If you’re interested in sharing it, I’m interested in hearing what’s happening in your life and your town as the C-19 crisis unfolds. When talking to friends and colleagues over the past couple of weeks, I got the impression that there were varying degrees of alarm and disruption, depending on geography. Some folks were carrying on as normal. Others were taking the danger seriously.
The reality of the public health emergency belatedly hit my town this week. On Saturday, there were two events in the county: a St. Paddy’s Day parade and a shrimp festival. It seemed foolish to me to hold such events, but despite some controversy, they went on, albeit with lower than expected attendance. I made a grocery store run Sunday, and while there was no toilet paper to be found, there was plenty of food.
Over the weekend, a case of coronavirus was confirmed in the county, and then another. Yesterday, the governor ordered bars and nightclubs shuttered for 30 days and restaurants to operate at a maximum of 50% capacity. According to the news, some beaches are closed down, and at ones that are open, signs warn people not to gather in large groups and to maintain a safe distance from each other.
I decided to go back to the grocery store yesterday. It was a completely different scene than just a few days earlier. The store reeked of bleach. There were empty shelves and bare produce bins. There were no eggs, potatoes or mushrooms. Many shelves containing frozen or canned staples were bare, and there were signs in those areas advising customers that purchases of those products were limited to two per customer. An elderly man in front of me at the checkout line missed that sign, and I thought he might start sobbing when the cashier told him he could only have two of the 20 or so cans he unloaded from his cart.
I was there to stock up on dog food and a couple of other items; I’d made an earlier shopping run to augment my usual two-week hurricane emergency stores. But because I’m a frightened asshole like everyone else, I contributed to the panic buying-induced local food shortage by loading my cart again. Of course, there was still no toilet paper, but if there had been, I’d have thrown that in my cart too. I’m ashamed at how quickly I succumbed to the hoarding impulse.
On the job front, my husband is still going to work every day. He works outdoors and doesn’t have to come within 20 feet of another person to do his job, so his work is unaffected so far. I’ve been working from home for more than 10 years, so social distancing isn’t anything new for me, and I’m staying busy so far. But neither of us know how our employment will be affected long term by large swathes of the economy coming to a standstill for an unknown period. It’s worrisome, but in a back-of-the-mind way right now.
Our elders’ health is our most immediate concern. Every damn one of them had a maddening YOLO attitude last week — even the non-Fox News watchers. But in more recent conversations, they seem to be taking the danger seriously, thank dog. I’ve read about young people going out and partying in groups, smug in the confidence that their youth would protect them. But our daughter (age 21) is behaving sensibly — it was her grandma and great-aunties who were driving us to distraction with their reckless socializing!
Anyway, that’s what’s happening at Chez Cracker. How are things in your town?
David C
In MD, continuity of operations – teleworking. Built surge capacity starting about 3 weeks ago. Occasional trips to get perishables. Morning walks and exercise. Posting reliable information (except for that FB AI glitch).
My day job is preparedness for a radiological/nuclear “event.” A lot of the same principles apply – identify medical countermeasures, particularly generic supportive measures, build surge capacity, identify people who need help, communicate transparently and accurately. Leadership not named Fauci has failed. We’re in this for a long haul.
Feeling like Charlie Geller in The Big Short, knowing weeks ago that we were headed for bad times but life continuing like normal and nobody’s listening.
teacherryan
Kuala Lumpur. Stores are largely empty, or so I’ve been told. I’m high-risk, so I’ve quarantined myself in an airbnb while my wife brings me supplies every few days. Plenty of restaurants are still open for delivery, which is extremely helpful. The city is largely at a standstill – I can see a highway from my window which is normally bumper-to-bumper and I haven’t seen a single car pass while writing this (it would be rush hour here right now). I think people are taking it seriously and the local authorities say there will be home testing kits available in about 2 weeks.
I’d stay at home, but my 2-year-old daughter would be absolutely miserable if she couldn’t get outside here and there, and my wife and I made the decision to do everything we can to let her live as normally as possible, playing with the same 3 friends in a closed circuit. It’s not foolproof, but we are hopeful.
Bruce K
In Athens, Greece, the streets are emptier but not quite deserted. I made a quick run for foodstuffs and paper towels at a mini market about ten minutes’ walk away, wearing a mask and gloves designed for winter weather rather than medical emergencies. They’re limiting how many people can go into a grocery store at a time, but I was permitted to enter. No shortages that I could see; the bread shelves were partially depleted, but just about all the other shelves were full, including paper goods. Plenty of toilet paper there. (I’ve got six rolls in my closet in addition to what’s in my bathroom; I live alone and can use a handheld shower as a makeshift bidet in a pinch, so I’m not about to run out any time soon.)
The government is sending out alerts to the cell phone networks on blast now. Don’t go out except if absolutely necessary. However, car traffic on the roads seems to be about normal. Maybe because you can isolate in your own car or something.
Yesterday, I encountered someone on a dirt path and gave them a wide berth to let them by. They told me I shouldn’t be afraid of them. I answered that I didn’t know if I had it (which is true, even though I’m completely asymptomatic right now). That may have penetrated their minds.
Shantanu Saha
I’m currently traveling on an almost empty commuter train to my job in a NYC school, to prepare for distance learning next week. I’ve been set to go from the start, but we’re required by the Dept of Ed to defy the recommendations of our own mayor to stay home in order to come in to… watch video Professional Development and have questions answered by admins, most of whom usually ask ME for help with tech problems.
Baud
I’ve had to cancel my massage. My glutes are going to be TIGHT by the time this is all done.
I’m seriously fortunate. No kids, and I can telework easily. Only really need to go out to stores for food. Aside from cancelling a couple of out of town trips, I’m in a better position than most.
Geoduck
SW Washington state, so we’re a week or so ahead of everyone else in the US, I guess. I’ve already pretty well quarantined myself, only going to the nearby grocery store on foot. No TP to be had, of course, and no hand sanitizer or bleach of any sort. Everything else picked over to varying degrees. The state and county governments have shut down everything, but from my limited perspective, the population seems about 50/50 when it comes to taking it seriously. Those of us paying attention are pretty much waiting for the flood of cases to hit all the local hospitals, and for Governor Inslee to order everyone to shelter in place ala San Francisco.
Waldo
Yesterday at my local supermarket here in CT, I noticed that all the spaghetti sauce was on sale. Every brand and type, which seemed odd. Then I realized it was because all the pasta (except the weird non-gluten varieties like quinoa, spinach etc.) had been cleaned out, and the store was stuck with a surprise sauce surplus. Made me wish I’d hoarded more linguine.
Betty Cracker
@Waldo: We’ve made our own pasta before and may have to again. It’s a pain in the ass: we had strands of linguine drying on coat hangers attached to cabinet knobs. But it’s good!
OzarkHillbilly
It’s quiet here in the hills and hollers.
Because I raise my own birds and buy half a pig every Fall, garden and can, and do about 50% of our baking, we normally have enough of all food stuffs for 3-6 mos anyway. Bought large bags of dog, cat food, and chicken feed so they are good for a while. Because of all the panic buying we did lay in a little extra TP etc.
I have heard and read that there has been a run on guns and ammo, which means conservative talking heads have finally come to grips with reality and have told their fans to prepare for the total and complete collapse of civil society. Police protection will be non-existent, hordes of inner city thugs and drug dealers are about to leave the urban wastelands to invade and ravage our lands and our women, pollute our precious bodily fluids and burn everything in their wake.
Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)
I went to the grocery (Schnucks, a regional chain) yesterday at 6:30 AM because they opened at 6 and I only needed a few items and wanted to beat the crowds.
I beat the crowds, but the shelves were nearly empty in the meat department except for a few really expensive steaks (I needed some hamburger) and the deli looked like a plague of locusts had hit it.
The cashier said she didn’t know when their next delivery would be and they were told that the trucks might not have everything they normally would.
WereBear
Reporting from NY, Adirondack Park. We have Governor Cuomo’s daily press briefings to soothe my anxiety, since 90% of its source was the early sense that no one had a clue. I admit I wasn’t a fan of his before but I certainly am now.
I was already working at home two days a week, and taking all precautions since both Mr WereBear and I have complicating conditions. Fortunately, the last year of finally getting a new doctor, and carefully crafted treatment plans, has us in better shape to face this.
