Date night at home... again

 Still trying to keep it lively and interesting around here. We have now been doing "date night" almost exclusively at home, for 9 months. Dining out is a distant memory. As is meeting up with friends to go bowling, see a movie or hang at someone else's house.

I know... it sounds like I'm sad or whiney. The truth is, I'm doing ok thanks to a combo of things. We are healthy, creative and have resources. Plus not a lot is all that challenging to our situation, relatively speaking. No kids to homeschool or simply parent 24/7. Our weather is good - interesting, varied and still cooperative when we want to fly or hike etc. We have the means to have delivered, some tools to stave off boredom. We are learning new skills and games, doing projects around the house and eating well.

The biggest contributor to my happiness and wellbeing has always been Mark though. And throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he has only gotten better at entertaining me, participating in my hair-brained schemes and ponying up as chief guinea pig for new recipes - IE experimental food!

Want to see a darn near perfect Friday in my opinion? Of course you do! 

This was me in the morning.

I took my latte back to bed and began cruising around the internet, seeing what was new with the world. It sounds like I might have been reading the news... but that is not my thing these days. I'm drawn to exploring original art and learning about the artists that create such thought-provoking, timely or timeless, beauties. My latest addiction is scouring Saatchiart.com. With all the Black Lives Matter, Me Too and Pandemic issues of the last few years, it is super interesting to see another persons perspective. Especially those who go deeper and travel the tangents, then express that in a unique way.

Most mornings, I have a visitor. A feline friend who is besotted by the gadgets and willing to suck up to me with all kinds of sweetness in order to get close to... my cell phone. I'll take what I can get. Rusty is Mr Independence between 9am and 7pm. He doesnt have time or inclination to be all attentive to me during this time!

Having gotten myself out of bed, I did attempt some exercise today and felt good about the biking, walking and indeed some jogging that I logged on Fitbit. Oh yeah... and I scored a 91/100 for my "Sleep Score" on Fitbit last night too! It comes as no surprise to anyone that I'm an over-achiever in the sleep category, right?!

Dinner at home is mostly homemade, but honestly, it lacks variation at this point and often is a 30 minute effort after a long day of staying home and trying not to catch COVID. Today I put some thought into a healthy, vegetarian meal that I'd not made in years. A seasonal treat.

Stuffed acorn squash. I cut the top off and hollowed out the squash, then baked it really well. Meanwhile steaming rice that was laced with turmeric and smoked paprika, while I sautéed a mix of finely chopped peppers, onion mushrooms, cranberries, apple and pecans. I added some baking spices and a pinch of brown sugar at the last minute and stuffed the waiting squash until it was overflowing.

Comfort food. A bit sweet, bursting with complex flavors and definitely healthy. It was the dish to sandwich between my blue cheese and crackers appetizer and much awaited tuxedo cake dessert.

We then turned out attention to the next self-care step planned for tonight. Spa-like activities!

With a bottle of bubbly and wine glasses in hand, we began applying peel-able face masks to each other. It doesn't have to look good to feel good!

Following it with foot massages and then hand massages. Bliss.

Just enough time left in the evening to relax on the couch and veg out to a old episode of Grey's Anatomy. Then... I was ready to set another restorative sleep record.