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Coffee Talk 03.22.20

Coffee Talk + My Daily Looks

Well, friends. I don’t quite know how to start this post. What a week…

I don’t want the theme of my 2020 Coffee Talks to be coronavirus coverage, but I also can’t ignore the dark cloud that’s hanging over the world right now.

How about this? I’ll share what things look like in my neck of the woods at the moment, and then we’ll move on to lighter topics and some of the questions I’ve been getting lately.

I’ll divide things up with headings so you can skip over any part that doesn’t interest you.

Coronovirus Diaries

As of 8PM last night, we had 371 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Pennsylvania, 85 in the city of Philadelphia, and 1,327 in New Jersey.

So far, there have only been 2 deaths in PA, but of course this virus takes a while to run its course, so that number will start to multiply quickly over the next few days and weeks.

On Thursday, our governor ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close their physical locations, with enforcement actions against businesses beginning on Saturday,  March 21st.

Parks are closed indefinitely, restaurants are only allowed to remain open for takeout and delivery, and only “life-sustaining” business may remain open. That includes grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, and stores like Target, Walmart, Lowe’s, and Home Depot.

The governor of New Jersey, our sister state just over the Delaware River from Philly, signed an executive order yesterday mandating residents to stay at home. He also canceled all gatherings until further notice — including weddings, in-person services, or even parties. I try to keep an eye on how the situation is unfolding in Jersey because I know we’re next.

For our family, life hasn’t changed much in the past week. We were already taking the governor’s recommendations seriously last weekend, although I was still allowing each of the girls to visit one friend, and we did get together with friends (outside only) one evening.

We put a kibosh on all that at the beginning of this week, and we’ve been pretty much living in isolation ever since. Fortunately, our home is a pretty nice place to be isolated!

My college-age son has had a 2-week spring break, while his professors prepare to teach the rest of the semester remotely. His classes start up again tomorrow, so he will suddenly have a lot less free time on his hands. He misses apartment life, but he’ll stay here for the foreseeable future.

My older daughter is a junior in high school, and she already schools at home through a public cyber charter school, so this hasn’t affected her much at all. In fact, she’s living her best life. Her quarter was extended for a couple of weeks, so she’s had more time to cook and bake and do my nails… haha! Teenage girls sure are handy to have around.

My younger daughter is in the 8th grade at our public middle school, and she misses school, her friends, and her teachers dreadfully. She’s been getting optional assignments from her teachers since Wednesday, so that has helped her keep busy, but she’s still bored out of her mind.

I’ve warned her that she may not go back to school at all this year, and that was not well received. Like so many kids, she’s missing out on so much she was looking forward to.

Paul’s job is I.T. and information security, so he’s able to work from home, although that has been a bit of an adjustment for all of us.

Our house is very open, and there’s not a door to the basement, where he has set up a makeshift office. He spends most of his days on conferences calls, and he has a booming voice, so that can be distracting. I’m just trying to be thankful he has a job that doesn’t require him to be subjected to COVID germs on a daily basis.

As for me, I’ve been working more hours than ever.

My job is never done, so I’ve been filling my days with work and the occasional walk around our neighborhood or over to a nearby park (although that has officially been shut down.)

I’ve definitely seen a decrease in affiliate sales over the past week or so, although the Nordstrom sale gave me a little boost, which was nice. A few brands have asked to hold off on the sponsored posts we had scheduled, but some are going ahead with them.

I do fear I won’t be getting as many contracts in the coming months, while we see how hard this is going to hit the economy, but at this point, we just have to wait and see.

If you’re curious how I make an income with this blog, you can read this post: How Do You Make Money On Your Blog?

And if you want to know how you can support your favorite bloggers during this uncertain time, I also wrote a post about Ways You Can Support Your Favorite Bloggers. (HINT: Most do NOT require shopping!)

Blogs are small businesses just like family owned restaurants, local boutiques, flower shops, etc. This blog does help support our family, and I truly value and appreciate your support.

Also, I’d appreciate you keeping my dad in your prayers. He’s retired, but he drives a bloodmobile for the Red Cross to stay busy. That requires him to go in and out of hospitals, and I worry about him contracting Coronavirus.

I FaceTimed with him yesterday, and he was in good spirits. He likes his job and doesn’t want to quit, and of course, someone needs to do it, but I do worry because of his age.

