Tried going shopping

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Dishwasher detergent - people are staying home, a family can easily run the dishwasher twice a day if they're eating 3 meals, snacks, glasses, utensils. Dishwasher sales will probably spike in the late-summer and fall.

Haven't been to the grocery store for a couple of weeks, Costco/Sams for nearly a month. I need to put dishwasher det. on my list, have only 10 or so pods left. Definitely have run a few more loads than the norm here. The Anti-Bacterial cycle and the sani-rinse option, also a new norm.
 
My partner was able find some things I need, that cannot be found here,  in Alabama.  Hopefully the package will arrive on Saturday.  
 
Either folks are

calming down, or Thursday mornings are usually slow because those still getting paid often do today. I usually shop early Fri. afternoons. It's much busier. Thats why I went this morning. T.P. still limited, only paper plates on the shelf. I got one of the two jugs of Persil, and some liquid dish soap. Still no Lysol cleaner.
 
Overhere in the NL we are in almost total lock down. Going for a walk, a drive or a bike ride is ok as long as you keep distance from others. No groups of people are allowed, fines are serious. So far the policy seems to work, the curve flattens a little, but it's too early to draw conclusions.

I'm locked inside, I don't want to risk anything with my asthma. I'm having problems with allergies anyway, don't want to scare of people when sneezing. I decided to stop cooking, so shopping is not as much as an issue. I get meals delivered from a meal service, sort of like a meals on wheels thing. I ordered 5 meals per week for the next four weeks. They get delivered once a week. I still have enough in the freezer and enough things in stock to cook simple meals on the other two days. I order other groceries online at the supermarket next door and get them delivered. Just like bread from a baker and medication from the pharmacy. So far so good. Most things are available here, even toilet paper. People started buying that, but after a report on TV that we would never run out of TP, that settled down.

Only thing that is hard to get to is hand desinfection. Fortunately I had bought some already, I have enough to get through the coming months. I ventured outside once this week to get rid of the garbage bag and have a look in the letter box. Two neighbour ladies on the same floor of my apartment building started a Whatsapp group for people who need help. So far I didn't have to ask them.

I realise I am blessed with my apartment and living alone there, having people around me who want to help and our very advanced internet shopping and payment systems.

Hang in there!
 
I'm incensed that Walmart Superstore, Giant Tiger, and others are being allowed to remain open because they sell food and drugs which only takes less than 1/2 of their total retail floorspace. I just drove over to Walmart to see (not go in) and the parking lot is about as full as it is on a normal day, people walking out with tv's, bicycles etc. Yet all the otehr stores have to be closed. They're profiting off the backs of other stores and their employees and ultimately everyone elses health. They should be required to section off the non essential areas of the store and just sell food and drugs.
 
I went out today and after checking online it appeared that the Target 6 miles north of here had more in stock, so I went there first.  I hadn’t driven the car for 2 weeks, but it started right up.  The traffic was about 50% of normal.

 

The young lady in front of the store gave me a freshly sanitized cart.  No paper products at all, NADA! But this is OK for now, we have enough to last for about 3-4 weeks.  This Target only has iceberg lettuce and precut romaine, I passed.  No whole carrots, no tangerines, no green peppers, no butter, no bacon, pasta, rice, beans, no hand sanitizer, no Clorox wipes, only a few small bottles of dish soap.  But I did manage to get 2 lbs of ground sirloin,1 lb Italian sausage, 1 lb boneless pork chops,  4 lbs of boneless chicken breasts, 8 bananas, two bags of Gala apples, 10 lbs of potatoes, 3 lbs. onions, 5 bags of frozen vegetables, a package of Oscar Mayer beef hot dogs, cheddar cheese, two 1 lb. containers of lunchmeat, one turkey and one honey ham and juice boxes of David, Cheerios and Shredded wheat and 2 bags of dark brown sugar, no white sugar,  I have a bag already and that will be enough.

 

Stopped at the Target near home on the way back and got romaine lettuce, 4 green peppers, 3 lbs carrots, 4 avocados, 2 bags of Clementines, flour tortillas, enchillada sauce, 4 cans of pinto beans and a big bottle dish soap and 120 oz of Gain liquid.

