Whoa. Yikes. Wow.
Initial jobless claims from 1970 to today, charted: https://t.co/a2OwA2ILGN pic.twitter.com/LSx6oSxKDW
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 26, 2020
I mean, we knew it was coming, but seeing that chart is still shocking. This is just calamitous on every level, and I don’t even want to try to wrap my mind around it. Not yet.
Made an unsuccessful TP run earlier today. I thought if I was there when the supermarket doors opened, maybe I’d have a shot at a four-pack, but no such luck. There are two grocery stores in my little burg, and sheriff cruisers were parked outside both of them, which lent an apocalyptic air to the enterprise.
A socially distanced crowd had gathered in front of the store when the door was opened by a tall, middle-aged woman with the brisk manner of a middle school principal. She had a voice to match and told the assembled that the carts had been sanitized so DON’T ASK US FOR WIPES.
She said she was going to ask everyone to enter the store in a spaced, orderly manner. She said her staff was working very hard and that if anyone disrespected them, that person would be ejected from the store immediately. That last bit got a polite round of applause from the crowd.
I made straight for the paper products aisle, where there was already a line. The person directly in front of me got the last package of TP. I was so discouraged that I went home without even seeing what else was left on the picked-over shelves.
We’ve got enough grub to last for a couple of weeks at least, so I figured I should let the rest of the shoppers have at the dwindling stock without competing with me. Will I regret that decision if the supply chain doesn’t catch up to this accursed timeline? Maybe.
How’s it going in your neck of the woods?
zzyzx
Try gas station convenience stores. Ours still have most of the time.
Elizabelle
Well, there is that nice Trump mailer the CDC sent out …
Good morning, jackals.
MattF
No TP in my go-to supermarket. But I have about a month’s supply and logistics people say more is coming.
Jeffery
Wall Street loves unemployment. I suspect the Dow will go up today.
donnah
Our CVS drug store had TP, too.
I’m actually self-policing how much tp I use, like that Seinfeld episode. Four squares!
Unemployment numbers are staggering. My rughooking workshops are canceling one after the next, leaving me unemployed and scared. One of my three sons is able to work from home, but my son in Charlotte is now under the stay home order and is an electrician without anywhere to go. And my youngest son is looking into a grocery job to fill in his lost work.
Good luck to one and all.
Lapassionara
@zzyzx: That’s good to know. I am mystified about the TP issue. We have some, but have not seen any in the grocery in weeks, and we get to shop very early in the am, because we are old.
I sorted through our closet of Costco purchases the other day, and we have several food packages that are past their “use before” date. Does anyone know whether it is ok to use anyway? These are not in cans, but in packages, sort of like MRE’s.
I hate the idea of wasting food.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
My story is from Monday here in Denver.
Our idiot of a Mayor held a presser to announce stay-at-home. Okay, no big deal but during the Q&A he said something to the effect of “I don’t want to start a panic but we have deemed liquor stores and pot stores non-essential.” Guess what happened?
A PANIC!!!!
For the next two hours, seemingly every booze and weed store had a line around the block. Apparently nobody realized that if they had a car or could take the main bus (#15 Colfax) they could easily get to a burb and buy all the sweet booze and weed they wanted.
Two hours after the presser and the resulting city-wide stampede, the Mayor’s office issued a clarification saying that booze and weed stores would be essential. The local news crews were out covering this and one was standing at the line outside Argonaut (a legendary liquor store in Denver on Colfax) when the reporter got the word. She looked at the camera and said “Let’s go tell them” and off they went to film people leaving.
It was a real Emily Litella moment.
Fair Economist
I did not expect an unemployment claim anything like that high only because I didn’t think the states would be able to process it. Unexpected efficiency! That’s good, right?
Things are getting a *little* more normal in my store. Paper goods are still selling out, but we do have bread, meat, milk, butter, canned soup, and bottled water, even if the selection is greatly reduced. Still completely missing yogurt (!?), rice, and beans.
batguano
Neighbors already called the police this morning trying to get our job site shut down for not practicing social distancing. We have one trade per condo, hand washing station, hand sanitizer, bleach wipes, and we are doing our best to keep a 6 foot distance. I’d be happy to go home if they would pay my mortgage.
Geoboy
Republican Party delenda est.
Barbara
@Lapassionara: If it says something like “best used by” it’s telling you that it’s probably okay to use after that date, but it might not be nearly as good. We had some camp food that had expired (by a matter of years, not months) and we used it anyway and it was fine. After that, mice got into the rest even though it’s vacuum packed and sealed. So we don’t have that dilemma anymore.
ETA: One thing that isn’t very good after it has passed its expiration date is oatmeal in the packet. If you are baking something that uses yeast, you should definitely proof the yeast first, but I have had good success with expired yeast as well, especially if kept in a freezer.
Another Scott
@Lapassionara: Usually those dates on the packages are “best by”. There should be no problem in using them. (Obviously, look for mold or weird smells on opening and don’t take any silly chances.)
We’ve got pancake mix, etc., that are years past their use date. They’re fine.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Scott.
OzarkHillbilly
Talked to my NOLA son last night. If you need help with your UI claims, they will take your phone # and call you back. Someday. Maybe. They are so swamped that’s all they can do.
Things are getting real down there and he is getting nervous, wondering how things are going to shake out with food, necessities, hospitals, etc. Talking about heading for the hills (and hollers of home). I tried reassuring him, and he is self aware enough to realize that this is all new and he is most likely over reacting to some extent at least, but he is seeing things down there that I can’t from up here so I guess my words ring kind of hollow.
Chris Johnson
I wish I could send you mine, Betty. I went to the Hannafords in Keene, NH last Tuesday (actually, the co-op and the Brattleboro VT Hannafords AND the Keene Hannafords) and the Keene one unexpectedly had the exact kind I usually get. I have a shelf where I put charmin 8-packs, and I still had one from last month and was going through a couple 4-packs and starting to think in terms of rationing, and wondering what it’ll be like when everyone starts using paper towels or newspapers or whatever and destroys the sewers. Not happy times.
When I saw ordinary TP on pallets in the middle of the aisle I was so relieved. I just grabbed a single package, 8-pack like usual (there were many other 12-packs and I was allowed two but I only grabbed one) because the way I saw it, if Hannafords could pull that off in the middle of all this and not even that early in the day (it was mid-afternoon), they’ll be able to do it again. Maybe not every time, but they’ll be able to.
Strangely it was a sort of endorsement of capitalism or something. The system still kind of worked, and so I didn’t have to go full ‘civilization is over’. I hope you get a similar experience.
The co-op had individual rolls of industrial-grade TP, maximum two a customer, so I grabbed two from there before striking gold in Keene :) courage! It’s possible for places to respond hard enough to overcome prepper hoarding urges. Especially when it comes to selling people stuff that is in super intense demand, given a couple weeks of lead time.
