h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Fifth day of the Governor's restrictions....(Friday, March 20)

--My first foray into the world was around 1:00 p.m. I went to Whole Foods and ought vegetables for a chicken soup I planned to make. I noted that jugs of spring water were cleaned out (note to self: I will need to drink tap water for the duration.) They have restrictions on how many packages of meat you can buy. I saw a package of tuna salad that looked good. If I don't find chicken anywhere else, tune will do.
Then I got a bowl of Mediterranean chicken salad, which was available only as a take out order.

I got the salad home, and had it for lunch. Then I looked in Stop and Shop for chicken (cleaned out, except for already-cooked chickemn breast, which I got) and ham, which they still had. Very little cold cereal on the shelves, no jugs of water, no paper products, no thermometers,very little yogurt. I was able to find cans of tomatoes and mushrooms.

The last destination was my local HMO, where I had arranged to pick up a prescription. I was met at the door by two mask-clad women asking if I had any symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. I did not, in fact, have any of the symptoms, except a stuffed up nose form the pollen.

I may seriously consider not shopping for three or four days. There'snot much available, and I can manage until Monday or possibly later...

No problems worth mentioning here. Everything has been closed for days already (our borders included) except food stores and pharmacies. Since "the great toilet roll war" 10 days ago I haven't noticed any shortage of any kind anywhere.

People are still allowed to go out but we are urged to keep distance and not to visit each other. And gatherings of ten people or more are forbidden by law. So no cultural, religious or other sport events either. Except if you own your own golf course of course ...

"The nation is urged to show unity by standing far apart" is more or less what our PM and our queen said in televised speeches.

Meanwhile I read a couple of serious newspapers on the net. Some interesting news about how Boris Johnson at first counted on herd immunity by letting the national health system break down and causing an estimated 500,000 Brits to die. He has since changed his view and now more or less follows other European countries' examples.

Donald Trump apparently tried to buy a German medical company and its scientists and secure any vaccination they might develop for himself. Trump First. USA second. Best as we thought he could not embarras himself any further ...

There's a chance that that would backfire on Trump. He would try an untested vaccine, and it would make him sick. Reputable drug companies would not allow that, though....

Saturday, March 21, sixth day of the restrictions.

Today I bought some groceries at Star Market in Dedham. Like most other stores, the jugs of Spring water were all gone, as were all the toilet paper and all but a dozen of the rolls of paper towels. Customer were limited to two rolls, which I bought.

I took a long walk, which led me past a shopping plaza with a Dollar tree store. They had no toilet paper, but there were plenty of paper towels.

Daily testing of the Covid-19 virus in Massachusetts is growing by leaps and bounds: up to almost a thousand a day. The goal is 3,500 per day, so there;'s a ways to go.

Monday, I put a dozen large containers in my backyard to catch rainwater. The idea was to use it as drinking water. I put them away form my house and any other structures so they would not pick up water that had fallen from any roofs. Shingles can have toxic chemicals in them.

Here is a link to a site that evaluates the suitability of rain water for drinking:

http://www.thoughtco.com/can-you-drink-rain-water-609422

Today I put eight gallons of the water into jugs. It was kind of fun. There were a few tiny dark particles at the bottoms of the containers. I was careful to let them settle, so they wouldn't get into the jugs I was using.

I'm only going to drink this stuff until the supply of bottled springwater resumes at the stores. Everywhere is hoarding such things now. There is nothing available, ever.

On the other hand, I'm getting used to the taste. It actually could be a good way to go for the long term. We shall see.