You have to be prepared for the unexpected. When I started stocking up, it was right after the Y2K thing. That was the thing at the turn of THIS century, where the computers were going to all break down because everyone was using just the last two digits of the year … ’98, ’99. But the fear (really it was an unknown fear) was that the computers would think it was going to be 1900 again, and it would screw the whole world up.
People were stocking up on survival things, food, toilet paper, guns and ammo, garden seeds. Flashlights and batteries. Candles and lanterns and Aladdin lamps. After it was done, I was able to purchase some food items others had stocked up on and wanted to get rid of.
Nobody really knew what to expect with the computer thing. I have seen my town essentially shut down when there was a power surge which took down the internet. Made me realize just how dependent we are on internet. Businesses couldn’t generate a bill so they couldn’t take money. You couldn’t get money out of the bank. What if this lasts more than a couple of hours?
We know hard times are just around the corner. It behooves us to all prepare, at least a month ahead. Better to be three months ahead. Purchasing a little extra each time you go to the grocery store is not that much financial hardship, and is certainly not hoarding. Hoarding is when you panic and purchase up all the toilet paper so nobody else can partake. This time around, while everyone else was running around in a panic, I was at work. Yes, I admit to feeling a little bit of that panic too. Then, when my husband found he needed to have more Vitamin K in his diet, but it was impossible to find frozen veggies, and I didn’t trust the fresh varieties. I went to Gramma Nettie’s Store and pulled out a can of Freeze Dried broccoli. THIS is why I store foods. It was really nice to be able to have that stuff where I could easily (-ish) get to it.
I had to order a couple more can rotation racks. Some for my pantry cans, and some for my regular cans. Those soda can dispensers? They work for regular size cans, and sometimes some of the smaller cans. Anything the size of Progresso soup cans will stick at the very back. For those and my Pantry cans, I use Cansolidator Pantry size. I don’t have anything that works on my #10 gallon size cans. More’s the pity.
Our State Governor has extended the stay home order for another couple of weeks. Part of me says Yay, that helps keep healthcare workers healthy. The other part of me worries about the economy. Another part of me worries about conspiracy. I don’t hear so much about Trump impeachment anymore. One county has declared it will open sometime soon. Governor says “Huh-uh! You are illegal! You must do what I say, because I am the King!” (that is a loose — very loose — translation of his verbose rhetoric).
My kids are carrying on with life. #1 child is still somewhere out there. #2 and her family are busy building on their property, with their oldest, Red Boy helping. #3 child is busy working his 9-5 position. #4 child has started a new job, still on orientation. #5 child is seriously staying inside with her infant and toddler. Sewing masks like crazy! She inserts polypropylene (surgical mask material) in the middle so they approximate the medical masks quite well. Very pretty colours.
It was too windy to fly my drone. Too wet and miserable for BadBird to go metal detecting. And I still want to cast my fishing magnet into the water. The last time I did that, Marley the Wonder Dog jumped right out the window to run after it. Crazy dog!
The Grandkids. They will be adults when they come to appreciate what is going on right now. And we have intentionally done things to create memories for them. We take pizza every time we see them, so I am affectionately known as Pizza Gramma. We do things like playing banjo, ukulele, dulcimer, recorder. We teach them metal detecting, drone flying, flower collecting. Try to teach them things they will use in their adult life and say “I remember my grandmother did this with me as a kid!”
Stay safe. Wear your mask. Wash your hands. It is a jungle out there, and the monkeys are in charge and the asses are loose.
The Grandmother Club 