 

I last put gas in the car 3 weeks ago and when I left home there were 30 miles on the trio odometer, upon return 44 miles.  I’ve never driven less in my life.

 

So, now if it really gets bad we will be set for a very long time without needing to go out except for milk, 1/2&1/2, butter, eggs and bananas.

 

Everyone was very nice and the store staff were all cheerful.  I thanked each of them that I saw for working and keeping the store open for us.

 

I got around OK on my bad right leg, limping thru the store like Grandpa McCoy on the Real McCoy’s. LOL

 

I was dreading this shopping trip, and I’m glad I was able to get what we will need for along time and glad the chore is over, after putting it all away, including cutting each of those huge chicken breasts in half horizontally and putting them in individual freezer bags for latter use.

Eddie
 
Thanks Bob for the well wishes.  It still has a ways to go and I’m being careful.  I was going to take another short walk today, but after todays shopping expedition I’m going to call it a day, and try again tomorrow.

 

 I’m not an especially religious person, but the phrase, “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle” keeps running thru my mind, and I believe this is true.

 

I do appreciate yours and all the other members kind words.  And as I’ve said before, I’m thankful that due to several prior serious sprains like this in the past I’m equipped to go all Marcus Welby and manage the recovery on my own this time.

 

Hope you and everyone else out there are managing well too.  This one helluva challenge, injury or not.

 

Eddie
 
RE: Reply #66

Louis, I’m glad you are being careful and taking this seriously in light of your asthma.  I have mild asthma and severe allergies myself.  I received allergy shots every other week from 1991 until the end of last year.  The new allergy doctor at Kaiser advised me that the newest train of thought is that after many years of allergy shot treatment one eventually gets no further benefit from these shots and suggested I try going off the shots and see if I can manage OK without them.  So far I’m fine without them, taking 10mg of Claritin in the morning and just using Flonase in the morning and Alvesco inhaler 1 puff in the morning and 1 in the evening and my lungs are clearer than they’ve been in years, which is a good thing with COVID-19 out there.

 

It’s good that you live in an apartment building with neighbors that are helpful.   The good side in the human nature of good people will pull us thru this terrible crisis.  Please keep staying safe my friend.

 

Eddie
 
I happened to stop at a Walmart I was near yesterday because my cousin said her daughter called and said they had TP in the Walmart near her (2 towns over). Voila- I grabbed a 12 pack of my usual brand to restock at about the usual time I would restock. I still had 8 rolls, but I always keep the hamper stocked as we draw on that for the other bathrooms in the house.

 

Tried to buy Everclear (or similar) at Total Wine so I could put some in a small spritz bottle, but they were out. Apparently someone posted a vid of how to make sanitizer with it- I may raid the limoncello I have brewing! It'll be the tastiest and best-smelling hand sanitizer out there! LOL!

 

All-in-all, I've been able to get anything we've needed. Even found yeast at Wegman's yesterday (stopped on a whim as I was near it delivering a typewriter we sold) only to find Rich found some at Roche Bros but didn't tell me! Glad I took a 3-pack to a friend who had lamented on Facebook that he didn't have any!

 

People need to calm the F down. Everything will be restocked if we allow the time for it!

 

Stores aren't allowing returns for good reason. I'm hoping when the open that back up they ban or limit returns on the HTF goods people hoarded! I spoke to a manager at one of the supermarkets we frequent, and they're hoping it's no returns or one unit per receipt. I hope all these hoarders get stuck with their TP, paper towels, flour, et cetera!

 

Hope you're all being safe,

 

Chuck
 
Stopped at Costco today on the way home to get fresh fruit for us, my sister and mom. We'll split the box of oranges, honeycrisp apples and I got each of us a kale salad kit and a box of strawberries. Probably should have bought more berries as my son and I can nibble a whole box completely gone as I clean them.

