We've all heard the recommended steps to prevent its spread - avoid crowds, stay home if possible (self-isolate), avoid touching your face, clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, don't shake hands, stand six feet away from others in public places, change clothes when you return home from public places, and WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY.
Here's a meme making the rounds of social media:
The YouVersion app on my phone sends me a daily Bible verse. Yesterday's was amazingly current:"Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:8, NIV)
Wow! That kind of tickled me!
I went shopping yesterday to pick up a few things that were on my list - ice cream, soda, salad mix, celery, apples - you know, just STUFF.
It was a revelation.
Walmart wasn't crowded (everybody was at work), but certain aisles had been decimated. All the toilet paper and paper towel shelves were completely empty. There were three small jugs of bleach in the laundry aisle. No antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizer, or medical gloves. No bags of rice. A few bags of dried beans. No dry milk. No eggs. No bananas. A few cases of bottled water.
Later, I hit Kroger, this time after 5:00. WHOA!
Everyone must have stopped there on the way home. The parking lot was completely full - all the way out to the street! Everything missing at Walmart was missing at Kroger, plus, people trying to check out were lined up all the way to the back of the store.
I'm happy to report there was plenty of ice cream, however!
Both places, most people had loaded their shopping carts to overflowing. I had a handbasket.
I wasn't stocking up because I don't need to.
For example, I keep two of the largest packages of toilet paper in each bathroom. When the second one is opened, toilet paper goes on the shopping list. I keep between fifteen and twenty pounds of hamburger in the freezer. I have the equivalent of several cases of assorted canned tomatoes in the utility room.
Am I some kind of doomsday prepper? No!
I'm just an extremely LAZY shopper! I want to be able to cook what I want without having to run out and buy a bunch of stuff first. I'd rather buy my groceries when it's convenient instead of as needed.
I keep my grocery list on the front of the refrigerator. When I use something from the freezer or pantry, I write it on the list and buy it the next time I go to the store.
Besides, we have tornadoes and ice storms here. If there's a weather-related travel advisory, I have what I need right here at home. If there's a power outage, we have a boatload of candles and some oil lamps for light and a little heat. I've used my backpacking stove to cook hot meals when we've been snowed in with no power.
It's really not hard to get started. When you're doing your "normal" shopping, buy one or two extra things. Or decide to spend ten dollars a week on things you want to keep on hand. If you're low on storage area, there are websites devoted to finding space.
I'm just saying that having a reasonable stock of food in the house allows me to have a more relaxed outlook when emergencies happen.
So...
Keep Calm and Stock On!
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