The Adjusted Normal, 25. Stocking Up.
I'm getting paranoid about supplies.
Back when we were told that we were going to be shut up in our houses, I went on a shopping spree, and bought, at the least, two weeks worth of supplies. The freezer was full of meat and fish, we had enough bottled water, and milk. There was enough olive oil and coffee, and the cats had enough to keep them busy.
As supplies wore down, I went on short trips to the local supermarkets to restock. I was never without two weeks worth in the back room, freezer, and fridge. More than anything, because that was the time we would probably be holed up at home if either of us got sick with the devil virus, and we didn't want to be any trouble to anyone.
As the lockdown began easing up, and the contagion kept going down, I became a little lax. Some supplies dwindled down to a week's worth. Others stayed strong. And then, last week, I was expecting that my husband would be paid. He wasn't.
So, on Saturday, my shopping day, I only bought cat food. (Cats don't understand about a postponed payday.) I still had enough in the house to last at least until toward the end of this week. This week, my husband was paid, and now I have to rebuild my supplies.
It's expensive to have two weeks supplies in the house. There is the extra expenditure at the beginning, and then you have to replenish them continuously, and not say to yourself, "I won't spend as much this week because I still have..." And we have noticed the pinch, especially with the disappearance of my classes this spring.
Last night on the news, there was footage from Texas, I think, of hundreds of cars lining up at a food bank. All those people were finding it very difficult to eat from day to day, much less stockpile enough for a possible two-week quarantine. How many people are in the same situation, having lost a paycheck, and having to rely on whatever unemployment relief they can qualify for? Too many are deciding to pay the rent so they don't sleep in the street, and go to a food bank to keep the stomachs from growling.
Spain, and other European countries, have introduced measures to guarantee that anyone who lost work didn't starve. But there are some regional governments whose ruling parties are contrary to the leftist government in Madrid, and who used tricks to block those measures. On top of not pushing through legitimate applications, they accused the central government of mishandling the situation and letting down the public, after promising that no one would be left behind. Galicia was one of those regions.
When this all started, it looked as if the different political stripes would finally come together to work toward keeping our nation healthy and well. But, after a couple of weeks, when it became clear that things would have to remain shut for some time, the right wingers started crying over closed businesses that were losing profits, and began doing like the Republicans in the United States, demanding that Spain open up and everyone go back to work. It's a good thing we didn't. As it is, new contagions are beginning to spike, but this time, the lockdowns are local.
I hope that when the cold, rainy weather of fall comes, that the devil virus is well under control, but that might mean less socializing, since it seems to spread better in closed areas. I would like to stop worrying about the supplies in my pantry.
Life continues.
Back when we were told that we were going to be shut up in our houses, I went on a shopping spree, and bought, at the least, two weeks worth of supplies. The freezer was full of meat and fish, we had enough bottled water, and milk. There was enough olive oil and coffee, and the cats had enough to keep them busy.
As supplies wore down, I went on short trips to the local supermarkets to restock. I was never without two weeks worth in the back room, freezer, and fridge. More than anything, because that was the time we would probably be holed up at home if either of us got sick with the devil virus, and we didn't want to be any trouble to anyone.
As the lockdown began easing up, and the contagion kept going down, I became a little lax. Some supplies dwindled down to a week's worth. Others stayed strong. And then, last week, I was expecting that my husband would be paid. He wasn't.
So, on Saturday, my shopping day, I only bought cat food. (Cats don't understand about a postponed payday.) I still had enough in the house to last at least until toward the end of this week. This week, my husband was paid, and now I have to rebuild my supplies.
It's expensive to have two weeks supplies in the house. There is the extra expenditure at the beginning, and then you have to replenish them continuously, and not say to yourself, "I won't spend as much this week because I still have..." And we have noticed the pinch, especially with the disappearance of my classes this spring.
Last night on the news, there was footage from Texas, I think, of hundreds of cars lining up at a food bank. All those people were finding it very difficult to eat from day to day, much less stockpile enough for a possible two-week quarantine. How many people are in the same situation, having lost a paycheck, and having to rely on whatever unemployment relief they can qualify for? Too many are deciding to pay the rent so they don't sleep in the street, and go to a food bank to keep the stomachs from growling.
Spain, and other European countries, have introduced measures to guarantee that anyone who lost work didn't starve. But there are some regional governments whose ruling parties are contrary to the leftist government in Madrid, and who used tricks to block those measures. On top of not pushing through legitimate applications, they accused the central government of mishandling the situation and letting down the public, after promising that no one would be left behind. Galicia was one of those regions.
When this all started, it looked as if the different political stripes would finally come together to work toward keeping our nation healthy and well. But, after a couple of weeks, when it became clear that things would have to remain shut for some time, the right wingers started crying over closed businesses that were losing profits, and began doing like the Republicans in the United States, demanding that Spain open up and everyone go back to work. It's a good thing we didn't. As it is, new contagions are beginning to spike, but this time, the lockdowns are local.
I hope that when the cold, rainy weather of fall comes, that the devil virus is well under control, but that might mean less socializing, since it seems to spread better in closed areas. I would like to stop worrying about the supplies in my pantry.
Life continues.
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