Yesterday was busy for our company as we revamped our website for information, safety, and reassurance. As a state park: our only economy is tourism. All towns were grandfathered in under the Constitution which sets very strict limits on commerce. We have hardly any industry, few franchise chains, and one hospital. Our restaurants and shops are small businesses who have shifted to takeout and curb service.
While this is not a busy time and it was moving into a slow month, we still canceled events like NYS Maple Weekends, sports like an international skating group, and closed the Alpine ski season early. The trails are still open, because if there’s anything we do offer, it’s lots of gorgeous social distance. :)
The office is closed and people only go in as needed, as I will do tomorrow for a complicated bunch of contest prizes. That’s also where the printer and postage machine is. But my boss assured me, “for most of us, there’s more people at home than there are in the office.”
We are all working from home now. I venture out every few days for blitz shopping, with gloves and social distance, to top off the fresh supplies crucial to our therapeutic diets. Stocked up on prescriptions and supplements. Cat supply shipments were already part of our routine.
I haven’t seen any cleared out store shelves yet. Maybe because we just don’t have the population density to really do that, or we’re just rugged ‘Dackers who shrug at adversity and put on more layers. Not that my retail friends aren’t working themselves ragged to keep the place up; a friend worked eleven straight hours yesterday.
I’m an introvert/cat person/writer with internet. Like a genetic build for just this kind of emergency.
Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)
@OzarkHillbilly:
If that ever happens, my “plan” is to wait until some open-carry moron walks by me, whack him in the back of the head with a bat and take his guns & ammo.
Of course the odds of that happening are almost the same as me being elected President in November.
Rob
Maryland here. Baud, I’ve had the further-in-time massage cancelled because the spa closed on Monday. The closer-in-time massage has been postponed to Thursday; that therapist works out of their home and might yet cancel it. I’m going to be miserable soon enough without massages. Using just massage balls/foam rollers won’t cut it over the long term.
Like David C, I built a small surge capacity earlier this month. Currently I am able to pick up all the items I need, though I may be buying a different brand or packaging.
Our mothers’ retirement communities prohibited entry of family members 5 days ago (last Friday) and my mother seems to be taking it fairly well though she is feeling lonely.
I’ve been WFH for 9 years so I don’t have any adjustments to make this month. My wife’s outfit made everyone work from home starting this week and she is adjusting well. We are starting to take neighborhood walks at the end of the work day to get some fresh air and exercise.
Soprano2
Here in Springfield, MO the city and county closed all bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues for two weeks. When I said it’s going to be more like a month or two, few people believed me except one of our customers who is a nurse. Some of our regulars were talking about getting together at someone’s house. I heard that one location of the local liquor store was out of some kinds of booze. City government isn’t going to shut down, so I’m still going to work for now. Since this is a heavily Trumpie area, lots of people are still skeptical. They did diagnose a 4th case in the county yesterday. It’s a mess.
Mustang Bobby
Here in South Florida it’s obvious the schools are closed. The public school system is the largest employer in the county, and with just essential workers going in, traffic on the surface streets and freeways is very light, even in the middle of rush hour.
Supermarkets are cutting back hours to take the additional time to restock the shelves. The local Publix was mobbed Sunday morning at 7 a.m. and the bread shelves had been cleaned out, but a friend went shopping two hours later and said they had restocked. My usual Starbucks was selling to-go orders only; the tables and chairs cleared away to discourage hanging out.
I’ve been going in to work part-time because time, tide, and grant expenditure reports wait for no pandemic. Today will be my last day until at least March 30. I’ve been writing plays from home, rising to a couple of prompts and challenges from theatres looking to find works to do live-stream. So far I’ve written “Viral Love” for the 1-Minute Play Festival, and “‘Til Dough Do Us Part” for the Quarantine Bake-Off challenge.
Stay safe, friends.
Soprano2
Oh, and we had a mass shooting here on Sunday night, and I bet none of you even heard about it. Four dead plus the shooter, including one police officer. Normally that would be a big story.
MagdaInBlack
In my little body shop world, business is slowing. Im seeing fewer estimates scheduled: if its drivable, it can wait. Walk-ins are non-existent. I expect less traffic = fewer accidents will = big slowdown. Corp cut door hours, we were 7:30-5:30, now 8-5. My parts delivery drivers bring me their reports of empty grocery stores and empty roads. One informed me his 85 y/o mother is pretty unhappy her bowling alley is closed, she’s on a league ?
Staying in is no big thing for me. Stack of books, coffee, music, cat, Im good. I’m stocked up,and I can live on rice and beans for a long time. I may get bored, but I won’t go hungry.
Ive been thru a lot of sh*t, I’ll get thru this ☺
OzarkHillbilly
Latest sign that the world will end soon: Amazon to suspend non-essential shipments to UK and US warehouses
Credit where credit is due. Good on them.
mrmoshpotato
@Baud:
I will smack the hell out of your face – then your glutens. How’s that? :)
OzarkHillbilly
@Soprano2: The Guardian has had that front paged for a couple days now.
ETA they have the count at 5 dead.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
Birmingham. Gearing up to have employees who can work from home do so. I’m in IT so my team is ready to take turns.
I had heard rumblings about Democrats “trying to get Trump out” and “everybody is overreacting” – that talk has disappeared. Of course, not a sound about how Dollar Tree Don Coreleone pivoted from “it’s a hoax” to “I always knew it was a pandemic” but I know the drill by now.
Thad Phetteplace
Wife and I are hunkered down at home. I’m a freelancer and mostly telecommute already, so no change there… but we miss going to coffee shops and mall walking just to get out of the house. I’ve decided to volunteer for the local food pantry and deliver supplies to the self quarantined just so I don’t go stir crazy. Our local food co-op is holding up well against panicked binge shopping, but even they are out of toilet paper. Never been so happy that the wife insisted we install that bidet. Stay healthy everyone.
mrmoshpotato
@Betty Cracker:
LOL I’ve never made my own pasta, only seen videos of it. But fresh pasta drying on clothes hangers is hilarious.
p.a.
What’s the non-illness situation in Italy, as that’s as likely to be as bad as it can get here shopping and social-services wise? Anyone know twitter accounts (in English) to check?
Here in RI it’s about the same as already described here. Nice that there’s no shortage of hand and dishsoap yet, as they’re more effective than sanitizers, although hardly as convenient. Don’t know if I read it here, but some hand sanitizers don’t contain alcohol and won’t be effective: read the labels.
Retired, so no work issues (sure as hell are IRA & 401 issues tho!). GF is a psych nurse, so she’s dealing w a vulnerable population. Not enough tests for patients obviously (ThanksDonnie), just temp and history on admissions and maybe during stay. But she noted many of them came from living on the street and pretty isolated, so possibly not as dangerous as people with active work and social lives. (Her hospital only intakes those w insurance (Mass, so much of the population does) and as soon as they hit their limit out the door they go.). Not practicing social distancing w her.
NotMax
Nitpick of a common stumble: while there is no single equivalent in English, chez (loosely translated) means “at, in (or among) X’s abode, business place, body of work, etc”. So “at Chez Cracker” is redundant.
mrmoshpotato
@p.a.:
Wait wait wait, did the Russthuglicans already destroy protections against lifetime maximums? What are you talking about?
OzarkHillbilly
@NotMax: ???
Chez Cracker = at Cracker’s house
dsc
@p.a.:
“To The Rest Of The World, You Have No Idea What’s Coming”: Man Lists 6 Stages Italy Has Gone Through
https://www.boredpanda.com/coronavirus-outbreak-stages-italy-jason-yanowitz/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
mudbrush
I’m a night shift nurse taking care of suspected Covid-19 patients. Endless cycles of wash hands-put on gown, gloves, mask, eyeshield-care for patient-remove said protection-wash hands. My life for the foreseeable future.
Shantanu Saha
@Baud: How is the coronavirus going to affect the Baud!2020 campaign?
OzarkHillbilly
My wife’s new job is probably the most secure job possible during a pandemic. She works the “help line” for a cable company, restoring service when ever things get wacky for customers. I figure people will risk starvation and eviction before they will do without their online gaming during a pandemic.
mrmoshpotato
I’m good here. Fridge/freezer has been stocked for a while (I buy ground beast, etc and freeze it). I have some canned goods, but we’re not under a mandatory lockdown in Chicago.
