Current reads. I find it isn’t necessarily easy to make a choice these days. My last book, Eight Perfect Murders, was disappointing. So, do I go with more fiction? Or nonfiction? Or pretty pictures? Yesterday, I reread Biblio-Style, that gorgeous book about the way people live with books. I needed to experience it once again. Last night, I started in on Pride and Prejudice, a true comfort read. And this morning, I dug into Derek Jarman’s Garden.
Do you find that you’re juggling more than one book at a time? I rarely do that, but I have definitely been reading a few books at once during this period of isolation.
I’m just grateful that I have them. Books are always a precious gift, but never more precious as they are now.
We watched more episodes of Cheers last night. It’s fun to chart the course of the characters in that very first season. We can see the writers beginning to figure out who is who and just how the characters will function within the framework of the ongoing story. It’s amazing how excellent it was from the very beginning.
I was up earlier than Don this morning – a rarity – and after making coffee, I went online to our grocery chain’s site to see if maybe there might be a delivery slot open at the end of next week. To my surprise (and I was barely awake) there was an opening available next Wednesday on April 1st. I grabbed it and then started to add a few things to our already long list. I only had an hour in which to do it before I would lose the slot. Don came downstairs and, poor guy, I immediately pestered him for any ideas he might have. Anyway, it’s done. I cannot tell you how relieved we are that we don’t have to go inside a store. They deliver the bags of groceries and leave them outside near the door. Don is very happy. It turns out he was very wary of entering any store and it had been weighing on him.
We’re in for a very rainy weekend. It hasn’t started yet, but it will. I think I’ll go out to the edge of the property and clip some forsythia. We don’t have any fresh flowers at the moment and it would be nice to see the bright yellow flowers in our kitchen.
Rain is on the docket for the next week or so, so heaven knows when I will be able to get outside to start garden cleanup. In the meantime, I’ll be watching episodes of Gardener’s World on Britbox – I didn’t watch all of last season, so it’s time to catch up.
I learned a new word: Sitzfleisch; literally ‘sitting meat’ but in reality, sitting on your tush. Heaven knows, I am doing that more than ever. (Found in an article in The New Yorker.)
Lonesome Dove is hanging out on the telephone wire in front of our house as I write this. I love him.
Happy Saturday.
Interesting. I’m really having trouble sleeping. So, I’ve been online all night trying to see what foods we need that could be delivered and by whom. Can’t believe how much is out of stock even at Walmart. Spending a heckuva-lot-more money than I want to be; but, like you, I’m trying anything NOT to go into a store. Claudia, I’m so happy you got that slot; what a relief for you and Don. Bravo; good job!
Isn’t the P&P book cover just beautiful…lovely. Despite rain, have a cuddly-cozy weekend and read on!
Is there one market you can order from? A Vons or another chain? We are also spending far more than we would normally and that, along with having to get one more delivery of heating oil and some other bills, is making things tight. But we do waht we have to do.
Take care, Vicki!
Yes, working on it; there was some snafu with our one local grocery market which had at one time offered delivery but my husband is after it; we’ll get it figured out; he thinks it’s active now but they’re just obviously running behind. He knows he needs to work on himself because he really, really enjoys going to the grocery store (whereas I don’t) and I don’t think he likes the idea of somebody else picking out the groceries, but he knows he needs to let go of such notions (can’t have it both ways!), particularly when we’re BOTH feeling it’s irresponsible to get out if we can sort thru other options (just like so many other people are doing!). One thing today is that each of us is making our own shopping list of what we THINK we still need; then, we’re comparing lists tonight and I’m hoping we can just do without. At least for April when SoCalif will be harder-hit with the virus, just like what you’re experiencing in New York. Rather striking from what I’d read just a few weeks ago about having a 2-week supply of goods on hand, food & sundries & meds (both human and pets); then, today, what I’m reading is a 2-MONTH supply.
