Having received my 3rd “miracle” kidney, almost five years ago now, Jim and I had started out on our bucket list of travel adventures early last summer. We had purchased a new-to-us 5th wheel and began our adventures with a two months tour of the various lakes around 100 Mile House and followed by a couple of months in the fall spent visiting with family. Over the Christmas holidays we caravanned south to southern California with our daughter, son-in-law and the four grandkids travelling in their own travel trailer. After touring Disneyland, Universal Studios and Malibu beach with the kids, we meandered our way home up the beautiful West Coast, intending to continue our travels all the way north to Alaska this summer. So, what do you do when there’s a pandemic in the middle of your travel adventures? In our case, we switched gears, came home and adapt to a new reality.

Now the main part of our house is currently rented out to friends, so home is a small studio suite we had started remodeling in the back. When we arrived home in early February, there was still snow on the ground, this allowed hubby and I to work on finishing up the suite to make it livable. Luckily for us, spring was right around the corner and we were able to get outside, catch-up on the yard work, replaced a couple of gardens lost from previous renters, and we even decided to go in with our friends and get some chickens. I am very thankful we have been able to get outside and keep busy with various projects to help distract us from COVID-19 and the pandemic.  

Of course, there are moments when I think I’m losing it and stress out about our kids living across the line, what’s going on down there, and not knowing when or if I will be able to see them again, let alone hug them tight. We only go out for necessities and order groceries online for pickup for once a week. This can be a bit challenging as you’re never quite sure what will or won’t be in stock, so meal planning has become creative and flexible. We have visited the hardware store and nursery a couple of times, but I found those outings could be stressful, as everyone is struggling to maintain the unnatural two-meter social distance. I much prefer the curb-side pick-up services so many stores are now providing, although I miss the actual browsing and shopping for myself, choosing what’s in season or looks good from the shelf and planning my menu around it. Even my monthly bloodwork, which is sacrosanct for a transplant patient, was postponed for March, at the advice of clinic due the stability of my kidney and the risk of potential contracting COVID-19. Personally, as they lift the restrictions, hubby and I won’t be changing very much from our new normal. 

I always knew that pets play an important role in stress reduction and we have a 10-year-old lab/chow dog, Zeus, who travels with us everywhere we go. However, it has become an inside joke with hubby and I, if one of us starts to get a bit too stressed (usually me) we will say, “let’s go see the chickens and let them eat up all those stressful thoughts.” So, we wander out back and watch the chickens for a spell and always come away feeling better. 

Not that we ate out a lot, but we are now on week 10 of social isolation or approximately 210 meals cooked at home by me. My creativity is getting stretched. So, I thought I would share on kidneycommunitykitchen.ca my favorite sweet and savory variations of a simple crustless quiche which is great served anytime hot or cold.
Sweet Crustless Quiche
Savory Crustless Quiche