Loved reading this. Such great (albeit bizarre) memories of the weirdest time ever.
I didn't mind the pandemic time off. I didn't have a magical place like CR to be but I loved the home I lived in at the time. We got pretty good relief money from our govt and I got decent severance for the layoff lol. So I went and adopted a puppy and enjoyed my life for months!
Thanks Kristi! Always appreciate you reading! I didn’t stay in CR the whole time (more to come on that!) but it was glorious while it lasted, and when we came back to the US, I agree, it’s great to love where you are when you have to be ‘stuck’ somewhere! In retrospect, pandemic for many was a time of pause…
My mouth was watering over the plate of your homemade bagels, when I was reading along, and then I got to the next photo of you by the pool, and of course, my brain sees the "bagel in the sky" cloud shape (partially eaten), and I think; perhaps this is a sign that I should go out and get a bagel.
This all sounds movie-like; so unreal, kind of mystical/magical; a quiet, lush, gorgeous place with the natural surroundings, incredible food, the opportunity to try out new recipes, all in a sort of stop motion sort of situation, not knowing when the world would start "spinning" again. You make it seem luxurious, from a distance of safety, from 5 years in the future, when I'm sure it was significantly more terrifying. That's the beauty of looking back.
We were all doing different things, yet all sort of stopped, in a way. It's fascinating to look back now, from a place of safety, and learn what everyone was doing back then, in a variety of circumstances.
Thanks Joy! haha, I also now see the cloud bagel. 🥯
I agree, writing about it 5 years later seems unbelievable. Sometimes I'd feel guilty living 'stuck' there when we had it sooo good, while others were suffering incredibly. I think everyone had their own amount of suffering during this time, but it's how we chose to live it then and how we can see it now-and maybe it's gifts.
It actually sounds 'delightful.' I mean, maybe a little Twilight Zone (haha) - b/c no one else was going to be around for a long time. But really Marlo, you guys were stuck in kind of the ideal place!! I love that you figured out how to use your time, get into it, cooked and baked, Mark bird'd, you did Zoom yoga. Love it. The fine art of doing nothing, il far niente, as they say in Italy.
Thanks Jeanine! It was a little spooky because we were so remote to begin with, and then with no one around, even more so-which I'll cover in an upcoming post. We were very fortunate for sure and I was a little torn not being near family but grateful for where we were 'stuck'! This whole Costa Rican adventure for me was learning how really to 'do nothing', or do less than what I thought was expected of me. I learned how to be by myself a lot and how to be ok with that (which I hadn't been before).
I do know what you mean, Marlo. We are so programmed to do so much, and the winding down can be — weird. I went through that too, and slowly it just all shifts. Paul calls it learning how ‘to stare.’ His version of meditation I guess. But he did get to be a pro.
You get the prize for the best COVID quarantine experience ever! Yes, we were stuck inside here in the COLD miserable month of March and beyond, while you were living your best life. Shame on you Marlo and Mark Leaman!
Yes, it was a very strange and crazy time to experience. My husband and I decided to push up our wedding date which was to be in June of that year and we got married towards the end of March 2020 with the fewest people in attendance to safeguard everyone. We sequestered ourselves for about 3 months which wasn't half bad being newly married and then took our honeymoon about 6 months later on a self-driving houseboat on the Erie Canal. We had almost zero contact with anyone. By the way, your bagels looked great and that smoothie you described -- yum!
2020 is not what anyone expected, but I’m sure your wedding, honeymoon and 1-1 quarantine with your new husband was great nonetheless! The bagels were a labor of love - but excellent! Thanks Nancy!
Loved reading this. Such great (albeit bizarre) memories of the weirdest time ever.
I didn't mind the pandemic time off. I didn't have a magical place like CR to be but I loved the home I lived in at the time. We got pretty good relief money from our govt and I got decent severance for the layoff lol. So I went and adopted a puppy and enjoyed my life for months!