As retirees, speaking for myself, we’re the lucky ones who CAN stay home and not have to go to a job or worry about a job. Is my husband missing freelance work? Of course. But it’s a do-able situation. Temporary. A lesson in patience and acceptance. Clearly, things just keep changing daily; the world swirling all around us; which is exactly when it feels so great to have a nest in which to shelter and stay safe. Again, our homes or rooms or apartments not being a ‘prison’, rather our blissful haven. The safe harbor. Although being home all the time has been an adjustment that doesn’t just happen overnight as the smoothest of transitions. Headline for Wuhan, something to do with people there only now just very hesitatingly venturing out & about; so, what’s it been for them? Like 4 months? Not a dire prediction but a reality: I’m personally (due to overall health risk) probably here in place at home, as I said all along, til August. Who knows, but I’ll look forward to August and September … not my most-fave months as a rule due to the heat of summer but, crucially, before flu season starts ratcheting up again in Oct-Nov (the thing to really hold onto and have hope for is that vaccine!). I’ll eventually get to be ‘back out there’ in the world and, until then, so be it.
I’m trying to keep in mind that my sacrifice is small. In the bigger picture, we have heroes out there trying to save and just help the rest of us … the scientists, lab technicians, doctors, nurses, law enforcement, paramedics and fire department, mayors and governors, grocery store workers, pharmacists, food-service workers/janitors/social workers at the hospitals and nursing homes, etc. (Listening to Bill Gates on CNN the other night was SUCH an eye opener; he was easy to understand on global pandemic; what a good guy, trying to DO good!) I’m throwing my energy to them (and to finally getting my messy/half-remodeled house in order once and for all. I’ve got a whole written timeline with deadlines/markers for what I want done by what date. The structure of a to-do list helps me focus, gives me activity indoors. There’s enough to keep me busy well beyond the next four months. For me personally, this is an incredible opportunity if I use it wisely. And I’m just echoing what hundreds of people have already said on the subject.
I think the behavior changes are going to be much for the better – – the increasing companionship and love for my somewhat-newly-retired husband when I’d grumbled plenty of the challenges in learning to live together as one when, for years, we had quite separate lives due to work considerations; reconnecting with friends when we otherwise never had seemed to take the time to talk on the phone and hear each other’s voices like we used to; the curbing of spending money where I don’t need to be spending it (on non-essential stuff, when we’re retired now, and things MUST change because of fixed income; I’ve had a bad shopping habit and by now have enough feel-goods in my house with all my little collectibles and hobbies; God knows I have enough books and DVDs to last me the rest of my life; doesn’t mean I can’t ever buy anything again, but I can certainly do it more mindfully and thoughtfully); the ‘forced’ habit we’ve needed to cook ‘in’, not eat ‘out’ (and quit wasting food!); a host of things. Clearly, it’s a time of reflection for everybody as life continues to slow down for awhile.
And as others have said, it gives some of Earth/nature a chance to rest. The skies are blue & clear over Los Angeles with less cars choking the freeways and making smog; the parks have a chance to recover from all the trampling of human feet; the trails only now traversed by the wildlife and wildflowers; no trash from humans littering the beaches and creeks; no graffiti in all the usual places (because even the taggers are off the streets). It won’t be forever. But of course your heart goes out to all who are out of work til we gather again and move about freely in our lives. It’s a pause in time for them which is excruciating, when it’s hard to find a silver lining.
We have often said, and said it again yesterday during a conversation with Rick and Doug, that we are very fortunate to have a pension and social security coming in monthly. That we are already semi-retired. I know it is much, much worse for others.
Good morning ~ not sure what’s on the docket for us today, besides the usual housework and laundry. Ho hum! Brian’s off work this weekend and we’re currently being deluged with rain. It’s only drizzling right now, so we might actually bundle up and go for a walk. I’ve been walking just about every day. Yesterday, I did 45 minutes of yoga. I find it helps my mood (and my back!) to stay moving.
I most always have two books going – non-fiction and fiction. I’m really liking The Beekeeper of Aleppo, but sometimes it’s painful to read and I have to put it down.
I’m going to go clip some forsythia before the rain hits. It looks like we’re getting a lot of it – like you.
Glad you get to spend the weekend with Brian, Melanie. Take care!
Hello again,
I am a one book at a time reader. I have had some trouble the last week settling on a book to read. I’ve started a couple and couldn’t get interested. I just sent Sally Field’s autobiography back to the library….someday I will borrow it again. I settled on James Patterson…need some easy fiction I guess.
I like to shop and so far have made my weekly trip but the last time was more difficult. I don’t plan to make another trip til I get low on toilet paper! At least 2 more weeks. We may be eating some creative meals.