Dorothy A. Winsor
We went to Jewel’s senior hour shopping this morning. Got there around 7. There weren’t many shoppers and the shelves were well stocked. I didn’t look for TP because we have some. The store broadcasted over the speaker system that the CDC recommended we stay 6 feet apart, and there were tape markers at the check out to space us out that distance. Ahead of time, Mr DAW said he felt like we were going out into a zombie apocalypse but it wasn’t bad at all.
Betty Cracker
@comrade scotts agenda of rage: Good God, what a fucking idiot. On the other hand: WEED STORES! :)
Barbara
@OzarkHillbilly: New Orleans is a hot spot. Basically, it seems that any place that normally sees a lot of tourist inflow is a hot spot: NO, Miami, NYC, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and ski resort areas.
Lapassionara
@Barbara: thanks!
WV Blondie
Before panicking over TP, check for facial tissue (i.e., Kleenex) – funny how so many people overlook that it makes perfectly acceptable toilet paper. Every time I’ve gone to the store the TP has been gone but the Kleenex shelves have been pretty much full.
As for not finding it on the shelves first thing in the morning: A clerk at our local small chain grocery (Food Lion) told me to try in the middle of the afternoon. The big stores get their deliveries overnight; the smaller stores get their deliveries during the day.
OzarkHillbilly
@Lapassionara: As long as they aren’t cracked open they are OK to eat. The taste may not be all it used to be but otherwise OK.
Meat products are the exception to the above rule. I don’t take chances with them.
Ohio Mom
I found dish washing liquid and laundry soap at Lowe’s. Wasn’t planning on a hardware store run but the sump-pump backup battery died and had to be replaced. It’s the rainy season here.
I saw in today’s Cincinnati paper that Ohio’s (illegally cancelled) primary has been rescheduled for mail-in only.
As usual for Enquirer articles, I feel less informed than when I started reading. The exact mechanism was not spelled out. Do we have to ask for a ballot or will one be sent to us? I’ll have to research that on my own (wish Kay would come back).
The clearest and most alarming part was the the League of Women Voters is not happy with what Columbus slapped together.
I guess I’ll be thankful it is only the primary that’s screwed up. As someone who will remain forever convinced my state helped throw GW’s re-election, I’d be besides myself if this was happening to the November election.
Betty Cracker
@Chris Johnson: Brattleboro! I used to be friends with a real oddball who lived up there. Beautiful spot.
Fair Economist
@Barbara: San Fran is actually not running particularly hot, which they are attributing to the early shelter in place order.
eric
because i am being extra extra careful because of my daughter’s compromised immune system, i have been trying to find, but cannot, disinfectant sprays. Other than bleach, anyone aware of alternative products that would work and also be available?
germy
In the Studs Terkel book “The Good War” there’s an anecdote about soldiers being told to restrict themselves to three small sheets of toilet paper. “One up, one down, and one polish!” were the instructions.
I ventured out early yesterday morning for the six to seven a.m. senior citizen hour at my supermarket. Again, the place was packed with oldsters. Again, I noticed one or two shoppers who were obviously younger than 60, but management is not strict. What bugged me is seeing one of the youngs (he looked about 40) pushing his cart and then coughing loudly with his mouth open, and then smirking.
I’d say about half the old folks wore masks and gloves. I scored no TP or soap, but found liquid dish soap, which we’ll use for hand washing.
germy
@eric: Pine Sol has been on the shelves in my store. Usually on the bottom shelf, which is why the hoarders may have missed it. They don’t like exerting themselves to bend over.
Lapassionara
@OzarkHillbilly: We used to live in NOLA, so I sympathize. Someone told us, shortly after we arrived, that we would do better if we thought of the city as the northern most city in the Caribbean and not as a US city. That proved to be an accurate assessment, in my view. We left after a few years, so missed Katrina and the ensuing horrors.
OzarkHillbilly
@WV Blondie: Needs to be Septic Safe for those of us not on municipal sewer systems. I’ve never seen SS tissues.
ETA tho one could use the Mexico system of a box for used TP.
dmsilev
Stores here are doing better. Toilet paper and a lot of cleaning supplies are hard to find, shelf-stable staples like pasta and dried beans are hit-and-miss but there’s usually something as long as you’re not choosy, and everything else is good.
ZeeLizzee
I live in the center of Connecticut near Hartford. Although paper products are hard to come by everywhere, I’ve found that the local ethnic markets have eggs and other short in supply comestibles in stock. YMMV
OzarkHillbilly
@eric: Blow torches make for excellent disinfectants in a pinch.
Patricia Kayden
Ohio Mom
I read somewhere that liquor stores are considered essential because you don’t want a bunch of detoxing drunks taking up valuable ER space.
That idea made me appreciate how pragmatic and dispassionate public health professionals are.
terraformer
I went to Costco yesterday – first time I’ve left the house since the 13th. It was surprisingly quiet, maybe 50 people in the whole place. I was able to get most of what I wanted to get, sans TP and sanitized wipes. We have some TP supply at home for at least a week or two though.
Lots of staples were completely out, things like pasta, pasta sauce, even tomato sauce. I got the last of the giant bag of tortillas. A bit surreal.
Betty Cracker
@OzarkHillbilly: Yep, that’s why I’m obsessed with finding TP. The last fucking thing we need is a septic tank on the fritz.
Aurona
Pssst…..If you go online to Cloud Paper (cloudpaper.co) you can get Bamboo, three-ply soft tissue; made in Seattle, you can order: for one person (or more) 24 individually wrapped rolls, $30 (+), on a 90 day cycle (you can change the cycle as needed). I ordered last Friday morning (3/20) and it arrived Saturday afternoon. “No paper is used in the making of this product.” Even the box is bamboo. I’m set!
Chetan Murthy
@eric: Ammonia-based cleaners work also. I use Windex Blue glass cleaner. So does 70% rubbing alcohol sprayed on. But these three things are incompatible. Do not mix any two (or three) together, or you’ll get vairous kinds of poison gas!
Steeplejack
I don’t know how much toilet paper I use, or at least at what rate. I (used to) just buy it when I get low. I’ve got five rolls in the closet, so I’m good for a while. Will note when I finish the current roll for monitoring purposes.
Ditto for paper towels. Just started a new roll in the kitchen, and I’ve got five or six more in the closet.
Pure chance that I’ve got that many rolls of either. I usually buy paper towels in two-packs and toilet paper in six-packs. Just got toilet paper before the apocalypse and happened to get a gigantic six- or eight-pack of paper towels on a whim a month or so ago. Go figure.