Meanwhile, we are trying to keep our spirits up by enjoying the little things. The other night, C treated R and me to a gel manicure. (She got all the supplies for Christmas.) That was a fun time to bond.

Paul and R have been having daily backgammon tournaments, and we’ve all been getting outside together a lot more. We’re trying to make the best of it!

Okay, let’s move on to lighter topics…

IF UPDATE

I’ve been asked how intermittent fasting (IF) is going since being homebound. I’m actually so thankful I started IF a few months ago because there’s no doubt, it is helping me keep my weight in check during this extended time at home.

With Paul and the kids around more, there is constantly food being prepared and offered, and there’s something about knowing it is not my time to eat yet that helps me be able to decline politely and walk away. It’s a mental thing.

Think about it this way. When you’re on a diet, you are constantly making decisions — what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat… you don’t realize how exhausting that is and how it wears you down until you eliminate all of those decisions from your daily life. Decision fatigue is a thing!

It’s not that I don’t want to eat, or that I don’t ever get hungry, but if it’s not my time yet, I just fill a glass of water or make another cup of coffee and go back to my desk. Once I get busy working on something, I forget about the food for a while.

Of course, I’m fortunate that my kids are old enough to cook for themselves. I don’t have to make food that I can’t eat, and we don’t sit down to any meals as a family except for dinner, so I never have to sit and drink coffee or water while everyone else is eating. I hear intermittent fasters talk about doing that, and I always think that I’d hate that. So the IF lifestyle works really well for our family schedule and eating habits.

I’m a full three months in (starting week 13), and not only do I look different, I’m starting to feel different. Areas where I used to have extra fluff that I could feel as I moved around are suddenly gone, and my clothes continue to fit better.

I know this is such a vain topic considering everything happening in the world right now, but we women know how much our weight affects our mental state. I think I would feel a lot more depressed and hopeless right now if I was also putting on weight.

I’m also hoping that intermittent fasting is making me healthier and better able to fight this virus if I do come on contact with it. There are studies that suggest IF can help strengthen the immune system. No one really knows for sure, but I’m certain it can’t hurt.

At the very least, I’m eating less sugar and simple carbohydrates, which definitely can deplete one’s immune system.

All that to say, I’m still going strong and very happy with how I look and feel as a result of intermittent fasting.

Kitchen Update

This post is getting long, so I’ll keep this part brief.

My kitchen is pretty much done, although the wine rack has a big area where the paint was pulled off when the guys installed it. The painters were going to come back and fix it, but they were traveling last week, so I don’t really want them in here after that. Maybe Paul can work on it because I have no idea when this lockdown will end.

The carpenter needs to finish installing my soft-close hinge and drawer pulls, and I’m still waiting to get the working vent hood, but at least I have one in place for looks.

I’m so very thankful we had the most important parts finished before life as we know it came to an abrupt halt. We spend so much time in this part of the house, and having it all fresh and new really helps boost my spirits.

We were planning to start working on our powder room, but thankfully we hadn’t started that yet. That’s definitely on hold for the time being.

FB Lives

Finally, a word about Facebook Lives. I’ve been asked multiple times to bring these back, and I really want to. I think this would be a great way to connect with you all during these strange times. My house is a bit of a zoo, though, with everyone at home and Paul frequently on a conference calls.

I think my best bet is to move my Lives to the morning. I used to protect those morning hours for photo shoots and bible study and appointments, but now I’m here all day, and the kids tend to be in the kitchen around 1:00 banging around, so that’s not a great time anymore.

I also don’t think I’m going to make a set time. I’d rather go Live when I’m feeling chatty, and I’m at a good stopping point with work and everything else going on around here.

All that to say, I’ll try to pop on a few times this week, sort of like I do with Insta Stories. I’ll just give you an update with what’s going on with me, answer some of the questions I get on a regular basis, and then you can chime in and ask me questions as you find me.

I’ll post the recaps to my FB Page and share the link in my newsletter the following day, so anyone who misses them can watch on replay. I’ll also try to give those in my FB Group a heads-up before going on, as well as in my Insta Story.

Okay, that’s it for me! Our church is having a virtual worship service this morning with Zoom, so I need to get off here and get ready for that.

Isn’t it crazy how this virus is affecting every area of life? I’m so glad we can still connect online.

