March 27, 2020
Oh man, I don't know if any of seniors that have visited my blog, have ventured out there into the real world lately or not, but if you have I'm sure you've remarked on how things have changed too. I haven't been out since before the pandemic was issued, because we don't normally go anywhere unless there's something we need, or some place we need to go, so that being said, this is our first day out in quite a while and what a shock!
My first stop was to the bank, to pay important bills that require tellers stamps on them, but I was unable to pay them, because the bank was shuttered - you know those metal security curtains they drop when certain areas of the bank are off limits to customers, or when there's a robbery. The tellers and manager and everyone was still there, because I was calling out from foyer area, where the ATMs are, hoping to be allowed to pay my bills (as the bank was technically supposed to be still open - in other words it wasn't closing time yet). First the manager came to the other side of the security curtain and asked what I needed and so I told her so she said a teller would be with me momentarily. She was, but on the other side of the security curtain and told me that bank would be closed like that at least until the 14th of April if not longer and for me to go to another branch, several kilometers away, except at that point there wasn't time for us to get there before that other branch closed because it was just too far away to be able to do that. So oh well....
Then our next stop was a Pharmaprix that has a post office inside because I wanted to mail some post dated cheques for bill payments and get some stamps, along with Robitussin and some 3x glasses for my husband. I went into the store wearing the disposable plastic gloves that medical people wear, and the girl there made me take them off and wash my hands in the cold water sink they had there. Then I was told I could go to the post office and pick up the medicine and glasses that I wanted, but that I couldn't touch anything at all, unless it's what I was going to buy. So I went to the post office, and mailed the letters and got some stamps and then wandered around the store looking for the Robitussin but they didn't have any in stock and as for the glasses, they had a large selection of them but no prices on them. The price tags were all on the backsides of them, but having been told not to touch anything unless I am going to buy it, I couldn't look, but one man nearby heard me musing to myself about the prices on them, so he started looking in the back of them to tell me the prices. Yikes! $35 for a pair of glasses I could get in the dollar store if it's open (not sure if it is or not, but I think it should be as they sell food and some "hardware"), but we didn't have time to go there.
We left there and went to Rona to buy a new propane tank and get it filled, since BBQ season is fast approaching and we wanted to have some propane and weren't sure if the way things are going we'll even be able to get it later on if we don't get it now. We entered Rona and again there we had to wash our hands, my husband who was wearing the same surgical gloves I previously had on, asked the girl if he could keep them on and wash the gloves and she said yes, but because the girl in Pharmaprix made me remove mine, I wrecked mine trying to get them back on and so didn't have any at this point. So we washed our hands just to get in there and go to the cashier to ask for the filled new propane tank - for which she gave us a slip and told us to go around outside somewhere to get it. It took longer to wash our hands then the amount of time we spent in the store.
We were then going to go to Maxi's (it's the Loblaw's economy store in QC), but when we saw the line up of people outside waiting to get in we decided against that and went to Metro instead. Again we were told to wash our hands before going inside, which we did and when we finally got inside we bought everything there that we were going to buy at Maxi's (albeit at higher prices than at Maxis for sure) plus what we wanted from Metro itself.
On the way home we stopped at the mailbox and got our mail - mostly junk mail, so it shows the mailman at least is still working. So the entire economy hasn't collapsed yet, I guess.
But what a weird world out there now. Everything's so regimented and everyone's so paranoid that you're going to touch something or breath on something that you shouldn't, it's just unreal. So to you seniors who aren't allowed out (if you're in seniors residences now), count your lucky stars. It's not the way you'd remember it being even a couple of weeks ago. So I'm sure you wouldn't like it.
Since I don't plan on going back out until I have to pay those bills on Monday, I think that I'll take some time during the weekend to update the links sections and maybe add another page or two that you might find of interest. Or at least I hope.
In the meantime, don't be shy, leave a comment on here detailing your experiences, or comments of other interests, like if you found a new site you think would be of interest here, or a new recipe you want to share, or whatever suits your fancy. I'd love to hear from you, as I'm sure other visitors would too.
