We’re home. We’re doing the mandated social distancing. We’re thankful for our health. And we’re also working. In an effort to make home-time more fun, here’s what our Berks County Living team is up to during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine. Check it out and maybe try one of our activities out for yourself!
Robyn Jones, Publisher: On my watch list is Little Fires Everywhere, the Hulu Original Series based on the New York Times Bestseller starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. Next on my list is Taylor Swift’s documentary Miss Americana. I’ve also been trying to get my steps in around the neighborhood while maintaining a safe distance from neighbors. The fresh air is a great stress reliever.
Nikki M. Murry, Editor: When I’m done with work for the day (which involves a lot of screen time), I enjoy picking up a book and reading. Currently, I’m finishing up Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes, and will then move onto Finders Keepers. As a huge animal lover, I am enjoying how zoos across America are showing behind-the-scenes footage with the animals on Facebook. My favorites include the Cincinnati Zoo and the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory. As far as TV goes, I’m looking forward to the release of Season 3 of Ozark on Netflix. To stay active, I enjoy a variety of free workouts via an app on my phone called FitOn. Check it out! They even have celebrity trainers like Gabrielle Union. Fun!
Vanessa Goffredo, Art Director: We started a Disney+ subscription, which the whole family has been loving. Our favorites so far are Frozen II, Toy Story 4, Aladdin and Lady and the Tramp. We are also looking forward to watching Onward, which will be available to stream for free on April 3.
Elizabeth Beebe, Account Executive: We have been using this time at home to really reconnect as a family. With our hectic schedules, we normally only have a sit-down family dinner all together on Sunday evenings. We’ve been able to sit down and eat together every night and it’s been very nice. For Christmas, Santa brought Nathan, my 5-year-old, a plastic, adjustable basketball net. We have it set up in our 2-story foyer and have had some serious tournaments. Nathan recently came out as the champion in quite a competitive game of PIG! We have also been playing board games, including Sorry and Yahtzee, and we really enjoy the Heads-Up app. We’re having a great time as a family!
Sara Woodward, Account Executive: I am currently reading Get Out of Your Own Way by Dave Hollis. I am also a big fan of Dave’s wife, Rachel Hollis, the author of the New York Times bestselling book, Girl, Wash Your Face. My kids are becoming master chefs. Everyone is taking a turn in making a family breakfast every morning. Saturday and Sunday the boys made everyone dinner and the girls have made dinner for the family Monday and Tuesday. That’s been a nice treat for me and a nice learning experience for them. My husband, Adam, and I organized our garage and we’ve all organized our closets. We now have a big pile of clothes that we plan to donate when we are able.
Heather Pendergast-Baker, Account Executive: Our family loves to do puzzles so we currently have two in the works – 1,500 pieces each! We also found a safe volunteer opportunity to enjoy. My sons, Owen and Ben, and I loaded the back of my Suburban with boxes of food provided by Berks Encore and delivered them to elderly shut-ins in downtown Reading. It was such a wonderful way to reach out and every recipient was so grateful. Ben and I have also been walking every day, sometimes twice a day, which has been nice. We turned our dining room table into a ping-pong table and we have a family tournament going. We have also been playing cards, watching movies and baking. I’m trying not to eat it all! I also hope to get inspired to clean out a cabinet or organize my bookshelves.
