My Perfect Weekend, Post Quarantine: Quarantine Dreamin'

   Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash

Now, over the past month or so, I’ve thought so much about what I want to do when all of this craziness is over. No more worrying, no more fear, finally being able to be in contact with humans again without trying to understand the muffled words from behind a face mask. Ah, that’s the world I miss. I hate gesturing with my hands so much and waving to let people know that I’m friendly behind my mask. (“Hello, I come in peace! Do you like my floral homemade face mask made from leftover fabric that was definitely not my first choice?”) Life is so unpredictable and scary right now, and I’m doing my best to keep my head above water, and keep my spirits up while I stay at home to keep others safe (it’s really the least we can all do!). So when I was tagged by the delightful Renata Leo over at Buffalo Sauce Everywhere to write about what my first post-quarantine weekend would be like (her original post and idea is brilliant and you should read it! Also, she is wonderful and so is her blog and you should subscribe to her!) this writing/wishing/dreaming experiment came at the perfect time, because I could use a little break to imagine what good things the future will hold, and all of the things I’ll be able to do again! Here’s what my perfect first weekend would be like, after quarantine.

*Please note that I probably wouldn’t do these all in one weekend because I am not Superwoman and scheduling with friends can be a nightmare (how are we all so busy now that we’re all adults??)- but if everything could just work out for once and I had a bottle of Felix Felicis to last me through the weekend, this is what it would be like! And also if I could control the weather and other things that a person physically cannot. I guess that’s what the Felix Felicis is for! But hopefully someday over the course of time, I can do all of these things!

Friday:

Morning: Guess what? It’s a freaking three day weekend! Which starts on Friday! Nice! An out of town friend is in town and we meet up for brunch. Now, I haven’t seen my friend in what is probably years now, and now that everything's back to normal, she can safely fly in for a visit and so we do a much needed catch up session over a delicious and yummy breakfast. I expect much laughing and gossiping and reminiscing about the past will be going on that morning, which is something I am sorely missing right now. Also, at the end I’ll give her the biggest hug because that’s what I missed the most during quarantine: giving my friends hugs. And I’m not usually a hugger!

Afternoon: Now, I’ve been reading all throughout quarantine, but I’m still going to read. Except instead of borrowing books from the library’s online resources, I’m actually going to go to the library! Physically go to the library! Meaning I get to step inside, wave hi and smile to the librarians (no face masks on us, baby!), see what new releases they have (including movies, because I’m all about saving that coin), and see what fresh, unread books are on hold just for me. I’d have just a lovely afternoon of looking at the books, people watching as they read, study, or use the computers (and with that one older gentleman who always naps in the armchair), and enjoy that soft, safe, comforting murmur and atmosphere that the library always holds. (I really miss my local library, you guys!)

Night: Friday night means it’s time to go out to dinner! Finally! I’ve missed going out to restaurants (like a kid, I still think places like Olive Garden are quite fancy and are a treat), so I’d love to take my family to an Italian restaurant in the outdoor mall close to us (which is such a stupid idea, because I live in the desert, who would build an outdoor mall in the desert? Sigh.). We binge on pasta and other yummy Italian food, and walk around the mall for a bit, just window shopping and seeing the stores all lit up and full of people, shopping like it’s Christmas. I, of course, will need to stop at Barnes & Noble to look at all of the books (and make mental notes of new releases I can check out from the library) and their Harry Potter section. And because this is my perfect weekend I just might buy myself a little HP souvenir to add to my collection! (It’s post-quarantine, treat yo self, right??) And after walking around, we stop for gelato (to go with the Italian theme) and because it’s the perfect weekend, my cookies and cream gelato does NOT trigger my IBS. Wuhoo!

Saturday:

Morning: Up somewhat early this morning, and I enjoy a leisurely breakfast while I check the news and social media on my phone. This morning will be spent walking around the park (in this scenario the weather is pleasant, not hot and gross like it is currently). Lots of other people are out walking, with kids playing on the playground (it’s not roped off anymore), people are walking dogs and running on the grass, and no one is worried about staying six feet apart. It’s utterly delightful and relaxing and refreshing, to be out in the open and not have a care in the world. Just the sun on my face, a nice cool breeze, and the perfect soundtrack of songs thumping through my earbuds as I walk. (Also, I’m not at all out of breath and am not sweating profusely)

Afternoon: I don’t know about you, but going to the movies for me is such an exciting time for me. I don’t go that often, but there’s nothing I love more than going to the theater during a hot afternoon to escape the heat, and cool off in the theater’s freezing cold A/C, and disappear into a film. I’ve missed going to the movies so much these past months (especially since I have a few theater gift cards burning a whole in my purse!), so that’s what Saturday’s afternoon activity will be! Hopefully there will be a new horror movie out that just has “ME” written all over it (supernatural with ghosts and/or demons, hopefully based on a true story, lots of scares, but an excellent story-line). People rarely go see scary movies with me, but during this perfect weekend, I’ve found a friend who’s game and we get popcorn, drinks, and snacks, and have the whole theater to ourselves so we can chat and scream during the movie and not bother a soul. Also, the movie is a modern horror masterpiece. This weekend is amazing!