OzarkHillbilly
@Betty Cracker: In a pinch, go the Mexico route and keep a box for used TP next to the toilet. Burn it once every day or 2.
MomSense
@comrade scotts agenda of rage:
I’ve never been a weed smoker but our neighborhood garden group decided to grow it. I’ve got quite a bit. One of my neighbors asked if I would trade some of my mellow salmon river for some of hers that was way too strong for her. I asked her what it’s called and she said “agent orange”. So I also have a jar of agent orange which may be exactly the right strength for this fucked up timeline we are in.
I feel a strange sense of calm today even though this virus is terrifying and my work hours are diminishing by the day. There’s nothing I can do about any of it. I don’t want to go back to life as normal after this, though.
Amir Khalid
Why is there a run on TP? Are people suddenly doing number two more often?
Coronavirus news from Malaysia:
The U of Malaya Medical Centre, where I get my medical care, is about to close to non-COVID-19 cases for at least three months. The Agung (King) and Permaisuri Agung (Queen) are now in quarantine after seven members of Istana Negara (National Palace) staff tested positive.
The Health Ministry Director-General reports that 80 Ministry staff, none involved in frontline care of COVID-19 patients, have tested coronavirus-positive. 39 of them are in a contagion cluster at Hospital Teluk Intan, Perak, and all their colleagues at the facility are being tested.
Malaysia’s latest daily COVID-19 numbers.
Baud
@Chetan Murthy:
I was reading from the bottom up and thought you were talking about toilet paper substitutes.
germy
@Betty Cracker: Those commercials with the family of animated bears… the ones who boast their TP is so strong. I don’t trust extra strong toilet paper because I fear it clogs plumbing.
Back when we lived in the exurbs and had a septic, I’d only buy “safe for septic” TP. Now we live in a city with a real sewer system, I still buy the “safe for septic” stuff, because I worry about our ancient plumbing.
Baud
@Patricia Kayden:
“What do you have to lose?”
Ceci n est pas mon nym
I’m counting on the supply chain catching up and panic-shopping to settle down sooner or later, but it’s beginning to look like “later”.
We are very fortunate in having two chain groceries with commercial delivery services (Instacart and PeaPod) and one small co-op store with volunteer shoppers / deliverers. The little store is keeping up, but the big ones are not. The PeaPod store only has a few delivery slots, none before Apr 4, and the Instacart store has none. Zero. Won’t even take delivery orders right now.
We have plenty of TP, went ahead and bought a 20-pack just before the Trump speech that seems to have set off the full-fledged panic (how the HELL does he get positive approval ratings for that?) and we haven’t even opened it yet.
Pet food might be an issue. Chewy.com ran out of the canned cat food our kitty likes. We’re good for a few weeks but I don’t know when they’re going to start stocking it again.
I’m thinking a lot about farmers. The produce store we used to go to for fresh stuff has made no accommodation at all as far as I can see on their website or Facebook page. So there are farmers with food to sell and people who need that food, and nobody in the middle. This is a gap in our delivery chain that needs to be filled pronto.
cope
I took advantage of Publix’s old person shopping hours (one hour before opening, Tuesdays and Wednesdays) Tuesday. I got there about 10 minutes before opening and went to the end of a line about 100 yards long, comprised of nicely spaced old people. Everyone was friendly and polite and even though there were a bunch of people who were standing by the front door, they waited for the last person in the line to enter before they did. Good on them.
Inside the store was a line to the paper aisle, generally flowing in one direction with just a couple of miscreant line jumpers sneaking in from the other end of the aisle. I scoped out the TP choices as I edged closer. It seemed to me that none of my fellow olds were aware of the jumbo packs on the bottom shelf, pushed to the back. EIther that or most were unwilling to bend so far over and reach back to get them so I was able to score a big (18 count) package of TP and a two roll pack of paper towels. There were maybe 20 total packages of TP after I took mine.
I had a lengthy list as Mrs. cope is a transplant survivor and immune compromised and we are planning to be hunkered down for a while. There was no chicken at all, few choices on the bread shelves and few eggs. Other than that, most items I needed were available and I walked out about $180 lighter but well situated for a long stay in the house.
Because my wife was an RN and because I believe in facts and science, we had been on our own self-imposed shut in for almost two weeks already. RIght after the first of the month, we cancelled all upcoming appointments with the intent of eliminating our need to go anywhere for the foreseeable future. These were doctor and dentist and eyeglass appointments so not crucial.
We have been trying to stay occupied. Mrs. cope continues work on her latest scrap book and baking the occasional treat, reading and playing on the computer. Reading, cooking, minor home projects and computer time are keeping me pretty well occupied as well. I am finding the small bag of weed I scored just before the effluent impacted the ventilation device (treatment for my self-diagnosed anxiety) especially useful.
We’ve done what we can do so now it’s just a matter of waiting things out. I am hopeful.
MattF
@Amir Khalid: The explanation I’ve seen is that empty grocery shelves signify a loss of control. Makes some sense.
eric
@Chetan Murthy: any issue if i use the windex to clean off sealed plastic food containers from the store or delivery?
Amir Khalid
@WV Blondie:
Funny you should say that. Bidet-like arrangements are common in Malaysian homes and public toilets, so we often don’t use TP as TP. I myself use it mostly instead of tissue-paper or napkins.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
I wondered about that.
I had the thought that it might be nice to have a bottle of wine around. My consumption is pretty low, but I like a glass from time to time, and one group of friends has suggested having a virtual happy hour. But I usually don’t have any in the house, I am not planning on doing any in person shopping for ANYTHING (if I don’t have it here and I can’t get it shipped, I don’t need it), and apparently you can’t deliver alcohol in PA.
So wine gets added to the list along with haircuts and new shoes, of things that are just going to have to wait.
Steeplejack
@Baud:
Feel the burn! For that “you know you’re clean” security.
eric
@Chetan Murthy: would the windex wipes work as well?
MattF
Also, via my sister, the TP Aria.
Betty Cracker
@MomSense:
Same. I am hoping this jolt will make more people realize that what we accepted as normal was fucked up.
Rob
@WV Blondie: With regards to kleenex, my local water authority is saying don’t flush kleenex unless there are only a very few in the toilet bowl. Facial tissues don’t disintegrate in the manner of toilet paper and a large amount can clog up the outflow piping system.
My take on that would be 2 maaaybe 3 normal sized kleenex per flush.
In other news, on Tuesday I randomly stopped at a Walgreens in Arlington, Virginia, where they said that the next toilet paper delivery there would this coming Saturday. I’m hoping to find a pack or a single roll at a place closer to home, soon.
mrmoshpotato
@Patricia Kayden: I love Jeff’s account.
Belafon
I talked to someone the other day at the local Walmart, and they get their paper run around lunch time. You might need to ask someone at your store when they get theirs.
