When I’m out in the world doing a now-rare errand like buying groceries, I usually wear a Bow Tie o’ the Day from my wood bow ties collection. The wood creatures are much easier to disinfect when I get home than fabric bow ties.
I learned something at the store today. I learned that my Face ID on my phone doesn’t work when I’m wearing my pandemic mask. Duh! Luckily, I was able to remember the code to open my phone. I also learned my phone still responds to touch if I’m wearing latex gloves— if they’re properly warmed by my digits.
I am not a germaphobe. I am not frantic about COVID-19. However, I have noticed I handle the whole grocery shopping task differently right now. COVID-19 doesn’t scare me, mostly because I take it seriously. I guess I would say I am cautious. I wear latex gloves and my Suzanne-made mask while I’m in the grocery store. I wear long sleeves and pants. I carry a bigly tarp-fabric shopping bag over my shoulder to hold my items, so I don’t have to use a shopping cart. I make sure my bag doesn’t ever touch the floor. I use the self-checkout, so I’m in control of what touches what. When I leave the store, I keep my bag o’ food slung over my shoulder, and I put my used gloves in the garbage can outside the store. I then lift my vehicle’s hatch and slide the bag—without touching the bag’s handle—off my shoulder and into the car.
After I get home, I leave my shopping bag in the garage. It isn’t allowed in the house for the time being, even though I wipe it down with Clorox wipes. I then wipe down each grocery item individually before finally bringing the goods into the house. I also leave my coat, mask, and shoes in the garage. I have been known to change into clean clothes in the garage. I certainly do more laundry than I’ve done since Rowan was a child and lived at home.
The washing o’ the hands and the use of hand sanitizer occur all throughout this process, whenever possible. My detailed routine makes me feel comfortable in the pandemic. All in all, the new fuss doesn’t add much time to my errand, but it makes me feel just a tad better about this craziness.
If your cupboards are anything like mine, you probably already had enough food in your house to last for a month, long before the pandemic showed up. If I were unreasonably askeered and paranoid about COVID-19, I wouldn’t go grocery shopping at all cuz we could get by. I think my masky, glove-y caution is merely a healthy respect for how devastating COVID-19 has the potential to be—if even a few of us slack in our hand-washing and social-distancing. I’m being extra careful, but I’m not letting a stoopid virus stop me from living my life or from buying fresh bread.
I suppose you could say that donning my mask and latex gloves at DICK’S MARKET means I’m just dressing appropriately and fashionably for the current occasion—which is exactly what I try to do every day of my life. 🎩 🕶👔 👜
BTW Yes, I am wearing my hearing aid as an earring in this photo.