Night: Now, tonight’s the night to party! During quarantine, my sister and I have been desperate to see friends and just have fun, so tonight we’ve invited all of our friends over for a get together. We’ll get pizza or make dinner (meaning my sister will make it, since I can just toast, well, toast. I’m really good at it), and have everyone bring over a different dessert or side. We’ll gab, laugh, watch funny clips off of YouTube, play games, and most likely there will be some drinking involved (for everyone else, not me, because I have the palate of a five year old and think booze tastes “yucky”). It’ll be fun to let loose, see good friends, and catch up on everything we missed while all of us were in our own little bubbles. The party will last late into the night, but not too late, since some of my friends are in relationships and have kids now, so responsibilities. But the night was a success and everyone goes home happy, full of good food, and tired from all of the fun times that were had. (But me doubly because I’m an introvert and human interaction drains me.) And also we all hug multiple times because we missed each other so much and can’t say goodbye so we do it all over and over again and I’ve missed human contact for so long- who am I??? Look what social distancing has done to me!

Sunday:

Morning: After last night’s ruckus, I think a morning of sleeping in is much needed! (I also need to recharge my introvert battery!) After a good night’s rest, I awaken to my cat being sweet and cuddly (which she usually is not. At least not when I wake up!). Breakfast is something simple and sweet like pain au chocolat (have you had the frozen kind that you bake from Trader Joe’s? They are the next best thing to fresh chocolate croissants! Also, I miss going to Trader Joe’s!) or a fresh bagel from that one bagel shop near us that supposedly gets their water from New York. I don’t know if they’re telling the truth, but their bagels are so good that I’ll believe anything they tell me!

Afternoon: My afternoon will be totally lazy! I’ll read a new book I got from the library yesterday, maybe doze off for a little bit (my cat at my feet, of course. Which in reality she does not do. Damn her for being an independent kitten!), and then later video chat with my sister, niece, and brother-in-law. My niece will entertain my family with chatter about her favorite cartoon characters at the moment (thank god she’s not obsessed with Frozen anymore. I’m ready for Elsa to head to the guillotine, to be honest. Do they have guillotines in Arendelle? Because they should!) and show off her coloring and writing skills to us (my niece is incredibly smart and I’m not just saying that because I’m her aunt. Okay, I may be biased, but she’s also super cute as well as smart. Just sayin’.) Then later I’ll play with Margot because we finally moved the TV stand to reveal all of the cat toys the cats have knocked under it. It’s a miracle!

Night: After a very relaxing day, I think I deserve to have a very relaxing self-care night! I’ll treat myself to some fancy at home skin care treatments (scrubs, masks, those under eye patches that are supposed to help with dark under circles but never do but you do them anyway because they’re cooling and feel nice). Feeling refreshed and my face nice and squeaky clean and shiny (in a good way), I’ll settle down to watch something on Netflix (you know, once I finally put my glasses back on). Just pure, utter relaxation, knowing that tomorrow may be Monday, but it won’t be another Monday stuck inside. I can go out if I want, do things, see people, interact and smile at them, and not be afraid that they could be harboring something dark and deadly that could hurt the people I love. Because that’s over with, and we’re back to normal. Well, whatever “normal” is now. I go to bed, my sheets all clean and nice, my pillow fluffy, my blankets warm, and fall asleep to the sound of pattering rain with a dash or two of thunder and lightning (yes, in my perfect weekend it is raining and while I can’t make that happen, it could be a lucky coincidence of weather! It. Could. HAPPEN!).

And that was my perfect weekend! Or how I imagine it could be, post-quarantine. Is it anything grand? No. I could have said I’d be taking a first class ticket to London and spending my time there, but I thought I’d be a tad bit more realistic. I think the thing I love about the imagining of this perfect weekend is how normal everything I do in it is. It’s not out of the ordinary, but I still have that freedom to do whatever I want. To go out or stay home, I have that choice! I can’t wait to have that choice again soon. (As I’m sure everyone else does too!)

But for now, I’m staying inside, washing my hands, and thanking all of the essential workers who are keeping our lives running by putting themselves on the front lines. I hope that one day we can all have our perfect weekend after all of this chaos, because I believe that we all truly deserve it after what we’ve all been through (but healthcare workers should all be treated to a tropical vacation, all expenses paid, in my opinion!).

Also, I would like to tag the following amazing bloggers to take part in this wonderful creative writing experiment (but only if they want to!):

Julie @ Dark Blue Journal

Meagan @ Quibbles & Scribbles

Deandra @ The Black Princess Diaries

Anne @ Rooting Branches

And if you'd like to do this wonderful tag of imagining the perfect weekend, post quarantine, feel free to do so, but remember to mention the very talented Renata Leo over at Buffalo Sauce Everywhere as the original creator of this great idea! 

Thanks for reading my perfect, yet mundane, weekend after quarantine! Thinking of all of these fun things to do was such a lift to my spirits and was sorely needed. What does your perfect weekend look like after all of this ends? What would you do, who would you see, where would you go? If I could have squeezed a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I definitely would have! (I mean, it’s a shorter flight to Florida than it is to England!) Let me know in the comments!

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