What is
there to say that hasn’t already been said? Just a few weeks ago it was
business as usual but now it’s not.
WI has been
fairly sheltered from large numbers of virus cases but it is rapidly expanding daily
now and seems to finally have entered the populations’ attention that this is
real. I decided to go out early yesterday to do some final stock up on
groceries and found hysteria arriving even here in our tiny town. The store was
jam-packed and many aisles were picked over and there was not an egg in the
store. Surprisingly however, there seemed to be a normal amount of fresh
vegetables so I guess folks aren’t interested in eating those. The frozen pizza
aisle was wiped out!
I always
jokingly say that I must have had a Mormon buried somewhere in my woodpile as I’ve
always been one to have adequate supplies at hand. So even going into this we
were pretty well stocked as I buy in bulk and had managed to hit Sam’s Club just
before the onslaught. We own the largest chest freezer made and it is chuck full;
plus making my own bread, I have 50 pounds of flour on hand. Hearty bread and
cheese (also well stocked on that) can keep a person from starving for a long
time I suspect.
We had
already planned to perhaps build a greenhouse and some raised beds in our
garden area this summer so now I’m pretty sure that’s a “go”. Having fresh and
clean produce could become prudent in the not too distant future. I reflect
that in times like this, it’s good to be out of town on our own acreage where
we have a chance to fend for ourselves. If it came to it, we could have our own
chickens and raise a pig or cow. Having a home now is solace and a safe haven.
Although we
still have plans for some camping trips this summer, I have read in some RV
newsletters that some campgrounds and state parks in other states are being
closed. Hard to see how being out in nature could pose a problem but panic
seems to be the rule of the day. Will severe travel restrictions come next,
maybe stranding some RVers who are far from home or where they want to be? And
as one RVer put it, who wants to be deathly ill out in the middle of nowhere
with no available help or medical facilities? No, I think this is a good time
to be home for the most part.
The Humane
society I volunteer for is seriously considering cancelling some of our
upcoming major fund-raising events, for which I am very sorry. But frankly,
most of us volunteers are seniors and elderly and who wants the exposure? The
long-awaited annual rummage which I had hoped would be a good market for all my
winter efforts in making art quilts, may not be held. The rummage I was set to
join with my neighbor at the end of April is also in jeopardy. If we go to all
that effort and work will anyone even show up to buy?
Yes,
suddenly a very changed world. Be safe out there.