Have a blessed Sunday, my friends! And please, stay home if you can. xoxo

Join The Conversation

102 Responses

    1. Thanks, Emily. He is fine, but of course, no one is allowed to visit now. I hope he’s too “out of it” to realize. He sleeps a lot these days. Of course, this is really hard on my mom and her siblings. They are used to visiting him often.

  1. wow. i am in no way concerned about my hair or brows or nails. we are in unchartered times. people are dying. nor am i concerned about fashion. i am concerned that myself, dh and dd stay healthy and alive. i think ill take a break from this blog.

    if more people stopped going to the salon and other places, we may not be in the place we are now. sad.

    1. Lisa,

      Perhaps you mis-read Jo-Lynne’s blog post today – and posts in the recent past. She has been saying that she HASN’T gone to those places and how concerned she’s been with how inconsistent people’s attitude and choices have been. Today she said her daughter did her nails…it’s how they’re bonding and staying isolated. If you’re suggesting that’s shallow to post about, I’m sorry to hear that. This is a very serious time, but if you can’t appreciate someone sharing how they are spending time IN ISOLATION with their family, then perhaps you should not only take a break from this blog but also take a break from all the negative posts and news. You are entitled to you opinion, but you comment came off as mid-informed and rude…and that’s not what happens here with Jo-Lynne’s followers/readers. 

      1. Thank you, Rachel. No one is ignoring what we are facing. I still want to do what makes me feel good about myself, walking, IF, coloring my hair… Whatever it takes to keep me sane and moving forward with life without endangering myself or others. I am still able to visit my mother in memory care (because she is on hospice), wearing a mask, having my temperature checked when I walk in the door, visiting only in her room.) I would not do anything to put others at risk. I love reading the blogs I follow, including this one, and I love reading everyone’s comments about how they are doing. This is the time when community (while socially distancing) is so very important.

      2. Thank you Rachel! Also, Jolynne did a semi survey and the majority of us wanted her to continue. It’s a welcome distraction from the stress we’re living under. 

    2. I think Lisa was responding to jo-Lynn when she said to run fast to the hair salon while we still can – she has taken that part down.  Thank you.  

      1. Well, that went south fast. 🙂

        This is what I get for putting a post up without editing it first. I hit publish and then went back to re-read it and edit it, and I realized I made a few comments that were unwise. While I was making my edits, Lisa responded.

        I appreciate all of your comments. I think we are all a little on edge right now. Love and hugs to all. xoxo

    3. Lisa, You come across as very self-righteous. I think you need to apologize to JoLynne for your judgemental and very negative comments. I’d suggest you go back through her blog and read what she’s posted over the past couple of weeks about the current climate we’re all living in and also read all the comments from her readers asking her to keep posting about fashion etc since it’s a bright spot in their day that they look forward to and that keeps them going in these dark times. Keep doing what you do JoLynne!

    4. Lisa, your comment was very rude. Shame on you! We have to keep on living our lives. We can’t just shut down and do nothing. Should we all just sit in our houses and stare at the walls? This is a historic time in our history and needs to be recorded through writing, art, photos, and so forth. Think of how people will come out stronger and more creative. Keep doing what you’re doing with the blog Jo-Lynne. You are being sensitive to what is happening while providing a distraction.

    5. Yes, I am Lisa also, but I’m not the rude one. Why on earth would you take the time to leave such a nasty comment?? If you want to take a break from this blog, then just do it. Go spew your nastiness on the poor souls that are stuck with you. The rest of us look forward to hearing from Jo-Lynne. Rant over.

    6. Why take a break from the blog. It’s good to have a place to go that isn’t Coronavirus news. Us women still need to talk and see fashion whether you want to buy or not. Just my thought. Jo-Lynne‘s blog is fun to read. 

  2. Hi. I was wondering what you were planning on doing about your trip to Paris?  I was going May 2nd on American Airlines. At this point flights are canceled until May 6th. 

    1. Yeah, Paris is not happening. We were supposed to fly out on May 4th. I figured we’d have to cancel when this mess started a couple weeks ago, but I haven’t heard that my flight is officially canceled yet. I know American is waiving all rescheduling fees. I need to go onto my account and cancel it. They are supposed to be applying the ticket price to a future flight?

