@mitzi, @zep, @lioness, @sueinmn,@colleenyoung, and others, I cannot find my orig. post of what I wrote on the 4th of July but now that I've partially recovered from my first in store shopping (and walking) visit since early March, I've recovered enough this morning to share the "backstory" on that post.

Because I wake very early each morning and because before COVID, our Walmarts were open 24/7 I'd decided to make a preliminary check on Fri, 7/3 at 4:30am to see if they were open. The store was closed but an employee told me in the pkg lot that the store opened on Sat &Tues from 6a-7a for seniors and health compromised folks.

Back again at 6a on the 4th, the store was closed. Eventually a man sweeping came out and when approached, told me the store was only opened early on Tuesdays. Oink! What to do??? Dressed like a mummy, I didn't want to wait for an hour for the store to regularly open so drove home and rattled off the July 4th diatribe out of sheer frustration.

While my sentiments hold true, I want to acknowledge that it would have been better to have written in a personal journal than post for the community at large. Especially on a day when we Americans need any opportunity to feel proud of our country's achievements, my impulsive post must have surely been a wet blanket at a time when we all need cheering on.

With the exceptions of local mkt grocery deliveries, online orders for masks and b.d. gifts for my sil and gs sent to their home, I've not had encounters with the "outside world" other than one service, in-house appointment from my plumber, no one else has been inside my home since March.

While it took three frustrating forays to get the job done, along with nervous trepidation, I was determined to break isolation in order to add at less cost some extra household and pet items to my dwindling stock.

Saturday happened to also be the first day for our gov's statewide mandate that all were to wear masks when out in public. It was a relief to see all employees and the few shoppers wearing masks and being very respectful of one another. While I was delighted that most items on my list like pet supplies, t.p., batteries and lightbulbs were in full supply, I was surprised that of just 4 food items, peanut butter and instant rice were not available. My favorite brands of Almond milk and loaf brand were. A good thing, yes?

I'd planned my route carefully beforehand and so started at the back of the store and walked forward. Pet supplies were next to the indoor/outdoor gardening center so I simply could not resist adding tomato, and a few delightful flowering plants to my basket. Well, how on earth, can any self-respecting gardener, who spends 1/2 of her monthly retirement stipends deny herself that opportunity????? Impulsive but what a way to celebrate the 4th! No regrets but today I will need to set them out in their new outdoor homes. Yes! WhooHoo, I can do this!!

I asked for and received help in loading my car and while the actual buying, loading and returning home, start to finish took 1/1/2 hours, I was utterly exhausted and emotionally drained upon my return. With the perishables and plants watered and inside, all else remained in the back of the car for another day.

Hat, glasses, mask, gloves, socks, long sleeves and britches took awhile to disrobe but once dumped, the shower and shampoo pretty much "did it" for the rest of the day efforts. I took a shorter than usual neighborhood walk and ate easy-to-clean-up leftovers. Watched some Neflix and went to bed early. The emotional drain left me with a different sort of tired but having slept well, I'm ready for sunlight to start in the yard.

Now since Tues is another designated walking day, the question remains if I'll make another early morning trip for more household necessities. Will I have the back of the car unloaded from yesterday's trip by then? Will new items be added to a list between now and then? Will yesterday's clothes and shoes, dumped in the garage, be laundered and cleaned? Stay tuned.

Big smiles to all and let's keep on keeping on as we move forward.

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