Citizen Scientist
Spousal unit was able to get both TP and paper towels at our local Aldi yesterday. The two closest groceries near us are still unable to keep it in stock, which is weird because the Aldi is always busy and is almost right next to a Walmart that is always busy.
I hope all you jackals are hanging in there unlike my VPN for work this morning. Namaste.
Barbara
@Fair Economist: The data is definitely hard to interpret, but SF issued the shelter in place order because the early numbers were alarming, and SF has some world class medical and public health experts and listened to them. Go UCSF! My only point is that the leading edge of the pandemic is tied to people moving around, and earlier sites of infection are clearly tied to places where people moving around animates the local economy. This seems obvious with ski resorts.
Ohio Mom
I predict that this hoarding thing is going to be the subject of much research and many papers by academics who study supply-chains.
And what is going to happen when things get back to normal? For instance, are toilet paper manufacturers going to have layoffs due to a lack of demand because of all the households who have to use up their hoarded stores first?
I don’t want to hoard but if I ever see any toilet paper for sale again, you can bet I’ll be buying it in self-defense. My usual habit of keeping one extra package on hand might fail me.
mrmoshpotato
@Amir Khalid:
My thoughts too. Our city government has been good about making sure people know supply chains are holding up. (Though the mayor is ready to start smacking people for hanging out in groups on the lakefront.)
PenAndKey
Dry goods or packed wet? If they’re dried goods and still dry they may not taste the best but the water activity will still likely be low enough that all you’ll have to worry about are flavor issues.
Medications are another story, because those can actually break down into potentially dangerous degradation compounds or simply not work. Asprin that smells acidic, for example, converts to acetic acid and is harmless but not effective when expired. That’s not usually a big deal, but if you’re using an 80mg/day schedule as part of a heart health plan it suddenly can be.
On a related note if you have expired wet/canned goods you’ll be taking a risk if you eat them since the shelf life studies for the containers don’t extend more than a half again past the listed date as a general “rule”, though this varies by manufacturer. Beyond that they’re not guaranteed safe. Check for unexpected bloating/gas, acidity/chalky flavors, rancidity (foul odors), cloudiness, or other observable issues. And do not, under any circumstances, ever so much as taste a canned or sealed food that shows signs of bloating. Clostridium botulinum is no joke, and as an anaerobic fermenter one of the only warnings you’ll get is that ever-important seal pop on old containers.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
@Amir Khalid: I’ve always wondered that.
I used to live in the Washington, DC area, a place that rarely gets significant snow and goes into full-fledged panic every time there’s a prediction of any.
And that panic would consist of cleaning out the store shelves of: TP, white bread, milk and steaks.
Aside from the fact that in DC you’re not going to be stuck home for more than a couple days at most before it melts away and so you don’t need ANY emergency supplies, why would those the emergency supplies you choose? What are you planning on doing with those things? Why did so many people have the same thought?
But it was very repeatable.
Betty Cracker
@MattF: Okay, that was pretty good.
NotMax
@Steeplejack
Bought a replacement Panatagruel pack of Costco brand TP sometime last fall when the previous one was finally on the verge of being used up. 30 rolls, lasts for around 3 years.
As for paper towels, hardly ever find any use for them. Keep a roll opened just in case, cannot recall how long ago bought that one but it was probably back in 2018.
rk
I feel kind of numb. I lie in bed and then get up and go to work. When I get home I throw my clothes in the washer and take a shower and get into bed. I feel I only just have enough energy for my work and nothing else. Don’t know how to get out of this funk. I don’t want to do anything at all around the house. Luckily the rest of the family is self sufficient and doesn’t bother me too much other than to say hello. I can tell from the tests being ordered by the ED which patients are COVID. As I left yesterday there was a code blue called for the ICU. Everyone looked at each other and knew this was it for that person. The worst is yet to come.
germy
Ohio Mom
Eric: I would use hand soap to lather up a damp washcloth or dish rag, and use that to wipe down groceries like cans and bottles.
As I understand it, old fashioned soap destroys the lipid layer that holds the virus together, destroying it. And hand soap is non-toxic (I’ve heard tell of foul-mouthed children getting their mouths washed with it) and doesn’t have the fumes other cleaners do.
Or you can wait. Check to see how long the virus lasts on say, cardboard, and put those spaghetti boxes aside and untouched for that length of time. Maybe leave the grocery bags of nonperishables in the car trunk for the requisite amount of time.
Lapassionara
@PenAndKey: I think they are wet. They are packaged vegan dishes, so no dairy and no meat.
one of the scariest headlines I saw in my younger days involved botulism poisoning. What a grim way to die. This is why I will never ever opt to have a Botox injection.
anyway, thanks everyone who gave me tips about these packages.
hedgehog the occasional commenter
Running low on paper towels, but I’ve got paper napkins (yeah) and cleaning rags for, well, cleaning. Toss in the wash and call it good.
The law firm I work at went remote March 17. We have an office in another state that started remote yesterday. Staff is going on a 32-hour week with commensurate pay cut mid-April (still keep benefits). Fortunately the big stuff (house and cars) are paid off and any outstanding debts will get paid before that. The attorneys are taking a pay cut as well.
Something I hadn’t shared with the jackaltariat earlier: mr. h had a stroke right before Christmas. Long story short, am MRI showed damage to the frontal/temporal lobes (and likely frontal-temporal dementia); some of it may have been the stroke, but (looking back) he had been showing signs that something was wrong; forgetting things, losing his temper easily, losing interest in things he’d loved, etc. He has been in memory care since January; he is doing better but I am not optimistic he will be home anytime soon. His facility has been on lockdown since mid-March. I am dealing with the grim realization that if he gets the ‘rona he is not a candidate for a ventilator. /vent off/
Elizabelle
@Betty Cracker:
Amen. Agreed.
Steeplejack
@Ceci n est pas mon nym:
If you just want a glass of wine from time to time, consider getting some box wine. The surprisingly compact (three-liter) boxes are equivalent to four bottles, the net cost is pretty low ($20-25 in my neck of the woods), and the wine keeps in the box for a couple of months.
I have been trying them lately and like the Cabernet and Merlot from Black Box. I had high hopes for the Bota RedVolution mix, but it was not as good. Haven’t tried any white wines.
Another Scott
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: There are, on the other hand, the freak winters where we get 12″ of snow in a couple of days, followed by 16″ of snow about a week later. Such things do shut down the area for close to a week.
Worst DC snowstorms.
(During one of those storms, an elderly neighbor down the street died because her house lost power (fallen tree on power lines) and she couldn’t get oxygen delivered because the streets were impassible – there was just too much snow. :-( )
Cheers,
Scott.
