Self-Isolation Chronicles: Life After Four Weeks at Home

As of yesterday, I’ve officially been self-isolating for four weeks. I’ve left the house a total of two times - both quick trips to get groceries. Here’s a little background for you: my mum and I share an apartment. She’s retired (she’ll be 80 in a couple of weeks, which puts her in one of the most susceptible age groups for Covid-19) and I work from home. We don’t have a car so we normally travel by bus. Our city’s bus system is decent; it has its issues and annoyances like any other mode of public transit, but it gets us where we need to go. It can be difficult hauling groceries home, but we’ve been doing it for a long time. Near the beginning of March, I saw a lot of my friends in the UK talking about how bad things were getting there. The virus was spreading and so was the panic. People were emptying shelves of food and, of course, toilet paper. Will we ever get over the whole toilet paper thing? It honestly boggles my mind and I’m still hearing people say it’s scarce in a lot of places. Anyway, seeing this on a daily basis made me realize it was only a matter of time before the same thing happened here. My mum and I decided to make as many trips as necessary to get stocked up on supplies so we could avoid taking the bus if things got really bad. We made a total of three trips in the first two weeks of March, with the last one being Friday the 13th. By then, the panic was spreading here and people were beginning to stockpile. I had seen pictures and videos online and on TV of crowds of shoppers and empty shelves, but it was incredibly sobering to see it in person. I was grateful I’d had the foresight to start stocking up the week before because I knew that Friday would be our last trip before going into isolation. I want to note that while we stocked up on essentials, we didn’t stockpile; not only is there only so much the two of us can carry home on the bus, there's are also only so much storage in our two-bedroom apartment. For the first week and a bit, I was in a near-constant anxiety spiral. I pretty much lived on Twitter, reading news from around the world and stories of how people were coping - or not coping. I quickly learned I was far from alone in my inability to concentrate on anything. The countless other creatives who said they were unable to focus on work made me feel marginally better. I wanted to get off Twitter and do something - anything - and yet I’d get stuck in a loop and suddenly huge chunks of time had gone by and I couldn’t account for any of it. Reading the news was upsetting and heartbreaking, and left me feeling like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. Between my anxiety and my empathic nature, it was all so overwhelming. Add to that the fact I wasn’t writing or doing anything work-related, and I was a wreck.

The view from my balcony. Wishing on all the stars these days.

It took me about two weeks to wean myself off Twitter. Now I’m on it about as much as I was pre-pandemic. I still haven’t done much writing, but I’m back to reading, which is a huge relief because it’s a great escape. One of the weirdest things about this whole situation is that in the grand scheme of things, my life isn’t that much different now than it usually is. I work from home and I don’t have much of a social life. The only people I typically see regularly (besides my mum, of course) are my brother and my youngest nephew and niece (who I'm currently missing like crazy; their absence is one of the hardest parts of all this). The majority of my friends are online and are scattered all over the world, and my best friend lives out of town so I’m used to not seeing her for months at a time. And yet everything feels different. I think it’s the uncertainty and the fear; not knowing how long we’ll be in isolation, and also being afraid of somehow catching the virus or someone we know and love getting sick. It’s knowing this has affected the entire world, and so many are suffering.
I’m ever hopeful I’ll be able to get back to writing regularly, but I’m slowly learning not to be so hard on myself. I keep seeing people saying ‘this is not normal working from home, this is working from home during a pandemic - it’s not the same’. The thing is, my anxiety often manifests as guilt, and I was feeling a lot of guilt those first couple of weeks. I constantly felt like I should be doing something productive and using this time wisely, but it just wasn’t happening. I told so many other people not to be too hard on themselves, but found it difficult to extend that same compassion to myself. I’m slowly getting better at it. Now I’m concentrating on the things that bring me joy and provide a distraction. Some of them make me feel productive and others don’t - both are valid. The two routines I’ve managed to maintain through all of this are my daily French lesson on Duolingo and my daily step goal. What’s helped with that last one is having an ongoing weekday competition on Fitbit with my best friend and her siblings, in-laws, and a couple of friends. We started around the beginning of the year and have kept it up every week. We've all been doing fewer steps the last two weeks, but we’re still going, and I know for me it’s a huge motivator because it keeps me accountable. I’ve been cooking a lot lately. I’ve always been the main cook in my home and I swing between loving it and doing it out of necessity. I’d lost a lot of interest in it before all this, but since being isolated, my passion has been rekindled. One night my mum pointed out it was likely because I had more time, and I realized she was right; I’d normally work all day, stop to cook and eat, then often go back to work for a bit. It was a chore. Now it’s nothing for me to spend up to an hour in the kitchen every evening, and I’ve gotten back into experimenting and having fun with cooking again.