Family members were complaining over text today about the effect on St. Patrick’s Day. I wanted to slap people. Some were saying “social distancing” was so easy (no change to normal routine) Again, smack.
I hope the death toll decreases. ?
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
Raleigh, NC. Lost a filling and had to go to the dentist yesterday. Temperature check and travel questions before I left the waiting room, had to wash my hands before I got into the chair and after I got up. Went from there to a grocery store to get my antibiotic filled. Husband asked me to pick up sliced cheese; he got a photo of the very empty cheese section instead. Pasta had been cleaned out except for the elbow macaroni, of which they had lots.
I haven’t checked the current availability, but I’m using an infrared temperature device that I picked up at a pet store a while back. I bought it to check the temp in my turtle’s basking area and tank.
Just heard that there’s a postal worker has tested positive at a nearby post office. Guess I should be running the mail through the UV bag I use for the CPAP peripherals.
p.a.
@mrmoshpotato: Don’t know, but I believe psych coverage isn’t as generous whether private, ACA, employer etc
NotMax
The empty shelves situation for food items will rectify, although there may well occur spot shortages here and there, as the lag between adjusting ordering priority (and delivery capacity) in response to an unprecedented short term spike in demand lessens.
Expect, for a while at least, supermarkets to cut back from offering (numbers pulled from the air for demonstration purposes) 10,000 items to 6000 or 7000 until this virtual Weeble stops wobbling.
Jay Noble
@OzarkHillbilly: Out here in Cabela’s gun-happy, ammo land, the run on ammo didn’t start last week. They still haven’t used up what they bought when they stripped the shelves after Obama was elected.
Baud
@Shantanu Saha:
I think people are going to learn the value of nominating a virtual candidate.
mrmoshpotato
@OzarkHillbilly: Reading? What’s that?
From these flippable, crunchy screens? Why can’t I see them in the dark? Will turning these “pages” hurt my gaming thumbs?
WereBear
One thing we didn’t think of was batteries. FYI.
Momentary
Here in rural Wales we are flailing around figuring out how to organise community support across the town and surrounding villages. Lots of goodwill and confusion, FB groups but then many who don’t use FB or even much Internet, trying to coordinate with existing local orgs who are already in place but are often staffed by people in the high risk age ranges… it’s early days and hopefully we’ll get it sorted out.
The local food businesses and taxi services are all shifting to home delivery. I went out yesterday to stock up on sheep meds and chicken feed and the vet clinic and feed store had both already posted on FB to tell their clients/customers what to do. Hand sanitizer station at the vet clinic door and by the till at the feed store, everyone keeping 2 metres apart, everyone nervy but doing their best.
Local hippies are fired up trying to organise a food growing land army. Local farmers are getting on with lambing and minding their business. We won’t run out of food here for a long time if we eat nettles and start in on the sheep! Plus I have my eye on some of those nuisance pheasants.
mrmoshpotato
@p.a.: Ah. Sorry for being flippant.
p.a.
I know most need $$$, but this payroll tax amnesty is typical rethug sabotage. Just print money!
OzarkHillbilly
@Jay Noble: I was really surprised to hear it. The ammo cases at Orschelns and Wally world have been stuffed. I was gonna get a brick of .22 RF when it went on sale and I guess now it ain’t.
mrmoshpotato
@Baud:
You sneaky chatbot! How could you decive us for so long!
PaulWartenberg
Libraries are closing to the public. I still have to go work at Bartow even though we are closed for the next 30 days.
debbie
Hey, Betty: NASA’s Photo of the Day salutes your state!
NotMax
@mrmoshpotato
Baud!/Max Headroom 2020!
debbie
@PaulWartenberg:
Libraries around here closed last week. Are there any plans to decontaminate the books and a/v materials when this is all over?
mrmoshpotato
@debbie: Still penis-shaped at that angle. ?
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax: The series or the hacking?
debbie
@OzarkHillbilly:
No surprise on the run of guns. How else to protect their hoards of toilet paper?
When this is over, I want every hoarder to be doxxed.
R-Jud
Birmingham, England.
Schools are still open, but I woke up with COVID-19 symptoms so the child and I are now self-quarantining. We’re prepared with plenty of stuff.
There will be no test unless I need hospital care. I’m 40 and healthy so I hope my luck holds and this is over in 10 days. I had pertussis (whooping cough) a couple years ago and coughed so hard I tore cartilage in my ribcage. This is not that bad, but the fatigue is… something else. I’ve had two naps already today (it’s 11 AM here), and feel like a hungover sloth.
Very grateful to be living in a country where there is healthcare that’s free at the point of service. Very worried they’ll be so swamped it’s not accessible if I or my daughter or her dad (my ex, whom I saw yesterday, and who is now self-isolating, too) need it.
A friend is a nurse and she’s just had her PTO cancelled. She doesn’t mind, she used what days she had to sleep and stock up on supplies. I had coffee and flowers shipped to her house. I recommend you do the same for any nurses and doctors you know. They’re about to be crushed.
NotMax
@mrmoshpotato
You need ask? The series. Someone needs to be the face of the ticket.
;)
JMG
Half-acre suburban zoning is an effective means of social distancing. The main difference here in my suburban Boston town is that with the schools closed, traffic and noise are almost non-existent. My street also serves as a short cut for rush hour commuters. They’re gone too. But at midday, you’d almost think everything was normal, watching the occasional dog walker go by. Local supermarket very hit or miss. On Sunday, there were plenty of paper goods but no milk at all. Yesterday I had to go to buy razor blades, and it was the reverse. Also no canned tuna nor taco kits on the shelves, leading me to wonder just what the hell people are cooking. Today’s supposed to be nice. I am hoping for a walk.
I have to say Boston is taking this very seriously. The virus led all the local news shows last evening over Tom Brady!
mrmoshpotato
@debbie:
But maybe every hoarder was suffering from chronic diarrhea (that somehow didn’t strike when in the checkout line – sorry – checkout snake that reached around the block)!
Betty Cracker
Really enjoying the stories of daily life in this fraught time. (“Enjoying” isn’t the right word, but y’all know what I mean.) Thank you.
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax: The face of the ticket? Why not the anonymous mask that hacked channels 9 and 11 decades ago?
OzarkHillbilly
And right on cue, from the FTFNYT: I’m a Doctor in Britain. We’re Heading Into the Abyss.
Cermet
In DC they are shut down and the FEd’s are trying to, as well. Been told to tele-a-work but don’t have a secure computer at home so need to take my office one before I can (after software upgrade to allow that to work at home.) I live in a rural area (most people my age) so not too different and no know illnesses. Stores, except for TP, are ok relative to stocking – so far. The Fed’s (DoD) are worried.
NotMax
@mrmoshpotato
Because masks are prioritized for medical personnel, silly.
Betty Cracker
@R-Jud: Saw your news on Twitter and was thinking of you. Hope your symptoms are mild and quickly resolved and that no loved ones are affected.
Excellent suggestion about supporting the medical professionals we know. Grocery store workers, delivery drivers, etc., are probably in a similar boat. Thanks for the reminder.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@debbie: I would look like a hoarder on a quick glance, but my considerable surplus is the result of a BJ’s Warehouse offer a few months ago: 10 cents a gallon discount for every pack of TP purchased. The same with my lovely stashes of kleenex, dawn dishwashing soap, and granola bars. ?
A Ghost to Most
I’m sure the Joint Medical Asset Repository (JMAR) database is getting a workout these days. This db tracks all the medical assets, equipment, and supplies for DOD. Those assets will be allocated to civilian purposes as needed.
For the nerds, this was one of the very first large Oracle RAC clusters to run on Windows servers (in 2007). It took 3 months of intensive debugging with Oracle to sort out the issues.
mrmoshpotato
@JMG:
How many blades is Gillette up to? Gillette – the most blades in one cartridge (for a bazillion dollars) a man can get!
Tuna? Clearly there’s much love for Chef John’s Spicy Tuna Rice Bowl.
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax: Especially 30+ year old rubber masks! Hehe
NotMax
Siren song to cut into the chocolate cake baked on Tuesday is becoming louder and more persistent post-midnight. Pact made with self to let it sit for a full day weakening, but holding.
Mixing up a stiff Gibson should do as an antidote. Cocktail onions and chocolate cake not an appealing combo.
R-Jud
@OzarkHillbilly: This is why I’m hoping to stay far, far away from it.