Marcopolo
Just dropping in to say good morning. Cases are ramping up in MO but StL & StL County (where I live) have been under stay at home rules since Monday so hopefully it will cool off around here in a week or so. The rest of the state aside from KC–I expect things to get worse since our R Gov is refusing to do a statewide order unless Trump declares it nationally.
Nate Silver has been looking at COVID numbers in red vs blue states & reckons even as bad as it is in NYC right now that the red states will surpass blue states in new infections by mid April if wider restrictions are not put in place.
Everyone out there take care of yourselves. No shortages of anything in our household though my Granola is running out (there was none at the grocery on Mon.)–poor me. I, for once in my life, thought ahead and stocked up on things like TP back in Feb.
Oh, one last thing. If you are at home looking for something to do, call all of your elected officials and tell them to make sure Vote by Mail is in place statewide/nationally for November. And if you live in CA/WA/CO/FL/UT/AZ/HI or any other state that already has it don’t gloat too much.
oldster
Wife and I got pretty well stocked up about a month ago, before hoarding was fashionable. We’re still coasting, and feeling smug for now.
But I got to wondering — how does the local grocery store handle deliveries? Maybe I should try before I need it? Just as a learning experience?
So I spent some time this morning with our painfully slow internet connection, ordering a sampling of products that are stable enough to sit in the garage for a few days after they are delivered.
Then hit the order button, and was informed that the first possible delivery is next Wednesday, April 1. Holy moly. A minimum of six days from now. There I was imagining same-day delivery.
So, that was a learning experience. Apparently my whole darned town is using delivery. I feel kinda bad about it, because I am still spry enough to go to the store if I really need to. What about people older than me? What about people who have infirmities or disabilities and cannot drive or shop? Are they waiting a week for their groceries, too?
This is all getting a little too grim for my taste, thanks.
PenAndKey
Yep. Because this virus has a lipid outer membrane (that, fun fact, it steals from the host cell as a sort of camouflage), soap will preferentially seek out the hydrophobic side of the viral membranes and embed themselves in it. That both serves to weaken the hold viruses can have on surfaces and, essentially, pop the membrane and kill the virus particle. People think you need fancy cleaners to kill off most bacterial and viruses. You don’t. Good old soap is often more than enough.
Betty Cracker
@hedgehog the occasional commenter: Damn, I’m sorry about the mister. That must be really hard under any circumstances, much less the present.
Brachiator
@Jeffery:
That’s under the old economy. The old rules don’t really apply as long as we are shut down. And maybe for some time after.
NotMax
@Steeplejack
Can’t recall the brand, there’s a boxed zinfandel which is passable if one doesn’t
looktaste too closely.Ceci n est pas mon nym
Do you need to refrigerate box wine to keep it that long?
@oldster: That’s our experience too. So you have to think in advance about what you’ll need, and plan on it maybe having to stretch it for an extra week if there are more delays on the next one. Which means we’re buying more and keeping the freezer full.
@hedgehog the occasional commenter: I’m so sorry about your husband.
Chetan Murthy
@PenAndKey: OhioMom is right, that if you can use soap and water, that’s really even better. B/c you can use copious amounts! But I would demur on just setting things aside. The following video discusses how to clean groceries and takeout, but ALSO mentions that on one of those cruise ships, they found live covid on surface after 17 days. Holy cow! This is a new pathogen: sure, scientists are learning things quickly, but our “knowledge” is only provisional. So err on the side of caution: we have to be right every time, but covid only has to be right once … to ruin our lives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=806&v=sjDuwc9KBps&feature=emb_logo
So I clean things AND set them aside for N days.
hedgehog the occasional commenter
@Betty Cracker: Thanks, BC. I’ve been working with a therapist and I’ve got an excellent support net, so that helps a lot. The Firm was very good about telling me to take whatever time I needed to deal with things, which was a lifesaver.
Amir Khalid
@hedgehog the occasional commenter:
Very sorry to hear about mr. h. Sending you hopes and wishes for the best.
oldster
@hedgehog the occasional commenter:
I am so, so sorry to hear that. Here I am whining about delayed groceries.
Take care of yourself.
hells littlest angel
I can barely remember feeling a little foolish stocking up on essentials just two weeks ago.
evap
I was traveling in Europe late Feb/early March and at some point I remembered that we were very low on toilet paper when I left home. I immediately got online and ordered a bunch from Amazon, this was just before people started hoarding so I had no trouble getting some. I also went to chewy.com and ordered cat food. We have enough dried beans, rice, nuts, etc. plus all kinds of cooked food in the freezer that we could survive for several months as long as we have water and some way to cook. This has been a good opportunity to go through our big freezer and the pantry and use up some of the food we have. Yesterday, I stumbled on some frozen cranberry relish leftover from Thanksgiving!
germy
ballerat
@PenAndKey: That made me think of Steve1989 on youtube. “Nice hiss!”
I find him kind of calming to watch. I’m also a bit surprised he hasn’t died from botulism. Either lucky or a cast-iron constitution.
Chetan Murthy
@germy: This is why we have to disinfect the outside of the box, then take the contents out, and disinfect that too. And then disinfect the work area. We have to assume that the box and its immediate interior are infected. B/c they were packed in a facility with infected workers.
WereBear
We are good for paper products, all of which I can score fairly easily, and I don’t get it unless I need it.
TP is still a special case: I have not seen so much as a single roll since I scored my big package right after it was announced that President Stupid had dismissed the Pandemic Response Team. Because that bit of news triggered a cascade of emergency prep, partially based on the three hurricanes I’ve gone through.
Last day of work before furlough sets in. But if I had to lose my job during this, it was at least a good way. What will happen down the road is completely up in the air.
But it hasn’t fallen down yet.
germy
@Chetan Murthy:
Brachiator
@MomSense:
For some reason, this really tickled me.
In California, I think that cannabis stores are allowed to stay open because they are considered to be “essential.”
hedgehog the occasional commenter
@Betty Cracker: @Ceci n est pas mon nym: @Amir Khalid: @oldster: Thank you, everyone. Fortunately I have a good support system and am working with a therapist (we had a remote session last night which worked really well). The Firm was very good about giving me as much time off as I needed; one of the partners told me “do what you need to do, we’ve got you.” I am truly fortunate in that.
@oldster: I’ve been whinging about grocery delivery too. My local grocer has no delivery open until next Monday. Fortunately I’m well enough stocked up that I don’t have to venture out.
Chetan Murthy
@germy: Oh good. That’s much better than what the guy in the vid (a doctor, but not a virologist/infectious disease/epidemiologist) said. Whew. Notwithstanding, I still leave boxes 4 days in a separate room before opening them. And copious disinfectant with every interaction.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Thirty rolls—too daunting for me! I can’t buy in quantities that make me question my mortality—whether I’ll live long enough to use them all.
