Winnipeg has a Code Red, and we locked down again until the middle of December or maybe longer during this COVID-19 pandemic. I really hope it will help to “flatten the curve” and bring down the number of COVID-19 cases. People must stay home now, which is very good, but unluckily there are lots of things that we will miss in our social lives.
We need something to do, something that can lift up our mood and bring more positive emotions while we have this difficult situation.
Here are my ideas that I am happily sharing with you.
Home activity:
Now while we are sitting at home, it is perfect time to learn something new, find a hobby and to do something interesting.
For example:
- Any art form: calligraphy, doodling, drawing, crafting, quilting, felting, knitting, embroidery, sewing, doll-making, scrap-booking, pottery, crocheting, woodworking
- Reading
- Music
- Dancing
- Photography
- Learn new skills: playing guitar, piano or other instruments, magic tricks or new language
- Online courses on Coursera, EdX or Udemy
- Blogging
- Candle or soap making
- Exercise, yoga, Pilates, weight lifting, meditation
- Model building, trains, airplanes and automobiles
- Home projects like renovations, fixing stuff or restoring your old furniture
- Table games like Monopoly, puzzles, chess, card games, crossword, Legos, bingo
- Cake decorating, baking or try new recipes
My recommendation:
Books to read:
- Erich Maria Remarque – Arch of Triumph
- Ayn Rand – Atlas Shrugged
- Arthur Hailey – The Moneychangers
- Dan Brown – Origin
- Jean-Christophe Grange – The passenger
- Stephen King – 11/22/63
Movies to watch:
- Papillion
- Unbroken
- The Gentlemen
- Knives Out
- Enola Holmes
- The Queen’s Gambit – TV show
Winter drink to try:
Gluehwein recipe
For this coming cold weather, I can recommend trying a very good hot drink. It is Gluehwein, German/Austrian winter drink. It is easy to make, and very cozy and delicious.
Ingredient:
- 1 bottle red wine (any basic bottle of dry red wine)
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 orange ( slice)
- 10 whole cloves (also you can add star anise and cardamom)
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and give them a quick stir
- Heat until the wine just barely reaches a simmer over medium-high heat. Avoid letting it bubble — you don’t want to boil off the alcohol. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise
- Serve warm in mugs, topped with your favorite garnishes.
Enjoy the drink !
SUITCASE Travel Blog 
Gluehwein….oh yes! Lots of good ideas here. No way anyone can get through all those!
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Thanks! Maybe some ideas will be helpful🙃 and depends for how long we will be home….. maybe we will need more ideas
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Great post, Angela. The Queen’s Gambit was very enjoyable. Stay healthy and safe.🙏
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Thanks Jeff! It’s well done show. I found it interesting and enjoyable. Take a care.
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Thank you! You too! 🙂
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Great ideas to keep busy while staying indoors 👍🏻
We’ve completed a lot (and I mean A LOT!) of puzzles and played many board games during our lockdown – here in South Africa we had a hard lockdown from March until August with very restricted movements. It is now much better – seems like while the rest of the world is going into lockdown, our South African government is getting more lenient and opening almost everything (weird, I know) … good luck to you guys and stay safe … maybe double up on that Gluhwein recipe 😊
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Thank you for sharing. It is very interesting to know reality not from the media. In Winnipeg we were locked down since March, in the summer everything started to open slowly, but now we are in Code Red, lots of people got sick and we have more restrictions. $1300 fine for breaking public health order and not wearing mask, we can’t buy non-essential things like clothes, kids toys, cosmetic and etc. Only food, medications and personal care. The city is empty. Insane time. Hope it will help to stop spread the virus.
Personally, I never bored with myself, I always can find things to do, but some people might have a difficult time staying home. I really hope that my simple ideas will help someone. Glad you are doing fine. Continue to be safe!
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Great ideas! Oh, I am nominating you for an award soon!
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Thank you for reading my posts and I’m very glad you like it!
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This will definitely be a holiday season to remember 🙂 Great ideas, and it is easy to get caught up in the ‘funk’ of a lockdown that can bring people down.
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This is a really much needed post. Although there’s so much to do, and I am really grateful to be safe inside…it can take a mental toll sometimes. (I feel spoilt for saying this😂)
All the “dancing” and photography you reminded me of, is boosting me a little :))))💕
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Glad I’m inspiring you a little. It is difficult time for everyone, but we can try to turn a “bad” time to “good” time. To tell you truth, it is good break for me, I stoped to rush, i think about myself more and what I want to do and I learn new skills. The most important is not to get sick right now because hospitals are full, so it is better to stay home. Be strong and be safe. Thanks for visiting my blog!
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The books and movies are very intersting choices
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Thanks! I really like them and they are well done. I like good quality.
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They are indeed practical but can also be fun if you want to! Lockdown must not hold you back to do things that are practical, but you need to spice it up or else it’ll get boring pretty fast.
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Practical ideas plus imagination will be perfect to have a fun.
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