Wednesday, March 25, 2020

From Costco To Paste Butt


I think that one of the reasons I was in a blue, flat mood yesterday was because I knew I had to go to town today. Really, I'd just as soon not leave Lloyd at all and the idea of being around people, possibly infected people, filled me with dread. But on the other hand, I needed to pick up that prescription and if I was going to be in town, why not get everything I could to make it possible to stay home for at least another two weeks? Let's face- the infection rate at this point is less than it's going to be in the coming days.
So.
Weighing the risks I decided to just go ahead and be as careful as possible and that's what I did.
I waited until the senior hours were over and done and by the time I got to Publix there were very few people there and the shelves were mostly full. The only thing I couldn't find was pinto beans but I got a bag of black beans and a bag of garbanzos and that will do.
Some people seemed to be very aware of the six-foot rule and some people not at all.
Specifically the pleasant woman behind me in line. She came right up to me as I was paying, fumbling my card trying to think of how I was going to disinfect it before I put it in my wallet and I just did not have the heart to say, "Back up!"
Next to Costco where they have it going on. There weren't too many people there and again, shelves seemed full. Some people shopped with masks on, some with gloves, some with both. I got what I needed and when I went to get in line I noticed that there were yellow taped lines on the floor which carts had to wait on until the customer checking out had finished. There was a plastic screen between the cashier and the customer and a woman was wiping the belt after each customer. No one was supposed to touch the customer's bags. And when it came time to check our receipts on the way out, we had to merely hold them up and the attendant would give them a cursory look and nod, and we were on our way.
On to the pharmacy where I get my hormones and the lady behind the counter there was wearing a mask and she wiped down the card scanner before I put my card in.

I was so close to Jessie's that I had texted to see if maybe I could drop by and see them from afar and she said of course, and so I did. I'd picked her up some avocados and a bottle of Jack Daniels at the Costco and I handed them over and the boys greeted me with their beautiful mother. 







It made me cry a little, not to be able to hug the boys but seeing them and talking to them was better than nothing. Of course they wanted some of my Mentos and I just handed the roll over to Mama. They were so happy. 
And then I came home and tried to figure out how to disinfect the cans and boxes as I put them away and I'm sure I did a half-assed job and then I took a shower and finally ate. I'd been too anxious that morning to do more than grab an English muffin which I only had a few bites of. 

I did some chicken-tending, taking the teen chicks some pulled up spent greens and refilling their water and feed. I did a little research on a chick problem called "paste butt" which I had decided the two banty yellow chicks had. It's a situation where their little vents get pasted over quite literally with poop and so I did what the internet said and ran warm water over their little down butts and then carefully and delicately cleared the vents by getting rid of the poop, dried them off, put a tiny bit of antibiotic ointment on them and set them back into the Rubbermaid bin. I also added some apple cider vinegar to their water which is supposed to help. They seem to have tolerated the procedure well and they do appear to be a little more sparky. 
Did some laundry. Cleaned up the kitchen. Made the bed. Looked at FB and read blogs. And then I took a nap. 

And now it's time to make supper! Where in hell does the time go? 

All day the family has been group texting which has been so fun. 
Lily started out with this picture.


This was the accompanying text: "Today we are having massage class. This is the final exam."

Next was this:


"It's film class time. Today's study: Jumanji 2.

May sent this picture along.


She's discovered papayas, growing in her yard! Isn't that exciting? I think so. 

Hank and Rachel have been sending pictures of their cats. Like this one. 


It's all love and peace at their house. 

I've barely looked at the news today but I did hear an epidemiologist on NPR saying that the way Trump handled/didn't handle the virus from the beginning has cost the US a month in trying to deal with the situation. 
Four weeks. 
And how many will die because of that? 
It would be so easy to become enraged at him. 
So easy. 
The hard thing is to try and just handle things the way they are. We can't go back and undo what is done. 

So. Again. Tomorrow is another day. I hope to settle back into a routine and perhaps try to be a little more productive. To clear my head and get my exercise in and take care of that which is right in front of me, literally in all ways. 
I have so much to be grateful for. 

Take care, take care. This won't last forever. Let's all hold hands across the many miles in this virtual way which cannot hurt us but which will still give us strength and hope. 

All love...Ms. Moon




28 comments:

  1. Hello dear Mary. The photos of your grands are pure uplift. They all look very happy. You are doing the right thing, but damn its hard not to hug our babies. When we will be out the other side of this. Hugs.

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    1. Oh god. I think the novelty is wearing off.

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  2. Page reported much the same at the store in town here. Those pictures all of them everyone’s pictures right now spark joy. It is a way to feel more human I think. I haven’t tried to disinfect cans but I left the giant box of cat food that was delivered in the mud room for a week. All deliveries from out there get sequestered now. I wiped all the doorknobs and cupboard knobs with bleach today. Our hands! ❤️

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    1. I left my bags of catfood sitting where I put them when I brought them in too. Oh, who knows how long this virus lives on various surfaces?
      I hope you're okay, Rebecca. I mean, I know you are. You know what I mean.

