Sale PSA: A chic daisy embroidered dress from The Great, now $157, a warm furry fleece from Zella, now 50% off, a pima cotton long sleeved tee (I like these for layering) from Everlane, now $16, and my favorite slippers from LL Bean, now 15% off.
PS: The Net-A-Porter sale has started (but not for the big kahuna designers yet). Some nice options though, like Stuart Weitzman ankle boots, now 40% off, a Joseph merino wool wrap, now 50% off, and a gorgeous midi dress from Nanushka, now 30% off.
How are you all doing? Is it cold where you are? Are people masked? Are you getting sick of cooking? Do you sometimes scream into the void? I personally am a yes to all questions and so decided it was time for another update:
School: We continue to be remote. Our school (kindergarten) had opened the the option to go back quite early – we had opted to stay remote through the end of 2020. It sucked (a little) because my son had to change kindergarten teachers just a few months in. And sometimes (often) there are still hiccups with virtual learning…a teacher will forget to show up and then send a video to watch later on instead. PE seems to be basically showing YouTube videos. I am worried about excessive screen time. But what can we do (besides homeschooling which I am trying to avoid)? Anyway, it looks like we may all be virtual soon. Several adjoining school districts to ours have either transitioned back to all virtual, and/or opted to be virtual through the end of the school year (as in June 2021).
Life: Is fine! We are healthy. I am feeling more optimistic for 2021 but scared for the rest of 2020. Managing time continues to be a problem in terms of work/kids/house constantly seems to need cleaning. My son looked at me the other day and informed me I look “old.”But we are fortunate to be healthy and given that we are able to work from home and stay home, we are doing that. To that end..
Social distancing: We are social distancing more. We decided last week to hunker down and not see anyone outside of my mom through Thanksgiving. For a while we had been a little more lax – we hadn’t eaten out at a restaurant yet or anything, but had been doing multiple outdoor playdates a week with certain families (always masked), having friends in the backyard for distanced dinners, etc. But now we’ve entirely stopped. It’s the hardest on the kids. In compensation I’ve broken out several toys including this giant bubble above (similar version here). We’ve had this bubble for years and were too lazy to blow it up. But finally we did it! Legos are taking over the house and I am getting into them myself. I continue to ponder this set.
Shopping: I’ve been doing MORE shopping! Pieces like my Puzzle bag, random cozy “at home” clothes, and despite my best efforts I cannot break my coat addiction. One thing I’ve been doing is buying most of my clothes larger. My measurements are pretty standard at XS but I am buying S and even M now. One of my neighbors told me the other day as I skulked out of the house that I look like Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. Ha.
How are you all doing? Are you reading for this loooonnnngg winter? What are you buying, doing, reading?
20 Comments
Sharon
November 16, 2020 at 11:12 amWe too are staying to ourselves. We are high risk (read “ old”) and not willing to relax restrictions. We go grocery shopping and pick up curbside meals…we did eat outside at restaurants, but it is too chilly now, and tents with 4 walls aren’t safe, IMHO. We usually go to my husband’s ex for Thanksgiving (modern family!), but staying home and making a turkey breast for 2. Can’t even see my grandchildren since they are both in school (both go to private schools which are open), so they drive over and we talk outside with them in the car. My granddaughter had to switch to virtual school for several weeks when a girl in her class tested positive…she is 15 and back in school after 3 weeks.
I have been getting manicures (safely)…my manicurist is a step away from bankruptcy and I feel so bad. And hair color began again…clientele is very limited and they disinfect constantly. I get color and go home to dry my hair.
We have to stay diligent!
Emily
November 16, 2020 at 12:58 pmOur kids are back to in-person preschool so we’re trying to be stricter about social distancing in all other aspects to minimize contact and potential spread. It makes me so mad when I go to the local park and see unmasked parents and kids. I posted about this in my local Facebook moms’ group with a plea for moms to mask themselves and their moms up – 99% of the moms were lovely about it, while there were 1-2 crazies that just went off on me for being the mask police. WTF. I don’t go to that park anymore. So much for the liberal left of Silicon Valley.
As for what I’m reading these days – an old friend from middle & high school is the author of this amazing book that I just finished binging two nights ago: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41197399-the-surprising-power-of-a-good-dumpling. Highly recommend!
Kat
November 17, 2020 at 10:05 pmAre we in the same Facebook group LOL. Because I’ve def. seen those sorts as well!
Emily
November 18, 2020 at 5:47 pmLol I think so, I think you posted about your book in that group. I swear I’m not a crazy stalker fan!?
Lucetta
November 16, 2020 at 1:49 pmHi Kat!
Thanks for sharing!
Over the years your blog and your honesty have given me so much indirect & useful advice.
Thank you just for being here!
Suggest you read this
Harvard Business Review Press
Emotional Intelligence
RESILIENCE
Old Brit saying
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Hang in there
Theresa
November 16, 2020 at 3:16 pmI’ve also been buying coats and in bigger sizes. Watching a lot of kdramas on Netflix and the actresses have really great style. Especially Romance is a Bonus Book. The lead wears lovely coats! I miss your blogs on movie fashion. I vote for a post on kdrama fashion please!