One of my favourite creations so far; click here to find out what's in it

Talking to friends has been a huge help through all this. I swear I spend half the day sending memes, pictures, and various funny things to my two closest friends. We still vent and talk about the things bothering us, but we always make sure to keep each other laughing too. I've also been chatting a lot more with people on Twitter and Instagram; it's been nice having the chance to grow closer to people I already cared about and to make some new friends too. We really are all in this together and it's important to remember that.
I'm keeping myself entertained with books, Instagram, and Schitt’s Creek. I’ve been gravitating toward the light and funny, and Schitt’s Creek is perfect for that. I guess I’d been living under a rock because I don’t remember really even hearing about the show until late last year. I started watching it a few weeks ago and it’s exactly the type of thing I need right now - hilarious, ridiculous, and heartfelt. I also absolutely love the fact it’s filmed in Canada and features almost an entirely Canadian cast. As for reading, my lack of concentration affected my reading for awhile but I’m back to it now, thank goodness. I’m all about the light and funny with books too, and I’ve been recommending tons of my favourites on bookstagram lately. I have a few blog posts with book recommendations planned too, so stay tuned for those!

How are you dealing with everything? How has life changed for you since all this began? What's been bringing you joy and keeping you sane through this?

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Celebrating Bookish Friendships on Galentine's Day: Why I Write Stories Where Female Friendships Are as Important as the Romance

Every single one of my books has some element of friendship in it, but my last four books have had themes of friendship that are arguably as important as the story’s romance. Mistletoe Kiss, Only You, and Maybe You are interconnected standalones featuring a group of friends; it was so much fun to write about Bridget, Ivy, Meredith, Celia, and Piper. When I wrote Mistletoe Kiss, I expected it to be a standalone - a sweet, super fluffy Christmas novella to get people in the holiday spirit. I can’t remember at what point Bridget’s best friend Ivy appeared in my mind, but she kind of took over and became a bigger part of the story than I anticipated. I had countless readers tell me they wanted a best friend like Ivy...and they also wanted more of Ivy.  

And so Only You was born. With this being a full-length novel, I got to play around with the friendships a bit more. You get to see more of Bridget and Ivy, but you also get to experience a budding new friendship between Ivy and Meredith. I worked hard to make the friendships realistic and relatable; Bridget and Ivy were still best friends, but things were changing between them as Bridget became busier with her promotion at work, plus a lot of her free time was spent with her new boyfriend. I’ve gone through this myself and I have many friends who have experienced it too. Even when you’re happy for your friend, it can be hard not to feel like you’re being left behind or even forgotten. I think a lot of people assume that as you get older you’ve finished ‘growing up’, but part of the human experience is dealing with growing pains and learning hard lessons, no matter how old you get. It’s also difficult to make new friends the older you get, as Ivy points out when she meets Meredith. 

One of the weird lessons I’ve learned since my college days is how hard it is to make friends as an adult. Other than Bridget, I haven’t made any close friends in years. Some of that is my own fault, between being an introvert and feeling fulfilled by my close bond with Bridget. The other part of it is trying to find things in others to connect with, especially since a lot of people my age are already married and starting families. Meredith seems different, though. I’m cautiously optimistic I’m in the process of making a new friend. ~ Ivy in Only You

I loved getting to play with friendships both old and new in Only You, as well as the ups and downs, misunderstandings and miscommunications, and the deep love and affection between friends.

I continued exploring friendships in Meredith’s book, Maybe You. She and Ivy became even closer, and she also befriended Bridget and another of Ivy’s friends. There’s also a platonic male-female friendship in Maybe You that I loved writing. I tend to write about ride-or-die female friendships, but I absolutely loved the relationship between Meredith and Hugh. They loved each other deeply and always had each other’s backs. I’d love to see more platonic opposite-sex friendships in books.

And finally, there’s my newest release, Hung Up on You. Julia and Dee became friends in college and have been inseparable since. Neither of them has much family, so they became each other’s family, and I loved exploring that dynamic. 

