I had been looking forward to this day all week! April and I planned to go for a big walk in the sun and it was GLORIOUS. I started out from my place in the Junction Triangle, met her Dundas West, then we went to Kensington. I hadn’t been in that area for ages since being at the cottage for most of the pandemic. It was pretty busy there so we grabbed a quick coffee, kept our masks on, and headed to Queen Street. Since we aren’t able to gather with friends right now, we were hoping to run into people we knew along the way, and we certainly did! It was so nice to catch up with a few random friends neither of us had seen in ages. We continued west on Queen to Parkdale and I walked back home to the West Toronto Rail Path. I did about 19,000 steps! Once I got home I changed into loungewear and parked myself on the couch for the afternoon. Amazing how a big walk & heaps pf fresh air will tucker you out.

Quiet day working at home. Very cold out today. Made pizza from General Assembly I picked up from Henderson Brewery. Sean comes back tomorrow. One of my fav things lately is people’s nicknames for the pandemic. There’s a whole bunch of funny videos of people on TikTok calling it a pany, panini, panoramic, Patricia. Idk why but I find it hilarious despite the pandemic but being funny at all.

Today I felt like I needed some summer vibes in my life so I braided my hair and put on a yellow sweater. Was the first time I did this style since summer when I used to braid my hair all the time. It wasn’t until later in the day that I posted a photo of my hair on Twitter and I know for sure that my sister didn’t see it. Well, do you know what? Jenie called me at night and said she braided her hair today too, her first time since summer. I can’t tell you how many times we have shown up in almost identical outfits or done something super random like this on the same day. We aren’t twins but I am 100% convinced the universe has us intertwined with a sister connection. That’s all for today, just a little positive story. Appreciate the little things my friends!

I am so glad I left the house for a walk yesterday because today we’re in a snow storm. It was so beautiful out. Before returning home, I took about 10 minutes to sit in direct sunlight and soak it up. I’m charged up by the sun! I took a trip to the local post office to send out a few packages filled with love. My intention was to send out holiday cards but I didn’t get there, so I decided to ship valentines instead. I can’t wait for everyone to get their mail! Last year I sent out a bunch of handmade friendship bracelets and it was such a nice way to connect with friends from afar. Also, everyone loves mail that’s not bills, right?! Hoping to send out a few more before Feb. 14th. Some of these will arrive a *bit* early but that doesn’t matter. Who knows what day it is anymore lol.

Took a nice little walk around the hood today after Sean went back to the cottage. I was feeling drab so I put on a cute outfit and went for fresh air. When I got home I watched Mad Med and wrote Valentines Cards for a few friends. If you are feeling down I highly recommend writing notes to people you haven’t seen in a while. It will remind you how special they are to you and help put your own worries in perspective. I can’t wait to send my packages out this week! Let this street art be a reminder that ‘tout est possible’ or in English, everything is possible! If you are feeling down at any point, feel free to reach out to me on any social media platform or email. Something simple as a voice note or silly selfie always helps to cheer me up. Here’s to a great week!

Spent most of the day at home, as usual. I received a box of Boscia beauty products from my friends at Blend PR and tbh it was perfect timing. I really love the Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask and using the Cactus Water Moisturizer at night to coat my skin while I sleep. I’ll try the other items this week. Planning a post with some of my fav skincare products, I’ve been taking really good care of my skin lately. Been feeling like I really need to charge my batteries. This lockdown is much harder than the first round back in March. There are 5 weeks until March 1st and we’re approaching one year of this pandemic. HANG IN THERE GUYS, THE DAYS ARE GETTING LONGER! TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!

I usually start out the week with high energy. On Monday, I get getting fully dressed, have coffee, exercise, and get ready for the week. I was quite productive for the first few days but by the end of the week, I felt drained. It’s not that I was doing a lot, it’s just life these days, pandemic fatigue. I didn’t really leave the house from Wednesday-Friday, except for the odd trip to the corner store. By Friday, I was tired, wearing jogging pants, a messy bun, and spent the day on the couch with my computer. Friday, chill house vibes all around. I successfully watched the entire first season of Bling Empire on Netflix in none day. Next, I watched Y&R (as usual!) then Death of Me on Netflix. Sean arrived back home just after 6 pm and we ordered takeout pho (Vietnamese soup, so good!). Looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home, maybe some self-care, and catching up on blog posts. I try to write each day but if I don’t, I batch update with photos from the week. Hope you are hanging in there, we’ll get through this. The next couple months will be hard but before we know it, grass will be growing, flowers blooming, and spring will be in the air.

There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self. Aldous Huxley

Today was Inauguration Day 2021 in the USA and Joe Biden was sworn in as President. I watched the whole thing while I worked, Lady Gaga performed, it was such a positive collective experience. Everyone I talked to felt an overwhelming sense of calm. After such a traumatic year (and years of Trump in power!), it was nice to see this change. In the words of Kamala Harris, ‘WE DID IT JOE!‘ One of the best things to come out of the day (bless the internet!) was a slew of Bernie memes of him sitting through the whole thing. I’m sure there will be an IG filter and a ‘put Bernie anywhere’ type of website or app in no time. I wore one of my fav Zara Kids jumpsuits and spent the day working in Sean’s office. Sent a pic of me in there watching Y&R haha. I hadn’t posted anything to my Instagram feed in almost a month (maybe longest break ever?) but after watching the inauguration, I felt so happy I posted a short video here.

