"THEY ARE NOT COMING AFTER YOUR GUNS. THEY ARE COMING AFTER YOUR TOILET PAPER."

A quote from the friend of a friend: "A sense of humor goes a long ways these days."

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HOW ARE YOUR PREPS?

A biscuit mix with water 5 years past its due date. I added a half teaspoon of baking soda for no good reason. 

Baked on a pizza stone for 11 minutes. Ohhhhhhhhhhh, momma!! 

Being on a diet for over a year now, I think I would have enjoyed eating the dry powder mix. (NO) 

Biscuits cut in half and butter melting. Now how to convince her we need to break out a package of Mac and Cheese. That will be a harder sell, but it is for the children and becoming a part of my mental health needs. 

I know better than trying her to cook a package of Ramen Noodles. That will indeed be the last of days. 

Point! Any kind of mix off-the-shelf like this is easy to store, easy to make and bake and also serves as comfort food any time of the day. Add butter, honey a blob of peanut butter and you are eating healthy.  

While the world is going crazy with toilet paper, $30 worth of mixes like this is money well spent.

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"Concord hospital has security guards to all entrances to the emergency room with a nurse station screening everyone and denying access to people who are not patients."

A FB post from a friend of ours mid-week.

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Friday morning Sam's Club Concord toilet paper and paper towel shelves. We just had to see for ourselves.














Sam's Club hamburger meat section empty. The butcher said that the truck had come in yet and they did not know when it would arrive.












Walmart Concord Friday Morning. Again, toilet paper rack all but gone. 

I noticed a young couple, late 20's maybe, walking this isle bewildered by the fact the total run on toilet paper. The fellow said he could not understand why the public run on this product. The both turned a few circles around their cart in utter disbelief.

I told him that Sam's was empty this morning too. 

I said that I thought the reason was most folks live week to week on items like this. Maybe having a half dozen rolls on hand and always having the option to pick up as needed from the local markets. 

But being faced with several month shut downs and stay at home quarantines, folks realized having no toilet paper can be a problem.

The last photo was taken at our local home town market late Friday morning. Toilet paper briefly on hand. Paper towels were stacked in the isle as there was no need to stock shelf's due to run on these items.

Shopping felt normal at Sam's. 

Walmart shoppers looked a little more stressed. I got the feeling many were last minute shopping for items needed for having to stay at home for a few weeks or more. Shoppers and workers were cordial but all looked tired keeping all of this working and moving along. Hard to put into words. 

Shoppers at our local market were taken aback by the volume of shoppers on a late Friday morning. Several agreed that it looked and felt like shopping just before the arrival of a major winter nor'easter. Almost every shopper had paper products in their carts, and the general shopping mode felt normal. Shoppers were more relaxed, willing to talk and visit and all amazed at the volume due to potential need to stay at home due to C19.


We were able to stock up on needed items for older folks having to take care of ourselves in the case we were to get a run of flu or C19. It is obvious from our take on the general news media and blogging, that old folks like us are at a higher risk and yes, expendable. 


That sounds fine unless you are 74 years old. To each other, I am not expendable, my wife is not expendable. Our years have taught the lessons of self-reliance a few times. Lessons well learned. The upside of our age is that we have seen times like this before and we have worked those times as needed. We never gave up nor did we give in. We just rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Day after day after day.

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Friends and neighbors have called checking in and offering help. We have been put into their caring and concern loop as they are in ours. Very reassuring on many levels.

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THE BEAR IS UP AND OUT

There is order in the world. Our bear is out of hibernation. 

Our free-standing birdfeeder is down-- and for the last time.  

The bear is doing what the bear does. My bet he is hungry as is the case after a long winter nap. 

The feeder and pole go into the dumpster this weekend. 

Not sure of future bird feeding solutions.

For now, I am regrouping and looking for a better option. 

Nothing I have done so far has endured. 

Maybe a little hand ul of feed on the picnic table each day?    

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Our President has done a good job bringing government and industry leaders together for actionable help in this "crisis." I watched the stock market go up 1000 points during his speech. The nation and world is watching. "You go to war with the Army you have." He is!!

Yes, this will all pass. Much will be learned and the haters in and of this country will continue to hate. But common sense, minimized fatalities, and our economy will triumph. 

Be there for your family and neighbors. Give help when and where you can. Ask for help as needed. Practice smart cleanliness. Avoid crowds when you can and stay home more often when possible. This can be a great time to get closer to all in your home. Be creative, have fun and get a chore or two done working together. Bake a cake or make cookies for end of the day treats. Of course you put in comfort food, right?

Keep informed beyond the television outlets. 

One day at a time works just fine. One day at a time! It has worked before and it will work again.

We are in an After my friends. We are going to be fine. You know the drill. 

Thanks for the visit.