      We are also waiting to hear back from the apartment rental company. At first, they were only going to give us 75% of our rental fee towards a future rental, but I implored them to reconsider when I heard that France is officially closing its borders. They are dealing with tons of similar requests, and my travel agent told me just to sit tight for now and wait to see what they will do. I would like to get a refund, but I doubt they’ll do that. I asked to at least allow us to use 100% of our rental fee towards a future rental.

      I would reschedule for next April or May, I guess. I’d like to think by then, life will be back to some semblance of normal, but I’ve heard 12-18 mos by some experts.

  3. Good morning, Jo-Lynne from your sister state of New Jersey! I’m also so grateful for the internet to keep us connected. Watched two different church services already, plan to take my daily walk around the neighborhood where I don’t get within 10 feet of anyone!! And I get to see many sweet dogs, of all shapes and sizes!! Your kitchen looks awesome, mine is the cleanest it’s ever been! HAHA! Have a great Sunday!

      1. Yes, high numbers in New Jersey but I have read that a high percentage of those testing positive are in North Jersey, cities closer to NYC.  I live down here in rural South Jersey.  Still need to be careful, of course. 

  4. Thank you, JL for a really good post this morning. Yes, all those things seem frivolous in the light of the virus situation, but it is important that we know we are in this together. We are human after all, and darn it, I don’t have a Caroline to do my nails, so how distressing is that? I’m off to find an online church service this morning – our little church does not do that. Have a good rest of your day and thankfully, I have hope to “see” tomorrow.

    1. I know, I am so glad she has the ability (and the tools) to do that. Not only is it nice to have pretty nails, but it’s been a chance to sit and chat for an hour or so, which we don’t often take the time to do.

  5. Great update!  Yes, we are certainly in unchartered territory.  Our teacher daughter, home indefinitely…..our other daughter who works for a bank, now working from home (not a teller, obviously, LOL) but does their payroll, which is a biggie. She’s wondering how that’s gonna to work tomorrow, with the 2 littles being home!  Hubby & I are laying low, going for ride every other day, and FaceTiming with the grands.  The plus side, there are a lot of little chores getting done, you know those things you keep putting off……we will get through this and I believe will come out better than ever. God is in control!  

  6. Well done, thank you. 🙂
    I am 2 weeks in on IF, it’s really working well for me, for the reasons you state.
    I do 18/6 most days. 4 pds lost and most importantly, I just feel better overall. I know I’d be gaining during these stressful times, if I were not on this schedule.
    Thank you for inspiring me. You stike a good balance during these troubled times. We are all in this together and struggle with our new reality.
    I enjoy following your blog! Thank you.

  7. Great to read this. I love reading your Coffee Talk.
    I am on day 62 on IF, and sometimes it is more difficult (now that I am working from home), but if I weren’t doing IF, I would be eating all the time. I love baking (my stress release), and knowing that I can eat some later is great. I am so pleased to hear your NSV! I cannot wait. I have lost some (I don’t have a lot to lose), and a few inches, but I want to lose my middle!
    So many changes with this virus: we cancelled our trip for our daughter and son-in-law’s baby shower for mid-April. This was heartbreaking (she has gone through cancer twice, so this is a miracle baby, and they will adopt their future children after this one), but we want to keep everyone safe. They live in North Carolina, and we are in New Hampshire, so unless things improve soon, we may never see her pregnant. Facetime, etc. is probably not an option, as she thinks she doesn’t look good.
    Tomorrow I start teaching foreign language on-line, and I have been working non-stop this week (Spring Break) redesigning material, learning zoom, and learning new apps for language exercises and writing them.
    I cannot wait to figure out a schedule when I can start exercising and walking more. (Tomorrow we are getting snow!) And I may need to learn how to color my hair because I am not letting it go and show that I am very gray. (My husband volunteered his help! That should be interesting!)
    Your kitchen looks wonderful! Enjoy!
    To everyone here – stay safe!

    1. Glad IF is working for you, but so sad you had to cancel your trip. The baby shower may not even happen, which is sadder still. I think we have a long row to hoe with this virus. So glad you can teach from home. Thanks for all you do! I appreciate all the teachers out there, making things work and keeping the kids engaged during these strange times.

      1. And thank you for your posts, comments, input into our lives. We have to keep our connections or we will lose our perspective, our feeling of community, and our sanity.