Thanks Kristi! Always appreciate you reading! I didn’t stay in CR the whole time (more to come on that!) but it was glorious while it lasted, and when we came back to the US, I agree, it’s great to love where you are when you have to be ‘stuck’ somewhere! In retrospect, pandemic for many was a time of pause…
My mouth was watering over the plate of your homemade bagels, when I was reading along, and then I got to the next photo of you by the pool, and of course, my brain sees the "bagel in the sky" cloud shape (partially eaten), and I think; perhaps this is a sign that I should go out and get a bagel.
This all sounds movie-like; so unreal, kind of mystical/magical; a quiet, lush, gorgeous place with the natural surroundings, incredible food, the opportunity to try out new recipes, all in a sort of stop motion sort of situation, not knowing when the world would start "spinning" again. You make it seem luxurious, from a distance of safety, from 5 years in the future, when I'm sure it was significantly more terrifying. That's the beauty of looking back.
We were all doing different things, yet all sort of stopped, in a way. It's fascinating to look back now, from a place of safety, and learn what everyone was doing back then, in a variety of circumstances.
Thanks Joy! haha, I also now see the cloud bagel. 🥯
I agree, writing about it 5 years later seems unbelievable. Sometimes I'd feel guilty living 'stuck' there when we had it sooo good, while others were suffering incredibly. I think everyone had their own amount of suffering during this time, but it's how we chose to live it then and how we can see it now-and maybe it's gifts.
Now, go get that bagel!
Both me and my partner just carried on working as usual.
Strangely in our small hospital it was quieter than ever 🤣
Such great photos and what an amazing location to be locked down in.
It's so weird to think you wouldn't have had the chance to experience that without the pandemic.
That time was strange yes, but we learned so much and I think it made the world slow down a little and appreciate the little things more.
It actually sounds 'delightful.' I mean, maybe a little Twilight Zone (haha) - b/c no one else was going to be around for a long time. But really Marlo, you guys were stuck in kind of the ideal place!! I love that you figured out how to use your time, get into it, cooked and baked, Mark bird'd, you did Zoom yoga. Love it. The fine art of doing nothing, il far niente, as they say in Italy.
Thanks Jeanine! It was a little spooky because we were so remote to begin with, and then with no one around, even more so-which I'll cover in an upcoming post. We were very fortunate for sure and I was a little torn not being near family but grateful for where we were 'stuck'! This whole Costa Rican adventure for me was learning how really to 'do nothing', or do less than what I thought was expected of me. I learned how to be by myself a lot and how to be ok with that (which I hadn't been before).
I do know what you mean, Marlo. We are so programmed to do so much, and the winding down can be — weird. I went through that too, and slowly it just all shifts. Paul calls it learning how ‘to stare.’ His version of meditation I guess. But he did get to be a pro.
So many memories during the pandemic of how we learned and relearned to cope--and you abroad without guest, but with fresh air and food--how fresh!!
Thanks Jill! The world certainly did learn how to cope through those long months! We had it pretty good relatively!
You get the prize for the best COVID quarantine experience ever! Yes, we were stuck inside here in the COLD miserable month of March and beyond, while you were living your best life. Shame on you Marlo and Mark Leaman!
Haha, it was only temporary....we had to return to US after a while...more to come! But yes, those 1st months were unbelievable!
Yes, it was a very strange and crazy time to experience. My husband and I decided to push up our wedding date which was to be in June of that year and we got married towards the end of March 2020 with the fewest people in attendance to safeguard everyone. We sequestered ourselves for about 3 months which wasn't half bad being newly married and then took our honeymoon about 6 months later on a self-driving houseboat on the Erie Canal. We had almost zero contact with anyone. By the way, your bagels looked great and that smoothie you described -- yum!
2020 is not what anyone expected, but I’m sure your wedding, honeymoon and 1-1 quarantine with your new husband was great nonetheless! The bagels were a labor of love - but excellent! Thanks Nancy!