So here we are in week whatever and in Berlin the shops have re-opened and France re-opens their retail next week. It is interesting to ask ourselves what has helped us get through these past few bizarre weeks. Our homes have hopefully helped with giving us some internal harmony through at least having a haven to escape to. I am so grateful to my interior place as it has all the things and people I love, including two cats. I am also aware that others don’t have this and have found themselves in difficult and sometimes life threatening situations. So if you have a lovely place to live in, look around and remember where you bought that ornament, why the sofa and bed are comfortable and how the bathroom offers some solace. There are key items that have supported the emotional and mental challenges and bewilderment and some are just a cupboard away using beautiful home decor to make it that more special.
I Like Coffee, You Like Tea
A fresh cup of morning coffee has been a ritual. As we are unable to do our monthly visit to our future French home, a croissant and coffee has become a loving reminder that we will get there eventually. It is no surprise that friends have been buying freshly ground coffee and capsules or various fragrant teas. Use that lovely tea cup or coffee cup that you save for special occasions and make it a greeting to start the day as a reminder that we are here to start again.
Drink Anyone?
If you read my posts, I am not a big drinker but I love a glass of champagne, dry wine or a cocktail that gives you a good ‘kick in the head’ – as Dean Martin sings! Get out those lovely glasses and use them. My favourite champagne is still Veuve Clicquot (translated as Widow Clicquot for Madame) with its dry notes of fruit and brioche, it is always welcome. A demi-bottle is enough. As for cocktails, I still love a St Germain martini, elderflower mixed with gin botanicals, real vermouth and a squeeze of lime shaken over ice and poured into a vintage martini glass is perfect to give you just enough of a buzz.
Chocolate and Flowers
A piece of good chocolate is always a pick me up. My favourite is still Lindt and at the moment, a dark, dusky mint chocolate is in the fridge. Other chocolates I love are Haigh’s violet creams or ‘violent screams’ as we called them as children. It is a short, sweet musky cream with a hit of dark chocolate. My husband loves their cappuccino bars for the same reason, the blend of flavour. The other joy has become the spring blossom, new daffodils that smell like old socks, the crispness of carnations and green fragrance of old vintage roses. It is all about the little things that give a sense of beauty and comfort to our current situation and I am blessed in being able to access all of it.
