What It’s Like Making A Magazine From Home During A Pandemic

While the stories in this issue came together long before the world  entered full-blown pandemic mode, the nuts and bolts of the magazine production process—finalizing pages and shipping them to our printer—happened with our team spread out across the GTA. (I wrote this note in my home office in Hamilton, Ont., with two dogs sprawled across the floor and a cat sitting on my desk.)

Yes, the world as we know it has radically changed in the past month, but our May/June issue contains the same insightful journalism, compelling memoirs and—of course—delicious and reliable recipes (including the gorgeous cheesecake featured on our cover) that Chatelaine is known for. We are privileged to be able to bring them to you.

With Mother’s Day approaching, caregiving is a common thread throughout this issue—including an exploration into the relationships between five families and their paid support systems, and an incredibly candid memoir about choosing not to have kids after multiple rounds of IVF. In particular, Ben Waldman’s poignant essay about wearing his late mom’s clothing as a means of staying connected to her grabbed my heart. I can’t visit my own mom right now because she lives in long-term care; but one of the small upsides of working from home is that I can wear the fleece pullover I stole from her closet earlier this year as often as I like.

Shipping an issue is always a lot of work, but for our team the familiar grind—and daily Google Hangouts—was a salve during an incredibly stressful and uncertain time. I hope that you find similar comfort while reading it.

While I have you here, I need to ask a favour.

Making a magazine—and the stories we put online—isn't free. Chatelaine is built on the hard work and dedication of our writers, editors and production staff. If you can afford it, buying a year-long subscription to our print magazine is a great way to support the work we do—and our team would truly appreciate it. You can do so for $15 ($2.50 per issue!).

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