Costco changed their entry to a door at the far end of the cart hall and while not limiting entry numbers today, they seemed to be monitoring customer population pretty closely between entering and exiting attendants. They're out of many things, posted on a board as you come up to the entrance. Sanitized carts are waiting near the door. I got everything I needed, little interest in shopping the hard-lines and clothing.

The checkouts are every-other lane open, new plexiglas guards between customer and cashier and at all stations in customer service. All employees are gloved and it's asked to put as little as possible on the belt, they scan and double count items in the cart. The exit attendant doesn't take your receipt to mark as checked any longer, just matched a few items in the cart against the receipt you hold up and sends you on your way.

I have to say, some of the changes and adjustments we are all making will hopefully carry forward as they are good practice, generally. At least for now, it's hard to escape the nagging feeling of vulnerability at being in stores and in close proximity to others. I was glad to get back to my truck and hand sanitizer, even though logic still tells me that's a teensy bit irrational. I wonder how long it will be before we let our guard down again?
 
You’re right Petek, things are going to get much worse before they begin to get better.  It’s not unreasonable for some to try and have 30 days supplies, especially the immune compromised, other preexisting conditions and seniors.  Some of us may be unable to leave our homes at all due either to increased rates of infected persons, or being quarantined yourself.

 

This doesn’t mean though that households of 4 or less need to have pallets of TP and non perishable foods.  The trouble is most people don’t cook at home anymore regularly, and don’t shop for a weeks worth of groceries at a time, so they don’t know how to reasonably estimate what they may need for a possible 3 to 4 weeks of necessities, therefore they panic and buy everything that isn’t nailed down so someone else doesn’t get some.  This is a mindset that I hope people can learn to change by adapting to the current crisis, some may, but many won’t.  That’s life.

 

 I shopped today ( a regular shopping trip) for the first time in 2 wks, and bought twice the quantities that I would have usually purchased for 2 wks.  I figure that we can go 3 - 4 wks without needing to shop.  It gave me a sigh of relief knowing I don’t have to be around any strangers and possibly be infected.

 

Eddie
 
I've been posting my rant locally on different pages about Walmart etc being fully open for everything, not just food/drugs and the pushback from the ignorant masses is unbelievable. They seem to think that just because grocery stores are exempt from closing that it's perfectly okay for them to just continue to shop in there as usual.. They can't seem to comprehend that what they are doing is worsening the situation.
 
In both the Targets I was in this morning I only saw people in the grocery, cleaning supplies and OTC medicine depts.  At least around here people now seem to be getting that this isn’t the time to be browsing and shopping for anything non essential.  I’m planning on staying the hell home now.

 

Eddie
 
First, #58:

Best of luck with your surgery. Please keep us posted.

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Australia apparently is going to have a total lockdown. I haven't actually checked but AussieBum let me know they're having a storewide pre-lockdown 50% sale! I've bought a few things from them over the years and must say that the quality is good for the price. Given how little I'm going out, clothes are one thing I don't need!

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Like Louis and a lot of you I'm pretty well-stocked. I get as much as I can delivered. I hate to think it but you're probably right. Things will get worse before they get better.

I've a dear friend in Manhattan who has an even more dire outlook. He's a poster boy for Covid response in all ways except for stocking up on food. Like most Manhattanites, he drives but sold his car years ago as he never used it. He's pretty much limited to what he can comfortably carry. I try to avoid nagging and encourage him to buy just ONE more of whatever he buys anyway, but I don't think it's sinking in. He walks a lot and I think doing daily shopping is part of his routine. I'm just afraid there'll come a day when he gets to a store and finds it closed or the shelves bare.

Anyone else know a city dweller who has this mentality?

Jim
 
Yes Jim.

A cousin lives in Brooklyn, not far from the bridge. Her boyfriend does have a vehicle though.
I Can't say I blame A New Yorker for not having a car. Parking is a pain, etc.
Was there in June 1985, and didn't use the car for entire visit. We only took a cab once all week. Everything else there is so expensive, not paying insurance or a car payment is a plus.
 
Hoarding

I have a very strong suspect for the root cause of mass hoarding:  Professional shoppers.  I run into them A LOT at Kroger.  Standing in front of what I'm looking for, trying to decide what compromise best suits what their client ordered.  I know they are prof'l shoppers because they tell me.