  8. Another great Coffee Talk!  I appreciate knowing what’s going on in your neck of the woods.  I will definitely keep your dad in my prayers.  The # of confirmed cases has gone up in middle GA.  Our county has not reported any yet nor have mandates been established for us.  The few little restaurants in our town are now take out only.  We plan on periodically ordering from them to help them survive.  We are getting our hair cut next week; my hairdresser owns the shop and does not have any other employees, so it’s easy for her to keep it good and clean.  Since I am letting my hair grow out, if she had to cancel the appointment, it won’t bother me.  Even though IF isn’t for me, I like reading how it’s working for you.  The kitchen looks great!  Boy, Caroline is definitely one talented young lady!  Have a blessed day!

    1. That sounds ideal. My hairdresser works out of a salon, and now it is officially shut down by the state. I guess Caroline will be learning how to color hair, lol! I will need her help. I’ve never done it before.

      1. I colored my hair for years!  I know that y’all will be able to do it, and you’ll see how much $$ you can save!

        1. Yeah, I was thinking, this whole coronavirus thing might change a lot of people’s habits. Maybe Caroline should be doing my nails all the time. Of course, I paid her what I would pay the salon, so…

  9. I appreciate your blog so much. It helps me to connect with others and I need that right now. Please carry on!

    On a lighter note, my husband retired recently but does consulting work from home- his booming voice on calls is not calming!! So funny to think of us in the same situation.

  10. Hello,  I’m curious about your church using zoom for church.  My husband is a pastor and we’re using FB and our website to stream our church service and I’m using Zoom for my Sunday School class.  Is your church using the audio only on Zoom so everyone can see the pastor, but not hear or see each other? 

    1. Yes, that’s how it was set up. Everyone but the pastor was muted, and my husband was kind of running things so he set it up and monitored it as it went on, so he could troubleshoot any issues.

  11. Your kitchen looks amazing!! I love all of the colors that you chose and how well everything coordinates….so pretty!!

  12. Thanks for another great coffee talk! I know there are terrible things going on, and like everyone else, have more than my share of anxiety about it. But I really appreciate you and this community as a way to think about something else. The onslaught of news and data is overwhelming and how nice to think about IF and church and if my jeans are too long! I will keep your dad on my prayer list. God bless him for his important work.

  13. I will pray for your Dad. Please pray for my husband. He’s a physician in an urgent care facility.
    Business as usual for them. Although there volume is down. I assume because patients are coming only if they absolutely have to. 

    1. I most certainly will, Joan. Are they allowed to test for COVID? I called my urgent care b/c I wanted to take Caroline in for a minor issue. I wanted to see how busy they were, and they said they can’t test for COVID so they are actually really slow right now.

  14. Yes, please keep posting.  We have been on lock down in our house for 2 weeks and gov of MO just announced a month.  I’m an elementary science specialist so trying to help teachers set up online video lessons for little people has been a learning curve for all of us.  Snowing here today but I know spring is coming and yesterday was beautiful.  Interesting that the hubbies are loud 😉  Same here — just glad we’re all safe for now.  I found it really interesting that one of your readers stood up for you in the negative comments!  AWESOME!!!  We can’t bring each other down especially now so keep building the women around you up! and  men and students!!!  Stay safe!

  15. Just for laughs…..

    Here in Ohio, the governor does a daily press conference at 2pm. Of course, it’s on all the local TV stations.  I’m starting to see social media posts suggesting a new Buckeye State tradition ….Wine with DeWine Hour, 2pm each day until further notice 😂

  16. Good Morning Jo Lynne, Always a treat to read your coffee talk and nice to read how others are coping and getting through this very tough and stressful time. Our province (NS) just issued a state of Emergency this morning. There will no longer be gatherings of more than 5 people the most strict measures in any of the provinces. Our provincial border is said to also be closing and if you are returning outside the province you too now have to self isolate. Our essential services are staying open but these new rules will apply. Our top two grocery store chains have put up plexiglass walls to protect the cashiers, and tape has been marked on the floors to encourage the 6 feet distancing. I am trying to image Costco only allowing 5 people in at a time, not sure how that’s going to work?? We have 28 cases as of today, and our province is taking this very seriously. Yesterday there were reports and pictures of hundreds of cars where people chose to gather at the parks and beaches for walks and outings, not really supporting the social distancing so now we are under a state of emergency because of these acts. Fines will be given if not followed. Our parks are now closed and anyone going in them will be charged with trespassing. Your kitchen looks great. Thanks for sharing the updated pics. Prayers for your dad and many others who are in the high risk categories as well as the younger generation who now seem to be prone to this virus as well. Take care:)

    1. Hi Karen,

      Our Costcos in AB restricted how many people were allowed in at one time. It was more than 5 people at a time but very well organized. I applaud all the Costco staff: it was a well orchestrated sight to behold. They had spacer marks between people, staff outside supervising and it was only a 15 minute wait to get into the store. Everyone was calm and respectful. No pandemonium like last week. All of our schools are closed for the year.