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax: You made a chocolate cake just to test your self-restraint?
NotMax
That huge bag of frozen chicken thighs taking up the lion’s share of space of my freezer is looking mighty prescient. Bought a couple of months ago when the local Costco was offering a 12 pound bag for 10 bucks.
NotMax
@mrmoshpotato
Recipe produces such a rich, moist cake that it always tastes (and cuts) better after being allowed to firm up for a day.
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax: A good use of chicken thighs
donnah
Quiet here in SW Ohio. Gov DeWine postponed our voting yesterday, so I haven’t had any excuse to leave the house. I got my first cancellation call for teaching a workshop, and then a second call about the workshop scheduled next in April, and then a call about the one I have set in June. So a series of discouraging, but not surprising job news.
So I’ve had time to work on my Helen Keller rug, which is good, and we got a new van (nowhere to drive, tho) so hopefully I can keep moving forward and stay sane. My sis is flying in today from California to stay with my mom, who is 84, and that will ease the burden I’ve shared between my mom and my MIL, who is 90. So it goes.
OzarkHillbilly
@R-Jud: I am wondering how my small town hospital is going to handle it and am just praying I don’t need to go to the doctor for anything at all.
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax: I see. Care to share this recipe for less pandemic times?
JMG
My annual physical is supposed to be next Tuesday. I wonder if it will be rescheduled.
Jay Noble
Sidney, Nebraska – former home to Cabela’s World Headquarters with a blizzard a’comin Thursday. I mention Cabela’s because we are still extremely fragile from that loss. We’ve got some new businesses and new jobs but far short of what we had and even farther short of the incomes of those jobs.
What we have now is Interstate-80 traffic. Or more precisely we’re a huge, essential truck stop that is going to have to be open a little more than some places.
We have something like 20 restaurants and 6 hotels and our Walmart out there and that’s after losing a Sonic and a local steakhouse/bar& grill. Applebees just went to Pickup only as has our in town pizza place. Walmart is picked clean of the usual stuff on the COVID-19 hoarders’ lists (Probably a small but good percentage by truckers). Our Safeway and regional chain Sonny’s are hanging in there as is the Family Dollar. The schools are closed for the school year now (I believe) but are still arranging grab and go breakfasts and lunches. The local theatre is trying to stay open but they are losing new movies to show. Library is closed. City office business has to be done thru the drive-up window. Banks would prefer you use the drive-ups.
We are teetering but what I’ve seen is quiet determination. And maybe cheekiness here and there. The local NAPA store put up on FaceBook that they had TP (RV stuff) and promptly sold out their 4 packages.
After getting ousted by Bass Pro from my job last year, I finally went on unemployment just a few weeks ago. I can’t relocate and the only jobs out here are – those at the Interstate. Monday I should start part-time at home doing customer service scheduling in-home service calls among other things. I’m wondering if that will be shut down?
Scout211
How am I coping with social distancing?
I have two sisters and we are all in the vulnerable age group. To help with the social isolation, we are now having twice daily group texting chats. It has made a big difference in all three of our lives. We feel less isolated and we feel loved and supportive. We laugh, we cry and we share information about our lives, our respective states and our families. I look forward to those chats and I always feel better after connecting with them.
Tony Jay
@R-Jud:
Hope you and the mini-you get through the next couple of weeks with a minimum of discomfort and stress.
Karen S.
My mother is being discharged today from the rehab facility/nursing home she’s been in for the past three weeks. She went into the hospital in early February with a UTI and what turned out to be a fractured tailbone. The fractures were repaired with surgery. She’s been doing PT and OT in the rehab facility in suburban Chicago since the last week in February. She and my dad are seniors (92 years old the pair of them). Also, my wife has multiple sclerosis and the (very expensive) drug she takes to alleviate her symptoms and arrest, to some degree, the progress of the disease suppresses some of her immune system. I guess it’s an understatement to say that I’m really worried about COVID-19. Fortunately, my wife and I have plenty of food because I cook and bake regularly, so I’m on top of grocery shopping and haven’t needed to stock up. I do have a bit of my parents’ tendency to buy too much, especially to buy foods that don’t spoil quickly, like canned and frozen items. I will, however, need to make a foray to the grocery store today to get some things for my parents and for us. Running low on eggs and toilet paper. Wish me luck!
NotMax
@mrmoshpotato
Opened the bag the other day to make Instant pot chicken cacciatore. No need to thaw, just throw the frozen thighs in and add maybe 3 minutes extra to pressure cooking time.
@mrmoshpotato
Not a from scratch recipe. It’s a doctored up one using packaged cake mix. If you’re okay with that, sure, I’ll go dig it out.
azlib
LIfe in Scottsdale, AZ seems relatively normal at this point in time. Although with an older population it could change pretty quickly. I work from home and my spouse is retired, so we are sticking close to our home. The schools were closed by the Governor for the next few weeks. I suspect it will be for the rest of the term. Hard to tell how much business has slowed down.
Scout211
We had to get chicken feed and and drop off our taxes yesterday so we ventured into the town from our rural outpost. I did the shopping and made my husband stay in the car. I bring sanitizing wipes, wear gloves and then sanitize with wipes after leaving the store. I am kind of shocked that there were so few people taking precautions. The grocery was packed and many shelves were empty but they still had fresh fruit and vegetables and milk and yogurt. The cashier wore gloves but I saw no one else protecting themselves. This is rural, but it is California. My next grocery run is set for Saturday and I already have my order set online and a pick up reservation.
Jinchi
Don’t you need flour for that? Flour was cleared out before bread and pasta around here.
satby
As a natural introvert, self-isolating hasn’t been all that much a change from my daily life. My friends and I have time for long phone talks and catching up. I heard from another vendor at the Farmer’s Market, they’re continuing to stay open though the cafe is closed except to take out, and the cafe is the big draw to the market on weekdays. The cafe also didn’t have a huge take-out business before except to market vendors, so not sure how that’s going to work. My friend made the decision not to go back for two weeks, I planned not to return for 3 weeks but expect that will stretch much longer. My local grocery store had pretty much everything still in stock though they were down to just generic TP, bleach and paper towels. Not sure if it’s because the Trumpists were still in denial or because people naturally go to bigger chains for stocking up. Indiana had its first Covid fatality reported, so reality is slowly seeping in.
Booger
That sounds like it should be on a tombstone.
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax:
Not everything has to be completely from scratch. :) Throw that recipe across the big pond.
drdavechemist
Everyone in my family is dealing with the future uncertainty of schedules in the academic world. My private high school managed to make it to last Friday and we are now in the first week of our regularly scheduled spring break. Public schools are all taking an early spring break this week and an announcement is expected today about what will happen next with them.
Spousal unit was on spring break from her private college last week. Students were told not to return to campus, dorms are closed except for extenuating circumstances, Monday and Tuesday provided time for faculty training and today they go “live” with remote instruction. Spouse went to the office for access to resources both days and reported things were quiet but not totally deserted. For the time being, administration has left the door open to students coming back after what would have been a five-day Easter weekend. When I was picking spouse up last night, I did see a small party of college-age women out and about with St. Patrick’s Day bling–bars are closed so maybe they live in off-campus housing and were on a pilgrimage to the liquor store?
College son #1 was also on break last week and instruction will resume remotely next week after an extra week of break. This week, his administration decreed that everyone needs to be out of campus housing by early April, so he and I will most likely be driving to western NY in a couple of weeks to claim his belongings.
College son #2 had his break the first week of March and returned to his enormous state university campus on schedule. His administration hasn’t closed the dorms yet, but has been “encouraging” anyone who can to go home and they suspended face-to-face classes at the end of last week and began remote instruction on Monday. We have empty-nest friends who live only a couple hours away and the plan now is for them to take him in starting Thursday.
I’ve been going out to run errands almost every day. Yesterday it was going to the car dealer for an overdue oil change and to make sure that the vehicle is safe for one or two long drives, and also to the post office to get certified mail for an important document for the faraway son. We are trying to keep about two weeks’ worth of meals on hand and replacing perishables every 2-3 days. Stocks have been variable at Stop & Shop and Whole Foods–I did have to spring for a twelve-pack of organic, free-range, hormone-free toilet paper since I didn’t panic buy earlier, but otherwise I found everything I needed and I think we could survive a two-week lockdown if we had to.