And Trump seems to have set his sights on our Michigan governor because she has been critical of his response. He seems to be ignoring her requests. I pray we all survive his incompetence.
Stay well.
Same here. Trump doesn’t like Cuomo because Cuomo calls him out. T is such a baby. You have to kiss the hem of his garment before he’ll do anything for you. Hang in there, Marilyn. Stay safe.
And then brother Chris Cuomo really called it out last night on Trump, nothing of which he said wasn’t fair, in my opinion. And Trump apparently hates CNN anyway. It was incredibly disrespectful and misogynistic for Trump to refer to the esteemed Michigan governor as “that woman” or “the woman” or however he coined it in his supremely-limited vocabulary; man-oh-man (woman-oh-woman) did I bristle when he said that of her, especially when I’d just been hearing her speak at various news conferences and interviews with such leadership and intelligence. He should know the name and face and background of every single one of the U.S. governors (does he ever do any ‘homework’; any research of his own on anything?) … but you know, as you’ve said, yes, he is King of America (on his own terms, in his own fantasies and in his own self-centered head). Trump IS a big baby and of course it’s ALWAYS all about him. He’ll never step aside and let the experts handle this epidemic.
I continue to LOVE Andrew Cuomo; he doesn’t take any sh*t from anybody!
I just want to slap him across the face. I swear I would if I could. “That woman” says everything about his disdain for women, how he treats them, how he abuses them, and how much he is threatened by a strong woman.
Newsom, CA governor, has been trying very hard to stay apolitical with the Orange One. Even so, no delivery from the Federal stash. The Mercy arrived in L.A. (from that faraway city, San Diego [sarcasm here]). Still many unfinished tests waiting. I am very grateful that the Mayors of SF Bay Area shutdown when they did.
Whole Foods will deliver and, surprise-surprise, not price-gouging. Safeway in our neighborhood is not available for delivery or pickup, only farther north or south.
How I wish I was anywhere near a Whole Foods but I’m out of their delivery radius.
Good for Whole Foods! We don’t have one near us. Perhaps, just as well, given their everyday prices. But I do love that store. Take care, Martha.
I’ve slept much better the last two nights. Maybe I am just settling in to this new normal. I have been using Instacart, but I see that their employees may be going on strike for better pay and working conditions. I’ll have to start looking for a slot on Amazon I guess. xo Laura
Of course. This is a perfect time for them to strike. Sigh. Stay safe, Laura.
Since we have 3 cats to feed, cat food and litter top our list. So far, so good. I’d prefer my husband didn’t go into grocery stores, but he is the type who MUST get out every day even tho he’s in one of the highest risk groups. I’ve probably mentioned this 25 times in the last 2 weeks, but I’m very happy that you and Don are now on delivery. One less thing to fret about. I am POd at our government bill. How the hell is $2400 supposed to help anyone? I almost wish they’d give nothing and use the money to make PPE for medical workers. And don’t get me started on bailing out the cruise industry! I continue to be convinced that the Republican administration is trying to kill us. But we won’t go down without a fight. At least I hope so. As I mentioned, I have gotten out the dolls and am having fun dressing them. Discovered I don’t have many wardrobe choices for self quarantine. Choices are either sexy negligee sets or dressy pants and sweaters. I should have bought them leggings, sweatshirts or t shirts and pajamas. LOL. If I still sewed, I’d have a fun project. They are a lovely distraction and so far the “new” kitten (now 18 mos.) has shown very little interest in them so they haven’t ended up on the floor yet. Again, thanks for listening to our rambles. It’s comforting to know there is beauty and a friendly ear out there. And I am looking forward to forsythia photos! Stay safe and sane.
The cruise industry is based in the Bahamas. Why do they need a bailout? It’s insane.
Hang in there, Nora!
Sometimes a have two or three reads at a time. I’m in the middle of a novel located in Australia and then “Löcher” (holes) the story of Stanley Yelnats, a book <<<<my students are going to read after spring break. I haven't read it yet but as it is highly recommended I won't be disappointed. And third, I am reading a book about forestry. I think it's a lovely mixture. Take care! Regula
I’m usually one book at a time, but this is keeping things interesting! Enjoy, Regula, and take care!
