It’s a sunny afternoon as I sit down to write this, having just fed my sourdough starter in anticipation of baking a loaf tomorrow. No, that’s not a hipster brag. It’s a positive side effect of #QuarantineLife: making bread from a wild starter is one of the things I have checked off my “I should try that someday” list in the last few weeks. I am happiest when I’m busy (not on the list: constant cleaning. Is my house usually this dirty and I just didn’t notice?), even if I can’t leave the house.

Online learning has been a great way for my husband and me to engage in different interests while at home. Online services like Coursera or Udemy offer classes on pretty much any topic. Most can be accessed for free or on deep discount (my drawing class was around $20 for 16 hours of content), which is great value, especially if it keeps us from getting on each other’s nerves.

The pandemic has led to spending more time in the kitchen. Our friends, (Nancy and Conrad at Buffet Royale), were forced to close their restaurants, leaving them with a mountain of random produce that they gave to family and friends. We took home lots of pineapple, cabbage, and bananas. The Hubs and I spent a pleasant afternoon dehydrating fruit and making sauerkraut for the first time. I have always wanted to try making sauerkraut. Now we have six jars of gut-friendly goodness for BBQ season.

The other day, wondering what to do with a few leftover egg whites led me to an online class about the three different kinds of meringues: French (for cookies/drops), Swiss (for icing and baking), and Italian (for pies, pavlovas, and blowtorching!). The class resulted in the lovely White Chocolate Strawberry Meringues in the photo. The strawberries in the meringues were bought on bulk discount at the start of the pandemic, then sliced and dried in my dehydrator without my knowing what future Lindsay would use them for. I know – I’m basically an inner city Martha Stewart.

Unfortunately, all this sedentary learning and eating needs to be balanced with exercise. I have always preferred home workouts, so this isn’t a big change in routine for me, but it is a chance to experiment with different plans and providers. Right now, there are lots of Facebook groups and Youtube channels with free live daily workouts, as well as free trials for online training sites. Most assume you have no equipment, and you can get a great workout at home using only bodyweight.

Of course, all this is no substitute for human interaction. I can’t wait until we can get out and see our friends and neighbours. I will have some amazing sourdough bread to share with you when we do!

Lindsay Brommeland is a McCauley resident of 14 years who will try anything once.