Minna
November 16, 2020 at 7:31 pmOh good call. I second the suggestion. K-drama fashions.
Kat
November 17, 2020 at 10:04 pmAhh okay which shows do you recmmend??
Theresa
November 18, 2020 at 6:53 pmYippee! I adore Romance is a Bonus Book on Netflix. The fashion is amazing and really inspired me to make use of oversized turtlenecks, coats, and sweatshirts with flippy skirts and boots. I still re-read your movie fashion posts – favorite is Blue Jasmine! Thank you!
A few links to images from the show
https://theklog.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Romance-is-a-bonus-book-100.jpg
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/768×768/public/d8/images/methode/2019/04/12/036718e8-5cfc-11e9-bbcc-84176f6dd1e7_image_hires_172515.jpg?itok=Zo8zVCNs&v=1555061120
https://static.stretch-angels.com/online_product/07_store/01_STRETCHLIFE/10_0320_contents_4/01-MO.jpg
Theresa
November 19, 2020 at 5:14 amDefinitely Romance is a Bonus Book on Netflix!
Rachel
December 23, 2020 at 2:27 pmThe Kdrama Temptation has great style eye candy!
Theresa
December 23, 2020 at 9:11 pmWill have to check out Temptation! The purses in Something in the Rain are great. I spotted Loewe, Valentino, Chanel, and Celine. The lead characters wears these purses with such style and ease.
Anonymous
November 16, 2020 at 5:14 pmWe are totally isolated in our home and only leave to run errands, go on short walks and pick up takeout. No in-person get togethers at all since March, including visiting our parents. My kids don’t even have the option to play outdoors…they went from zero screen time to over 8 hours per day M-F since March. Their previous outdoor time was all at school or in sports classes. But they seem to being doing all right. Thankfully they are too young to know how terrible their situation is. I am keeping the kids home at least through 2020 but probably through March 2021 realistically. Their school is opening for part-time classes but it seemed like a lot of risk and procedures to follow for a couple hours of daily instruction. Also, I didn’t want my younger kid to go through yet another transition, as he has barely started behaving in remote learning after weeks of help and strategies from a variety of resources.
Taking it one day at a time. Thankful for what we have.
I picked up a down coat from the Jill Sander – Uniqlo collab. No idea where I would wear such a coat during these times though! Probably too warm for my short walks.
Kat
November 17, 2020 at 10:04 pmAhh! I’m sorry you are going through this and any little bright thing (like a coat) is justified in this environment!
karen w
November 16, 2020 at 5:20 pmwhat a fun bubble! i would love one in my size to roll around in. miss you and sending lots of hugs.
Nvie
November 17, 2020 at 1:58 amIt’s back to online learning for my boys and work from home for me…so much effort and we’re back to almost the same situation in March. Stopped out weekly family dining out, which lasted for only 2 months! On the brighter note, we could celebrate my mom’s birthday in July, just after the the lockdown and my MIL’s birthday just before the lockdown again, early this month. Happy that we’re all healthy!
As for shopping, I’ve been hoarding watercolour paints, accumulated 3 sets, pricey ones from Daniel Smith, Schmincke and recently handmade paints! I’ve only purchased 5 linen dresses this year and plenty of Uniqlo tees to wear at home. I don’t expect to purchase anything else until my birthday month in Jan.
Hoping for an effective vaccine soon and for life to slowly get back to normal, two years more according to my boys pediatrician. Oh boy, it will be a long 2021…I hope not.
Kat
November 17, 2020 at 10:03 pmOoh I love watercolor paints! That’s a great hobby
Amy
November 18, 2020 at 6:17 amSuch a great picture of the kiddos! One to treasure.
It’s bit of a shock hearing about conditions in the US. In Singapore, life is pretty much back to normal. No one is traveling of course, and there are some grumbles about not being able to meet in groups larger than 5 during the holidays, but otherwise, everyone is out and about again (albeit mandatorily masked up). It’s actually really hard to get reservations at restaurants these days because people are spending on dining since they can’t spend on travel (and there are fewer seats than pre-Covid.)
Definitely wearing looser clothing than before though — I can’t decide if I’ve actually gained weight or my tolerance for close-fitting clothes has just completely evaporated. 🙂
Stay safe! You’re doing great!
Floralyn
November 19, 2020 at 11:44 amWorking from home, and my senior in HS son is doing virtual school and writing college apps. We’re locked down. We’ve only gone out for walks, groceries (me, usually at 7am, when very few people are out). We binge-watched The Queen’s Gambit (highly recommend – beautifully acted, filmed, gorgeous clothing, wonderful music). I have been reading a ton of science fiction and fantasy books (most recent read was Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education – finished that in less than a day – great read). Am from a midwest state with rising numbers and a lot of vaccine deniers and anti-maskers, so, we will keep our distance, wear masks, and stay vigilant.
Rachel
December 23, 2020 at 2:34 pmLove Naomi Novik! Excited to read the new book