I love that book! I think I loved it more than my kids did. It is even a good read for an adult! Enjoy!
I’m having a hard time staying focused on my books, especially nonfiction, right now. We went to Trader Joes yesterday to stock up for the week. It calmed me down a bit to see things fully stocked. They were limiting some things, but the shelves weren’t completely bare. And it was funny to see the toilet paper behind the glass, guarded, where the little tasting station is. They only let so many people in at a time, so there was a line outside, but everyone was in a good mood and joking about things and being helpful. Now we’re back to staying in the house.
It’s good to know the larder is full, Linda. Take care of yourself.
Dear Claudia and friends, I envy you the rain. Here in south Florida. we have had none in more than a week. I’ve been cooking every day, and reading cookbooks and collected recipes to get new ideas. Reading: I am going to try two books from my shelves, “Love in the Time of Cholera” (seems appropriate, no?) and “A Passage to India.” I started “Passage…” recently, and was startled by the beauty of the writing. I hadn’t expected it. I have to set aside book time every day. There is always so much to do!
We had a very dry last couple of months, Leslie. No rain for weeks and we had fire warnings. So we are very thankful that we’re finally getting some. Glad to know your days are filling up nicely. Take care!
Hi Leslie,
I’m here in S. FL (Ft. Laud) and have to water the vegetable garden and food-forest EVERY day. I wish it would rain to fill up all our rain barrels!
I think the library should have drive-up service like the restaurants do.
Hi Cara, How is your garden growing? We have 4 handsome eggplants on the vine! I started lots of milkweed from seed to increase the number of plants available to the Monarchs. I spent almost an hour watering this morning. Nearly everything is in a pot because our soil is mostly sand. As for books, I have been reading the unread books on my own shelves, and eyeing some others for a reread.
Leslie,
Where do you live? Of course almost all of Florida is sand (or muck when they destroy the Everglades), but I’ve mulched so much that I do have some good soil in my raised beds.
I confess I just got serious about getting those beds in shape about a month ago. I had passion fruit and tropical yams that are perennial, as well as plantains, bananas, and some other perennials. I bought milkweed but haven’t put them in the earth yet. I have pole and bush bean seeds coming up, as well as a cucumber that can take the heat, collards, and okra.
I’m really trying for a permaculture-type vegetable garden, to eliminate having to replant every year.
Your garden sounds very interesting! Thaks for responding!
Wow Cara! I am impressed with the variety of edibles you have growing. My husband has a grow bag garden. He has tomatoes, onions, carrots, beets, and eggplant. I have a papaya and a lemon tree, but they have not produced yet. We also have volunteer bananas that are doing well. My fig tree grew 5 delicious figs this year, so I am optimistic. I am going to take a note from you and look for tropical yam.
I am so glad you found a slot for groceries. My mother ( who is significantly older than you) does the same thing and looks many times a day to secure a spot and so far has been able to find one, but we have told her that we will shop for her if necessary. My husband and I are just barely under the age where we are being told you have to be super careful, but we are staying in. We have a new puppy to keep us busy – exhausted!
Have fun with that new puppy, Jane! Take care.
We have been staying home for 15 days but our count will start again Monday as NC begins a 30 day stay home. So glad we have our little homestead and animals to enjoy during this crazy time.
It sure helps, doesn’t it? Stay safe, Peggy.
Claudia,
I ordered groceries for the first time ever and they were delivered yesterday. I’m in good shape but was running low on some things. There was a ton of texting because many items were not available. I felt so sorry for him when he delivered my groceries, dropped the eggs on the porch and had to make a return trip. If I had not needed them I would never had had him to do. It would be so much easier to shop myself but I’m just too leery.
The only place I’ve been going was to a local Chihuahua breeder which began before this crisis. We’ve kept our distance and this morning I picked up my puppy. I find myself being a nervous new mother but am hoping she will be a good distraction.
Yay! Both you and Jane have new puppies! That’s a lovely way to pass the time, Susan. Take care.
We just went grocery shopping yesterday. It’s a very large store, it wasn’t crowded at all, and everyone was practicing social distancing. There is a long list of items that were limited to one per day per family. So there was plenty of TP for all. We got everything on our list, and made sure to sanitize the cart, as well as everything that we bought. Hopefully, that will last us for a bit. I am glad that you found a slot for your groceries to be delivered. Sounds like that is a great comfort to you and Don.
