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Writer's picture Jana

Coronavirus Update - Day 19 and Counting

Today was not a big news today. Well, maybe it was.  I had to go to Costco and I suppose these days, that is big news.  More on that later in the program.  This, I spent my walk with Courtenay, in Rhode Island.  We talk multiple times a a day, most days, so we are usually caught up on the crucial stuff.  We almost always discuss politics (which you may have noticed I never mention in these posts, since I want to respect the “mixed” audience who read this).  That said, Courtenay and I do like to get our feelings out on that front. We usually see eye-to-eye on things about 99% of the time, so our conversations are a good opportunity for us to do that.  Subject officially closed.  We both like to think existentially about things as well, so we have been having long discussions about how the coronavirus is going to affect us, our friends, our country and the entire world.  We both try to stay up-to-date and informed (she more than I, due to my new teaching job), so our conversations are always interesting, engaging and thought-provoking.  It was a lovely morning and I thoroughly enjoyed my walk and my time with her.  When I arrived back home, I had to hit the deck at breakneck speed. There was a lot of school work to get done and zoom meetings to attend.   Also, I was on the phone with poor mom multiple times throughout the day, as we tried to get some unresolved issues with medication that she needs, resolved. Shortly after I got home, I found a dire warning in my inbox that had been sent by a friend, from the NHS.  It started like this, “Do not leave your house starting tomorrow for bread, for anything….”.  Okay, that freaked me out.  I had been contemplating a trip to Trader Joes (or possibly even Costco, if I could find the courage) in the next several days.  I didn’t feel I needed to go right away, but after reading that, I suddenly felt I should alter my plans. I hate when that panic takes over.  It is so irrational and unhealthy, but it never ceases to amaze me how just one call or one message can instill that kind of palpable fear.  It was only 10 in the morning when I pronounced to my students (I mean my kids), that I would be ending the school day early so that I could ready myself to enter the battlefield, known as Costco.  Over the past few weeks, I had already been preparing multiple lists, for multiple markets, but I thought I still had a few days to make sure that I got every single item that I might possibly need for the next three months.  Talking about pressure.  I tried to keep my mind on the school day and get the cafeteria lunches ready on time for my customers, all while checking and re-checking my market lists.  Finally at 2:10, I left the house.  I left the kids with a short list of “jobs” to do while I was gone, to keep them occupied and told them that if they finished them they could watch TV.  That always works. I hated to leave hem, but I didn’t know what else to do.  These are strange times indeed.  I decided to go to the Costco in Westlake, as opposed to the one in Woodland Hills, since I feel it has a better layout, it is usually less crowded and I know it very well.  In my mind, all of these factors added up to a greater chance of success.  Several friends had told me that they heard the lines to get in were not bad, if you go in the afternoon, as opposed to the morning, so I kept my fingers crossed. When I pulled in to the lot, I spotted a fairly long line.  I felt my heart drop.  I didn’t have a lot of time, since I knew the kids were at home alone. I almost drove away, but then I got my courage up, got out of the car and went for it.  It was bizarre, but not as bad as I  had anticipated.    The strangest thing I saw was a guy in a full hazmat suit, wearing a murse (that’s a man purse), slung diagonally over his chest.  I did pause and stare at him, because I thought it was a really change fashion choice, but he didn’t seem to care.  I contemplated taking a photo, but then came to my senses and realized he probably wouldn’t take kindly to that.  The last thing I needed was to get in to a brawl at Costco, in the middle on a pandemic, and get thrown out.  I took a mental picture and that was going to have to due.  Of course they had no toilet paper or paper towel, which was immensely disappointing, but not unexpected. I did get mostly everything else I needed.  I shopped, with the warning in mind I had seen in my inbox this morning, and ended up with a heaping cart (see below) and a nearly $600 bill.  Good god!  There is nothing worse for your wallet than panic shopping. Well, at least I won’t have to leave the house tomorrow for that loaf of bread they were warning me not to get (I got about 8 loaves).  Even worse than trolling the aisles of Costco and being afraid to breath in there, was coming home and having to unpack it all.  I had to rearrange every shelf of every freezer and refrigerator (yes, that is 3, in total), to fit it all in.  To say that I was cranky after that experience, is an understatement.  The kids were cranky by that point too.  They had been in the house all day long and were stir crazy.  Not a good mix.  It was at that moment that I remembered seeing the email from this morning (not the one about never leaving your house again, but a more cheerful one), from Fresh Brothers.  With the coupon code FREEPEP, they were offering a free medium pepperoni pizza with the purchase of another medium pizza.  You may remember that we just had pizza 48 hours ago. However, when you have waged war and put your life on the line by going to Costco in the middle of a pandemic, you just don’t care.  I grabbed my computer and ordered those pizzas as fast as I could.  We went out for our walk, drove in to Calabasas to pick up our pizzas and came home and ate them.  I fear that my mom is right after all, and we are going to turn in to pizzas soon.  We hope you are staying safe and well!

Serve yourself oatmeal bar, for breakfast.  Always a favorite. 

Fresh fruit bowls on the side.

Peanut butter, banana and cocoa smoothies to drink. 

When all else fails, there is always Sesame Street!

Tuna melts for lunch with plantains chips and carrots. 

Miles working diligently on his ABC’s. And note, a glimpse of one of my many market lists. 

Entering the battle zone, otherwise known as Costco. 

Today, gripped with fear and panic, I joined the rank and file of mask and glove wearing Americans.  I pray this photo never goes viral!

My $600 basket at Costco. Trust me, if I could have squeezed one more item in there, I would have.  

My ginormous car, filled to capacity. 

Free at last!  Heading out for our much-needed evening walk. 

Silly Lady Catherine. 

No coats tonight.  Enjoying the warm evening. 

Our BOGO pizzas - one pepperoni and one veggie.   I used paper plates, paper napkins and no one got silverware.  Just what Chef Mommy needed.  

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