FIVE (🖐) years later…

It’s been almost 5 years since I lasted posted here on my blog. Tho I haven’t posted here much, I’ve documented many food dishes that I just need to add to my blog and some on my Sew Chef Facebook page. Hopefully after this post, I’ll have more time to do so. This post isn’t all about food or sewing, but it’ll definitely have mentions of food! 😋

Lots have happened and now I’m in the U.S. epicenter of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (aka COVID-19 disease). Yes, I’m based in Seattle, WA where schools (for at least 6wks), museums, libraries, and many tech companies have now closed due to this pandemic. Healthcare workers working extra shifts caring for the ill. Many families struggling to find food, childcare and working remotely as possible. Neighborhoods coming together to provide help with food and/or volunteering to pick-up/deliver necessities/food for people in need. Parents looking for resources on how to home educate their children. People stockpile shopping at Costco and local groceries. It’s surreal here! But we’re surviving.

Yesterday (Thursday, 3/12/2020) was DAY ONE (1) closures of all private, public K-12 schools in King, Pierce, Snohomish counties in Washington. Since we don’t attend full time public school (homeschoolers by choice), we’re not impacted as much as others who do. Especially kids who depend on school lunches and support. I’m amazed at how our city has been quickly pulling together resources for those in need. Applause to everyone!

We started our day sleeping in, grabbing an early lunch (McDonald’s) as we needed to be at our dentist appointment. Afterwards, we stopped by our local favorite pastry shop, La Parisienne French Bakery to grab a treat. Figured we could use a pick me upper with all the chaos around town. Then we headed to the closest Asian market in town, H Mart to buy groceries for at least a week. Not trying to stockpile, but wanted to buy things I can ferment or pickle that we can keep available longer. Last two stops we made were neighborhood public library to stock up on books and a chiro appointment before heading home for dinner.

Dinner wasn’t anything special as we wanted to finish up some leftovers this week. Vietnamese braised pork belly with fried tofu puffs & bamboo shoots (thịt kho đậu hũ măng), crispy deep fried whole mackerels, marinated ginger teryiki baked chicken wings with homemade kimchi and sliced red radishes dipped in hubby’s secret sauce. Can you believe we had all these leftovers? An open schedule has allowed me much more time for cooking. 😊

After dinner we enjoyed some of our treats from the bakery and relaxed with quiet time while doing some homeschooling work.

Yesterday wasn’t much different from our usual day to day. A little less stressed from not having much of a schedule, but still weird since the city was quite empty.

I’ll try to post daily during our city’s preliminary “lockdown”. Till my next post… please stay well and continue to follow precaution of hand washing hygiene, safe social distance, and staying home if possible or illness.

How are things in your neck of the woods? Same same? Beginning to surface? Or Panic?

Photo: Homemade Bibimbap on Monday, 3/9/2020: Bulgogi (Korean marinated thinly sliced beef steak), sigeumchi-namul (Korean spinach side dish/banchan), kimchi & sunny-side up fried egg over rice topped with gochujang (Korean red chili paste sauce).

Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice bowl)