Living in Washington State, we’re required to wear masks.  Tables in restaurants are spaced 6ft apart, separated by shower curtains, and menus are disposable.  There is hand sanitizer everywhere.  But the businesses are open, and there are still people going to brunch, shopping at Nordstrom, and having a glass of wine at the local tasting room.

But earlier this week, I drove to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for an appointment, and it was like an alternate universe where the pandemic does not exist.

Bars were full.  Restaurants were full.  Sidewalks were packed with crowds forcing some pedestrians to walk in the street.  And there wasn’t a mask or a bottle of hand sanitizer to be seen anywhere.  Cases in Idaho are up 1,491%, but they don’t seem concerned.

After months of living that self-isolation life, I felt like I drove through a time warp to summer 2019.  And as much as I wish for a leisurely al fresco cocktail in a crowd of dozens of people who’ve traveled from across the country for a lake vacation, it just doesn’t feel safe right now.

As my husband keeps telling me, there’s nothing more American than looking at a global pandemic that’s killed 120,000 of your countrymen and just deciding that you’re over it.

Lululemon has having a very rare online sale.  The discounts only last for five days, so if you need tops or bras or leggings, grab them early.  I picked up a simple pair of black leggings and this fabulous tuck pullover sweatshirt.  And if you’re in search of a new gym bag, they have a bunch on deep discount.

A little bit of D.C. drama is what I need to be reading this weekend.  In Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing, a U.S. Senator and single mother is shredded by an op-ed written by an estranged childhood friend.  Her good person image is effectively decimated, and she goes on an image rehab tour that includes tackling her “regrets list.”

I’m only 20 pages in because I literally started it this morning, but it’s good so far.

Maskne has been the bane of my existence for the past month.  Painful, deep blemishes all over my chin and surrounding my nose.  Washing the masks daily didn’t help.  Creams didn’t help.  So I went on the hunt for a breathable mask that didn’t sit right on my skin.

Enter Graf & Lantz.  At $22-$29 per mask, they’re not cheap.  But they are so much more comfortable to wear for long periods than other masks I’ve tried.  You can also buy washable filters if you’re looking for a bit more protection.

Even Kyle will wear his G&L mask with minimal complaining.  So they must be good.

I bought a flat of peaches at Trader Joe’s.  They’re summery and delicious, but even eating one every day, I still have more peaches than I can consume before they rot.

Normally, I would make the Caramel Peach Upside Down Cake, which I have made approximately 100 times.  But the only thing worse than having 15 rotting peaches on the counter is to have 15 slices of cake rotting in the fridge.  So I decided these Peach Streusel Muffins might be a better fit.

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