Finally had a park hang w/ some of my BFFs this week. It was so nice to be back on my old stomping grounds! Forst real park hang of the summer. The park is a bit different these days with people in masks, lots of tents, fewer people crowding, socially distant circles. There was a yoga class taking place, so we moved out of our spot when they arrived, it was a bit of a weird vibe. I loved that they had Tibetan singing bowls but it was right in an area where people were having picnic dinners and there were tents set up. Might have been better suited for a less crowded area! We’re drinking bangarang a new malt seltzer made in London, ON during the pandemic. I’m one of their new partners and was happy yo have the gang try it.

It was nice waking up in my own bed and get ready in my room this morning. The water at the house is different than the cottage and it makes it my hair so soft. I’m really growing to love my shaggy Covid hair, it’s the longest hair I’ve had in over a decade! In the past, I would probably be freaking out at how long my roots are but with all the things that have changed, and how I’ve changed, I’m cool with it. Tonight I’m meeting a friend for dinner and can’t wait. Looking forward to bike riding in the sun!

Went for a run today and did my fav Abs & Arms workout on the Nike Training app. I worked in the morning and by the time 4pm rolled around, I was ready to switch in to my suit and spend some time in the sun. Took my latest read outside and had a beer on the dock. Sean and I went on an adventure in the evening to go look at a motorcycle in Gravenhurst. He’s been looking at a few different used ones over the past few months and he finally got one! I love it. Maybe I’ll get my M1 licence?! In other news, I’ve been doing a bunch of website updates on the backend for security and functionality. I’m way overdue for site maintenance! If you’re looking to find out a local Toronto web design company, check these guys out!

I was not very productive today. Tooth was really hurting, took some CBD and Aleve to take away the pain. It was super hot out but I stayed inside all day. I didn’t work out, super lazy. Sean went to town in the afternoon and then I took him for a long rip on the wakeboard. He’s so good at it, blows my mind! For dinner, I made our new fav dish, avocado pesto pasta. I throw a handful of basic, a couple of garlic cloves, one avocado, salt, pepper, and olive oil in the food processor and voila, a deliciously creamy pasta sauce. It’s so good right out of the pot or the cold from the fridge. In other news, the YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS IS BACK ON TV. I can’t even tell you how much I missed the show. I know it might seem silly to love it so much but I’ve been watching it my whole life. When the show stopped due to COVID, that regular part of my day at 4:30 pm, when I wrap up work and wind down, wasn’t there. It’s a small step to normalcy and I’m glad to have it back.

I was dead tired today and spent the whole day watching Netflix on the couch. I also ate all the snacks I could find. I needed rest. I’ve had a bit of a sore tooth that acts up every now and then. I know I should get it fixed. Maybe I will next time we’re back in the city. I’ve been watching Good Girls S3, it’s ok. We also started The World’s Most Wanted but tbh it made us both fall asleep. I haven’t run in a few days and I feel like a slug. Hopefully this week I find my mojo and get back to it. These times are so weird. I love this post from @internetstacy, it’s ok to not feel ok all the time. We’re all just trying to get through this, hang in there.

Nothing too exciting to share today! Spent the morning wrapping up that client project and I then to Walmart to have a few photos printed to give to a friend for her birthday. This jumpsuit is now one of my go-to outfits. I’ve been collecting jumpsuits in every colour and they’re just the most comfortable thing to wear. Had a quiet night at home with a bath and reading my book in bed.

Today was a pretty chill day. I spent most of it working on a new client project then had a massage at night. Was excited that my latest delivery form the Zara sale arrived. it’s nice to be home! This bodysuit is one of my most fav items in my closet now! I visited Ani at Holistic Body Contouring in Vaughan to have a Lymphatic Drainage Massage and WOW it was amazing. It’s kinda like a natural butt lift, I could see the difference in one cheek to the other when compared in a photo. This type of massage treatment is very popular with celebrities and in Europe/Russia. If you are interested to learn more, visit @HolisticBodyCountouring on Instagram to see some videos/images. I’ve already booked another appointment to back for Lymphatic Drainage on my face. I can’t wait!

We made it, we’re home! After almost a full month at the cottage, a weekend in Stoney Lake, we arrived mid-afternoon. I can’t explain how good it feels to be here! I missed my bed, the AC, our kitchen, our books, my clothes! The last few months have made me appreciate so many more of the little things no matter where I am. Sean and I made a plan for a romantic walk to get takeout tacos. I said ‘maybe we should drive, it’s gonna rain’ and he said ‘no I wanna walk‘. What do you think happened as soon as we got to the taco place? Torrential downpour! Luckily it was still warm so we grabbed our order and walked home in the rain. It wasn’t what we planned but I soaked up the moment. I am starting a new gig this week and won’t be on CERB anymore. I am really excited to get back to work after not doing much the past sis months. here’s to a great week! Catching up on the last few days of posts this morning!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!!!!

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.