Today was a good day. Left the house late afternoon to meet Natalie and her dog Chloe for a walk before the sun went down. We sat outside in the park by the Telus Centre near the Royal Conservatory of music, then went around the park. Walked through some of the University of Toronto buildings and I recognized a bunch of from Tiny Pretty Things on Netflix. There are heaps of recognizable locations if you’re watching the show, see some of them here on BlogTO. Good show, I’ll finish it tonight. Before heading home I had a little meetup outside with Nelson & Talia. We went to Eatily and got groceries. It felt like being out on the town! It’s been so long since I went to a place with anyone other than Sean. We were all wearing masks and only inside a grocery store, but it was invigorating! Earlier in the day, after my run, I tried a TikTok hair trend to do natural, heatless waves with a belt from a robe. I wasn’t sure how it worked at first but as the day went on, the curls relaxed and my hair looked great. I can’t wait to try it again and get really good at this. I’ve dreamed of having long hair for years and without the pandemic, I would have probably cut it. The title of this post on Day 311 is Amber by the band 311. My sister and I used to love this one so much. It will make you smile. ?

Took a casual day for myself to watch Tiny Pretty Things on Netflix, do my nails, put a mask in my hair, and relax. I am determined to be more productive this week after feeling off my game the last 2 weeks. I want to focus on the work I’m doing and accomplish my goals. It’s easy to be distracted by social media and everything going on in the world but we ALL have the power to focus. This sweater is one of my favs, it says ‘Create Better Days‘ on the back. I posted about it a while ago where I featured some of my fav CBD products. I ordered it from Sugarhigh Lovestoned and it was too small at the time but it fits perfectly now. Sending love through the internet from my keyboard to your screen. If you need a cheer up, call a friend, a parent, or someone you love. We need to stick together and connect right now more than ever.

Left the house for a stylish walk to the grocery store, since that’s my only outing these days, I like to take my clothes for a spin. It was really nice outside so I changed my mind to take the bike. My outfit wasn’t ideal but I decided to roll with it. It was LOVELY to go for a bike ride, feel the sun on my face, and the wind in my hair. I hope I can still bike a few more days before the snow hits next week.

I swear I’ll never have a ‘live, love, laugh’ sign at our house or the cottage, but, it’s really, it’s important to do all three!! OK? Mum if you are reading this, there’s a meme about it…see more here. These days it’s harder to live (with a lockdown), love is so important, and laughter will brighten your day. One of the things I really love about Sean is that he makes me laugh every single day. I call mum (at least!) once a day for a little love, laughter, and lots of inspiration I went for a nice walk with my sister and we laughed our heads off. Seeing friends for distanced walks truly gives me SO MUCH LIFE. Monday is her birthday so it was nice to spend some time together. I miss my friends but I am thankful for my sister, friends who live close, and technology for bringing us all together. Here’s to a nice weekend at home and getting some rest!

Leaving this here image for today’s memory. Received an emergency alert on my phone today, along with everyone else in the province. We’re in a full lockdown across Ontario with an official order to stay home unless leaving for essential items. I woke up and kinda groggy, forgetting about the state of the world, and had a text about meeting a friend for coffee, if we should even do it. I decided to go for a run, skip the coffee, and do a short distanced walk with her instead. The restrictions haven’t changed much from the previous lockdown and you can find them here. WEAR A MASK. STAY HOME. BE SAFE. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS.

I really tried to be productive today. In my heart, I want to get things done but it’s hard to focus. Today the USA voted to impeach Trump for the second time. I wasn’t feeling great when I woke up and started the day by sleeping in and working on the computer from my bed. I closed out the day with a chat on Clubhouse then a Twitter chat while watching Mrs. & Mrs. Smith on my iPad. It’s nice to talk with people and a good distraction from everything going on. If you’re on Clubhouse, add me ‘casiestewart’. Tomorrow the Stay Home Order is in effect and we are only to leave the house for exercise or essential items. You are not allowed to have anyone over to your house and if outside, you must wear a mask and can’t have more than 5 people together. It’s hard to believe this is real, I know I’ve said that before but every once in a while I get distracted and forget the pandemic, then I see the news or a notification and reality sits in. Please stay safe. Call your friends and family. We’ll get through this!

Sean went back to the cottage this morning and I spent most the day working before taking a walk around 4pm. I chatted with friends on speakerphone while making dinner. I miss my friends so much. On Thursday, Ontario moves into a ‘Stay Home Order’ with more restrictions & curbside pickup at big box stores. I feel like this 2nd wave of the pandemic is much harder to deal with. Back in March/April 2020, there was a bit of a novelty that we had to stay home, we did online workouts and Zoom hangouts. Now, 10 months later, we’re all feeling Zoom-fatigue, we miss family & friends, and the collective trauma is setting in. I really hope this weather stays around 0 degrees because I love going outside and having distanced walks with friends. Colder temps will make that harder and god forbid we get heaps of snow or ice making it hard to walk outside. I’m still terrified of slipping after my accident two years ago. Hang in there my friends, stay safe!

