My Quarantine Routine: Roberta, sewing and reading while she is fuloughed

Roberta Dolinska had a busy life before lockdown – working four days at week at the Beyond Retro head office, while running her own bespoke clothing company and drumming in a band called The Minor Characters.

But now, she has been furloughed and isn’t able to practise with her band mates in real life.

She is isolating at home and has been throwing herself into reading and sewing, both her usual orders and some fabric masks, which have been in demand.

For My Quarantine Routine, she explains how she spent May 7.

9 am

Alarm wakes me up. I get dressed into my home uniform and bring my breakfast back to bed. 

9:30 am

I search for my daily horoscope, which I read every morning. Us Virgos love doing it. I came across a good article about Dave Vanian from The Damned and his wife Patricia Morrison of The Gun Club so read through it too. 

Decided to spend all morning reading and studying. I usually do this in the evenings but my best friend Ellie starts with it in the morning so I am giving it a go.

I finally finish reading The Naked Civil Servant by Quentin Crisp and flip over my newest issue of The Beat Scene.

1 pm

Lunchtime. I quickly make a pea and mint soup with some sourdough on the side. I don’t rush eating it. I like taking my lunches slowly. Lana Del Rey plays in the background.

2 pm

I have about two more facemasks to make before I send them out on Friday (one of my posting days). I love listening to a podcast called ‘You must remember this’ even though I’ve heard every episode more than once. I love learning and I am hungry for knowledge so this is in the background while I work on my masks.

I listen to a lot of poetry and spoken word when I work too, especially by Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg or when I want something intense I switch to William Burroughs. I normally work four days a week at Beyond Retro head office and all my colleagues hate my listening choices so I’m making the most of it these days. 

5 pm

I call my mom and grandma. I call them on a daily basis so we can catch up. They live in Slovakia like the rest of my family.

I also call my best friend Ellie (we are in the band together too, The Minor Characters) and despite the fact we only live a 20 minute walk from each other, I haven’t seen her since last band practice back in March.

I also have few group chats on my phone, our band, work colleagues and Vout-o-reenees (I am a member there and it is my favourite place to go out in London) so I communicate with people there too.

I tried to call my friend Barry Miles too but he didn’t pick up this time. He supplies me with all great books he writes (more than 50 now) and he promised me some stuff he wrote about Frank Zappa. He is also one of the very few people that can handle me talking about the beat generation for 10 hours straight and doesn’t complain. Sent him a text to check up on him instead. 

6:30 pm

Quickly fixing some salad for dinner

7 pm

I sit on my pink boudoir sofa in my living room now more than ever and it is time for some stretching. I have a little routine – videos saved from Youtube that I have to do every time after sewing because I feel like my body is really asking for it.

I only moved to my new place four weeks before lockdown so while I stretch I actually multitask. I look around at what needs to be done or what art I need to put on my walls. 

8:30 pm

Showered and already in my dressing gown. I am about to start watching something. I usually read too but I already done my reading in the morning so will only watch some Netflix and documentaries. I’m rewatching Joan Didion on Netflix then and starting to watch Hollywood. I love Los Angeles the most (I actually wish I could live there) and everything capturing the city 

11:30 pm

Bed time. My sleep routine is currently all over the place. Sometimes I wake up at 8 am (then have little siesta in the afternoon), 9 am or later because I stayed up longer. Despite this little struggle, I am having full and productive days. 

Times are strange. I feel like being again at university in upstate New York where I spent four months for an autumn term. Due to my student visa, I couldn’t work and I spent most of my time on campus only studying in my dorm room.

I am home all the time now and only leave twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays, to go to Morrisons (as they have great groceries and banging playlist) and the post office to send the orders.

I haven’t left the house without a facemask and gloves for three months now and I know I won’t go without it out any time soon either.

I am trying to make the most out of this time despite feeling lonely sometimes.

I am dedicating all the time I have to expanding my tiny clothing label, reading and a little writing. I can’t wait to be back on stage with my girls The Minor Characters and DJ at my club night that takes a place once a month at Vout-o-reenees called Roberta’s Naked Lunch (a reference to William Burroughs).

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