Outside

Thought I was imagining it when I heard what sounded like a lawnmower on the property as I was dressing for the day, but it was real.

Pain Cave is still closed, while the construction workers or the corner lot were only out for about four/five days, maybe only three/four, and the landscapers out only about a week and a half.

I’m surprised management has allowed them back on the property so soon.

Interesting what’s being allowed to continue on as usual, and what is ordered closed until who knows when. But whatever it takes for however long it takes.

Heard on the news last night that a healthy Black woman in this county, with no health issues, who worked out, died of Covid. Hey, thought I. I’m a healthy Black woman, I don’t have any serious health issues, and I work out. It gave me pause.

Following that was some big high mucky muck area politician stating the time has come when we should ALL in this area be wearing masks.

Those two newscasts in my head this morning, as I realized this morning’s breakfast used up the last of the frozen organic hash brown potatoes my sensitive stomach tolerates, made me reluctant to get out and replenish. Especially since the only place that sells them is Sprouts in Rancho Cucamonga, and that posh area is higher-risk than this area ─ for reasons I won’t elaborate upon because I’d sound like a racist.

But the sun was shining, I really needed to stock up on that item, plus I figured I could stop by the ATM for some extra cash. So, I decided to leave my safe/comfortable refuge and head outside, but I heeded the politician’s warning and suited up appropriately.

Inasmuch as this will probably be my outside look for the remainder of the year .. maybe forever, I’d like something a little more ME and, when I saw what Twin 1 was wearing, said to myself That’s It!

Twin 1 said she’d try to get the folks that made that one special for her to make one for me, but I seriously doubt it. She never does what she says she’s going to do when it relates to me, her mom. Only insofar as others are concerned does she follow through.

I know why this is, and it’s not personal against me. It’s a trait I saw in my sister, where sister was different/more giving, more fulfilling with promises, with people outside the family, while ignoring her own because, to her, how she was perceived by others was more important.

So anyway, I’ll manifest a more attractive functional mask in time.

Fortunately, Sprouts had what I needed, but the vibe in there was way different than the vibe at my area market.

The floor was marked for safe distancing at the checkout, which was a good thing because I’ve had to give people in line behind me the evil eye, or use my cart as a distancing barricade at the corner market, because some folks aren’t taking the distancing thing serious enough.

Sprouts is taking it VERY serious.

Also, Sprouts does not want your reusable bags on their counters. You can purchase new bags, or you can re-cart your groceries after payment and place into your reusable bags ─ but not inside the store. You do this back at your car, which is what I opted to do.

I ain’t mad at ‘em because ... whatever it takes.

Things must really be bad in that area because, not only is Sprouts taking extra extra extra precautions, but everyone I saw was wearing protection (masks/gloves for customers; just gloves for workers). Also, the bank was on shutdown ─ that included the ATM portion.

Notices were posted directing customers to ATMs in other areas.

Fortunately, I wasn’t desperate for cash (because I’d foreseen this might happen and had taken out enough cash to get me through well in advance). I just wanted to pick up additional just-in-case extra, since I was in the area; but not desperately needing it, and not wanting to spend further time in that weirdly vibing area driving to other locations, I high tailed it back to my safe comfortable refuge.