I’m getting caught up on the TBR list, that’s for sure. And I ordered a puzzle that we thought would be fun. But, like anything else, because of so many requests, and limited workers, shipping will be slower than normal. So, now we wait.
It’s rainy here today too…storms expected later. So….we are cooped up today. Not sure if we will be productive, or just goof off. I sort of feel like goofing off….. Take care! ;)
I just found two puzzles that a reader had sent to me a few years ago. Huzzah! I’m going to start one tomorrow.
I think goofing off is completely acceptable, Donna. Stay safe.
I caught on Susan Branch’s twitter (I think that’s where I saw it) that she may be doing puzzles as one of her new creative professional endeavors.
What are your puzzles’ themes, Claudia?
They’re the ones you sent us – Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys book covers!
Oh, you just made a tear come to my eye. I’m so glad if you can get any enjoyment out of them! I hope it’s fun, not boring. You probably have to be in the right mood for it! I keep reading here and there that people are indeed doing puzzles in this difficult/home-bound time, to keep themselves occupied indoors along with everything else like reading, sewing, watching movies, crafting, playing cards and doing board games, etc.
My parents went thru a phase, around my same age at present (Dad was semi-retired and they had more time), where they did a lot of puzzles; they couldn’t eat at the dining room table for a puzzle-in-progress always taking the place of dish settings for a meal! My whole life, my great-aunt & uncle had a puzzle-in-progress on a card table by the big living room window, a fire roaring in the fireplace even in summer (it was their ‘thing’; that fireplace!). Cozy and companionable. And when we’d visit, you were always allowed to study the puzzle and add your own puzzle piece as you liked; everybody would join in and ‘work’ the puzzle. It was a conversation piece! Something to come back and forth to; no pressure.
When I would deliver Meals-On-Wheels (as a volunteer driver for about six months; some people do it for years, but I had a scheduled surgery at the time), I would go to one apartment building (pretty big, had four stories, took up about a quarter of the block on that street; had elevators; designed as a place for lower-income seniors; really nice, with a pool; studio apartments with ADA guidelines, like easy-access/step-in shower stall with grab bars; but some even with 2 bedrooms, and you either got a balcony or a mini-patio; and you could keep a pet like a cat or dog). I had about five customers in that building and, in their rec room, they always had tables set up with puzzles…and they’d frame some of them, putting them right there on the walls of the room; very colorful and pretty.
My mother did that with two (maybe more) puzzles she and Dad spent a lot of time on and which were good-quality puzzles: One was of tropical birds and the other one was a collection of antique dolls. (Oh, and she did one for me of birds in the garden; I think the artist was the Dutch watercolorist, Marjolein Bastin; I have it under glass.) Just were too intricate and too pretty to disassemble and return to the box! There’s some kind of glue you can purchase (I think it’s a kit, with a backing, but I’m not sure) which makes it easy to take a puzzle from a table to art on the wall. I remember Mom did one really complicated puzzle which had the image of dozens of antique china teacups!
I kind of equate doing puzzles like paint-by-number; it’s not ‘original’ work, like when you’re doing your doll houses, but it can still be satisfying; an achievement when you put that last puzzle piece into place. Voila!
I think I’ll start in on one of them today.
Good afternoon Claudia and Don!
I don’t know how far a Walmart is from you but they have curb-side delivery there. They do a great job in selecting fresh produce, too. The website is very easy to use. I used it even before this all started and love that I don’t have to go into the store and be tempted. I am an impulse shopper.
I read on the Kindle. I have 3 books going right now. I generally only read in bed, and that is one reason I use the Kindle. It is much easier on my eyes, and easier to hold. That’s not to say I don’t have books WTBR on my shelves, because boy do I ever! I can’t resist a bookstore.
They are predicting 5 inches of snow for us tonight and rain tomorrow. Spring in Minnesota.
I’m not a far of our local Walmart, which is about 20 miles away. And they don’t carry some of the vegetarian items we like. But thanks for telling me. Oh no! More snow! We were in that position last week. I think we’re done with snow, but I never say never. Stay safe, Trudy.
