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Liz Bickel | all galleries >> Themed Galleries >> Special Themes: Multiple Galleries >> COVID-19 >> "Safer-at-Home" >> Isolation: Stay-at-Home 2020 - Spring > The Start of Week #7
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May 1, 2020 copyright Elizabeth Bickel

The Start of Week #7

of our entire family's stay-at-home self-isolation

This is actually Day #50 for me and the girls who started to stay-at-home a week before my husband's business finally went to tele commuting. Back in just January, I would have said that being "confined to home" would be almost unimaginable. But here we are: fifty days (for me) at home and still counting.

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May 02, 2020, 04:44 GMT
USA
1,131,452 confirmed cases of COVID-19
65,776 American Deaths

Update: Although confirmed cases and deaths in the US continue to rise, some states have already started to reopen their economy. Other states plan to do the same within a few days. NONE have met the original federal guidelines for opening, ie: having 2 weeks without an increase in COVID cases. Hopefully opening "too soon" doesn't have disastrous results. Time will tell.

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The little toad yesterday https://pbase.com/britestar/image/170668308 did indeed bring some good luck to our house.
With our Instacart grocery order today, we got both toilet paper and paper towels!!! Today’s paper products have been the first available from our local supermarket in over 10 weeks. Quantity was, of course, limited. But that’s okay. We got a 9 pack of Charmin and a 3 pack of Bounty. I was so excited that I snapped the above shot the moment I saw them on the porch. Not a fancy photo, but happiness at first sight.

Not that we have been totally “without” for the past 2 1/2 months. In addition to some remaining paper products that we normally use, my husband also did manage to find some no frills paper products on-line that got us through the shortages. However, there sure is a difference!!! I never thought I’d be so excited to see a roll of Charmin toilet paper. I don’t know what the future will bring, but for now, we again have 9 whole rolls of Charmin Mega Roll Ultra Soft. And 3 rolls of Bounty paper towels that won’t instantly disintegrate as soon as they meet water. The toilet paper should last a couple of months. But with all the cleaning and handwashing, the paper towels will go much faster.

Although we’re still stuck at home - and have no plan to be the first ones out as soon as our State's stay-at-home order is lifted in just two more days - Charmin and Bounty represent life as it used to be. At this point, we’re taking any sign of “safe” normality (no matter how small it may be) as a major high point in a day. Who would have ever thought that name brand toilet paper could psychologically mean so much?


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Jeff Real02-May-2020 13:25
This is a well considered take!
V
John Reynolds LRPS02-May-2020 09:28
Interesting to read of your experience. V.
joseantonio02-May-2020 05:03
50 days for me too....At least today we will be able to go out for a walk (keeping social distance, of course)