Starving Foodie: 10 things to do during the Covid 19 social distancing isolation

Covid 19 has closed or cancelled in the city. What do I do now? 🙋

After working at Sunnybrook Hospital in 2003 during the hight of the SARS situation I have learned a few things.

1. Doctors don't know everything when these things show up.
2. You need to get through your day with knowledge and strength.
3. It's time to get creative and find new ways to do things.

I worked at Sunnybrook for 14 years and normally the Doctors have a whatever kind of attitude after they have been doing it for a long time but in 2003 even the Doctors were scared.
We didn't know what was going to happen or what to do. We had to be there for the patients but they were still figuring it out. The only businesses that suffered were restaurants and tourism. Everything remained open but it just reduced a few things.

This Covid 19 virus is a whole different thing. I watched my social media feed over the past few days while every organization and business flooded it with either cancellations or reassurances that they are taking full precautions. The fact that all entertainment or large gatherings over 250 people are now closing and Community centres and other businesses and schools have left people scrambling to figure out what to do.

I know work for the Goverment and everyone was scrambling on Friday when word started flying around that everyone had to now telework. I am not set up to telework because I handle calls from the public so I will have to see if they can figure out how this will still get done. People still expect front line services so everyone needs to figure out a new way to get the jobs done.

I have the same feeling as I did after 9-11 when the Whole World changed. There was an over night shift from fear and trust and the increase of racism and frustration.

This time there wasn't destruction but there are many deaths and many lives have had a domino effect from the isolations and the loss of work and services.

What surprised me was the hoarding mentality where people are buying up things to hoard to sell at a higher price for profit while leaving the elderly and vulnerable population to figure out how they are going to survive. If you are living from paycheck to paycheck you can't stock up for 2 to 3 weeks so when you have to wait for your pay to buy toilet paper and some guy trying to capitalize has bought up all the toilet paper in the store it leads to serious frustration. Case in point someone actually got shot at a grocery store in downtown Toronto. All the shelves are bare at the big chain grocery stores.

I was able to find fairly stocked shelves at Whole Foods but unfortunately it's the higher priced stores that have the fully stocked shelves and it's not an issue for the 1% of people who can shop anywhere or anytime.

I had to go to 3 stores to get some of the things I needed. I bought toilet paper at the Longos and I don't even know what I paid for it because they took all the prices off and there was only one size and kind of toilet paper left. The drugstore looked like it was ransacked. The stuff were visibly frustrated.

I understand everyone is trying to be prepared to possibly have to be in isolation for a couple of weeks but how much toilet paper do you need for 2 to 3 weeks?

Anyway this is a long post because the greed and self serving behaviour is disgusting and I started thinking about how I am dealing with this whole thing.

Here are some ideas of what you can do during this insane time over the last couple of weeks of March.

1. Clean - Clean everything- Get your spring cleaning on. Dust, wipe down all the surfaces, clean your kitchen and bathroom. Clean all the things you never have time to clean. Clean up your fridge and pantry. Vacuum and mop the floors. Do as much as you can now while you need to disinfect and have the time because you aren't going anywhere.

2. Get creative in the kitchen- Use your pantry and freezer to make some ready to go meals. Make a huge pot of chicken stock because it cleans up the fridge and can be used for other things or if you get sick.

3. Cooking - If you can't cook take this downtime to learn how to cook something new. Learn how to make bread. If you can bake bread you are good. You can survive. Getting bored of always making the same things.. find a recipe online and cook something different. Figure out what you have and challenge yourself to make it different than how you normally eat it.

3. Rest-Chill- Never underestimate the power of good sleep or a good nap. I love to have weekend naps because I don't sleep all that well so I try and get in nap time when I feel wiped out on the weekend.

4. Self- care- Give yourself a manicure. Soak your feet in some essential oils and epsom salts. I do this a lot in the summer on my balcony when I need to de stress. Break out that scary looking face mask and take a time out to refresh and give yourself permission to take care of yourself because you don't have to rush around everywhere now.

5. Read a book that you have been wanting to read but haven't had the time. Nobody is going to ask you to go to an event or party now so might as well get some uninterrupted time to focus on a book for escape or to learn something new or just peruse cookbooks and find some cooking ideas.

6. Music - Listen to some great music, dance to music or learn how to play an instrument.

7. Meditate or do Yoga- Do you always say you don't have time to meditate or do yoga? No reason not to now.

8. Exercise- My exercise comes from doing all the cooking and cleaning but if I can get all this stuff done and actually have some energy then yeah exercise is what I should be doing. If you like to exercise you can spend more time doing it now.

9. Movies or if you like virtual videos- this is my favourite way to be stuck at home. Binge-watching Netflix or watching an on demand movie or a funny tv show but watch less of the News because it will give you anxiety.