I watered the garden yesterday and this is the pollen that washed off the drive. It is everywhere and each year the residents in our little forest cough profusely. The yellow pollen is from the Pine trees but Oak pollen is around at the same time to add to our misery. Tree pollen is larger than other types and tends to get stuck up your nose (on your clothes, hair, car…)
Once the news of Covid 19 reached us my OCD habits kicked in and I stocked up on reasonable amounts of disinfectant and cleaning products. Over the last month or so, I have been really depressed and anxious. I stopped all my work and volunteering which was unnecessary as for the foreseeable future, I will have no work as it relies on people traveling. I laugh wryly. Then I increased my anti-depressant and feel much better. But I am stuck in the house with Teddy… He had flu a couple of weeks ago or at least we think it was. I disinfected every part of the house and really wanted to spray him in a light bleach solution but I know that is unreasonable (but I really wanted to).
This morning I went to Kroger at 8 am and the locusts had descended. I considered asking one woman why she needed to fill her WHOLE trolley with toilet tissue but thought better of it despite a devilish thought about how big her butt was. Three hurricanes gives you plenty of experience of mentally unstable residents in supermarkets. During Hurricane Ike we had fully armed officers in supermarkets to keep control – where are you when we need toilet tissue??
So, during this low period I have been hunkered down in the house, square eyed from watching too much TV, unable to write blogs and now I want to PLAY!!! Talk about timing. I am ready to go back to work, go for lunch or go on vacation. After the stressful supermarket expedition, I looked in the mirror and saw my gray roots. My hairdresser cut my hair really short in case I couldn’t see her for a while. Think GI Jane, except older.
Sally Beauty won’t be busy, I thought. It was wonderfully quiet until a lady (with the same gray root situation as me) needed to look at Clairol hair colors. We were being terribly polite and trying to keep our distance. Then I felt a yellow pollen tickle and coughed – loudly. Both of us looked at each other in horror and I shouted, “ALLERGIES!” and we burst out laughing. Then we started talking about realities of catching COVID 19 and agreed that we could catch it anywhere. Even in a beauty shop, because nobody wants to be in isolation with your gray roots showing. 👩🦳
haha! Your devilish humor is somehow appropriate in that situation. 😀
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I so wanted to say something wicked… I will probably go to Purgatory for all my bad thoughts.
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Yes, but that’s the beauty of Catholicism. You avoid purgatory by paying a stipend to the priest. You can also use your fast pass and skip it entirely. 😉
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Yet another beautifully written blog post, thanks for sharing it and I hope all is well on your side of the world. All the schools and colleges are now closed in Ireland and we are just waiting what’s next. Keep safe, Kerry ❤️
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Thank you, Aiva. I thought we needed a little lightness during this pandemic. America is poorly prepared for this inevitable illness but most schools and colleges are shut now. Love to you and your family. K x
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Great Post.
Being totally allergic to pine dust and pollen I empathise with you.
We had the panic buying here in Ireland as well. Perhaps it is a control thing when there is nothing else to control.
humour though is abounding which as you say is needed.
Stay safe.
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Thank you so much. We had notes from the stores asking people only to buy what they needed but to no avail. Take care. K x
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” a devilish thought about how big her butt was” – LOVE that thought! 😀
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Ha, ha! It was better I kept the thought in my head…
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I’m sure it was better.
I still can’t understand, though, what’s going on in these peoples’ minds. We oursleves do buy somewhat more than usual when we are at the supermarket, so as not to have to go there every second or third day, but we are not really stocking up.
Take care,
Pit
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We are warned to stock up every June before Hurricane season and I do it as a matter of routine. There is probably enough food for a few weeks but many of our fellow Texans could manage without food for a while…❤️
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I agree with your thoughts.
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I think these are trying times for all of us, Kerry. Hang in there, and let’s hope that this, too, shall pass.
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I hope that we will learn that we need to have better preparedness for inevitable pandemics and give appropriate funding to CDC/WHO. Keep well. K x
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I hope so, too. And I hope that most of us will make it through this one ok.
Best wishes,
Tanja
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Statistics say most of us will. Let’s hope there is some truth in it being seasonal. K x
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What is it with toilet tissue that people are hoarding it so. In Costco two women got into a fisty cuff fight over toilet paper. They must have shit for brains. People are now stealing toilet paper from other people’s carts. Now they are hoarding food. Craziness. Stick with the pollen Kerry you are much better off
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Most of the stores had notes up asking us to be considerate of other shoppers but some of us only care about our own (large) butts…
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I still want to know why toilet paper?
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It is a herd mentality, I think. To be honest, I picked up ONE extra pack a couple of weeks ago when I noticed everyone was hoarding them…
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The shelves are empty here of rice, beans, toilet paper and paper towels. Also flour. Its crazy
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We still have rice and beans…and I got one bottle of milk today. Hurrah!
