First trip to Market in 17 Days – In the Time of Covid19 – New Normal

After 17 days of being “confined” I went to the grocery store yesterday and dressed with my mittens, winter boots, jacket, hat and medical mask on, which was really a challenge to use, and set off in the early morning. Time 7:00 in the morning, very quiet. Only three cars in the store’s parking lot. Then I donned my rubber gloves and went into the store. I had a list and I was only dodging people every once in a while…there was no TP or paper towels, but I scored a box of tissues. wow. I floated past the bake goods without any longing for them. It was disorienting finding the products on my list of supplies, while avoiding being too close to people.

People were not masked; except for me and another woman. We eyed each other and she could have been smiling at me. Who knows? But men were especially swooping around me. I felt confused. It was too spooky for me. With so few people shopping, and this tight feeling in the store of get in and get out of here tension that prickled inside of me, my brain slowed down time in some weird opposition of my perceptions.

My molasses brain lead me around checking my list. The soap I wanted was sold out. The household cleaning products aisle was stripped of products. Finally I gave up went to the self check out with my medical gloves on, and yup, the gloves blocked my touch electricity that activates the screen to enter my bananas, green onions and to check out. I had to bare my fingers to touch the screen. Yikes! yikes. “Oh calm down, you can wash your hands when you get home.” I’m thinking.

Honestly, before the Covid19 virus, I was way ahead of the curve with my hand sanitizer in my purse at all times and hand washing whenever I came in from shopping. Its not just OCD on my part, people really do walk around sick in public, hacking and sneezing and not covering their mouths or noses, especially in grocery stores. Remember Minnesota has long winters, which means a lot more time to transmit influenza and colds. o boy.

Truthfully, I was glad to be wearing a mask while shopping, despite the thought of how I must look like a freakazoid… not important. Even though I felt creepy-looking as the checker’s eyes slid me a look that read I looked pathetic when I walked past her aisle to check myself out and skip the person to person process. Hell, she didn’t have a mask on. The new normal.

Stay home, wash your hands, clean surfaces. Eat well. Especially eat your vegetables…

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Spring will come.

Spring will arrive

Spring will surprise!

 

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen,

Be peaceful.

Stay well.