Blessed be the Fruit

It's been a while since I posted. I guess that's because things have slowed down to a crawl. Both in our world, and yours. But not in the news, never in the news.

We left Dallas and moved south on Thursday last week to a park in the Houston area. We had plans to see friends (Sorry Gary!) when we were in Dallas, and to visit our first Six Flags park. None of that was to be. In the Houston area, we had hopes of seeing some of my family (Sorry Hanratty's!) and some of Mike's family (Sorry Amber!). But "No means No" so we stayed close to our camper this week.

We are at a really nice campground within the Thousand Trails network. Really nice IF...

... things were open. They have a huge pool and hot tub within the fenced in activities area. Unique to this park are the cabana areas. Each cabana is set within a beautifully groomed lawn. Under the cabana is a square of beach sand. Upon that sand are 2 lounge chairs. Sounds good, huh? Well, add to that mental picture a TV, wired with cable, mounted to the cabana, just under it's awning. Man, we wanted to jump the fence and try one out!

... people weren't so nosy! The rangers drive around in their golf carts multiple times a day and stop in front of each campsite, checking for compliance with park rules. The neighbor campers also drive by in their golf carts all day long, staring us down. They wave, but they don't smile. Is it the plague making them not smile? Is it us? Who knows.

... we felt welcome here... and... IF ... we could shelter-in-place like we are supposed to be doing.

Mike called the office the day we arrived to try to get permission to stay until the "shelter-in-place" order expires. They told him they'd check and call us back. Ten minutes later, (Mike was in the shower) Ranger Bob pulled up to our site and informed Callie and I we have one too many dogs on our site and we had until the end of the day to "remove one." ((WTH does that even mean?!)) I asked him what am I supposed to do with said dog, we are from Maine, and they are our family, so I'm not going to the shelter with one. He said it's not up to him what we do with the extra dog, nor is it his problem. Long story short, we got permission from the office for a waiver for the extra dog until the end of our 4 night reservation. BUT, since then, they wont return our calls about the extension. And so, we must move tomorrow, which we would rather not do.

So, tomorrow we move to a park west of San Antonio. I have already called ahead. Upon arrival, they will extend our stay until April 30th, which is the current end of the "shelter-in-place" order. If it goes longer, we can stay longer, no extra charges. Thousand Trails issued a decision to stop travel within their park system. Effective Tuesday morning, April 7th, no one new can enter one of their parks. Everyone may stay at the park they are at for the duration of the Pandemic (in other words, April 30th, according to our Commander in Chief). We are safe because our reservation was for a Monday check-in. (Phew!)

I experienced some local culture this week, being the designated "exposable" person (no pre-existing conditions, not immunosuppressed, etc) and we needed a few essentials (AND the dogs pee'ed and poo'ed all over our bed for GOD knows what reason.... even they're pissed i guess, so I needed a laundromat aka "washateria" as they call them here in Texas)...

I stopped at the Texas grocery chain H.E.B.. They are doing amazing things to prevent community spread of COVID-19. I had read that they were, but I had not heard what specific measures were being put in place. Boy, did I find out...

This was a "Handmaiden's Tale" experience folks. Everything except the red cloak and white hood.

I stood in line, my spot marked with orange tape, six feet away from the people in front and behind me, down the sidewalk in front of the store. As the store emptied (they were collecting carts to keep count) they allowed additional people inside, so the store was not over-crowded. They had us each disinfect as we reached the cusp of the store. They handed us sterilized carts, and sent us on our way.

I had to remain in the line of carts, in the position I entered it, 6 feet away from the person in front of me. I had no choice as to which aisles I could go to, I had to stay in line, which meant up and down each aisle in the whole store, in my line, until I reached the registers. I was allowed 2 of this, 4 of that, only 1 of the other thing, each category of item regulated, signs hung in the aisles in both English and Spanish. There were also security guards scattered around the store ("The Eyes") keeping everyone compliant.

When I reached the registers, because they had this planned out so well (or had been planning for this new society for years by studying and watching Hulu), there was an open register waiting for me... no lines. They had the floors marked telling me how to load the groceries onto the belt and then what I was supposed to do when to keep the employees and myself safe.

If I had too many of something (which I did, by accident), the register refused to ring the superfluous item(s) in. (No, they would not allow me to switch the Enchilada Hamburger Helper (which I really really wanted) for the Taco Hamburger Helper, once it was rung in, that was it). And as I left the store, more "eyes" guarding the exit. Store employees followed us to our cars and physically took the carts back after we unloaded into our vehicles.

Wow. Just, Wow.

So... I stocked up on more essentials. Why not, right? It's not like I could have left after grabbing my bread and peanut butter! We are now stocked with a minimum of 29 meals (meal = meat, side, & veggie for 3, I say minimum because sometimes there's leftovers and what-not), enough cereal to last Callie a month, a lot of snacks (which definitely will not last, but I bought another bag of popcorn kernels for the air popper), and enough TP and paper towels to last about a month.

So, we're ready. Bring it on. Let's do this. Stay tuned...

"Blessed be the fruit."

"Under his Eye."