Woke up today and felt tired, could hardly get out of bed. I’ve been going to bed early and trying to get rest, but today was a struggle. My motivation has been LOW since the news on Wednesday last week when the US Capitol was stormed by terrorists. Typing this feels like I’m writing a movie script but it’s real life. Mix that in with rising Covid cases, a lockdown, and general anxiety, it’s hard to focus. I managed to pull myself together, shut out the world for a few hours and zero in on some work before an end of day meeting. I find over the ear noise-canceling headphones really help me focus, even with no music and no outside noise. I think it keeps my thoughts in my head. It is totally acceptable right now if you aren’t functioning at the same productivity levels as pre-pandemic. We’re experiencing collective trauma, living through a deadly global pandemic, a lockdown, homeschooling, and watching what’s happening with the US government. I try to carve out blocks where I put on my headphones, and try to immerse myself in something creative like work or blogging. Going outside for a nice long walk really helps me refocus when I feel anxiety creeping in. It is ok to not be productive right now. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Take care of your health. We WILL get through this.

Yesterday I met up with Natalie for a distanced walk outside. Instead of taking the TTC or an Uber, I decided to take a long walk from my area to meet her at Yonge/Bloor. It’s about an hour away by foot, I left at 4pm to get there before the sun went down. We walked around the ROM/Yorkville for about an hour before I headed home. I don’t normally walk outside when it’s dark but since I didn’t have any Friday night plans, I took the hour to walk home along Bloor. Made it back to the house just in time to catch the very last episode of Jeopardy hosted by Alex Trebek. Edited these with the new PinkPapaya app! Mask is by Considerate Goods. I’m planning to spend some this weekend catching up on a few things I didn’t get done for work last week. Found it really hard to concentrate the last few days with everything going on, hard not to get distracted by the news, and fall into a deep doomscroll. I’ve found that taking a little walk during the day helps to boost my spirit and help me refocus when I get back home. It’s all going to be ok. We’ll get through this. xo

Here we are, we made it to the end of this insane year, New Years’ Eve 2020. I had a nice day & went to bed before midnight. Feeling good about the year ahead. We have a lot to be grateful for. Looking back at everything that happened this year, I learned a lot. Despite being home/cottage for 90% of the year I did a lot of new things, ditched some old habits, made some new ones. On a side note, I’m really glad to have grown my hair out. I wanted to do it for years and this is the most un-dyed it’s been since I was a teenager. I’m celebrating the growth. My word for 2020 was BLOOM. At the end of 2019, I had a deep-rooted need for change, I wanted something different in my career and was well on my way to leading a healthier lifestyle. In my mind, by the time spring arrived in 2020, I’d be ready to bloom. In January 2020, I went to Cuba, stayed in a hotel, went to events. One weekend in February, I met with some friends and one specific conversation bloomed into something really great career-wise. In March, most of my work was canceled and I ended up on CERB until the end of summer. During that time I did a lot of creative things, I wrote every day, did tie-dye, learned to propagate plants, read books in the sun, and worked out heaps. There were a lot of hard times too, don’t get me wrong, but for the purpose of documenting this memory, I want to be thankful for all the ups and downs. I am grateful for the opportunity to slow down, to create, to be in the moment and not the rat race. As a…

Look at the camera. Check the lighting. Fix your hair. Grab a pen and notebook. Pay attention. Mason jar of water. Listen, respond. Don’t touch your hair. Have some coffee. Smile. Look at the camera. Smile. Write something down. Look at the camera. Stop looking at yourself. Listen. Don’t touch your hair. 2020 work in a nutshell.

Today was the first day the lake was fully frozen. The ice is nice. This year, we’ve been up on the woods from frozen, to not, and back again. What a year! Tomorrow we’re going back downtown to spend a few days in the city and pickup Emily. Don’t worry Mum, Sean is standing on the dock here. It’s safe! Once making sure it was fully frozen, Sean cleared a section for an ice rink and cold plunge pool. He’s really been into Wim Hof Method the last year. It’s amazing how a dip in ice water gets your blood pumping and leaves your muscles feeling fire. ?

This year we have all spent more time on Zoom or Google Meet than ever. If you’re feeling Zoom-fatigue, you are not alone. It’s totally normal to feel exhausted right now, there are so many contributing factors work, health, covid, money, plus the holidays are just around the corner. I used to love getting groceries but I find it stressful now. The other day I download Snap Camera for Mac and it’s a great way to spice up your meetings. You can get festive for the holidays, add a filter for perfect skin, or use all kinds of camera effects. It’s kinda fun. I’ve been using a colour filter to change my lighting and make my skin look flawless. Check out this great video by my friend Amanda Cosco on how to easily add Snap Camera to your computer.