a party with the whole gang later (after COVID!). What is Love Shack Toronto? Love Shack TO is a pop-up wedding in a shipping container, the grooviest place to say ‘I do’. They call it ‘no fuss, all disco‘! Everything you need is there including decorations, officiant, photographer, florist and even the rings! All you need to do is book a date & time, tell your friends, and show up w/ your one true love. They offer three package options and are open Wednesday – Sunday until August 13th, 2020. Bookings and inquiries can be sent to [email protected] or booked online at loveshacktoronto.ca .

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Day 115: Kia Ora

Today we made our way back up to the cottage with Emily for a few days. In the afternoon I went to town and pick up supplies. This is one of my fav masks by Evan Biddell. Crazy how masks are a fashion statement now eh?! I chatted with mum and I feel like each day she has a new excitement about being retired. Yesterday she said she was looking into learning Maori again as she spoke it when she was in New Zealand. Reckon it might be a bit harder for me to learn but there are always a few things I remember from learning when I was little or talking with family. ‘Kia Ora‘ is the most commonly used Maori saying in New Zealand, a way to say ‘hello’.

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Day 114: That Childlike Feeling

Yesterday Sean went golfing with some colleagues and I spent the afternoon with Emily. We met up with my sister and Ryder to visit High Park then cool down at the splash pad near our place. We all got soaked in the sprinklers and it felt so nice to laugh like kids together. I braided Jenie’s hair in the park then we got popsicles. It was such a beautiful day! When we got home I tried on this dress I got from Lauren a couple of weeks ago, made dinner, and did some writing. I watched Crazy Rich Asians (again!) on Netflix and before I knew it, Sean was home. He said it was REALLY hot on the course, it feels like 41 degrees today.

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Casie July 6, 2020 LIFE

Day 113: You Might Fall But You’ll Be Ok

Drove back to the city after working most of the day at the cottage. It’s really hot out this week and I love this weather. Sean was on a call for a while before we left so I decided to set up the hammock. We need another piece of chain to make it fit properly but I got it set up for now. However, I was being cute and taking photos AND IT BROKE. I fell to the ground and got it on video lol. I wasn’t hurt or anything but I did have a good laugh. In other news, our kale forest is growing nicely alongside the peppers. We’re picking up Emily tonight and then heading back to cottage on Wednesday.

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Day 112: A Nice Lazy Sunday

Today I slept in and had a nice lazy day. It was really hot outside so we spent the afternoon watching Snowpiercer on Netflix and then started Unsolved Mysteries after dinner. I made a delicious vegan pasta with avocado pesto sauce. I found the recipe on Pinterest and it turned out great without the parsley (we didn’t’ have any!). In other news, I finished my new book ‘A Borrowed Life‘ by Kerry Anne King. I mostly read psychological thrillers but I saw this was available as an advance copy on NetGalley and decided to give it a go. I flew through this book! It starts with Liz losing her husband of 26 years (a pastor) to a heart attack and it documents her journey to self-discovery, finding the woman she was before she married him. It was a good read with a nice ending.

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Casie July 4, 2020 2020 Muskoka

Day 111: Unicorns in the Sun

Today we went to visit Talia & Nelson at their cottage on Lake Simcoe. We had lunch then went to Lagoon City in the boat. I had no idea this place existed! It’s a whole subdivision on the water lined with cottages, a restaurant, and a hotel. Such a cool little spot! After boating, we relaxed in the pool. Talia and I had a little photo shoot while the boys were out on their own adventure. It was really nice to float, eat chips, and have ice cream in the sun. Before our visit, I ran 4 miles for my NRC July 4th challenge. It worked out to be 7km which is one of the longest runs I’ve done yet. When I started, I thought ‘how am I going to do this‘ but then before I knew it, I was on the home stretch passing 5km. I’m really proud of myself and have learned to love running.

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Casie July 3, 2020 2020 Muskoka

Day 110: Full Moon Energy

Went to a garage sale in the morning and found a few treasures! I got a new mirror for the bedroom, a great picnic blanket, a couple of baking pans, and a super cute pair of black/brown cowboy boots. We met a few more neighbours who just purchased their parent’s cottage on our road. We’re really settling into cottage life and living in the woods. We drove to Haliburton in the evening to have dinner with April and her family at her aunt’s cottage. They have a great beach and we shared lots of laughs over dinner on the patio. We talked about taking this photo before we got there and couldn’t stop laughing when Sean was taking it. The moon was shining bright and the sky was so clear for our drive home. Looking forward to the hot weekend weather, lots of sunshine, and visiting another friend tomorrow.

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Casie July 2, 2020 2020 Muskoka

Day 109: You’ve Got A Friend in Me

Today I had a great day. I went to visit Talia at their cottage about an hour away and Elise was there too! We swam in the pool and it was so nice to have a girl hang. I was so excited I didn’t even take ANY PHOTOS. I don’t know what I was thinking! Over the past month, I took a step back from posting to give space to creators of colour and support Black Lives Matter. the ripple effect sharing and documenting less on social media has directly changed my behaviour. I’m spending more time enjoying the moment and less picking up my phone to capture everything for the ‘gram. I spent some time reading a new book in the afternoon and when Sean was done work, our friends surprised us with a visit on their boat. The boys went skiing and we listened to music on the lake. Sean, what a dreamboat! This has become my new fav outfit, I got it at Joe Fresh a couple of weeks ago and used Sasha’s SASHA25 code for a discount. It’s totally wild and so comfy. I love being here so much. We’ve been meeting more neighbours on our road and the lake, everyone is so nice. Tomorrow there’s a garage sale at the Mayor’s house down the road. ?

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Casie July 1, 2020 LIFE Muskoka

Day 108: Canada Day ??

Woke up to find a copy of the Dockside Muskoka magazine left on the dock. I love that they’re delivered this way! Been doing some research on Canada and the history of today. I’d like to acknowledge we are on the land of the Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee territory. Treaty of Williams (1923), Robinson-Huron (Treaty 61, 1850). If you’d like to see the history of your land, visit native-land.ca. The day was pretty relaxed, Sean worked and I read outside for about 3 hours in the afternoon sun. I finished The Three Mrs. Wrights by Linda Keir, it was so good! Felt a bit weird about doing fireworks given everything that’s going on in the world but then again, they bring joy to us and other people on the lake. Sean set up the camera to do some photos and only set off one before bed. I took these on my phone and ran them through the Huji Camera app. I am forever grateful my parents decided to immigrate to Canada and NOT the USA. Growing up here has provided us with a world of opportunity, education, safely, and healthcare. I am proud to be Canadian!

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