Thursday Thirteen

1. Yesterday, I went out. We rose at 6 a.m. and were at Kroger by 7 a.m. No toilet paper. Very little meat. We grabbed what we could on our shopping list and on my mother-in-law's list and left as quickly as possible.

2. I went because my husband has no idea where things are. I do. I could move us in and out much more quickly, and did so.

3. The Brambleton Avenue Hardware store has toilet paper. It is on the far side of the city, and they are charging $1 for a "commercial roll," which I suppose is the stuff you use at the grocery store that is not soft, and they are charging $1.89 a roll for Angel Soft. I think that is price gouging, personally, but I am not in retail.

4. Our adventure Wednesday was better than the one 10 days ago. It's too bad a head of lettuce won't hold up longer, but if you want fresh food you have to go to store. Unless I want to live on Vienna Sausages, soup, and Spam, I don't really see a way around going out from time to time.

5. I wore a surgical mask. My husband wore an N95 mask. I have trouble breathing through the N95 masks because of my asthma and I felt like that contributed to my overwhelming feelings of terror when we were last out. The surgical mask was better but also I felt more vulnerable. I couldn't help thinking about the Hero's Journey I posted the other week while I was in the store. It made me smile behind my mask. We all can be heroes, I guess.

6. I have been listening to Melissa Etheridge's free concerts from home every evening at 6 p.m. est. It has been a real joy to watch her play, to see someone who is a little older than me still getting it done, still playing and enjoying rock and roll. Yesterday she played two Rolling Stones songs and did a good job. Last night, she did an hour-long concert for free, with camera people and all. She played her hits. I was a bit disappointed in the camera work and I suspect she was too, because I'm sure she is hoping for a DVD release or something. Perhaps they were able to reshoot some of the things that were blurry or another camera angle that wasn't blurry will be edited in. But good on her for giving it a go.

7. We have supported local restaurants with curb-side pick up. It doesn't feel dangerous. So far so good.

8. I may ultimately end up doing the click it and pick it up thing with the grocery store. After all, if they aren't going to have meat and the veggies they do have look so tired you don't want to purchase them, then that would work for canned goods, etc. A loaf of bread is a loaf of bread, after all.

9. Interestingly, while I am enjoying the Melissa Etheridge concerts, and I have several of her albums and I listen to them, the songs I listen to the most are by Sheryl Crow, from her earlier albums. They are my background when I am writing or editing. Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge competed against each other for Grammies back in the early 1990s. They are both 58 years old and have had cancer. I admire them both. Melissa is more rock, Sheryl is a little mellower. Apparently I write better to mellow.

10. Sometimes if I want real flourish, I write to the Lord of the Rings movie scores. I would like to learn to play some of those on the guitar, like this guy. He uses something called "drop D" tuning, which non-musicians will be clueless about, but basically it means you tune the guitar differently from standard tuning.




11. We have not yet received our stimulus money. Even dead people have received their stimulus checks before us. I'm not sure what they will do with it, since they're dead.

12. It rained 2" last night. I slept well. My newly retired husband is home too much because of the bad weather, though. He really needs a hobby. One that takes him out of the house. For hours at a time. I love him, but I miss my space.

13. I am listening to children's stories on my iPhone. They are soothing. We need soothing during these trying times. What soothes you?

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 653rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.