Getting Dee as a roommate was like winning the lottery; she drives me crazy sometimes and can exasperate me beyond belief, but I love her like a sister and she’s always made me feel like part of her family. ~ Julia in Hung Up on You

Dee knows how to push every last one of Julia’s buttons, and although Julia gets frustrated at times, she knows Dee does everything from a place of love. To be completely honest, Dee is the type of person who would drive me bonkers in real life - overbearing, outspoken, meddlesome - but she sure was fun to write about and I feel like she and Julia made an amazing duo.

There’s so much to explore when it comes to friendships, and I love writing about the different dynamics. I weave in things I’ve observed over the years, as well as my own friendships. This was especially true in Only You which, in a way, was like a love letter to my best friend of thirty years. A lot of our (mis)adventures, conversations, and inside jokes got worked into that book, which is why I dedicated it to her.

“Now I feel weird around him. We cleared the air last night at the bar, but when he dropped me off, we had a…I wouldn’t call it a moment, but close enough.” 

I expect her to ask me to elaborate, but she probably thinks we’re running out of time before Hugh arrives. Instead, she nods and says, “So now you’re all awkward penguin.” 

I scoff. I don’t remember the origin of the term ‘awkward penguin’, but it’s been one of our many inside jokes for years. When I start to like a guy—whether it’s a new attraction or a sudden crush on someone I’ve known for awhile—I have a tendency to become awkward. I try not to let it happen, but I can’t seem to control it. “Doesn’t apply in this case, Bridge. I only go awkward penguin on guys I have a crush on. I don’t even know Hugh.” ~ Ivy and Bridget in Only You

I think it’s safe to say I’ll always include friendships in my books. I love romantic relationships and watching characters falling in love, but there’s nothing quite like friendship. Not everyone has the opportunity to fall in love or experience grand romance like we read about in books, but friendship is something that's more universal, something most people can relate to. It's important to see all kinds of friendships reflected in books - strong ones, casual ones, online ones, forever ones, broken ones.

If you’d like to read about the fictional friends I’ve mentioned, all four of these books are available on Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, and Nook. Only You and Maybe You are currently on sale for just 99 cents each in honour of Galentine’s Day. The price will return to $2.99 on February 19th, so hurry if you want to snag these deals!  

★Buy Mistletoe Kiss (99 cents) 
★Buy Only You ( currently 99 cents, regularly $2.99) 
★Buy Maybe You ( currently 99 cents, regularly $2.99)
★Buy Hung Up on You ($2.99)

Who are some of your favourite fictional friend duos or groups?

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*Please note I'm an Amazon affiliate, and some of the links in this review are affiliate links. All income made through affiliate sales goes directly back into maintaining Ramblings of a Daydreamer. Thank you for your support!  

4 Ways I’ve Practiced Self-Care Lately

Last month, I talked about meeting up with my best friend from college who I hadn’t seen in almost ten years. My reaction to seeing her - turning into a blubbering, sobbing mess - was a wake-up call for me. So much has been going on in my life lately, and I haven’t made myself a priority. I’m constantly on the go, working ridiculous hours, adding to my never-ending to-do list, and forgetting to relax, take a few deep breaths, and just be.

Since then, I’ve started a journey to living a more mindful life. I want to live with purpose and intention instead of working myself to exhaustion day in and day out. I’ve found that when I do that - work non-stop - I don’t actually get much done. Sure, I’ll have super productive days, but my focus is split on a dozen different things at any given time and I’m doing bits of this and pieces of that, and nothing actually gets done.

I won’t lie, I’m struggling with living a slower, more mindful life. It’s hard to get out of the habit of being busy every minute, checking my phone incessantly, and constantly adding to my to-do list. But I’m working on it, and I think that’s what counts.

Here are 4 things I’ve done to practice self-care lately:

1. I’ve been rewatching old favourite movies. Movies that make me laugh, movies I can mindlessly watch because I’ve seen them so many times I practically know them by heart. Movies that make me feel good and leave me with a smile on my face.