No direct contact with the virus in any of our immediate circles so far, and we are all feeling well, so social distancing seems to be working for us. Keeping fingers crossed… Stay safe everybody!
satby
@R-Jud: I hope you can shake it off quickly and that your kiddo doesn’t get it at all. At least then you’ll have the antibodies against it. Best of luck.
Soprano2
@OzarkHillbilly: There are 5 dead, that includes the shooter. It was bizarre – evidently he was shooting at random cars on Highway 65 and Battlefield Road before he crashed his car at the Kum and Go that’s literally down the block from my Jazzercize studio. He went in the store and started shooting people. There was no targeting of anyone specific. I’m sure they’ll find he has a history of mental illness. Chestnut Expy is a major street here, and they had it closed off for most of the day doing their investigation. It’s a tragedy for everyone concerned, on top of all the other crap that’s happening.
NotMax
@mrmoshpotato
Here ya go.
½ cup warm water
½ cup oil
½ pint sour cream
4 eggs
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package chocolate cake mix
(optional) large size (9 oz.) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
(optional) heaping teaspoon instant coffee
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix water, eggs, oil, sour cream very well.
Add dry pudding mix (also optional coffee if using) and mix very well.
Add cake mix (a third of a box at a time) and mix very well each time.
Fold in chocolate chips if using.
Pour into a greased Bundt or tube pan. Tap pan a few times on counter to level batter and release air bubbles.
Bake about 55 minutes.
No frosting necessary, that would be gilding the lily.
Dorothy A. Winsor
I’m unexpectedly busy. I have edits to get back to my editor, and someone from my writer group asked me to beta read a novel for him so that’s here. I decided to take at least one brisk walk a day for half an hour or more. I need the cardio for one thing. I reading a good historical novel. And I got out a 3000 piece puzzle. So far so good, then. Of course, it’s only the first week.
Mr. Mack
Meh. Our son got the news that his graduation ceremony has been cancelled, and he lost his job. He’s being pretty stoic. We are good here, so far, though we got a bunch of cancellations for our cabin bookings. It is what it is. Staying upbeat and helping others stay that way seems like a good use of my time.
Reboot
We’re in Roanoke, VA. Colleges and K-12 schools are closed, and restaurants, gyms, etc., are supposed to have no more than 10 customers at a time; according to the governor, 47% of Virginians eat their meals out, so no closures at this time. Thanks to Anne Laurie’s Covid-19 updates, we started stocking up gradually and made bulk orders as well. Our trips out are for groceries and exercise.
A few days ago it dawned on me that there weren’t as many people on the sidewalk in our downtown neighborhood and that maybe there was less traffic, but the first real physical sign of change for us was at the weekly farmers’ market. For the first time, I saw a few people wearing masks. When we got there, there was a station to wash our hands and a staffer to put the goods on a table to be rung up. No shortages, but there was a line and an undercurrent of tension.
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax: Cool. Thanks.
NotMax
@Mr. Mack
Meh indeed. Stoic is good.
This too shall pass is wan immediate consolation. So long as he knows he’s not alone in these things, it does help smooth the sharpest edges of anguish, though.
White & Gold Purgatorian
North Alabama here. We have all of what we need for a long confinement, and much of what we want. Neighbors went to the local Publix yesterday and said no eggs, picked over produce department, virtually empty paper goods aisle and lots of empty space on cleaning products aisle. Also no dried beans or rice left. So I’ll wait, because fresh eggs and fresh fruits and veggies is what we will want. Chances are the panic buying will calm soon and availability will improve. Plenty of cat food and cat litter. Food comes on auto ship and I’ll probably try to pick up litter as needed on grocery store trips instead of going to the pet store as we did in normal times. Seems to me cutting back on the number of places visited on a shopping trip should help to limit exposure risk so my hope is to just do the best I can at one grocery store instead of hitting Publix, Whole Foods, Costco and the pet store as I used to do.
My mom is 92, living alone next door and is willing to avoid stores until this passes and hopefully there is a vaccine. None of us are spring chickens, but no complicating health issues either, so that is helpful. Mr. Purgatorian is working from home so we don’t have much exposure to the outside world. We are not exactly social butterflies so the isolation is not too difficult, except we did enjoy a meal out on weekends.
This is a very GOP leaning area and it was interesting to listen to he evolving pandemic discussion at the gym (which is still open, but mom and I aren’t going to now.) It started off as all a hoax, the media are just scaring people. Then, “this is no worse than the flu and none worries about the flu.“ By last Wednesday it was “what is it with the toilet paper?” Why would anyone need toilet paper and lthere is no need to stock up because some will bring you anything you run out of.” By Friday things had evolved to a kind of rationalized hopefulness as several people remarked that “this has already been going around here for a while” and “all the kids had that bad cold back in December and January, probably a lot of people have already had it and didn’t know what it was.” Then on Saturday and Sunday all the local stores were cleaned out.
Officially, there are only a couple of cases confirmed locally, so far, but I’m sure that number will increase very soon. The hospitals here are generally good but many, many small community hospitals have closed in recent years so when things get serious I expect the remaining hospitals to be overwhelmed. My mom has several appointments coming up in a few weeks and we are planning to cancel all except the most urgent.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: That takes care of the “social distancing”.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@OzarkHillbilly:
At a quick glance, I misread your opening as “my new wife.” Which, actually, I guess she is, for some definitions of “new.” Mr DAW is my first husband. :-)
NotMax
Last trip to NY, went around for a few mile radius of Mom’s place and picked up takeout/delivery menus from every place I could find that wasn’t a total dive and stuffed them into her folder where she keeps those.
R-Jud
@Tony Jay: Ta. I still had some no-deal Brexit supplies in.
About to have my third nap of the day. The Child is watching Pokemon episodes and basically being free to raid the biscuit tin as and when she likes. Anarchy in the UK.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@NotMax:
Why would you not eat the cake? Isn’t that what it’s for?
NotMax
@r-Jud
Is there a British version of Sesame Street that features Biscuit Monster?
;)
NotMax
@Dorothy A. Winsor
Much like lasagne, it’s better the next day. To me, anyway.
opiejeanne
@NotMax: That’s the thing about Costco, so much of their stuff is packaged in large blocks. The tuna we picked up was in a block of 8 cans, the Clorox wipes are in a set of 5, the toilet paper that we picked up before everything went to hell was one of the mega-packs. We didn’t buy 4 of those like a handful of people we saw that day. I still don’t understand the run on bottled water. This isn’t an earthquake or a hurricane, this is like being snowed in for a month.
We usually keep enough stuff on hand for a snowstorm that keeps us at home for a week or more, having learned the hard way when we came close to running out of toilet paper the first time that happened.
The one thing that did make me feel guilty was buying the last 4-pack of alcohol prep pads. I only wanted one package of 100, but now I have about 18 months’ worth; I will share if anyone needs a pack. We picked up shampoo and hand soap and Dawn liquid dishwashing soap at the Dollar Store, and they had toilet paper and paper towels, which we didn’t buy. They were in 2- and 4-packs.
I inventoried the freezer drawer yesterday, and cleaned up something sticky at the bottom of the drawer, probably ice cream that melted when someone didn’t shut the drawer all the way. I dumped a couple of things that had ended at the bottom of the drawer and were pretty old, but I also discovered that we still have a lot of stuff from our garden last year, like marinara from last summer’s tomatoes, a bag of tomatillos, and some frozen strawberries.The garage refrigerator’s freezer has a lot of good stuff in it, too.
I’m ordering seeds for the garden since that’s going to be our entertainment for as long as we stay home, and heaven help me, I’m going to order some salsify seeds, just for fun.
A Ghost to Most
@OzarkHillbilly: I laid in a stash of .22lr, in case I need to hunt. I’ve been meaning to lay in some black powder and caps for the muzzleloader, but GOEX suppliers aren’t plentiful, and mostly out of stock. Lead, I got.
NotMax
@opiejeanne
Pricier, but the Italian tuna (Genova brand) at Costco is leaps and bounds above the Chicken of the Sea type for taste. Comes in 6 packs.
Hint: Empty can contents into a strainer and rinse, as it varies from can to can and sometimes may be very salty if not rinsed.