      1. Oh yeah that sounds very well organized. I’m expecting the same on this end although I’m not sure when I’ll venture to one. Just went this morning to our grocery store and it was on the quite side. Get in get out… No word on our schools yet. Our son is the only one left in school and he’s university so will be finishing up on line… take care and be healthy:)

      2. Hi Yelena – sitting in Calgary wondering how I am going to get my dad’s medication from Costco on Wednesday morning. I have one son in University (U of C) and he is doing studies on-line from his lap top. My other son is in Grade 11 and we are sharing the computer in the house. I am working from home during the day and he does “night” school, as his school is posting work on line to keep him caught up. (Catholic school). He has a test Wednesday morning, so I will take the morning off and do some chores in the house. Looks like most people in Alberta are staying home so that is good.

  17. Jo-Lynne – Thank you for your posts. I enjoy reading them and it is a good distraction from everything going on in the world. It is a good balance.  I am glad you and the family are all well. We are too. Keep safe and healthy.

  18. Jolynne.   I have enjoyed reading your blog as a distraction to everything going on at this time.    I work from home but my husband is still working at a plant that cannot be shut down.  So I am cleaning constantly.    I would love to read how you handle the hair coloring.    I haven’t done it myself either and want to avoid making a mess of my hair.    😀

  19. Thanks for posting!  It is good to be able to stay connected.  I’ll be praying for your dad.  And for you family.  My husband already works from home and uses a spare bedroom for his office and thankfully it has a door!  Take care and stay safe.

  20. As many of us now start to work from home, joining conference calls, and for me, teaching from home, can you give us ideas on what to wear? Do colors matter? Do you wear we wear jewelry? Can you recommend outfits? 

    For me, I’m live for 3 hours with my students and mostly sitting but I still want to be stylish. I’m hoping for some sense of sanity and routine. I’m finding out how much my life revolved around the routine of what I wore, and how getting dressed and looking/feeling good helped my mood. I’d love outfit ideas! 

  21. Thanks for your post. It helps knowing we are in this together and hear whats happening with others in their part of the world. Its nice to have a bit of normalcy to escape to. Praying for your Grandpa and the elderly. I agree that we could be enduring this for 18+ months: until a vaccine or antibody treatment is available. We could have more than one wave of this virus. Taiwan seems to have figured out what to do and did it fast in January. The rest of us were in denial. We could learn a lot from them. My province of Alberta is under state of emergency. Waiting for our Prime Minister to declare a state of emergency and enact the War Measures Act in Canada. Its a matter of time.
    If any of you ladies are looking for at home hair dye: Garnier’s Olia brand is terrific: no dripping, no gross ammonia smell, no mess. I keep telling myself, “Stay calm and carry on” as the British did in WWII during the Blitz.

    1. Thank you for the suggestion about hair dye. It is on amazon. I will ask my hair stylist for advice on which color for me. I am not going to let me hair go natural and gray. It works so beautifully for some people, and I wish it would for me, but no.

    2. Thanks for the recommendation. I was thinking of asking my stylist for advice. I’m friends with her on FB so I may reach out soon. I’m okay for a few more weeks.

  22. How do you do the IF? Do you take any supplements? I feel like I’ve gained ten pounds on this first week of staying home so any advice will be greatly appreciated!

  23. Thankful for your updates. I am 1 month into IF, thanks to your post about it. Who knew??  My biggest hurdle was cooking bacon yesterday outside my window. Ugh!  It was so hard, but I didn’t eat any. Love your kitchen, and thankful your family is safe and well ❤️

  24. Thank you for keeping your posts regular. It is wonderful and calming to know that not everything has changed. We need you! Your kitchen looks incredible and I hope it gives you as much pleasure as mine does. I had my kitchen redone 4 years ago and at least once a week I stop to think how much I love my kitchen. Stay healthy everyone!

