Maybe Time for a Hoarding Update and Some General Trivia!

I should start by pointing out that I am starting this blog on 1-16-2022. At this time, I am sitting here, awaiting the big storm Izzy to descend upon us. No worries, as I have no need to leave the house until 1-31-22 and maybe not then, as I have become quite the hoarder. The only issue would be a prolonged loss of power, which should not be such a worry in my community.

1-19... There are apparently, a number of storms likely to cycle through the region over the next couple of weeks, so just need to hunker down. Have ordered the covid tests, but not sure if we will use them or need them anytime soon. Of course, it sounds like we won't get them anytime soon as well. 

1-21... Checking the 2 week weather outlook and it seems to indicate prolonged colder than normal temps, with bouts of snowfall. Nothing is set in stone, so I'll keep checking. Typically order groceries for pickup on Wednesday's and Thursdays. 

This may seem odd, considering the first paragraph, but while I have stored a good amount of groceries and can claim starvation is not in the cards... there are certain food groups that don't store well over time. Such as veggies, fruits, etc. 

On one social websites I frequent, the following was posted... "there is a pasta shortage, as shipments from Italy cannot get into U.S. ports." This reminded me of the BBC show from the 50s, on an April Fool's broadcast... about spaghetti trees.

That is not to say we do not import some pasta from Italy, but it would be specialty brands, as most pasta is made in the USA. It was good for a laugh at least.

There are many nuggets of humor to be found on these websites, as long as you look for the humor, instead of looking to criticize. Shaking your head in disbelief and then having a good laugh is probably the best medicine. 

Another Month Gone By.

How time flies...Here it is the last day of September.

Completed the weekly curbside grocery thing, which begins on Wednesday with Walmart and concludes on Thursday with Kroger. There are certain things that are only from one or the other. Then there are the things that maybe Walmart doesn't currently have and Kroger does. 

The pantries are full and it is down to replacement items and the perishables. I suspect I am not the only hoarder of pantry items, as they seem to be more difficult to order. Is it due to hoarding or due to supply chain issues.

Everything is blamed on supply chain issues and we are told to buy normally, as there are plenty of supplies. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of something, then the news of that shortage, then hoarding that exacerbates the shortage and then the politicos telling us to buy normally.

I seem to recall that scenario playing out in the U.K. recently and currently on going. People were buying petrol (gas, gasoline) normally and forecourts (gas stations) started running out of petrol. 

The forecourts running out due to lack of lorry (truck) drivers splashed across the news groups and predictably... the surge was on. Naturally the politicos admonished everyone for hoarding petrol, while simultaneously acknowledging the shortage of lorry drivers, while advising people to purchase normally. Normally is what caused some of those forecourts to run out of petrol in the first place... exposing a system problem. 

Naturally the Petrol lorry driver shortage morphed into acknowledgement of an overall lorry driver shortage across damn near everything. Ooops... that item out of stock and awaiting the next lorry delivery became something more worrying. No surprise really.

It has become almost normal for nothing to happen until a crisis occurs. When that crisis is resolved everyone seems to pat themselves on the back and then sit idly by until the next crisis. I understand the political gain from managing a crisis vs preventing a crisis. 

No one notices the crisis prevention activity or the individuals involved in preventing a crisis. Generally, they are disregarded. Oh but those people that get involved in resolving a crisis are to be revered. Never are they punished for their role in allowing the crisis to arise.

In any such case, we currently have a supply chain crisis in the U.S. It is actually multiple crises over a great swath of transportation systems. All of which are quite willing to deflect blame to others as to how the crisis began. Thus, at some point in the future, all will be resolved and people will claim their labor produced this magnificent resolution. 

Of course any reflection will be smoothed over and any attempt to determine the cause while it is still on going will be deflected with... "now is not the time to place blame, that can come later".

Has anyone ever lived long enough to see that "later"? Later is always at some point in time, when those crisis management types have moved on, etc. Which is too late.

So kudos to those that prevent crises and manage to keep my hoarding pantry full. To all those that are working diligently, behind to scenes to keep things going.

Getting Those Covid Boosters

My wife and I got our Pfizer covid boosters yesterday. Arms a bit sore, but nothing unusual. I guess we can wait a couple of weeks for a ramp up in antibodies and then charge out into the public...

But then we really don't care to do that, as the hermit life has become quite a comfortable way to go. Why go out into the public and put up with all the nonsense that seems to be taking place.

We got our shots at a Kroger Pharmacy and our original 2 doses in public settings, but other than that have only been inside medical facilities since May of 2020.

We are all stocked up on food, other than perishables and if forced could get by for a couple of months, possibly more. 

I have noticed that some of the frequently used items are becoming more difficult to get via curbside. Not sure if they are in store and most people I would ask about this... are also curbside shopping. 

That's it for now.