2. I started a bullet journal. I kept seeing people on Instagram and Twitter talking about them, but didn’t pay much attention. I’ve always admired people’s fancy planners, but didn’t think I needed one for myself because I don’t have much of a social life and didn’t think I had enough to fill a planner. I finally decided to give it a try, so I bought a beautiful sketchbook with a Van Gogh painting I love on the cover (see it here), a 12-pack of PaperMate InkJoy pens, and I started my bullet journal. So far, I’ve done weekly spreads, a brain dump list, pages dedicated to gratitude, what makes me happy, goals, and my fall reading list. It’s not only a great way to get organized, it’s also a fun creative outlet, something completely different from writing, graphic design, and photography.

3. I’ve reached out to my closest friend when I needed someone to listen or needed a distraction. She’s also dealt with anxiety and depression for a long time, so it’s nice to talk to someone who understands. We talk about our problems and other serious things, but some of my favourite conversations are the ones about inconsequential things - shared interests, favourite things we have in common (lately our conversations keep drifting back to Jude Law in the movie The Holiday - can you blame us? *heart eyes*), crushes, photography, her cats, my niece and nephew, and other topics that don’t take too much brain power. We’ve also had some deep conversations that have been a balm to my soul. We’ve both taken a-typical paths in life, and it’s not always easy, but it’s comforting and a relief to have someone who not only understands, but also supports and motivates you.

4. One nice morning, I made an elaborate picnic lunch, and my mum and I went to the rose garden in the centre of our city. We kept saying all summer we were going to go, but we put it off. After holing up in my apartment like a hermit for a couple weeks, I knew I needed to be surrounded by nature, and it was the perfect way to spend a couple of hours. Side bonus: when we left and were waiting for the bus, a lady came along with the most adorable puppy, and I got to play with him for about five minutes. Yay for puppy snuggles!

Those are four things I’ve done to take care of myself lately. I’ve also been trying to spend less time on my phone (that’s not going great so far), be more physically active, and drink lots of water. I figure all these small steps will add up to a healthier, happier me.

What have you done to take care of yourself lately?

You might also like:

  ☆An Afternoon With an Old Friend and Some Thoughts on Self-Care

  ☆Pity Party: Table of One

 

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Pity Party: Table of One

Last night, my friend JK got on a plane, passport and visa in hand, and flew to London. After spending a few days there, she’ll be on her way to Wales, then Scotland, and finally Ireland, where she’ll be living for the next two years. After living in London for two years (November 2014-November 2016) on a UK visa, she always knew that, visa permitting, she’d be going to Ireland next.

If you know me well, you’ll likely know Ireland is my #1 dream destination. I’ve always wanted to go, and have even attempted to plan several trips, but something always happens and they fall through. When JK asked me last year to go with her to Ireland, I was determined to make it happen. I could stay there legally for three months without a visa, and since I can work from anywhere, it would have been ideal. I started saving immediately and planning out the things I wanted to see and do. I imagined the sweet little cottage we would stay in, my dream accommodation ever since reading Nora Robert’s Jewels of the Sun and fell in love with Jude’s house in Ardmore, Ireland. But as time went on, I had to accept the ugly truth: I wouldn’t be going to Ireland with JK.

Why? Simply put (although there’s actually nothing simple about it), the last year and a half has been hell for my family. Without getting into too many details, I’ve had a lot to deal with, a lot of responsibilities that shouldn’t be mine, and because of that, every time I’d get ahead with my savings, I’d need to use the money for something else. Not only that, but there’s no way I could leave right now; I’d feel like I was abandoning my family in their time of need. Even if I was the type of person to say ‘It’s my life, and I can’t let anyone or anything hold me back’, I know I wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy myself because I’d be worried about what was going on here.

Throw in the fact my career feels like it’s circling the drain, plus I’m stressed, overwhelmed, and overworked most of the time, and here I am throwing a fairly epic pity party. And I hate it. There’s no cake or balloons or entertainment, it’s just me inside my own head, alternately worrying and feeling sorry for myself. And feeling envious - there’s a lot of envy. I’m jealous of JK for getting to live my dream. I’m jealous she doesn’t have the responsibilities and commitments I have. I’m jealous her money is her own and she was able to save enough to go. I’m jealous of the countries she’ll see and the people she’ll meet and the experiences she’ll have while I’m stuck here, feeling like things will never change and having a hard time seeing any light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

There are other factors, too, known mostly as ‘the online comparison game’. Being online, we’re surrounded by people living fabulous lives (or at least seemingly fabulous - what you see online isn’t necessarily the whole story) and it’s hard not to be envious sometimes. I follow a lot of travel accounts on Instagram; at times I realize I’m a masochist, because seeing all those beautiful places I long to travel to makes me wistful and sometimes downright sad, depending on my mood. And yet I love looking at pictures of pretty places and getting ideas of places to go and things to do someday. Can you say 'bear for punishment'?