Did you see the Cheers scene with the customer who works in a lab? If not, search “Cheers virus scene” in YouTube.
I’ve seen every Cheers episode over the years! Thanks, Lynda! (We’ll google it.)
So glad you were able to get a slot! Isn’t it funny how much we anticipate the arrival of some groceries into our lives now? A few weeks ago we never would have envisiouned any of this being part of our lives.
Just saw him leaving the WH and said he may quarantine NY, NJ, and parts of Connecticut. “Because it is really affecting Florida” came out of his mouth. Which, of course, is all about him. Exactly why the Cruise lines, and Hotel industry will make much money after all of this is done. If his pockets are lined, he is a happy little orange elf.
It has been raining a bit here today and is supposed to get heavier as the day goes on. The grass is showing the benefits of the rain, and that is nice to see!
He’s such an ass. And now we find he told Pence to ignore the Governors who are critical of the WH. “That woman in Michigan.” Unbelievable. He has to be defeated.
Take care, Chris. Stay safe.
Hi Claudia
The UK has had a few lovely spring like days- unfortunately this has meant some of us have had spring fever and ignored the very necessary restrictions in place – frustrating.
I am a one book at a time girl -currently reading Still Missing by Beth Gutcheon. It’s heart wrenching but I am enjoying it
In the UK , as we await further, stricter measures to keep us safe, we had an 8pm appreciation clap for everyone in the NHS. For health workers, and allied professionals everywhere- thank you
All will be well
Siobhan
They did the same thing in NYC last night, Siobhan. That’s something every city should do! Stay safe!
Our governor had a press conference and he is telling the people who have second homes from New York to stay there
Do not come to the cape and the islands
Our Cape hospital could not handle it
If they would self quarantine for14 days but I don’t think they would
Oh I pray they heed his warning
I read in the ny times beach communities in New York are having the city people come
The locals are not happy
That is how the locals here feel
I know it is their summer home but we cannot handle it now
Everyone needs to be considerate
Sorry for the rant
The whole thing is upsetting
Same here. You have no idea how many New Yorkers come upstate to our area every weekend. So many of them have second homes here. Including a couple that lives down the road from us.
Take care.
All the rich Manhattanites flocking to their second homes in the Hamptons and Montauk, right? Just like here, where Los Angelenos who have second homes in places like Santa Barbara and Montecito (the wealthy celebs), have fled L.A. Maybe if I was rich, I’d be doing the same.
Well, I wouldn’t generalize about their financial situation. Many people have second homes there that they bought years and years ago at a low price. They’re not all rich. And many, many New Yorkers have homes here and to the north of us. But that doesn’t make them rich.
It does make them dangerous, however, if they’re bringing the virus here.
Interesting! I didn’t realize I was making an uninformed statement. I don’t know anything much about New York or the Northeast in general. Just stuff I pick up here & there, reading & TV. My influence had been an article I’d just read of the wealthy even taking over an entire ‘country’ hotel for theirs & extended family in hopes to escape the virus in more-densely populated areas. And of course we had music mogul David Geffen flashing us a photo of him on his yacht anchored at sea somewhere off the Caribbean/West Indies (nice if you can do it; he’d sold his mega-mansion/compound in Malibu a couple of years ago but probably IT might have not even been safe enough from the contagion).
I always figure if you can afford two homes like my well-off cousin (he has a second/vacay home in Santa Fe, New Mexico)…you’re rich! But I had to think of what you said because, true, a few of my Dutch relatives in Michigan have lake cabins, and these people certainly aren’t rich-rich; indeed have had them in the family for generations, much like those Maine ‘camps’ I’ve seen profiled on TV. (I’d forgotten about this!) In fact, my one quite-elderly neighbor who hails from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, not all that far from the Canadian border, had told me once that ‘everybody’, even back in the early 20th century, had a little cabin in the woods; they had one in her family owned by her grandmother and she had a lot of happy summer memories staying there as a child during WWII where she’d told me she felt so untouched by war in such remote locations. It all just sounded so beautiful and idyllic for her, and she loved detailing for me EVERY aspect of that house with its big screened-in porch. I think she said the home was painted a deep-dark green, such that it sat in its surroundings in harmony with the trees. Sounded lovely. Wood home with a raised foundation; a lake or pond nearby where they had a little rowboat.
