Wining About Covid

April 19, 2020 We made a spice cake because it is my favorite cake.  For Jacqueline's birthday (week after mine) we were to make cheesecake but the only cream cheese we found was the spreadable kind and it wasn't going to work.  So- another week to make the cheesecake.  We had a bubbly for Jacqueline's birthday that tasted ok but smelled like wet cardboard.  There is still some in the fridge.  But we liked that "this little piggy stayed home" as we do in the times of covid. These mugs are from when Jacqueline and I drove from the Bay Area to New Mexico and stopped off in a fancy hotel (the Cromwell ) in Vegas.  We both loved it there and each got a pair of commemorative mugs.  The blog is about wine but the truth is we drink a lot more tea than wine and in the picture below we are drinking my favorite tea, a French Earl Grey. Jacqueline and I got to talking the other day about New Zealand vs United States approach to the corona virus and I t...

April 13, 2020 On April 8th I woke up and three friends had sent me articles on New Zealand squashing the curve .  Every day I check the numbers.  United States, New Zealand, California, New Mexico and Colorado.  I think I'm transitioning from justifying my choice to run away to New Zealand to feeling bad that I think life will become much nicer for me much sooner than most of the people close to me.  Well, let's not focus on that too much. Instead: birthdays and wine!  I think I said that it is 5/8 people in my bubble's birthday during lockdown.  Jacqueline and Jeremey brought me cake in bed on my birthday as I was working, which was a lovely surprise.

April 5, 2020 Yesterday we decreed Formal Friday ( More Formal Friday here) .  Well- every Friday is Formal Friday in lockdown from here on out.  But I wrote it in our daily work standup notes and I was pleasantly surprised that people put on blazers and hats for our morning call.  The little things mean a lot right now. Can I even remember about the wine we've been drinking since the last blog?  Actually had a Syrah, from Elephant Hill.  Kimberly liked it quite a bit, Jacqueline said she had been enjoying all the fruity Pinot Noirs we'd been drinking.  She found the Syrah oaky.  But the next day she liked the Syrah more than the day before.  We've been finding that.  See the green in the plate on the right?  That's kale.  Kale reminds Kimberly of her old life and has now been eating it every day.  The first day out of self isolation, Jacqueline and Kimberly go to the grocery store.  Kimberly has been tel...

March 29, 2020.  Day 14 of Self Isolation.  Last day! I knew we'd be "winning" but it came a day earlier than I expected .  So much winning.  Winning winning winning .  Chants of "U.S.A.!  U.S.A!" went through my head day after day as I saw the covid-19 (aka "Covfefe-19" or "American Arrogance Virus") numbers rising in the USA.  I didn't coin the Covfefe-19 btw.  Yes- there's a reason I ran away.  I saw this coming and I was terrified.  And it is proving to be worse than I expected. Before I talk about wine: let me share a bit of wisdom I've gained in the past few years.  I had a manager who was always telling me how honest and what a straight shooter he was.  After several months I thought, "Well, then, why isn't that my experience?"  It took me months to untangle the gaslighting but I've become way wiser in the process. What is the wisdom in a nutshell?  If anyone tells you that they are X they are not. ...

March 23, 2020.  Da y 8 of self isolation. Kimberly got up at 6 am to join a dance party being hosted in Oakland, California.  See the other dancers there on the screen?  There were 100 dancers online in their living rooms.  Kimberly's life has turned into online laugh yoga time and yin yoga from home.  Kimberly moved her body in ways she wouldn't normally dance- kicking, practicing standing on one leg and then the other.  Doing whatever kind of crazy movement.  Who cares it is exercise and in this world we do what we can. Jacqueline was so sweet and made breakfast because she thought Kimberly would be hungry after the two hour dance party.  Also, with self isolation Kimberly isn't supposed to touch food that other people may eat so Kimberly is at the mercy of Jacqueline's goodwill.  Jacqueline has background in hospitality so Kimberly is spoiled .  Yum! Vogel 's avocado toast (best toast in the world) and plenty of fruit t...

Whining Wining and Dining Winning All about and in the times of covid. March 21, 2020 Day 6 of Self Isolation. Kimberly and Jacqueline.  Jacqueline and Kimberly.  And Covid. We are chosen sisters from over 20 years, almost 30.  Kimberly was a foreign exchange student in New Zealand.  Things weren't working out so well with her host family.  Jacqueline said, "Come live with us!"  And so their worlds were then changed.  Kimberly loved that Jacqueline's little sister watched Beetlejuice every morning.  That was one of her favorite films, too.  But then it changed to a preschool show... Not so exciting. Over time and circumstances Jacqueline and Kimberly stayed in touch.  Lots of circumstances, lots of changes  But here we are now in the time of Covid many many years later.  Day 6 of Kimberly's self isolation having flown in from San Francisco.  Kimberly stays in her room all day, working.  ...