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You’re starting to gain ground. Lol
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😁
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Having a hard time believing that folks stock up on TP before water and non-perishables. Have you heard from JDR (Weird Guy With A Dog) lately, I have not-
Chad
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The water has certainly gone – along with the pasta?? At least you can fish off the side of the boat! I have not heard from John for a while – will hunt him down. Enjoy your lovely isolation on the boat.
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Dearest Kerry, I have been AWOL for far too long but now that I am awake and blinking in the sunlight, I will be tagging along loyally and loving your words as I ever did. I am so sorry that this wretched virus has peaked your D&A … I’m trying to channel my keep calm and carry on attitude as force fed from childhood but it’s hard and I can’t imagine how you managed to avoid dipping Teddy in that dilute bleach!!! Thank you though from the bottom of my heart for the remark about the size of that toilet roll hoarding biddy’s bum – you truly made my day. Now that I’m back, I promise to stay and I send you much love from Mahusive-chewsetts xxx
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It is lovely to hear from you, Osyth. ❤️ My D & A preceded the virus but at the end of 2019 I kept muttering to Teddy about pandemics. The sight is not always a gift.
Keeping Calm and Carrying on is exactly what we should all do – there is a time limit to this pandemic. Keep well. K x
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Definitely NOT a gift in this instance …. forewarned must have felt fearful and in no way forearming. I fall back on Sister Julian of Norwich ‘all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well’. The virus will touch us all – most of us lightly and indeed so lightly we barely notice. Being conscious of those that DO need help is one way of bringing me back to earth from the orbit I had gotten stuck in. Silver linings abound x
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That truly is a silver lining! K x
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Obviously, big a–es need more toilet paper! 😁
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I guess so…ha, ha!
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😂
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Hi Kerry. I might have sprayed him with bleach… I hope it’s less crazy where you are. Our schools are forced to keep open! The phones are ringing off the hook. Every person and child are in a state of high panic and staff have lost the plot. I’ve downloaded Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If’.
If I can keep my head while all around have lost their marbles it will be a miracle. It is truly exhausting. Keep well. Everyone is stocking up on toilet rolls here too. Bonkers. Love Anne x
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Hi Anne, it is spring break here, so college/schools are on a natural break which they will probably extend. The teacher in our cul-de-sac looked very relaxed after school closed. I will pray to St. Jude…😇
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Thanks for sharing your precious thoughts.
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You are most welcome!
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I am completely gobsmacked by the great toilet paper debacle across the world.. I could understand more if it was explosive diarrhoea that was infecting the population but that doesn’t seem to be one of the symptoms.. I’m more gobsmacked by the stupidity of the people who are buying up everything “just in case”.. It is so bizarre.. Anyway.. if I have to self isolate, I’ll just make sure I’ve got lots of images to edit, my subscription to the internet and Netflix and Disney + is current and I’ve got wine and chocolate.. Voila.. Happy days.. lol. I hope you’re okay throughout it all Kerry.. This too shall pass xxx
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That sounds like a really excellent plan, Yvonne. Wine, chocolate and Netflix – otherwise known as Nirvana! Keep safe. K x
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Thank you Kerry for the smile on my face. I have been smiling for 15 minutes as I read your blog and the above comments. It’s a good thing we don’t communicate telepathically isn’t it? I have had big butt thoughts sometimes when I see some people waddling along a buffet line, and skipping the salad! I also enjoyed the spontaneity expressed in the Sally store, one of life’s moments. Most people are genuinely nice, but unfortunately the barrel seems sprinkled with some people who are oblivious of others, or maybe their lives are sad in ways we don’t know. Thank heaven. I appreciate you and your writing.
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Oh, thank you so much, David. I have to admit I feel a bit more anxious today. I ventured out to the supermarket and not much supplies but less craziness. Glad to provide a little lightness. Keep yourself safe and well. K x
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((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))
I hope you’re still feeling better…
Love, light, and glitter
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Thank you so much, Eliza. Will be catching up slowly and look forward to chatting again. K x
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((((hugs))))
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Hi,
We would really love it if you could have a look at our blog and maybe submit?
We are collecting real-life stories from people all over the world 🙂
Also, it’s hayfever season in the UK now… I am not loving it!
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Wow! I would be delighted to write a piece for your blog. I just heard that our county, just north of Houston, has just 5 tests left and can’t source anymore despite the numbers jumping to over 300. We have jumped from Pine to Oak and Mulberry pollen…
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Hi Kerry, thank you so much for submitting! You went live today, did you see it? 🙂 Also on FB – unfortunately Instagram has been blocked because they think we are robots! 🙄 Hopefully we will be able to publish on there again soon!
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Thank you! I did see it and I hope people enjoy your blog.
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