The One Way Street...

A friend recently asked me if I was still walking everyday. Some months back I was posting a daily walk photo on social media. She said that she missed seeing them and wondered why I stopped. I stopped posting photos for a myriad of reasons.

There are days during this pandemic that I feel like I am walking down a one way street constantly encountering others that are going the wrong way.

I feel it as I pass shops in town that don't require customers to wear a mask.

I feel it as I pass by the local grocery store where the employees don't even wear a mask.

I feel it as I see posts on social media of groups of friends sitting shoulder to shoulder together at restaurants and beaches.

I feel it when I am asked to attend an outdoor meeting with acquaintances, where masks won't be worn.

(because the virus just blows away outdoors!)

I was trying my best to stay positive and share photos from my walks around town. To encourage people to wear a mask and to stay safe.

I am worn down now. I guess I am a slow learner. It took me too long to realize that I can't change the minds of the virus deniers, or the selfish people who only think of themselves. I am tired of banging my head against the wall.

So I stopped sharing the "walk" photos. But I am still walking. I will continue to do my part.

Be well, wear a mask, and if you don't wear one...

Fuck off.

Are We Winning Yet?

I am not too proud to admit that I am really struggling right now. The state of our nation with DT in the White House, combined with Covid-19, has twisted my head and heart into a knot.

North Carolina's Covid-19 case numbers have been increasing by the thousands EVERY DAY. We finally have a statewide mask order but it isn't enforced, and many ignore it. I am extremely disappointed that our local potters organization voted to move forward with a studio tour this month. I am not sure what people don't understand about the "Safer at Home" phase that we are in. Many organizations have moved their pottery tours to an online event. I have heard that the potters had very good sales. Most of the pottery shops in Seagrove are quite small. Many, ours included, can only accommodate 2-3 shoppers inside due to the half capacity limitations that are now in place. We are happy to be open online only during this time. I feel it's reckless to be promoting an in-person studio tour. Pottery is not a necessity during a pandemic. Wearing a mask and staying home is.

I fear that if my community, along with our state, can't get it's act together, I may never see my Dad in New Hampshire again. He is 93, and in a nursing home. The isolation has been very difficult for him. My daughter is in Connecticut where they have travel restrictions in place. North Carolina is one of those restricted States. I would have to quarantine for 14 days if I visited her, and she would have to quarantine 14 days if she returned from visiting me. She is a sales rep for a large veterinary pharmaceuticals company. She has worked from home since March and her company doesn't expect to send them back into the field in the foreseeable future, and even then they will have a strict protocol to follow. Connecticut has had a mask mandate since the beginning of all this. EVERYONE wears them. North Carolina has surpassed them in case numbers.

The icing on the proverbial cake came late yesterday. I went to nearby Asheboro for groceries. As I entered the store through the "one way entrance" a mask-less young woman nearly ran into me exiting the store. Sadly, I recognized her as an employee at a Seagrove establishment. She obviously has total disregard for others. I grabbed a cart and headed to the produce department.

It was nearly wiped out.

No lemons to be found. No grapes. Only a couple bags of cole slaw mix and hardly any lettuce. My favorite brand of Greek yogurt based salad dressing was sold out. Luckily there were tomatoes, bananas, and onions. I am glad we are still getting lettuce and arugula from our garden! We should have plenty of green beans in a week, along with okra.
Meat was plentiful this week but canned tomatoes were picked over along with the prepared spaghetti sauces and pasta, which I don't typically buy anyway. I am beginning to think this is our new normal.
At the rate we are going it will get worse before it gets better.