I’m conditioned to L.A. which is such a widely spread-out city but I can imagine if, say, you’re living in NYC and hemmed in by tall buildings and much density of people & traffic, it’s a real lure to have a place out in the country to escape to on weekends and holidays; from summer heat. Sanity! Fresh air. I had to remember this, too: I live in a town where, back in more the 1940s-70s, some of the families had beach shacks as weekend getaways and, other than a few, the little houses were by no means fancy but rather a bit primitive, although they all had indoor plumbing and electricity. (Before this, in like late 1920s/early 1930s, according to my great-aunt, you drove to the beach on a bad/dirt road which was wood planks, and your abode on the sand was a canvas tent with NO plumbing or electricity!)
But the people who could buy even the most-modest beach bungalows, when I was growing up, were of a higher income than my folks (although that’s not saying much, as we were probably, my dad & my mom, lower middle class or just straight-up middle class; I don’t know how you’d classify it). Actually, come to think more of it, some of those beach shacks were owned by more than one person; like, one house we’d rent was owned by three friends of my dad’s; three guys who were each realtors, so it was a three-family-owned home. Must be how they could afford it but, you know, when ISN’T SoCalif beach property expensive, in any year; real estate here is mostly always very pricey.
Of course, today, all those wonderful little single-story beach cottages, except for one or two, are gone; the people sold off the houses one by one, only for the buildings to be razed and replaced by the big, ritzy beachfront ‘mansions’, with those stretches of houses often gated off (which really pisses me off; the beach should be free for everyone; no gates!); I liked it better in the old days.
The thing that’s very good about your home, Claudia, is that although I can see a farmhouse here & there from the photos you’ve shown us on the blog, you’ve got a big-enough lot/property line where you have a healthy distance from other people in your immediate home vicinity, and I pray that will keep you and Don safe during this outbreak (and virus-carrying city people). I’m glad you’re taking precautions as you indicated with your mailbox. And maybe anyone who comes on your property…was it that you’d scheduled a delivery of propane or some kind of heating oil?…is someone you can keep a healthy distance from as they’re doing their job. (I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we don’t need a plumber or some other such thing in these next weeks. When I don’t want anyone in the house other than myself and my husband.)
Well, I’m absolutely sure that some of those people are very wealthy. But some of them aren’t. And it’s tricky; if they own a second home, they certainly have the right to shelter there. Sigh.
Propane and oil deliveries are all made outside the house so we don’t have to have any contact.
I’m so glad you got a delivery time. I was able to get a grocery pickup at WalMart yesterday. My Mom rode with me just to get out of the house for a little bit. When I got home I cleaned all the groceries before taking them inside to my Mom. This virus is scary for us ‘older’ folks for sure. Well it should be scary for everyone. So I’m a bit more relaxed knowing we have groceries and bread and milk for at least a week. Reading, crafting and resting make up my days. A little video chat with the Grands today also. I’m praying for NY and all of our country and the world. Up to us to do the right thing and stay home. Hugs!
How did you clean them? With soap and water? I’m wondering what to do when we bring our bags in.
I’m praying as well. For everyone.
Take care, my friend.
We had a stockpile of plastic grocery bags, reused over and over again. From now on, at least from my husband’s last trip to the store, we just threw out the bags and didn’t bring them into the house. (We figured we’d recycled them enough at this point. I suppose if I had room in one of my backyard sheds, we could throw them in a corner and just not touch them during this contagious time, so as not to waste them; I feel badly that throwing them away after one use is so ecologically-unfriendly; and, of course, we did pay for them, they weren’t free.) I know of people who use cloth shopping bags (that’s what we have for our mail bags); they will immediately wash them in the washing machine with hot water after unloading their grocery items.