  25. I enjoyed your post so much this morning. Thank you. I appreciate reading both your posts and the comments about how people are adjusting and coping with our current situation, but I also love coming to your blog in the mornings and getting a break from all the COVID-19 talk. Thank you for continuing to post, and it feels like you’ve found a good balance between addressing how you and your family are adapting to our current situation, while also giving us a break in the form of fashion (loved the sneaker review!) and your beautiful new kitchen. 🙂 Thank you so much!

  26. I will be keeping your dad in my prayers. I live in NJ and my daughter is an ER nurse in a very busy hospital in Jersey City. I’m scared for her and all of our healthcare workers and first responders. Protective gear is running low and being rationed and that’s not safe for the workers or the patients. My prayer is that all of these efforts that are being put in place will slow down how fast the virus spreads. Time will tell. 
    I appreciate your post and updates. It’s good to have a little normalcy during a stressful time. Blessings and health to you and your family. 

  27. Your kitchen looks great!

    Sad that you cannot go to parks while keeping social distance. That has kept me going. I live in Iowa. It’s still cold ☹

    Thanks for continuing to post. I like the routine and I dont thinks its frivolous to maintain routine. It helps us all cope.

    1. I know, I hate that they have to close down the parks. But they are getting crowded at times, and then there’s all the equipment and the germs that can hang around on that. So I think it was necessary, but still a shame.

  28. Your kitchen looks great. I have been contemplating painting our kitchen next year. Are you happy with the results and what is a ballpark price for this kind of service? I have no idea what the cost is. Just want to know your thoughts now that it’s done. Thanks 

    1. Hey Kathleen, I’m very happy with the results! The price varies widely depending on the size of the kitchen, and probably the area in which you live. Mine was around $5k. I consulted two different painters, and both recommended the same method — painting the boxes on site with small rollers and brushes when needed, and then taking the doors and drawer fronts off-site to spray them. The results look very good. I do have a few little knicks from the work the guys did afterwards, but they left me with a touchup kit and a tiny artist brush and instructions on how to touch them up. They’re actually going to come at some point and do those, along with the front of the wine rack, and after that Paul and I will keep up with it.

  29. We all need to try and carry on with compassion during this stressful time. No one knows when or how things will be better, but I think we can be sure, nothing will ever be “the same”. I am choosing to remain optimistic that the world will be a better place; having gone through this tragic time together.
    On another note, your kitchen is gorgeous! Can you tell us what colors your cabinets are painted?

  30. Hi Jo-lynne! Love your kitchen. Quick question about supporting your blog. Let’s say you show a pair a cute shoes then months later I happen to see them for a great price and decide to buy them but it is a different store from what you linked in your post. Is there a way to still give you credit?

    1. No, not unless you use one of my links to that retailer. I have a list of the popular ones on my sidebar. There are tracking codes attached to each link, and that’s how they know when people shop through my links. That’s why my links always start with shopstyle and go through that to the retailer. I hope that makes sense. 🙂

  31. Hi Jo-Lynne- thanks for a lovely, newsy coffee talk. I loved the pictures; kitchen looks great! My sister and I (Tx panhandle) joined my 2 Louisiana daughters for the livestream of Mass this morning from her church (one I’ve been to every time I visit). It was almost like going to church together! Prayers for your dad; my youngest daughter is at work today as a critical care nurse at a large teaching hospital. What heroes we have among us! Please keep your wonderful posts coming!

  32. The kitchen looks great! Now you just need to fill up that wine rack! Haha! Thanks for sharing your story today and blessings to you and your family. Stay healthy!

    1. Ha! So funny story – I went out on Friday morning, after they shut down our neighboring county, to the wine store b/c my wine rack was empty. I bought a case, and I felt so silly, like it looked like I was stocking up for the pandemic. I told the guy at the register I had a new wine rack I needed to fill. I’m sure he was like, Whatever, lady! Like I needed to explain buying a case. I’m sure that is not rare, but I usually get only 5 or 6 at a time, and I felt ridiculous.

  33. Your kitchen looks great!

    Thanks for the info on IF. I was doing 5:2 and now am going to try your method. The black coffee without half-n-half will be hard, but a good quality coffee should help with that.