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  3. Thanks for the help. I read that my grocery is opening half an hour earlier exclusively for old people, pregnant women, etc., and my reaction was thanks, but I don't even get out of bed that early. However, I see I should just do the normal and shop after breakfast. No one in their right mind shops at nine, and even mothers at home with school children won't be out yet. The boys and Jessie look as happy as ever.

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    1. Yeah- who decided that old people get out of bed before dawn? Ha! I think all the little kids are doing okay.

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  4. I forbid Mr. man going to Cost Co though the withdrawals are so difficult for him, it is his church, his good time, his place where everyone knows his name...Anyway, we are in lock down for real as of two nights ago.

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    1. Of all the places I went yesterday (okay, three) Costco had far more measures in place to protect both shoppers and workers than anyone else. I know you're man is jonesin' for Costco but tell him it's just not the same. And it isn't. One day it will be but not now.

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  5. My god, does Owen look like Lily. I had to look at that photo twice to determine it was not lily rubbing her own feet. Rob went shopping today, likely the last time I'll let him out of the house to do so. We're in lockdown and today it rained and sunned and hailed and I had to rescue one of the chickens from my neighbor's yard and then I sewed a bunch of cloth napkins from one of the boy's old sheets.

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    1. Owen DOES look like Lily. The other day I was Facetiming with them and Lily came up on the screen and I called her Owen. And I'm her mama! Sewing cloth napkins sounds like a good project. Mindless, yet useful.

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  6. I can't wait till it warms up here. We've settled on getting 15 meat birds(10 for us and 5 for my mom) and maybe 5 egg birds, though we will see if Tractor Supply carries chicks this year,and maybe ducklings..? One of our two remaining hens died very peacefuly today. The ground is not only frozen but also still covered in snow. We are well set food-wise but I hope when we go to the supermarket on Friday that we can get butter, a little milk for the boy's tea, eggs and fresh vegies. Still waiting for the robins return.

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    1. The Tractor Supply here is definitely open and I imagine they may stay open if possible as a lot of people in this rural area have animals they need feed for. And, well, tractors too. And they have chicks but they sure are trying to get rid of them.
      I hope it warms up soon for you. I know you're ready.

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    2. My hubs stopped at the Tractor Supply and they do have chicks, and ducklings! So now we want some ducklings too of course. The great balancing act of getting them before it's too late and they're gone but not too early and it's too cold for them will begin soon now. Our house is just too small to have them inside. I too am having difficulties acheiving anything.

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  7. Thank you for this cheerful post. I love you.

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  8. Mary you should be counted as essential staff. You keep us sane in all the madness. Much the same story here re govt. Sigh! I would be interested to know what is classed as an English Muffin in the US Here in England there is much disagreement as there is also in the proper name of a roll of bread. Lancashire where l was born and bred it is a tea cake. Try asking for that in Liverpool you will get a completely different thing as you will all over the nation. Many many names. Have you tried mushy peas yet. This could be the moment l recommend an English Butter Pie with them. Dont ask me what that is called in other parts of England. I doubt they have it in the South. When l was young they were only sold on Fridays for the Catholic abstinence from meat. Every day now. Pie n mushy peas Northern comfort foods. Now in London its pie n mash and l dont think its butter pie. Have lived in London but never tried it. I am a disgrace. Love to you and yours Maggi in isolation in Merseyside UK

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    1. Here is a recipe for English muffins that you can get an idea about what they are here. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/english-muffins-recipe
      No. I have not yet tried mushy peas. I just can't get past the name. Sorry.
      You are not a disgrace! And you know it, dear Maggi. Stay safe.

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    2. Take the label off the tin. Will look at recipe although l doubt it will help as l never bake so would have no real clue. I should have had pie and mash in London. The gravy put me off it wasnt brown you see. And l was vegetarian then so there it is Maggi xxx

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  9. The kids and Jessie look wonderful as do the older boys I haven't been disinfecting food items though I will now. What did you use for that?

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    1. I saw that you found an entire video about it! I haven't watched it all yet. I will before I go grocery shop again.

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  10. English muffin? I am an English muffin! You can slather butter and honey on me any time baby! Even peanut butter is okay.

    It looks like August and Levon are in a prison camp. What did those little guys do wrong?

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    1. Even chunky peanut butter? You pervert!
      August and Levon made the mistake of being part of a family with a fence in the front yard. Poor little children.

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  11. Holding hands with you across the miles.

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  12. I haven't been out since Monday. have no plans to go out. I'd go to Costco if it wasn't a nearly 40 minute drive away. I'm amused at some of the extremes people say they are going through. when I go out and come back, I wash my hands and wipe down the steering wheel and other parts of the car with a clorox wipe and that's about it. I'm not going to stress over wiping down everything someone else has touched either out in the world or at home...not whatever food, not my mail, not my shoes, etc. I don't think it does any good anyway considering I read that whatever you are using has to sit on whatever you are trying to disinfect for like 10 minutes or so to kill the virus. just wiping something down with antibacterial wipes isn't enough.

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    1. I know you're right which is why I did a really half-assed job of it.

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  13. Holding your hand dear Mary. We will get through this.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.