 

And since shopping is all they do, item limits don't really apply to them.  They can cart the limit out to their truck and go right back in for more at a different-- or the self-- checkout until the shelves are empty.  Then hoard known-demand items at home with the only limit being space and refrigeration for perishables.  How many 30-packs of toilet paper could you find room for in your house, if that was your "job"?

 

Then, seeing mostly-bare shelves, EVERYone grabs all they can because they perceive a shortage.

 

Memo to retailers:  Here's a DANDY motive to add facial recognition to your ubiquitous shoplifting cameras.  If the same schmow walks in and out more than twice in the same half hour, they are hoarding.  Set off that security alarm you put by the door and have them escorted out and greylisted for scrutiny in times of exceptional demand.  "One per customer" means ONE PER DAY, not one as many times as you can get away with, SCHMUCK.

 

Memo to Kroger:  One truck twice a week really doesn't cut it as far as inventory.  I have to stash a month worth of EVERYthing at home because you are chronically out of it when I need it.  Not just now, but for the LAST FOUR YEARS.  I've been buying groceries for 56 years and I know this is a new invention of yours because it never happened before.  You copied it from Walmart, they were like this 10 years before you were.  Why do you think I was shopping at Kroger instead of Walmart? 

For the highclass clientele??
 
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Thanks for the kind words concerning my fast-approaching cancer surgery. I haven't been to the market since this "restricted" shopping thing started. I may venture out to a Gelson's store very near me next week. Never been but I understand it's pricey. Like many stores, they have special hours for us oldsters. I guess I assume there'd be more of a sense of "shopping decorum" than at Walmart or Food 4 Less. </span>

twintubdexter-2020032722163800607_1.jpg
 
The way things are "pro" shoppers NEED to be under the same restrictions as everyone else.If you are a "pro" "shopper" WHY are you buying the things at a retail store???Shouldn't you buy them from a wholesaler???The laws should apply to ALL!!!!We have TOO MANY numbskulls out there hoarding stuff they will likely NEVER use!!And if these dummies try to sell on eBay or whatever-they need to be informed price gouging is ILLEGAL!!eBay should shut those auctions down right away.-Then ban the seller from using eBay.
 
The exception should be shopper buy as part of a service.  HEB has set up an arrangement with Favor Delivery for people 60+, you can call a special phone number for seniors and can order up to 20 items and will be delivered the same day.  I'm going to investigate to find out just how restrictive it is.  A $10 fee for the person doing the shopping and it's delivered to your front door.  Then the person inside can retrieve from front door once they leave.
 
It should be noted that HEB has had a pandemic protocol in place since 2005.

 

HEB is ahead of the game in so many ways.  In all their markets (Houston, Austin, San Antonio and neighboring) they kick Walmart's butt.  Wish we had them here.  HOW I wish.
 
eBay should shut those auctions down right away.-

eBay, Amazon, Kijiji and many others have already shut down many thousands of postings for price gouging.

 

I was speaking with a manager at one store nearby and they're debating on what to do about returns once the store starts taking returns again... 1 per item per receipt, or none at all. This is for things lie TP, paper towels, sanitizer.... I hope they don't take returns on these things and the hoarders get to keep it all!

 

Chuck
 
Nice to see

a family owned grocery chain still around besides Wegmans'. Not to mention one since 1914. The one I worked for for 31 years had been for 86 years. At least after 1987, A&P did keep us afloat for twenty more.
 
Glenn,

What about Whole Foods? Amazon hires shoppers for them and they deliver. Not optimal ($$) but if needed.....

Are you friendly with any of your neighbors? I'm lucky that we have family nearby and when I go out I call our cousin to see if she needs anything. She does the same with us. Works out well.

I remember in the blizzard of '78 we had to walk to the grocery store. My roomie and I would do that, but always asked the older (50's or '60's... she was "older" when we were in our 20's!) neighbor if she needed anything. Only ever had us pick up milk for her cat- otherwise she was well-stocked.

Best of luck,
Chuck
 
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