Yesterday mom and I ventured out to hunt and gather...that's pretty much how I think about grocery shopping in this new age of corona virus.
We first have to prepare our weapons before we head out. For mom a bottle of water, a mask, her inhaler, her cane and disinfectant wipes.
For me I have to first have to apply my mask (makeup). I have not worn make up on a regular day to day basis since March 18th when we were sent from the office to work at home, there was just no need. So applying makeup when you're used to a fresh face was not much fun. Then gathering up my face mask, extra wipes, hand sanitizer, my phone and ATM card and my mom...we head out.
We had not been out of the house other than the front and back yard since the fires in California started. We have seen the news reports and the pictures and video but we were not prepared to the heaviness and thickness of the air and not being able to see any of the mountains surrounding us.
Here's a time lapse video from our local news station KGET, I hope you guys are able to see it, I had trouble getting it to show up.
You can see how horrible the air quality is and it's not getting better anytime soon. Pair that with temperatures over 100 degrees and humidity, and let's not forget that there's an airborne killer disease out there on top of it and a mask...it was brutal.
I could have left my mom at home, God knows at her age and with her COPD and her age it was not the best idea for her to be out, but she's also human and I can't keep her locked up in one place forever, she has to get out and go to the store and have the pleasure of buying her little odds and ends and treats.
She did good, I on the other hand got overheated halfway through our shopping trip and had to sit down and drink some water and catch my breath. But we got through it and now we're stocked up again for at least a month. I hope and pray that the next time we have to head out like that the air will be cleaner and the temperatures cooler.
Yesterday mom and I ventured out for a little trip to Hobby Lobby so she could buy some interfacing. Mom is a wonderful seamstress and she spends the whole year creating one beautiful craft for each of her children, their spouses and her grandchildren. I can't say what she is making this year in case one of the above reads this, but she needs interfacing and she's sewing it...there's your first clue!
As we were heading to Hobby Lobby, mom asked if we couldn't maybe stop by The American Cancer Society Discovery Shop aka The Discovery Store. We love this place, it's one of our favorite thrift shops. I had to tell her that while I am ok in going into stores selling new items, I wasn't comfortable taking her someplace where we did not know where the items had been and who had touched them. I know it's probably ok, but I'm not taking a chance with my mom!
The Discovery Store posts enticing photos on Facebook daily and I thought just for fun I would share some to show you what we are missing, and we truly are missing them, mom and I are huge thrift store shoppers!
First, I know I would have been in love with this beautiful lampshade. The lamp not so much but I bet you anything that lampshade has a hand-drawn design. And my sister Lisa's birthday is in October and I might have purchased the sailboat painting, isn't it dreamy?
Then there's this wine holder, love it! Of course I'm down to only 3 bottles of wine and 1 of Champagne, so totally not practical, but at least I would have had a chance to drool over it. I also love the black plate hanger behind it. I have no room in my kitchen for it, but a girl can want right? I guess that's why my mom and sister nicknamed me Iwanna!
I am not a Milk Glass collector, but I know a lot of people out there are, so look at this pretty little set for just $20! I'm sure someone will scoop that up right away. I do love the white creamer and sugar holder.
These black shoes are so my mom! She would have loved them and the little red coin purse behind them. So I showed them to her and I saw the shine in her eye when she saw them, she said "Now those I would have loved!"
I don't know the brand of those shoes, but check out these! Michael Kors and so pretty. But I know that that they are probably a size 9 and I wear a 6 1/2 so they wouldn't have fit anyway. A little sour grapes always helps!
In telling mom that we didn't want to touch old things, only new things it dawned on me that there was no reason we could not visit another one of our favorite stores, Ross Dress for Less. We had not been since the shelter in place in March. Mom's face lit up when I told her we could make a quick stop there.
Masks in place, since they are mandated in California, we walk in to the store. It was nice to be almost normal again. This was one of our typical stops on a Saturday morning. We each grabbed a basket and headed our own way. I has already warned mom about talking to people, she's very friendly and forgets about the distancing and wants to show people what she's buying and offer suggestions on what they are looking at. She promised she would talk to no one, how sad that it has comes to that.
I headed for the shoes and then realized that I don't need and won't need any pretty summer sandals because I'm working from home for sure until the first of next year and maybe beyond and that's how it went, I would find a pretty blouse and tell myself that I didn't need it, there would be no where to wear it too. That was the "not normal" part of our shopping trip.
Also not normal was the distancing. So many people forget or don't care. They wear the masks because they won't be allowed in the store without it, but many feel they can do what they want and no one is going to tell them what to do or where to stand!
I went into the purse aisle, following the arrows on the floor and this woman came up behind me, breathing down my neck, so I move further along and she was right there again and I moved again and same thing, finally I just left that section of the store altogether. I could have said something but so many people want you to say something so they can get in your face and my fighting in public days are over! Not that I ever fought in public, but I sure wasn't going to start now!
So I went to find mom and sure enough she's talking to a man about four feet away from her and going against the arrows! I reminded her about the arrows and she said, "Oh, I didn't even notice they had arrows." These arrows were at least 12 inches in length made out of blue duct tape! How could she not notice. But she's 82 and she shouldn't have to notice, other people should stay away from her out of simple courtesy. PEOPLE, if you are out there shopping, look out for the senior citizens, elders, whatever you want to call them. They are the most in danger and the most unaware. Please!
Since I did not need clothes, shoes or purses I purchased all the cool art supplies I could find. I bought some alcohol markers, some metallic crayons, blending stumps and a pretty little sketchbook that had a lovely cover that says "Fill your life with Imagination and Color." Last night I did just that, I ended my day by playing with my new markers and creating this pretty, colorful little drawing.
All in all, mom and I had a fun time. It is always a little stressful for me to be out with mom because I'm constantly watching out for her, but the good thing is that she doesn't realize it's a whole new world out there...for her it was just a normal Saturday shopping trip with her daughter, something we've done for years.
Seriously people...when you are out there in the world, watch out for the elderly.