Anonymous At Work
The spoken word has become a hazy memory. My thumbs constantly ache for texting friends and coworkers too lazy or conceited to check their email. Hygiene has long since been forgotten. Single-blade razors are decent vegetable peelers in a pinch, I have learned. Despite my best efforts, I have been unable to harness mental powers to kill the small yappy dogs of my neighbors. Oddly, my apartment sparkles and my email inboxes are now cleared and clean from clutter as well.
We shall see what Day 2 of telecommuting has to offer.
Dirk Reinecke
Well, here in South Africa the President declared a state of emergency on Monday, and not much has changed.
Flight cancellations are probably going to sink the badly managed state owned airline and the health system is probably going to be overrun.
Amount of people infected doubling every day.
John in Park Hill
@Jay Noble:
I did a bike ride that started/ended in Sidney last year – Tour de Nebraska – nice little town. I had planned to do the ride this year (it’s further east) but would not be surprised if it were cancelled.
Good luck and stay safe.
NotMax
If worst comes to worst, figure boiling the hell out of the Whole Earth Catalog* will get me through a few extra days.
:)
*Yes, still have that puppy.
Cheryl from Maryland
My husband is in an at-risk category from an autoimmune disease AND renal failure, so he’s on dialysis. The dialysis center last week improved their procedures dramatically — no visitors in the building at all, patients wear face masks out of the building. Needless to say, he’s freaked, but we’ve been isolating and taking temperatures, etc. for three weeks now, so I feel the center and the rest of Montgomery, Co., MD is catching up to us. I have been going to PT after my hip replacement last year, and the therapist is a clean freak who also started getting serious about three weeks ago. Plus, our governor, GOP Hogan, has stepped up to the plate – his latest is to turn MD emissions inspection centers (think five lanes of drive-through where they check your vehicle’s tailpipes) into testing centers as soon as the state can get their hands on enough chemicals to extract the DNA from the nasal swabs. So we feel we are keeping ourselves safe as best we can.
As for good things, we have turned into a mini-lending library for the school kids next door (with proper precautions) who are bored, bored, bored, even with their dad, a tennis instructor, giving them 2-hour workouts EVERY DAY. Very happy that we are introducing the 10-year-old to Sherlock Holmes, Andre Norton (tween fantasy writer when I was a tween) and Harry Potter. She is excited.
NotMax
@Cheryl from Maryland
Reading is fundamental. Good – no, VERY good on you.
A Ghost to Most
@Waldo: We were able to find Udon noodles after the pasta disappeared. They’re pretty close.
OzarkHillbilly
@Dorothy A. Winsor: New, old… shrug, She’s the best wife. Don’t tell her I said that, tho. I don’t want her getting a big head or anything.
John in Park Hill
Denver:
Wife is working from home, which her company made voluntary policy as of this week. She can do that effectively. I can’t work from home (elementary school) but the schools are now shut down for three weeks, although I’m sure it will need to be longer than that. They’re still paying us (for now…)
There’s definitely less traffic in the city. Lots of families with kids taking walks mid-day yesterday (it was around 60) which is unusual on a weekday, but nice to see some parents getting the kiddos out for some fresh air and off the screens.
My local grocery store was initially a mess – most things cleaned out. Yesterday was much better. Still no paper products, rice or pasta, but some canned and frozen stuff was making a comeback, and the produce section looked almost normal. Except (inexplicably) no potatoes, which was making one lady absolutely lose her shit and yell at whoever was nearby. She eventually pushed her empty cart all the way back to her car (why?) and left.
It’s supposed to be 65 today, so I’m taking a long bike ride, as snow starts tonight and the next week looks much less pleasant. But I’ll have time to do my taxes, paint a room, fix stuff. Mrs. John has been lengthening the honey-do list…
I’m less worried about food security than I was a few days ago….just thinking through toilet-paper options. Colorado has no price-gouging laws, so no doubt it’s being sold at ridiculous prices on Craigslist, next-door, ebay, etc… Bastards! At least the hand-sanitizer king in TN got some karma…
Dan Egan
I work in food banking. There’s an unprecedented increase in need for our services and at the same time, many of the food pantries that traditionally give the food to those in need aren’t opening. This makes perfect sense because the typical food pantry volunteer is 70-plus years old.
So I would ask all of you, if you can spare $25, find the food bank in your area and give them a donation. Many are canceling their fundraisers because…..social distancing.
Here’s how you can find your food bank: https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank
A Ghost to Most
@John in Park Hill: Outskirts of Golden here. The KingSoopers I went to early yesterday was like combat. I hope that improves.
NotMax
1950s sitcom housewife: “Can I borrow a cup of sugar?
2020 sitcom housewife: “Can I borrow a cup of toilet paper?”
John in Park Hill
@A Ghost to Most:
Mine was a King Soopers as well. There’s a Safeway across the street, but one is much like the other as people will visit both to find what they need.
I’m considering visiting it tomorrow at 5am to see if ANY toilet paper is available (we’re running a bit low). It feels a bit post-apocalyptic to have to go forage each morning for what can be found.
It’s got me thinking of writing a short story where my neighbors and I conduct a night-time raid on a suburbanite sitting on a Costco hoard of 4000 rolls.
opiejeanne
@NotMax: I didn’t see any of that tuna at Costco when I went looking. I have a single can of fancy-ass tuna in oil from World Market. I noticed it was sitting on a can of canellini beans (white kidney beans) and had a flash of “wonder if they go together”?The Google told me that yes, they do! In a salad that’s a really quick meal and sounds like it might be pretty tasty.
We are holed up at home for at least a month, maybe two. I’m trying to convince David to let me order the bags of soil for the raised beds, pay in advance, and have their guys load it into our truck without us opening the window while they do. We’ve been shut in for a week, and the most excitement we’ve had was the HS kid plowing through our fence. He was drunk, was arrested, lost his license, totaled his car, and his mom told him she wasn’t going to pay for him to go to college out of state next year. He showed up on Sunday and apologized, and asked if there was anything he could do to help. Dave was about to tell him not to worry, but I said he could really help by picking up the pieces of his car that were scattered for 30 feet. He seems like a nice kid, and we talked quite a bit before he left.
He came by today and picked it all up. even the pieces hanging in the surviving lilacs on either side of his path. I feel inclined to leave a package of homemade cookies. on his doorstep with a note.
I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies today, and I can have one following a meal that includes sufficient roughage, and my blood sugar doesn’t even wobble. I think it’s probably because I add a cup of chopped pecans to the recipe, and that with the high ratio of oatmeal slows down the sugar response. I discovered that a second one was one too many tonight, but the blood glucose didn’t go up that much out of “the zone” and it came back down pretty quickly.
NotMax
@John in Park Hill
The Bunger Games.
:)
opiejeanne
@Anonymous At Work: That made me laugh, and we all need a laugh, so thank you for that.
Percysowner
Columbus Ohio. My kids are working from home and I’m on child wrangling duty. I do it anyway, so I’ve already been exposed to whatever germs they had last week. The only thing they have done since Friday is pick up groceries, so they are pretty isolated.
I got an email from my doctor. Basically if we have an ordinary visit scheduled call and they’ll see if they can work around it. I have one in April for a medication refill that has to be in person, but they may just let me run in, pick it up and go. They are saying just stay home if you have mild flu symptoms and self quarantine. Call them if the symptoms get worse. They are also working on doing visits by tele-medicine, if at all possible.
NotMax
@opiejeanne
Could be because your local outlet doesn’t stock it, could be because it’s on special Costco-wide right now.
Robert Sneddon
I saw that movie, where the rural folks get together to drive off the rampaging urbanites in their heavily-armed assault canoe. What was it called again, oh yeah, “Deliverance”.
opiejeanne
@Waldo: Know what that weird gluten-free quinoa and spinach pasta taste like? Regular pasta, pretty much, although the quinoa seemed a bit heavier.
You can substitute spaghetti squash for pasta, if there’s any left in your store. It’s different but still a good carrier for marinara.
NotMax
@opiejeanne
Spinach linguine a favorite since way back in knee pants days.
Somewhat curious about the chick pea pasta, but it’s just too kooky (thus offputting) a concept to experiment with.
opiejeanne
@NotMax: yeah, but it might be a great substitute.
