prairie girl musings

Tag: level 2

  • Ideas For a Cosy Post-Lockdown Adventure

    Ideas For a Cosy Post-Lockdown Adventure

    I don’t know about you, but I’ve been dreaming of the day I could get together with a few friends for a post-lockdown adventure. I’ve even made lists of all the activities I was looking forward to once New Zealand moved to Alert Level Two…

    Deciding where to go for our first proper outing in seven weeks was no small task. I’m always saying that I want to do more hiking (a word I use rather loosely, to be honest) instead of heading out to the nearest cafe, restaurant or friend’s house whenever I’m in the mood to socialise. 

    There are so many gorgeous walking trails scattered throughout the Canterbury region. We considered all of our favourites from Bowenvale Valley to Godley Head and even future afield to North Canterbury or Washpen Falls. I wanted to do a scenic yet relatively easy walk, so carrying a picnic basket wouldn’t pose too much of a challenge. If you know me, you know I love packing all the snacks. 

    With the weather getting cooler, we wore our favourite knits and coats and ventured out to Mount Vernon for a weekend picnic. I packed a few bottles of Zeffer’s Apple Crumble Infused Cider, a baguette, some local meats and cheeses, olives, pickles and cookies to keep us fuelled and hydrated after our walk.

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    We found the perfect clearing, just above the main track to set up camp with a blanket. Everyone who passed by commented on our lovely set-up and a few even asked if they could join in. With the sun shining, we could’ve easily sat there for hours, looking out over the city.

    Cider was my go-to drink when I first moved to New Zealand in 2009 and the industry has come a long way since then. Drinking it now, eleven years later, makes me nostalgic for my university days. Not all ciders are created equally and  Zeffer’s Apple Crumble Cider tastes just like dessert! It is a must-try during the cooler months or whenever you’re craving a treat. I had it a few times during lockdown whenever I couldn’t decide between having a drink or dessert after dinner. 

    It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon, a perfectly casual catch up with friends. After seven weeks, we had a lot to talk about. Is there anything better than a bit of activity followed by some delicious food and drink? 

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    This post is sponsored by Zeffer, but all opinions are my own.

  • My Goals For the Next Few Months

    My Goals For the Next Few Months

    It feels a bit unusual to be setting goals in a time that’s still so uncertain. With our move completely thwarted, Nick and I feel like we’ve hit pause. We had so many exciting plans for the (Northern Hemisphere) summer, which is now a blank page and I have a serious case of writer’s block.

    This lockdown period has been a complete rollercoaster for many of us. Personally, I’ve felt stuck both literally and metaphorically as we moved through the Alert Levels here in New Zealand. As an introvert and someone who works from home, I didn’t imagine it would be as difficult as it’s been. In the past few weeks, I’ve joked that I’ve moved into the ‘acceptance phase’ and have been taking steps to reset and figure out my short term goals. I know I find it helpful reading the ways others are moving forward, so here’s what I have in the works:

    01. Streamline my wardrobe
    I had a head start on this task, having listed and sold over half of my possessions on TradeMe in anticipation of our move (our house is looking especially bare at the moment!) Rather than shipping everything overseas, most of our furniture, household items and summer clothes, the ones that wouldn’t get as much wear in Canada, have now found new homes. My current wardrobe consists of a few high quality basics and special occasion pieces.

    02. Embrace a slower pace
    One of the reasons I wanted to work for myself was to establish better work/life balance and prioritise my mental and physical health. I count myself lucky to be able to work on projects I’m passionate about, but in the past, I’ve been known to say yes to work that paid the bills but didn’t fill my cup. Not having the security of a regular income, it’s easy to get carried away and never really ‘switch off’ even in the evenings and weekends. If this lockdown period has taught me anything, it’s how important down time really is, whether it’s binge watching Normal People or baking muffins in the middle of the day.

    03. More staycations and day trips
    I love a staycation and I’m hoping to continue exploring my favourite regions (North Canterbury and Akaroa) while we’re still based in Christchurch. Hanmer Springs Hot Pools plans to reopen at the end of May, so that could be a nice little getaway. We’ve stayed at a few hotels and Airbnbs in Christchurch from Crowne Plaza to the Britten Stables and will definitely book a night somewhere fun again soon!

    04. More domestic travel
    Name a place in New Zealand and Nick and I have probably been there. Nick’s parents made sure he’d visited every inch of his country and that’s something he’s shared with me. We’ve been lucky to spend countless weekends road tripping around both the North and South Island whether for work or purely out of interest. I know it sounds silly, but BC (before Covid) I felt like I had exhausted my time in New Zealand. I know we’ll make our way back to Canada eventually, but I plan on revisiting a few of my favourite New Zealand destinations and supporting businesses in the meantime.

    05. Practice French
    I definitely didn’t learn a new language during lockdown, but I have been trying to refresh my French. I grew up speaking French; all my core subjects at school were in French until grade 10, but I’m ashamed to admit my conversational skills leave much to be desired. If we end up on the East Coast of Canada, fluency in French will be useful in securing employment and it’s always handy to speak a second language.

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    So that’s the next few months in a nutshell! I don’t know what will happen in terms of our moving plans, but I know it’s important to look after each other. I hope you’re all feeling okay, too. Sending love to anyone who needs it.