PaintedStork of Trill

[ismo]

We both had prescriptions waiting, so I had to go to the pharmacy. We like this pharmacy, but they don't deliver. While I was there, I thought I might as well pick up a few items I was starting to feel anxious about running out of. The whole process created more anxiety than I expected. Normally I'm a pretty level-headed person (or so I like to think) who doesn't get too worked up about things unnecessarily. But these days there's that constant feeling that it only takes one invisible mistake, and this could be that moment, or this, or THIS, and then you're doomed . . . . I wore a scarf over my mouth and nose and took a baggie of Chlorox wipes, with which I wiped down my fingers, the cart, the car door handle, etc. etc. I used a pen to poink the buttons on the touch screen. Everything I picked up, I put in my cart. I used the self-checkout, although it complained constantly that I was improperly bagging things, and at one point quit entirely and just kept repeating "help is on the way help is on the way." If only!! An employee came over and just swiped her card without even asking what was wrong. Clearly this happens a lot. When I got home, I did the whole sanitizing routine like last time--wash hands, clean everything, throw away packaging, wash hands, take a shower and wash all my clothes. It wasn't as much work as last time, because there wasn't as much stuff.

There's still no toilet paper, kleenex, paper towels, liquid soap, hand sanitizer, rice, or flour. There was some sugar again, which I was happy to see because I wanted some more for my Easter baking. There were some small bottles of dishwashing soap. I noticed that, although all the hand soap was gone, no one seemed to be buying the body wash. This seems kind of dumb, because it's just the same as soap. If it's good enough to clean your ass, it seems as if it should work on your hands, duh. So I bought a bottle of that as a backup.

This whole process brought my spirit way down. I hated wearing a mask over my face. It made me feel claustrophobic and miserable. I bless the kind pharmacist who recognized me even with the mask on, and said my name. That was very comforting. It's just so awful, in a way I can't explain, to go out and see things as they are now, so different from how they used to be and should be. I had to sit down and eat some oatmeal when I got home and was finally sanitized. Then I made oatmeal cookies for the Sparrowhawk. I still haven't found the perfect recipe, but at least they came out as specified by the recipe I have. I worked on my story, then went for a short walk while the Sparrowhawk made that stir fry. It was 72 degrees out! It felt like a summer day. I've been going around all day in a t shirt. After dinner I cleaned up the kitchen so he wouldn't do it and get too tired. Then we ate more cookies and watched another baking show.

Comments

the baking show is our salvation

[siriosa]

when we absolutely positively need something sweet, there's the baking show.