That reminds me, I have at least one can of garbanzo beans in the pantry and no plans for them in a dish. Maybe I’ll roast them with some spices. I did that once and the results were pretty good. I’m not at the point of needing to make snack food yet, beyond cookies once in a while.
opiejeanne
@opiejeanne: It’s nearly 7am. I think I might hit the grocery store to grab some fresh mushrooms and half and half and a couple of other items that they might have had a chance to restock. It’s early enough that there won’t be many people in the store. I can glove up and I’ve got Clorox wipes I can take along to wipe off the gloves when I’m finished.
Ben Cisco
@White & Gold Purgatorian: Hey neighbor (sorta)! Good to see another Alabamian on the board. Wonder how many of us there are?
NotMax
@opiejeanne
Someplace I have stashed away a recipe for chick pea cookies. Might be more efficient to just Google.
evodevo
@OzarkHillbilly: LOL – sounds like rural Ky…we live 15 miles away from the Ky epicenter, Cynthiana….turns out that Patient 0 there gave it to all her church members at the small fundie church in a little community outside town. No one is saying where SHE got it, but since she worked in the local Walmart Deli, reality hit the fan pretty quick here. No TP ANYWHERE lol. LUCKILY we got rid of our idiot Teabagger gov last year and have a competent Dem in his place, who is managing as well as can be expected under the circumstances. Restaurant dining rooms are closed, as are CHURCHES (!!!!), bars, etc….. There are still Fox News idiots running around saying it’s a hoax, same as the flu, etc., but they are fewer and fewer as time has gone on. WE stocked up two weeks ago, live out in the boonies and have no social life to speak of, so we’re fine. We even have a local meat market/slaughterhouse operation a mile away. Economic dislocation is gonna hit pretty soon…time for the Dems to start broadcasting Republican malfeasance 24/7.
Dave
In Northern Wisconsin, no cases in my county. Colleges all online as of last week, public schools shut down until at least April 6 but I’m guessing they will be closed for the school year and won’t be returning until fall. My wife is an elementary school teacher and at least for now will continue to be paid, we’ll see if that changes.
I work in engineering and construction and although I’ve been cut to 4 days a week since the first of the year we continue to prepare for a busy construction season. My employer is still having us come in for work but we are preparing to be able to work from home if necessary.
Bars and restaurants closed except for take-out, no fountain drinks, coffee, or prepared food at gas stations. Walmart and grocery stores cleaned out of bottled water, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, baby wipes, and eggs. People are NUTS!
ET
Most of the people I work with are teleworking – but I am at the office. Everything in DC is pretty quite – sort of weird.
If anyone is in the mood and bored there is a a transcription effort at the Library of Congress at
https://crowd.loc.gov/campaigns/
By the People is an effort to transcribe, review, and tag digitized images of manuscripts and typed materials from the Library’s collections.
There is a little bit for anyone.
Kattails
I’m headed off to my retail job, and hoping we shut down like NOW. The next person who walks in coughing or who stands there open-mouthed breathing in my face is going to get an earful. I only did 4 hours yesterday and was exhausted. I can’t imagine grocery clerks where it’s just endless and you are stuck in that little stall all day. I at least can step out and tidy shelves if there’s a few minutes between customers. Otherwise I get really antsy.
Oh and I quick whipped together that King Arthur flour chocolate cake recipe that someone linked to last night, it just needs a couple more minutes. Figured we’d need it today.
NotMax
@evodevo
Any rumblings about the Derby being postponed?
Jay Noble
@John in Park Hill: Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the stay and the ride.
Miki
@opiejeanne: Here’s another tuna/white bean recipe for you (really old Weight Watchers recipe – surprisingly good):
Provencal-Style Fish Stew (serves 4)
2 cups chicken broth
1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped
15 oz canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz water-packed tuna fish drained, flaked with a fork
15 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
In a medium pot, heat 1/4 cup of broth over medium-high heat; add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. (Or go ahead and sauté in oil of your choice)
Add beans, tuna, tomatoes and oregano; stir in remaining broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper and basil; simmer for 1 minute more. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.
PaulWartenberg
@debbie: This may come up at today’s meeting with my boss. we may spend a week or two wiping everything down. :/
frosty
We are on the road on a 4-month post-retirement tour in our travel trailer of lesser visited National Parks. Currently at Big Bend and reassessing our next stops. We may have to bypass Southern California in April. I’m also concerned about catching this in a place with no hospital beds. Like Moab UT.
It turns out that social distancing is pretty easy traveling this way. 95% of our time is in the trailer or the car, the rest is groceries etc. as if we were home
HELPFUL HINT: the local general store is out of TP but there was plenty of RV TP in the camping supplies.
Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ
I’m trying to work from home and getting interrupted every five minutes. My 16 yo who has severe asthma tested negative for strep, flu A & flu B and the stupid Dr poopooed the idea that he might have coronavirus since he hadn’t traveled. Idiot. The number of cases in Arizona has tripled in the last week. The time for limiting to testing overseas travelers is over. One of my Trump supporting sisters told me their will be millions of tests ready soon. Riiiiiiiighhhhhhhhttttt.
My 9 yo is home too, binge watching videos on Youtube right behind me. They’re on Spring Break now but Gov cancelled school through the end of March. The store shelves are empty here except for crap nobody wants. I went to Walmart this morning as soon as they were open and it was another frenzy but still no TP. My job is unstable because my boss sold the company without getting any guarantees for us his loyal employees. They just contacted me and scheduled a “1-on-1” with HR in late April. I have no idea what is going to happen. I was told that they bought us because they wanted our client accounts–they didn’t need our code or any of our resources. So they now have what they want and I’m not confident I will have a job in a month’s time. OH and there’s bees coming out of my fireplace so now I’ve got a bee expert here trying to figure out what’s going on. Did I mention I’m deathly allergic to bees and don’t have an epi-pen? Did I also mention that the trial against my ex is scheduled for late April too but Victim/Witness advocate is saying it will be at least a year or two before it actually goes to trial. And this is only the tip of the iceberg.
I’m so effing stressed I feel like screaming and crying at the same time. And now I’ve got to get back to work or at least try to…..
Jay Noble
@Dave: I had a couple of thoughts last week when I was refilling my Diet Dew at Arby’s. Cashier hand me the cup, swipes my card and hands it back. Just as they had to the people in front of me. Fill the cup with ice and pop, cup touching the activators. Then having to get a lid from the stack. The straw was paperwrapped but in with all the other straws. So when I went over for my refill I was pretty much “too late now” :-)
Miss Bianca
Well, last night had what is probably my last f-t-f gathering with my neighbors for a while – we had planned a neighborhood dinner, and since several of the attendants were nurses and other health care professionals, I figured if they were ok with it, I would be too. Our conversations, as you might imagine, had a lot to do with what measures we could and would be taking to deal for the next few weeks. I offered to go on grocery runs for the group, since I’m the only one still going into town for work (my office is closed to the general public for now, because THEATER!). Our most immediate neighbor has his son and son’s gf coming for two weeks, as son has been ordered to work remotely – guess he figured he’d enjoy himself more self-quarantining in the mountains than in Houston. Can’t blame him.
Other than that, well…we are adjusting. My tiny little “oh, it can’t happen here” county is going to be having a major wake-up call if the rumor I heard is true, that someone visiting the courthouse the other day is now showing symptoms of the virus. Wonder if the county commissioners are going to be meeting this morning – I was ordered by my editor at the paper not to go to public meetings anymore, so I was looking forward to catching it on video-recording, but the video set-up is all at their meeting room in…wait for it…the courthouse.
But the larder and the fridge are well-stocked after a major grocery run on Sunday, so we will carry on. My new horse just arrived in the midst of all the chaos, and she is a dear – but her Coggins test paper is out of date, so the boarding stable won’t let her into the stall I reserved for her, so now I have to chase down her old trainer – or contact the racing office, if anyone is still there, to see if I can get proof of a current test. Meanwhile she is hanging out at my saintly boss’s place with her herd.
I have kind friends, and that is what is getting me through all this right now.
chopper
here in seattle things are quiet and stabilizing. grocery stores aren’t very busy and the shelves are pretty picked over, but you can find more stuff if you go to the bigger ones like QFC.
still surreal, and the news out of several states that they expect the schools to be shut through the end of the school year has me worried. i work at home anyways and can handle doing that and homeschooling the kids but goddamn i am not looking forward to doing that for 3 full months.
A Ghost to Most
@frosty: I am about to start building a 5×10 cabin to roll on/off my off-road utility trailer. We hope to be off on an overlanding trip next year. Big Bend is on the list. Enjoy.
