May 2022. This is a post from the beginning of the pandemic. It’s been sitting in my draft folder for more than two years now. I am publishing it without revising, so please excuse its first-draft form.
My global pandemic low moment came on February 29, (?) when I visited WinCo for my usual twice-monthly shopping trip and found the store that is open 24 hours to be closed to restock due to pandemic over buying. I posted in a snit on Instagram and drove home. I ate my frozen and stored food.
My next visit to WinCo came on 3/14, when I checked both the WinCo website (no information) and the Oregonian to be updated about hours. I drove to arrive for their new 7 a.m. opening, only to find that they now opened at 8. I shopped at Fred Meyer.
Today, I arrived at WinCo at 8 (again, their website was not helpful and I could find no information about hours online) and found that they are currently open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
It was an interesting shopping trip. They won’t be stocking the bulk food section, which is too bad as that was a big draw. But all the fruits and vegetables I needed were present as was nearly everything on my list.
I’m going to have to find a new source for nutritional yeast, for the time being, at least.
I also shopped at Fred Meyer, where they have installed clear Plexiglas shields to keep their workers healthy. I kind of liked them, and part of me wishes they would stay up after the pandemic is over.
The news today is that the CDC *might* ask everyone to wear masks when they leave their houses. I looked online and found a pattern to make one. I’m missing elastic, but if I need to, I can improvise. Meanwhile Matt’s mother gave him a box of 30 masks she had ordered in January, and told him to share them with his friends. We immediately turned around and donated to an organization collecting PPE supplies. “I made some new friends when I donated.” Matt said.