I don’t use a lot of paper towels, but they are essential for some things. What I do use is blue “surgical” towels, which are great as dish towels, cleaning rags and whatnot. Surprising how many uses they have. I was introduced to them by Dr. Bro’ Man, but they’re readily available on Amazon. Example here for interested readers. Note: There are many suppliers, and quality seems to vary wildly. Check the reviews.
Sloane Ranger
Went to my local Morrisons in Northamptonshire on Monday. Food provision is slowly getting back to normal. Tinned items were generally available but only a limited choice . You can get frozen foods but very hit and miss. No toilet paper. I haven’t seen any in over 2 weeks. But there is now plenty of kitchen towels, which I don’t understand. A friend has told me that his local village shop has TP but is only selling it to regular customers.
I bought a pack of 9 (to add to the 6 and a bit I already had) just before the panic started, I am now about to open this and I gave in to panic about how long the shortage will last last night. I went on Amazon and an independent vendor was offering 36 rolls at double the usual price. I paid and they should be delivered on Saturday. When I checked about 30 minutes later, they were out of stock.
Chetan Murthy
Christ, what an asshole!
https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/26/gop-lawmaker-may-force-house-to-reconvene/
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) plans to vote “no” on the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, which the Senate passed 96-0 Wednesday evening, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports.
“Massie also hinted that he might object to a voice vote in the House of Representatives, which would force all members to return to Washington, D.C. and slowdown movement on the bill.”
Barbara
@germy: So yes, I think it’s funny and totally justified but it also shows he is not the guy to get deals done. He is a scold — which is a necessary function — but it is limiting in a lot of ways.
Ohio Mom
Hedgehog: adding my sorrow at hearing about the H family’s sad circumstances.
You are doing all you can, considering that so much is out of your hands. Be kind to yourself. We will keep good thoughts for you and Mr H.
Brachiator
@hedgehog the occasional commenter:
Sending you my best wishes.
Please take care.
eric
@Chetan Murthy: I disinfect the cardboard box with a spray all around. i then quarentine the box(es) in a closed bathroom for no less than 72 hours. then i take the stuff out and clean the stuff in the box (even though it is beyond the 24 or 72 time limit for virus survival). If there is food to be refrigerated. I open the box outside after external spray and then take the perishables out and clean then clean the work surface. I do this with a mask and gloves. i cannot take any chances.
WereBear
@hedgehog the occasional commenter: Damn. Do what you can do.
Barbara
@hedgehog the occasional commenter: Very sorry to hear this. My mother in law had a catastrophic stroke that she lived with but never really recovered from. Sending warm wishes for Mr. H’s continued well-being and recovery.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Barbara: according to Rose Twitter, Bernie passed the bill all by himself by hosting those round tables up in Vermont. Got that 96-0 vote done all by righteous shouting.
Then they ask, rhetorically, “How could anyone not love this man?” Well, since you asked, you folks are a major reason for that….
Steeplejack
@hedgehog the occasional commenter:
Sorry to hear about your husband. It’s got to be tough on you as well as on him. Sending good thoughts.
Brachiator
I can’t get no… toilet tissue
I can’t take care of…booty issues
Cause I try
And I try
And I try try try
I can’t get no
No no no
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
I appreciate good wine, but these are okay for “just a glass” and not having to worry about the clock ticking to drink the rest of the bottle.
hedgehog the occasional commenter
@Brachiator: @WereBear: @Barbara: Thank you. I am so glad to be part of this community. @WereBear: Almost forgot! I adopted two kittens (well, nine months old :) ) last month. Littermates, black , each with a little white spot on his neck. They’ve been a lifesaver.
BobbyK
Um, i think the supply chain will break. Think about it, all those retail people working these stores are COMPLETELY unprotected. Most of them will become gravely ill, then what?
Steeplejack
@Ceci n est pas mon nym:
No, you don’t have to refrigerate it. That’s the point of box wine: the plastic bladder inside the box is sealed, and the only air that gets in is when you mash the button to dispense a glass.
Note: The wine tastes better if you let the glass sit for a few minutes after you dispense it.
hedgehog the occasional commenter
@Steeplejack: Thank you–the support of this community helps. A lot.
hedgehog the occasional commenter
@Ohio Mom: Thank you.
Slim from MA
@Steeplejack:
The big reds from black box are the best. I’ve tried them all, Botabox, etc. Black box wins easily especially the Cab. I haven’t found a white in a box that is any good but my sample size there is very small.
Gin & Tonic
@Steeplejack:
A worry I very seldom face.
Chetan Murthy
@BobbyK:
Even assuming every last one is infected (which is a stretch) unless the worker population skews much, much older, 80% of these workers will have a mild-to-severe flu, and that’s it. 20% will need hospitalization — and that’s INSANE. But the supply chain, and society at large, will continue to work.
delk
Pizza place around here was giving a free roll of tp with each pick-up/delivery.
Steeplejack
@Gin & Tonic:
Heh. To be honest, neither do I. When I open a bottle, it gets drunk. But it’s nice not to have to make that onerous commitment.
Spanish Moss
TP shortage is so frustrating. Nobody in my family stocked up. When we read about the TP hoarding we laughed and figured that eventually people would feel like they had “enough” and it would be back on the shelves. Perhaps a mistake.
My son who lives in Boston has been unable to get TP in local stores for days, and after reaching the end of the last roll made an hour drive to get a few rolls from me. I always buy a 24-pack so I still had a lot on hand from the one I bought before this whole thing started. My niece and her wife (also in Boston) may be in the same boat, she was leaving on a TP search this morning, so I may be dispensing some more. TP handouts through the front door, still doing social distancing.
Glad to hear the advice about tissues and the septic systems, since I have one. At this rate it seems like I might eventually run out too.
germy
news conference
Nancy Pelosi
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/pelosi-holds-news-conference-after-senate-passes-coronavirus-stimulus-package/2020/03/26/a6ac2f16-cd70-49b0-8b2f-f85f4b9df19e_live.html?itid=hp_no-name_multi-video-bar%3Aposttv%2Fvideo-live-bar-2018
Blue Galangal
@Ohio Mom: Hey! I’m in Cincinnati too! Did we meet at the meetup in Blue Ash? My apologies if we did and I don’t remember.
My daughter and I ventured out to Country Fresh market on Vine St in Hartwell a few days ago and they had a good selection of everything they carry (which does not include any paper goods).
Amir Khalid
Ramadhan is coming in a couple of months. A few months after that it will be time for the Haj — perhaps the largest religous gathering in the world, over two million people in one small place for the best part of a week. Saudi Arabia maintains country pilgrim quotas to keep the numbers down so Makkah doesn’t get overwhelmed. You can spend years on the waiting list for a Haj visa and a lifetime saving up for the trip.