Another issue (there’s more?! you say) is seeing people gain massive amounts of followers, or sell thousands of books, or get sponsorships and other great opportunities while I feel stagnant in so many areas. I’ve read so many blog posts with flashy titles like ‘the must-do trick to quadrupling your Instagram following’ or ‘how I hit the bestseller list and made enough money to quit my job’ or ‘how I got eleventy billion page views in six months’ (okay, I made that one up, but you get the idea). I’ve tried many of the things people have suggested, always hopeful the newest idea will be THE ONE, and I sit and watch my numbers...do nothing. Hardly anyone reads my blog, my Instagram follower number is stuck, and don’t even get me started on my book sales. It’s hard not to get frustrated and that frustration often leads to feeling sorry for myself.

Here’s the thing about all of this: I know I’m being ridiculous. I know this is small peanuts in the grand scheme of things. I also know I have so many things to be grateful for and a lot of people have it far worse than I do. But that’s the thing about self-pity: it’s not exactly a discerning emotion. It doesn’t care that you’re smart of self-aware or have better things to do with your time than wallow over things you can’t change. But then that’s part of it too - not being able to change things and feeling powerless and hopeless. It’s a vicious cycle.

So what do I do with all these overwhelming emotions? I guess the only thing to do is just keep on keeping on. Continue to work as hard as I can, save money, hope the situation with my family improves, and believe that someday I’ll get to Ireland and that everything else will sort itself out. I saw this quote yesterday while I was working on this blog post, and it really spoke to me:

“If it doesn’t open, it’s not your door.”

I’ve always been someone who believes everything happens for a reason. I have to believe this isn’t my time to go, for whatever reason. But I refuse to give up on my dream of going to Ireland. And in the meantime, I’ll continue to work hard, focus on the areas of my life I can change (like writing and publishing more books, which will likely lead to more book sales), remember I have plenty to be thankful for, and hope that when I finally do get to travel again, it’ll be amazing.

As for online stuff, despite my masochistic tendencies when it comes to following people living the high life, I do have some advice for others who get jealous of people online: It’s important to curate your Instagram/Twitter/Facebook feed. It’s one thing to feel occasionally wistful at something someone else has, but it’s a completely different story if someone else’s life makes you feel like shit about your own. If someone’s feed makes you feel like you’re not good enough or you find yourself making constant comparisons, hit the unfollow button. It’s there for a reason. People should inspire you, not bring you down.

There are times in everyone’s life where they want what they can’t have. Everyone occasionally wants more or wishes things were different. The trick is to focus more on what you do have. What you can accomplish. I talked recently about self-care and giving yourself permission to feel your feelings. You're allowed to feel down and you're also allowed to take some time for yourself (social media breaks are especially good if online stuff is a source of your issues). Work through your feelings, find the root of the problem, and figure out what you can do to make things better. And if you want to sit at my table of one and make it a table of two, maybe we can turn this pity party into a real party. My comments and email are always open, or feel free to tweet me if you need support or encouragement.

Do you ever get in funks where you feel sorry for yourself? What do you do to get over them?

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Why I Love Romance

I am addicted to romance, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Contemporary romance. Romantic comedies. Historical romance. Paranormal romance. Give me a good love story, and I’m a happy girl.

Something I see way too often, both online and off, is people crapping on romance. It’s unbelievable to me the number of people who look down on romance readers and writers, as if we’re somehow less, deprived or depraved, uneducated, or undiscerning. It’s come to the point where many people are embarrassed to admit they read or write romance. I’ve heard stories from fellow authors who have said people automatically assume their books are ‘similar to 50 Shades of Grey’ or that they ‘write porn’. And this is if they aren’t immediately dismissed and treated like writing romance means they’re somehow not a ‘real writer’. Well, screw that. Romance readers - and writers - are some of the most intelligent, open-minded people I know.

So why do I, personally, love romance? One of the main reasons is that reality often sucks. Whether in your own life or in the greater scheme of things (like, y’know, the whole possibility of nuclear war that the world is currently dealing with), life can be difficult, stressful, sad, boring, or a million other things, and sometimes you just need an escape. Romance provides something you can count on this a topsy-turvy world: a happy ending.