Carol Van Natta
The state of Colorado issued orders to close bars, gyms, the capitol building, etc. (more detailed list here) for 30 days. In Fort Collins (70 north of Denver), we had the usual runs on TP, sanitizer, milk, and eggs, pasta, flour, etc., plus we apparently feared a potato shortage and bought those up, too. In our house, we mysteriously ended up with an abundance of mustard and cream cheese. We’re well-stocked for catfood because we buy in bulk and get regular shipments. I admit to panic-buying 4 boxes Girl Scouts Thin Mints on the last day of sales.
The resident mad scientist has been out of work for so long he quit looking, so the free-money-from-the-government benefit probably won’t even find him. I telework already, so the social-distancing order makes no difference to me, and my contractor job for the federal government is likely safe because the tasks I do for them are required by law. Last Friday, my employer’s CEO ordered everyone on all contracts across the nation to telework if at all possible, regardless of what their respective agency said.
Speaking of which, the large civilian agency for whom I provide services waited until yesterday to send official guidance to their employees. The email was half “we acknowledge your concerns” and half “show up to work, you damn slackers,” with a generous dose of self-congratulatory patriotic blather. Actual instructions and procedures for teleworking are supposed to come from their division chiefs today. Meaning that if the boss knows how to manage for results, they’ll let staff telework, but if the boss manages by butts-in-chairs, they’ll probably drag their feet and force employees to take personal leave if they choose to self-quarantine sooner. Being a contractor sucks during government shutdowns, but being a fed sucks when incompetent Republican grifters run the agencies.
All my exercise classes are canceled. I completely tank at motivating myself to do home exercise, so I expect to devolve into a pile of gelatinous goo in the next few months while we all adjust to our “new normal.” But better that than contracting (or even worse, spreading) COVID-19.
I’m most worried about my friends and the small businesses in town. I’ve started checking in with people to find out how they’re doing, especially those on the gig-economy train(wreck). I plan to order a lot more takeout/delivery food from local restaurants than I usually do, and buy gift cards from other businesses as I can. In the meantime, I’ve upped my donation to the local food bank.
I am slower at writing when I’m stressed, so while I’m making progress on the fifth book in my space opera series, it’s not as fast as I’d like. Still, it’s quite cathartic to write the part where the heroes start fighting back against the villains. ?
frosty
@A Ghost to Most: It’s beautiful here, in a dry mountainous way. I could send Alain a daily OTR post. Next NP stops are White Sands, Saguaro, Joshua Tree and Death Valley. Followed by Utah.
White & Gold Purgatorian
@Ben Cisco: Hey back at ya! I’ve been pleasantly surprised that Gov. Kay has been taking this seriously. I figured state government would be for “rights” and “survival of the fittest” all the way down. Maybe it helps that Kay is basically older than dirt and has no more political aspirations anyway.
The Birmingham area looks to be very hard hit now, but I don’t find it credible that the Huntsville metro area only has a couple of cases. Lots of travel from around here. Probably they just didn’t ramp up testing so we won’t see the cases until they start testing more people.
opiejeanne
@Miki: Thanks. I might try that instead.
opiejeanne
@Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ: I am so sorry. You have plenty of reason to be stressed out. My older daughter went through that and she was going through a divorce but didn’t have children.
Know that we are thinking of you. I wish that didn’t sound so trite.
hedgehog mobile
@A Ghost to Most:
@John in Park Hill:
Littleton here. King Soopers near me out of most canned veggies, no beans (canned or dried), 2-item limit on certain commodities.
Our office went on mandatory telecommute yesterday. Downtown Denver on Monday was almost deserted…it looked like the 1980s after the oil crash (yes I am An Old).
evodevo
@NotMax: yes…been put off till Sept…1st Saturday
A Ghost to Most
@hedgehog mobile: Yeah, I’ve been looking for dry beans as well. My wife and I are going to try to hit the store tomorrow 7am. Hopefully, the storm will lessen the crowds. Stay warm.
greenergood
Late to the thread: West coast of Scotland. Schools will close on Friday. Nearest big store is 20+ miles away – yesterday, no bread, no pasta, no tomato sauce, many brands of tinned tomatoes gone, very few kinds of canned beans etc., no toilet paper, no paper towels. Luckily, big shops are now wising up and only allowing two or three of the same items per customer. Tiny corner shop 5 minutes walk from me has most things, though no bread. I’m a freelance c-editor, so no biggee for me in terms of ‘social distancing’ but my BFF is a district nurse, going into esp. old people’s homes for wound dressing, etc. and her daughter does home visits for disabled folks of all ages. I am very frightened for them. Food banks are closing, just when needed most, because a lot of the people that volunteer are old(er) and susceptible, and a lot of the food/dry goods that is given out by food banks has been hoard-purchased by people that don’t bloody need food banks – grrr…
My neighbours share a house on the Costa de la Luz in Spain. They were due to go back there last week, but where they are, there are lots of holiday homes for people from Madrid, who all moved out of the city just before the curfew last week, bringing their Covid-chaos with them. The beaches and golf courses shut first, now it’s everything – so my neighbours are here, where it has rained every day for nearly two months.
opiejeanne
@chopper: my youngest says they just installed a plexiglass screen around the counter where she deals with maybe 100 people a day, but she’s getting sick and she was one of the few people still coming into the office, and her job can’t be done remotely.
She was going to do some shopping for us this weekend, but we went very early today and picked up some things that we are out of, like fruit and veggies. I’m not going to tell her; she’ll just get mad.
A Ghost to Most
@frosty: I have adjusted to the dry and the open. By the time we left MD, I was feeling hemmed in by the trees and the green.
A Ghost to Most
@frosty: Fair warning: If your route towards Utah includes Durango, you may want to avoid US-550 (Red Mtn Pass). It’s scary enough in the summer.
J R in WV
@debbie:
The virus won’t live forever, in fact on absorbent material like cloth (and I would expect on paper), I have read they die much sooner than on a hard surface like glass or metal, where they can last 2-3 days.
My canned goods are almost certainly clear of CV-19 virus by now. Our money/cash was obtained before the pandemic broke out. The single SARS-Covid-19 case in WV was in the DC suburbs in the eastern panhandle, a 6 hour drive from Charleston, the state capital.
After 30 days there’s nothing to worry about in the library regarding the covid-19 Trump Plague…
J R in WV
@A Ghost to Most:
In my software experience, any major DB change that only takes 3 months to sort out… that’s practically instantly !!!
But we were never a big enough account to have anything past phone calls with Oracle… we had to hire independent contractors no longer employees of the big companies. Was oK tho…
JaneE
Being a dedicated Costco fan, I always have close to a month’s worth of everything, and we go every week to buy whatever we are getting low on. Last week, one week ago today, the parking lot was normally crowded, as was the store. It was the first time we had gone with the new coupon specials, so those were the things we were going to buy. A couple of the coupon items we could not find, but we didn’t go hunting all over the store. I didn’t check paper products, because we were good on those. I stocked up on meat, because the freezer was empty, and the grocery area was stocked as normal. Checkout lines were long (3-4 carts each) but that is also normal.
This week, going back to get the things we missed – EGADS. No parking even half an hour before opening, and a line stretched around the building. Turned around and went home. Tried a few hours later to see if the crowd had thinned out. NO. The line to get in still stretched around the building, and they were only letting in people intermittently, when a dozen left they would let a dozen in. Will check again next week, to see if they are still lined up.
A Ghost to Most
@J R in WV: I was quite well versed in Oracle RAC on Unix at that point. The DOD threw a curve ball at me, and demanded we implement the new Joint Medical Asset Repository on Windows Server. Crash course for me in Windows Server, then 3 months of debugging the cluster MGMT piece with Oracle. It wasn’t ready for primetime on Windows prior to that.
J R in WV
@Carol Van Natta:
I’m a Space Opera junkie, glad you name is connected to your web site. One question… Is there any way to stop that big block of graphics from moving continuously forever? I can’t look at that for more than a couple of cycles, it gives me a headache, and I don’t get those, hardly ever…
Will be looking into your books to download, always need another series to read!
Best of luck with the Trump Plague!
J R in WV
@Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ:
Good to see you here today. I hope we can be support emotionally for you in your stressful life as it unfolds.
BEst of luck with everything!