Have I mentioned toilet paper? There isn’t a shortage, exactly. There’s tolet paper and there’s people, but we can’t seem to get the two matched up.. Of course, there’s also hoarding. That’s the real problem. Toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and a lot of specific food items are not to be found.

I’m fortunate to have plenty of toilet paper (it was an accident, not on purpose. And I may need to be sure no one (IOW, my son) has been shopping in my toilet paper supply store.)

I could use some hand sanitizer and Chlorox wipes. Those items are definitely in short supply.

I have food staples, but I’m short on perishable supplies — bread, milk, eggs. JB brought me yeast so I could try to make bread although my efforts so far have been less than impressive.  I’m definitely short on spices. I threw all my out-of-date spices away before I left Staunton and I haven’t replentished my stock. Spices are expensive. It takes a while to build up a good selection. Of course, no matter how much I have, the recipe I am making tomorrow calls for something not available.

Medical supplies, especially personal protective equipment, are in short supply as well. Hospitals say they are going to run out if things continue at the current pace. Sandy and Eric are both sewing masks, as are many people around the country. The CDC says homemade masks are acceptable when nothing else is available. Evidence about the value of cloth masks is not conclusive, however. It is possible they protect not the wearer, but everyone around the wearer if he or she is asymptomatic.

GRAPHIC: CDC Public Domain