Is romance full of cliches? Can be. Is it predictable? Sure. But those aren’t necessarily negative things. There can be comfort in the formula, the predictability. Besides, it’s the journey that matters. You can read a dozen second-chance or friends-to-lovers or celebrity-falls-for-normal-person romances and while they have similarities, they’re not the same (or at least they shouldn’t be). The destination may be the same, but the journey is different every time. The characters, the tone, the themes, the subplots all vary. You’ll connect with some stories and characters more than others, but each one has its merits. Each one has the potential to touch someone, heal a part of them, give them hope, or simply entertain them.

As for people who say characters are one-dimensional in romances, that probably makes me laugh most of all. Some of the greatest character growth and depth I’ve ever seen have been in romance novels. Since romances are usually character driven, it’s necessary for the characters to be complex. I love characters who are realistically flawed, characters who have obstacles and setbacks, characters who have to work for their happily ever after. There’s such a wonderful variety in romance - books that break your heart, make you laugh, make you swoon, turn you on, make you think, tug at your heartstrings. The best romance novels are capable of evoking every emotion imaginable, which is part of why I love them so much.

Here’s the thing: I refuse to be embarrassed about liking romance. No, loving romance. I love it. I pretty much require romance in the books I read, even if it’s not the main focus of the story. I love seeing people happy. I love seeing people learning and growing and thriving. I even like seeing characters struggle, because it reminds me I’m not alone. I love immersing myself in someone else’s world, especially during the times when my own world feels nearly unbearable to live in. And, I’ll be perfectly honest: As someone who’s 33 and still single, I love that hopeful feeling I get watching someone else fall in love. I need that hope; I need to believe true love is possible and that I’ll get my own happily ever after someday.   

 

Just like I refuse to be embarrassed about loving romance, I also refuse to think of romance as a guilty pleasure (in fact, can we just completely do away with the concept of 'guilty pleasures'? Like what you like and don’t feel guilty or ashamed of it). Don’t let anyone make you feel embarrassed about your reading choices. If you tell someone you read or write romance and they react with disdain or surprise or anything less than ‘Oh cool, I love romance too!’ just remember that’s a reflection on them and not you.

So come on, say it with me now: I love romance, and I don't care who knows it!

 

Why do you love romance? Have you ever felt judged for your reading choices? What are some of your favourite romances?

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A Day of Tea and Books

In the middle of this month, my friend JK had a tea party at her place. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I was the only one able to attend. Despite me being the only guest, we decided to stick with JK’s original dress code, which was a dress/skirt or nice pants, and a hat or fascinator. It was so much fun to bust out of my usual at-home work attire of leggings and a tank top and my shopping 'uniform' of jeans and a tee. I wracked my brain, and as far as I can figure, the last time I dressed up was when I was in Europe two years ago.

 

We sat outside in JK's beautiful garden (until it started to storm) and had tea and scones while listening to Ed Sheeran (a mutual fave). JK went all out with pretty china and decorations.

  

 

Since we've both been lucky enough to win signed copies of Jacquelyn Middleton’s book London Belongs to Me, and since the party had a British theme, we did a fun little photo shoot with her book for Instagram.

Love London? Want to read about a nerdy fangirl with anxiety who navigates tough situations while discovering herself, building friendships, and falling for a swoony Irishman on a red Vespa? Check out London Belongs to Me! {Amazon US - Canada // Chapters}

When the storm came and we had to take things inside, we watched Austenland (in keeping with our British theme). I hadn’t seen it, although it’s been in my Netflix queue for ages. It was pretty ridiculous and silly, but it was also hilarious and swoony and OMG JJ FEILD. I loved it.

It was a great afternoon. I’ve always wanted to go to a fancy tea party, and while it was just the two of us, it was a blast.

Want to see more? Check out my personal Instagram here, my bookstagram account here, and JK’s Instagram here.

Have you ever been to a fancy tea party or high tea in a restaurant? I wanted to do high tea when I was in London, but between the price (average of $50 Canadian with the ridiculous exchange rate at the time *cringe*) and the lack of time, we didn’t make it. Next time for sure! My dream is to have tea at either Kensington Palace or the Ritz. Might as well dream big, right?

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