    I bought a few things from Soma using your link. I’m happy with my stuff, only need to return one item. I’m trying to support my favorite bloggers!!

  34. Thank you for the post today. I have family in PA so I appreciate the update on how the state is handling this situation. I am in Houston TX. I have to say the picture of you in a tank top and 78 degrees made me chuckle. We have had some recent rain and what is expected to be our last cool front – it is 75 degrees here and I am in long sleeve t and jeans – i was thinking possibly my last day this year to wear this combo!!! Haha!

    For any members of this blog that do not appreciate the content of Jo-Lynne’s posts right now – just delete the email until this ends and you are ready to focus on fashion and girl talk. No need to tell anyone. Let’s try to keep comments positive.

    1. Haha, I was so excited to get some sun! Everything’s relative, I guess.

      And yes, for real. If my blog is no longer for you, feel free to move along. No need to make a grand exit. 😉

  35. Thanks for the update!  I like hearing how things are going in other parts of the country from someone other than news media. Although it may not always be good news, I feel like it’s not skewed at least.  It sounds as if your area has been hit pretty hard with the virus. I think it’s just getting started in KY but the governor has mandated many closures, and has been for the past couple of weeks. I work in the Finance department of a manufacturing facility. We are still open but all non-essential employees are working from home or rotating. Our department is currently rotational so tomorrow and Tuesday, I will be working from home (unless something changes).  The county where we are located has had two confirmed cases this weekend, so I’m sure there will be more to follow. 😕  I know things aren’t normal right now but I think keeping a semblance of normalcy is imperative to our sanity so a big THANK YOU for your continued posts.  I still enjoy all the same things so I look forward to your posts, and others, just like always.  I’m sorry there are those who feel they need to be so negative but it is what is, I guess. Although none of us know what tomorrow holds, we really didn’t anyway, right? Lol. For now, when we aren’t working, I am doing some spring cleaning (still haven’t tackled my closet 😳) and I think I mentioned to you before, that we are finishing our basement so my honey is working on that.  We just have to take it one day at a time and do the best we can.   🙂 I will add your dad to my prayers. And your mom too…..I’m sure it’s difficult for her to not be able to visit your grandpa. 😕. Take care in PA and I look forward to your next post! 

  36. Your kitchen looks great.  I just want to say I think you have done an amazing job balancing the situation we are in with the blog!  I really don’t think concentrating on the situation 24/7 would be healthy for any of us! I’m sure each one of us know that there are more important things than fashion, beauty etc., but that is true each and every day, not just during a pandemic. But I personally welcome the daily distraction and try to keep things somewhat normal.  You keep doing what you feel led to do.  Your loyal followers already know your heart!

  37. Oouuf. Girl. Some days you just can’t win, eh? Keep on keepin’ on. Checking in with blogs and staying focused on IF is literally the only thing making sense of my days. Raising a glass of wine to you in my window tonight.

  38. Good afternoon from OH. I have to agree with these women. I’m trying to maintain as much normalcy in my life that I can and reading your column gives me great pleasure each day. When you post different outfits, I make mental notes as to what I’ll be doing very soon (I hope) and wearing something similar (I love planning). My neighbor friends and I have laughed ourselves silly talking about coloring our own hair (yikes, scares me to death). Nails and toes I can handle. But above all else, trying to be positive, this “quiet” period may be what we all need….. to reflect, realize what is really important in life and I already feel like we are all coming closer together spiritually. It will all be good.

  39. So you mentioned not having as many sponsored posts lined up, which is understandable since so many retailers are currently closed.  Although I’m sure many people are still shopping online, I’m sure a lot aren’t due to financial concerns related to all this.  Maybe this would be a good time to do some “how-to” type posts?  Outfit formulas, one item two ways, winter to spring transition, etc?  Thanks for continuing to post, I think we all need a fun distraction!  Stay safe! 

  40. I always look forward to coffee talk. And I enjoyed it! Just got done reading “DDD”. Thanks for recommending. Also, trimmed a little length from 3 pair of jeans that just never felt right. Game changer!

  41. Thank you Jo-Lynne for your blog and your coffee talks! Your kitchen looks amazing! I look forward to hearing how you and others are coping, and there is fashion at the end of the tunnel! We all want to look great when we get back to our normal activities! 
    Keep up the great work! 

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