Now, the biggest coronavirus contagion cluster in Malaysia is the Tablighi Jamaat gathering at a mosque in the KL suburb of Seri Petaling a few weeks ago. (The Tablighi Jamaat are a Muslim evangelist movement founded in India.) There are some hair-raising numbers in the South China Morning Post story at the link.
This year’s Haj will quite likely have to be cancelled. This is going to be painful for a lot of Muslims around the world.
Another Scott
Yeah, that Wilbur Ross comment aged really well. As expected…
(Click for the image.)
Cheers,
Scott.
MomSense
@Brachiator:
We also build igloos in the winter and sit on lawn chairs inside drinking home brew.
It’s good to be the token Xer with a bunch of Boomer hippies.
MomSense
@hedgehog the occasional commenter:
((((((hedgehog)))))) I’m so sorry to hear this news. Thank you for sharing it with us. What can we do to support you?
WereBear
@Amir Khalid: I was wondering about that. Thanks for the update.
satby
@Lapassionara: yes, they’re still usable. The dates are more for store rotations and they may not be as “fresh” as using them by their dates, but it’s fine.
satby
@eric: hydrogen peroxide. Have to look up use rates ( I think full strength on surfaces) but it will work and people haven’t been hoarding it.
Gin & Tonic
@Amir Khalid: I recently saw somebody post an aerial photo of the Kaaba(?) with *nobody* around it. Pretty remarkable.
cope
Is it just me or my machine or has Betty’s post been rolled into David’s about Medicare expansion? I cannot see the heading for her post on my iPad but the text for her post is shown under David’s heading.
Has all the world gone mad?
satby
@hedgehog the occasional commenter: oh, what a tough thing on top of all the other awful things! I’m so sorry.
catclub
yes, almost certainly ok to use. Check out Andrew Tobias and old food,
Nelle
Dilemma. I’m 68, he’s 76. He’s in better health than me. He’s restless to try to get fresh stuff; I say nope, we have plenty, no need to risk it.
Then my son, 29, calls, and offers to pick up stuff for us. But he has a one year old and a two and a half year old. They are running out of milk (the girls are usually in daycare for breakfast and lunch weekdays and now milk consumption is very different).
We feel that we should go at the Olds Early Hour and get their stuff and leave it on their porch. Son wants to protect Father. Father wants to protect Son and granddaughters.
catclub
@Another Scott: he may have said it badly, but he is right.
Supply chains for things like pharmaceuticals and masks will definitely be reevaluated to bring supply closer to home. Then wait a while and costs will become important again and we go back to overseas lowbidder.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
I’ve been on hold for 2 hours. I’m beginning to suspect my call (actually a chat window) isn’t going to be answered.
Citizen Alan
@germy: I hate those Charmin Bear commercials. For some reason, they force me to contemplate a bear’s shit-stained ass, and it freaks me out.
FlyingToaster
I just got back from an omni-grocery run in Waltham, Newton and Watertown:
Marketbasket has everything except Active Dry yeast, but only in small quantities (e.g., 4 pack toilet paper, limit 1 pack). I’m nearly out of yeast.
Stopped by Hannaford and got a jar of bread machine (Rapid Rise) yeast, which the recipe I’m commanded to make prefers, so that will work just fine. Out of iced tea mix. Bleah.
Trader Joe’s has a limit of 2 on everything, but they definitely had TP. I’ll send HerrDoktor over to Somerville to the big TJ’s at assembly if he wants anything else.
Stop and Shop has whole sections (baking) where the shelves are bare. It’s whack.
I have a Staples run to Brighton next (the printer won’t work without all the inks loaded, and we can print maybe 5 more sheets with magenta before it goes on strike).
Last week, Target was getting in small packages of everything. So you could get 4-roll or 6-roll TP, but no 30 roll. You could get 12 packs of single size paper towels, but no triple rolls at all. Very hit and miss on shampoo/conditioner/personal care stuff.
And my BIL in Marblehead is laid off. And the governor ordered the closures to extend to May 4th (Fuck Trump!).
Life in the People’s Republic of
QuarantineMassachusetts.Matt McIrvin
Best online resources I’ve seen:
Financial Times has an amazingly good tracker that, among other things, has a breakdown by worst-affected subnational regions. It really makes it clear how much the experience varies within the US–speaking of the US situation as a whole is almost meaningless:
https://www.ft.com/coronavirus-latest
Meanwhile, Wikipedia has remarkably good pages on local responses and situations, and here’s the one on Massachusetts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Massachusetts
The case rate in MA seems alarmingly super-exponential right now because testing is ramping WAY up and many more cases are being confirmed. (Notice that the percentage of hospitalized cases is down.) But we’re still a few days out from the point where the shutdown measures Baker put in place starting March 17 could be expected to have a visible effect.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Citizen Alan:
Please—a bear’s shit-stained heinie. That’s what gets me about the ads. “My heinie’s clean!” Straight out of the 1950s.
NotMax
@Flying Toaster
Not terribly difficult to fool the sensors that track ink level in the individual cartridges so the printer ‘thinks’ a cartridge isn’t low.
Varies by brand of printer and type of cartridge but you ought to be able to find online how-to info for your printer brand/model easily enough.
FlyingToaster
@NotMax: The ink really is almost out. WarriorGirl’s virtual school has her printing worksheets, and no matter what I do, she’s not going to willingly print in monochrome.
We’d ordered ink; 2 were supposed to be in the box yesterday, but only one, the yellow, was. In a mangled box with a ripped packing slip. I am not going to judge, seeing that this is a freaking quarantine.
We can manage for a week or two on the remaining yellow, but about 5 sheets on magenta. Which will likely be out tomorrow. Staples is refunding me for the missing cartridge, and I’m off to the flagship store where one of their last 4 is already waiting for me.
cope
@Matt McIrvin: Thank you, I’ve bookmarked it.
hedgehog the occasional commenter
@satby: @MomSense: Thank you both! Right now,just having a supportive community to vent to helps a whole lot.
Feathers
@Matt McIrvin: I saw a map, extrapolated from cell phone data, that showed that Massachusetts was one of the states where people were staying at home the most. Doesn’t surprise me. I had my wingnut cousin going on at me about the police state shutdown after the marathon bombing. When I told him that it was technically voluntary (except for Watertown, where they were going door to door), he was astonished.
Mass has learned that you shut shit down, let the professionals deal with the problem, and then everything gets up and running quicker.
Mai naem mobile
Hey, David on the TP if you’re a Costco member they had the big commercial scott rolls on line. They’ve had some of the Kirkland/Charmin in store. Also try Ace hardware and the mom pop convenience/liquor stores.
cckids
Don’t count on it slowing down.
