cilla4progress

cilla4progress's Journal

March 20, 2020

Shopping trip and perspective

It went well, even though I was fearful. Went to a small, local whole foods-type store in a nearby rural town. Had been hearing horror stories about panic shopping at big chain grocer in nearby larger town. Store was fully stocked with few customers. Unholy expensive .... but it was as much a donation to small business, and to small local food growers and makers, as filling our bellies. Got some delish stuff. Swung by liquor store, too. If I'm going out, I'm going out with Tito's Blood Marys, goat cheese chevre, ginger root / small batch sauerkraut, and obscenely expensive chocolate! Finish off with coffee from local coffee roaster!

I was basically panicked the entire time. Face mask, multiple glove changes, hand sanitizer and spray hydrogen peroxide applications. Sprayed everything down including the inside of the bags, when we got home.

OK: so, we get home and our friend down the road - same age, 65, also with compromised older parents that he visits regularly about 150 miles away, like our - proceeds to tell us that he and his wife are watching their grands every Friday (6 mo. and 3 yo). Just got back from Mexico where they all got colds. His wife has respiratory issues, but since school shut down (she's a school nurse), it will contain her exposure there. He invited my husband on a canoe trip in a couple weeks!!!!

OUR EYES GOT BIG and we said not only no but HELL, NO! Are you outta your mind?

Then I got to thinking maybe it's us, who are crazy? I was the only one with a mask in the store, or gloves, other than cashier, who was indeed wiping things down.

I feel very confused. I work in the court system (Washington state..epicenter! Though on east side of state.) and they are struggling mightily with figuring out scheduling, changes. First they postponed all non-emergency civil matters until after 4/24. Then today they issued a new order stating all can go forward, so long as they can be telephonic. All emergency matters are also telephonic. I stay tuned to MSNBC rather religiously, and here, DU.

Am I overreacting or... ? Our friend said he ran into 2 valley residents (we are in a rural valley). One said he thinks it is very overblown. The other was more like us.

If nothing else, I'd like to think we are helping to flatten the curve. That is, if we are more in tune than our casual friends, while they are lining up for respirators, we may still be upright. By the time we are in need, hopefully any surge will be over...?!

Interested in input from this community! I hope all are staying safe.