If we EVER can get a slot for home delivery of groceries from this point forward, and what my husband did the last time he was physically at the grocery store, we unload every single item out of the bags onto a portable banquet table we set up in our garage. (You could probably do it on your porch, Claudia.) If it’s something ‘hard’ like a plastic bottle of laundry detergent, he uses a Lysol disinfecting aerosol spray. If it’s a ‘soft’ item like a bag of pasta or a box of crackers, he uses a disposable Clorox disinfecting wipe; just carefully wipe down the item in entirety. If we’ve had any other deliveries to the home in cardboard shipping containers, he sprays down the outer box before ever even bringing it into the garage. Then, he lets it sit for a couple of days. When he unpacks it, back to the disinfecting wipe or the Lysol spray for contents. It’s all a major pain in the tush but we feel, for now, it’s absolutely necessary. We didn’t dream this up and we’re not normally germaphobes; we listened to the experts for direction as each day has unfolded since this growing epidemic.
Oh, about fresh veggies and fruits. I’d a couple of weeks back seen a virologist talk about this on TV. He said to assume everything has contagion. That of course you should wash your fresh vegetables very thoroughly…there’s stuff about this on the web; some people are using a mild soap solution, then rinsing…but the only way to be truly safe, or so he said, is to COOK them. I guess that means you could stew a fruit on the stovetop; you could quick-steam a fresh veggie? Another thing I’d read said, though, like if you’re me and truly CRAVING fresh lettuce (although my other leafy greens are all frozen types; I didn’t freeze them; it’s what I bought in the freezer section of the grocery store), a better option is to go with the bags or clamshell tubs in the grocery store which contain the PRE-WASHED lettuce (“washed & ready to use”) because it’s undergone several industrial washings to avoid food contamination (although nothing is fool-proof as there’ve been cases in other times where this prewashed lettuce [romaine particularly] and especially prewashed fresh spinach has been beget with e-coli from the source … although I think I’ll take the chance…maybe; not sure yet…because I’m needing a green salad in a really-big way!).
Bananas seem a good bet; that thick peel. But even years before all this current stuff happened, I’d wash the hide of a cantaloupe (or any melon) with diluted soap & water (before I cut into it) because they were known for getting bacteria. I’m even doing this with avocados now; because, think of it, you slice your knife thru a cantaloupe or an avocado, and your knife takes that germy stuff right thru to the flesh as you cut. At least store-bought avocados (I wish I could hurry-up my own darn tree up on the hill!). We’ve always had to worry about pesticides as well. It’s not our great-grandparents’ world.
We didn’t do any of that previously, but we have to do it now. We’ll clean everything – maybe use the picnic table on the porch – before we bring it in. With boxes and mail, we take whatever is in the box out of the box outside on the porch, then the items get stashed inside our covered bench for 24 hours – the virus doesn’t live longer than that on paper and frankly, they’ve been in transit for a while, so whatever is inside the box is probably fine by the time we receive it. I saw our mail lady the other day and she was wearing latex gloves, as are, I’m sure all postal employees.
glad you and don found a slot to have your groceries delivered … a bit of relief for you both.
my brother and i have done grocery shopping for our family (six households). i’ve called him on my outings to try and spare him from having to go into a store because now it is scary and sad. so i bring some disinfecting wipes and paper towels. and keep my distance. and pray.
as to your question, i am definitely a “one book at a time” reader.
glad you saw lonesome dove. lately we’ve been seeing a robin eating in a tray feeder two stories up. odd, but sweet.
hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend.
be safe and well, everyone.
kathy in iowa
Stay safe, Kathy. I hope your hours are changed as of this coming week.
That’s great about your grocery. Rick has been doing our shopping and after he saw the video I posted on my blog today, it freaked him out because he hadn’t been wiping down things after bringing them home (or much else mentioned there!) Me? Can’t get me near a store. And there are a million people whom, if they ever heard me say that, would drop jaws in amazement.
The one thing I didn’t get before this was flowers. Our market didn’t have any and to be honest, I wasn’t thinking about how much I would miss them. But it will be sometime before we see flowers we can bring inside here. I almost called up and ordered some from a florist before it dawned on me they probably aren’t working. The only thing I’ve spent money on of late is Vintage by Crystal (I don’t know if I love you or hate you for that!). No gas, eating out, shopping, books, theatre. Just a few donations I’d do anyway. And Crystal.
Cold and damp here and temps dropping today with lots of wind and more rain due. I suspect it’s blowing your way. Stay cozy.
Are we supposed to wipe them down with soap and water?
I didn’t buy anything from Crystal’s blog sale this time. I’ve been buying books, so I had to stay away or I know I would have been tempted.
Stay safe, Jeanie!