I know I’m probably late to the thread, but take it from a grocery worker here in Seattle: the panic buying started here around Feb. 15th (right after our first diagnosed case). It hasn’t stopped yet.
It has slowed down a bit, largely due to the depleted shelves. The past week is the first time we are having trouble getting shelves re-stocked (aside from sanitizer). Most canned goods, dried beans and rice, aaallllll the paper products and most cleaning products (dishwasher soap??), tofu goes like crack. Eggs, bread, milk, cat litter, onions, tomatoes, potatoes. Vitamin C is gone, as is folic acid (as of this week) All regularly difficult to find. Tortillas are the latest craze, we’ve had to add them to our “limit” list.
That list now includes: bread, milk, eggs, all cleaning and paper products, chicken of all kinds, ground beef. Tortillas.
It is grindingly exhausting to be around this daily. At least I’m only part-time; the full-time people are stressed beyond exhaustion. Think of the busiest shopping day you’ve ever seen – Black Friday, the days before Thanksgiving, blizzard prepping. It was like that for three straight weeks. All day, every day. And Kroger has “gifted” us with a $25 gift card in appreciation.
Sorry for the rant.
Elizabelle
@FlyingToaster: If you’re a Costco member, they offer an ink cartridge refill program. It’s way less expensive than ordering new cartridges (and green!). Maybe give them a call and see if they’re doing it at this time.
Elizabelle
@cckids: All the best to you, you grocery store hero.
Talk about not being taken for granted any longer! How are your co-workers holding up??
Mai naem mobile
Quiltingfool
Late to the thread, just got back from shopping. I live close to Lake of the Ozark in Missouri, and I shop at Walmart (I know I know). Even in good times I’ve got to beat myself with a stick to go shopping, I do not like shopping. So, last night my husband tells me Walmart set aside senior citizen hours from 7 to 8 am. I am 61, so yeah, old folks are my people, but screw that morning shopping, I need that time to convince myself to go.
So, I went to town around 10, and Walmart was sparsely populated. I got my usual groceries, and did score a 6 pack of cheap paper towels; beggars can’t be choosy! In the checkout line, the guy behind me said someone might steal those; my reply was if they needed them that bad, well, go right on, God bless! I also went to Save A Lot grocery, and they were fully stocked with fresh meat, milk and bread – didn’t check the tp, though. Pretty quiet in town, I think people are staying home and some businesses have shut down, even though they don’t have to – it’s ruby red Missouri, we have a Republican governor, need I say more. I just worry about the workers who are laid off and hope we can keep things as level as possible. This is a tourist area so many folks are going to be hurting financially, but their lives are the most important.
JAFD
Good afternoon, jackals !
Greetings from Newark, New Jersey !
Went to Big Chain Drugstore this morn, dropped off prescripts, will pick up tomorrow. Sign out front ‘Only 10 shoppers in store at once’, lady at door keeping track. Had pallet loads TP and paper towels, generic brands, not cheap. (I’ve enuf for now). Refrig and freezer there not empty, but needed restocking. Crates put in front of registers, keep customers 6′ from clerks.
Then on to Portugese ‘ethnic supermarket’ No bananas but organic ones. Otherwise, fruits and veggies, eggs and milk and meat well stocked. Fish dept attests that cod is not dead, but ready for Holy Week dishes. Plenty of TP, again, generic brands, not cheap, 2 rolls per person. Almost no spaghetti sauce left.
The big containers of loose olives are gone, the bins of loose rolls now have plastic bags of three or four – if you want one, or one each of three kinds, they’re behind bakery counter. Hot buffet still there, but shielded from customers, clerks’ll ladle it into tray for you
Clear plastic shields, about 2′ square, atop the ‘swipe card punch PIN’ doohickeys, keep customers from breathin on register clerks, and vice versa. Closing at 8 instead of 10. At 11 AM, had about enough customers to maintain 6′ distance.
Clear cool day here, trees in blossom. Will see how phone photos of them came out.
Stay healthy and happy!
ally
@WV Blondie:
Hi, I don’t mean to nitpick about Kleenex (it certainly beats paper towels or old T shirts in an emergency) but our plumber says it’s bad for the sewer system. Something about it not breaking down as easily as TP, after it’s flushed.
JAFD
A couple of years ago, I ate some Official US Military MREs that I’d kept ‘for emergency’ for at least 10 years (and Ghod knows how old they were when I got them.). They tasted OK, no ill effects. Two things of note:
The cheese in the ‘pasta in cheese sauce’ had become AGED SHARP CHEESE – won’t find cheese like that in supermarket.
The dye in the maraschino cherries had turned everything in the fruit cocktail a chestnut brown. ‘Twas a beautiful color for hair of young lady I knew when…
cckids
@Elizabelle: Many of them aren’t. Especially people who are, by personality, more nervous, or fearful for parents or children. It was just this past weekend that management agreed to let people wear gloves or masks if they chose (now that you can’t find them anywhere). Customers are the best and the worst – some are quite appreciative, others are jackasses.
LongHairedWeirdo
I have to confess, I didn’t worry about the TP shortage because I live alone, and had a dad who believed in corporal punishment, *and* using four sheets of TP to wipe with, and for some reason, the idea that he’d never see how much I used never overruled the fear of a spanking. I started with twelve rolls, and I picked up another odd pack today when I lucked into some, more for any local friends who are desperate.
Re: TP, Some people will use cloth – rags, usually, or bulk glass wiping cloths (kind of like paper towels, made of cotton); paired with a diaper pail (or the equivalent), and a bit of warm water, and you’ll probably get a sense for why some people love bidets. Obviously, if you get the cloth sopping wet, you’ll want to be doubly sure you wash your hands (remember, 20 seconds *kills* the Covid-19 virus, and for the bloodthirsty among you, I’ll refrain from mentioning that viruses don’t bleed…).
I am, however, royally miffed that people have started panic buying pulses (beans and lentils). My secret weapon against hunger is a large bag of split peas, and/or lentils, and as I went out to replenish my supply, well… the local QFC no longer sells bulk foods (damn it, 99c a lb for bulk split peas, and $1.99 for a 1lb bag!), and was nearly wiped out of anything else useful. (They had some black beans, but I have plenty of them, canned; and chick peas, which would be nice if I still did hummus, but hummus and chips/bread is now too carb-loaded for me.) Same with the Safeway down the street.
I guess I should be very glad no one has figured out a reason to hoard diet ginger ale – my other oddball necessity. (I get nauseous from a hip issue – no, really! When my hip shifts, so does my abdominal cavity, and when that shifts, it’s normal for the body to trigger nausea and diarrhea, hoping to evacuate any waste products, in case this is due to an injury. Some days, ginger ale is a life saver.)