Tuesday 24 March 2020

No Panic.



I went shopping yesterday to my nearest quality supermarket; Leclerc in Fumel. I got there early, and as you can see, there were just three people ahead of me, waiting for the 8.30 am opening time. A temporary pathway had been erected to cope with the non-existent huge crowds. We kept the regulation distance from one another.


Once inside, it was extremely quiet. A couple of people were wearing face masks, but the shelves were FULLY stocked. I took the above as I left.

You'd hardly have known there was anything going on in the outside world; although I did see a sign asking that people limit themselves to three packs of pasta, flour, sugar, and butter.

We are not totally immune to the virus here; in fact there was one case in Agen to the south, and a few in Perigueux to the north. We are following the 'crossed fingers' method of prevention. Plenty of four leafed clovers, a rabbit's foot, and a mop and bucket.

I hear that my local Garden/Pet store is open, so I shall have to go back to buy all this year's vegetable seeds. Best wishes to all.

38 comments:

  1. That looks a very large supermarket. I was expecting something smaller.

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  2. We have not had to leave our property, neighbors who are aware of my battle with cancer have insisted on doing all of our shopping needs. Hope you get your seeds.

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    1. That's great to have such caring neighbours. Yes, I'm quite worried about my seeds.... not about anything else.

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  3. Hope you get all you need. Take care and all good wishes to you and yours.

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    1. We seem to be OK here at the moment. I wonder if it'll last?

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  4. Son and Daughter shop and cook for me. I am so lucky.
    I can not be exposed to the virus.
    The two markets we shop at have been really good at letting a certain amount of people in at time. Son said some shelves were empty or low but so far we are OK.
    Hope You have full shelves and quiet stores.
    parsnip



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    1. All we can hope for is to avoid illness, and be able to feed ourselves. Everything else is on hold.

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  5. Why such a huge supermarket? Where do all the customers come from?

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    1. The town itself is quite small, but I suspect that their clients come from quite far away; I'm about 20 Kms away. It's a good quality shop, so people will travel. It also has a restaurant, dry cleaners, jewelry kiosk, newsagents, petrol pumps, hire car service, and a big new DIY store.

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    2. I hope you remembered to fill out the official permissions to go there. We have drones watching us. It’s like being in the Twilight Zone. Do you remember it? It was my favourite series on tv at one time.

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    3. I had a form to fill. Name, Date, and Destination. Of course there were no cops around to inspect said form, but that didn't surprise me!

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  6. If you had been me in town yesterday afternoon your story would sound somewhat different. True, other than in food shops, there is no one about. But by golly, in those stores few people know what constitutes "distance". Though plenty running around with face masks or their scarves pulled up over their noses.

    I made one last pilgrimage to John Lewis and their litte Waitrose inside (both closed yesterday evening for the foreseeable future) and felt like a villain. You know, when you are the only person (apart from some shop assistants) in a huge store you are beginning to feel like an extra in a dystopian novel/film, or are having a nightmare. I can't even begin to tell you how depressing and dispiriting my outing was. And it's not easy to deflate me. On top of which my son who has been working from home the last few days, and is EXTRA careful, then told me off on my return. He is helped by Johnson (PM in name if not in spirit) and yesterday's new measure. That's it for me, so I have been told: One big shop a week from now on, the Angel will drive me and that's that. I am laughing as I write. Role reversal when kids take charge of their parents.

    The real shite is, but that's England for you (sorry, Cro - I do live here voluntarily but that doesn't blind me to this country's peculiar ways) that there is no testing unless you are at death's door and your lungs about to give out. Or up.

    Anyway, all the best. Haddocks and its vitamins will stand you in good health.

    U

    PS Even if asymptomatic watch out if any of you loses their sense of taste and/or smell. It's one of the signs that you are a carrier. No shit.

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    1. I shall now probably make one more trip to the seed shop, then hunker down for the duration. A quick sortie to the local village every two weeks should suffice for all our needs. I think we're being as responsible as we can be.

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  7. Looks like the perfect place to shop now. A supermarket without pushing crowds and screaming kids (even my own). I miss doing my grocery shopping but my girls insist on doing it for us and really I am happy to know I have not been in contact with anyone else.
    I have been wondering about our garden. We usually buy young plants. 2 weeks ago our garden shop had not started bringing them in. I might phone them. They may still be open because they sell pet food and fire wood too.

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    1. I usually buy my Aubergine, Tomato, and Pepper plants; and sow the rest. I think I'll still try to buy those plants at market... someone will be selling, I'm sure.

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  8. You were wise to get there early. Seems like only yesterday I was pushing my trolley along those aisles. Stay safe Cro.x

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    1. The Bricorama store behind Leclerc has now been taken over by Leclerc, and the electrical store by the side is now Darty. Otherwise, all is the same.

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  9. What a contrast to the manic scenes in UK.

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    1. It may happen here too one day, but for the moment all is calm.

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  10. I'm running very low on painkillers. If we can't find any, I'll have to brave the doctor's surgery (No thanks) and opt for something stronger, which I don't want to do - it took me years to wean myself off some of the stuff I was put on. The painkiller shortage is not completely due to panic buying - apparently India makes them, China supplies raw ingredients. All a trifle messed up!!

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    1. This is why countries should maintain their own manufacturing. I guarantee that China doesn't import too many medicines.

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  11. Our small local supermarket was also quite calm and civilized yesterday morning at 9:30 a.m. They had most things except there were no bananas and their frozen veg freezers were completely empty - nothing left there!

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    1. Certain people are simply more civilised. Big city folk tend to be self-centred and greedy.

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  12. I think in rural England the frantic shopping behaviour has not been so bad, certainly around here I had been shopping in my normal way until now, and getting what I wanted. I will be able to continue to do that and go out once a week to get essentials. I am just hoping that not too many people are shopping and doing the same thing at the same time.

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    1. Just pray that them Lunnoners don't come up to Norfik n'start buying everything.

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  13. Here I was offered to do the shopping for me tomorrow, no clear instructions.

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    1. I really wouldn't like anyone to do my shopping for me, I like to select EXACTLY what I want.

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  14. Your situation seems most fortunate sir. Let us hope that it remains that way in the challenging weeks ahead. Currently, 860 have died from The Virus in France and 2082 are in a critical condition.

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    1. Yes, it may not continue like this. If we get more virus cases I expect some hoarding will soon start.

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  15. I'm not going into shops any more and there will have been no deliveries for two days with the ferries not running. However a friend did get what I needed yesterday. Time will tell how things really are. I bet that a lot of fresh vegetables bought in haste are now being thrown out unused.

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    1. To those who do as you, Graham, say [vegetables bought in haste] may they make soup. It's forgiving. Not least when dispersed into the sum of its larger parts by that most useful of tools in the kitchen; namely the blender.

      Chin up, Graham - as I now find telling myself. It's totally unlike me to be a little down hearted.

      Daffodil greetings,

      U

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    2. Ursula, so far I'm perfectly happy. I love the company of my friends but I don't mind my own company either. I have masses of projects in mind and I can spend more time in Blogland. I have always made soup and I'm a creature of habit in that I always have homemade soup and bread at lunchtime. Even if I have other things too.

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    3. Soup at lunchtime here too; every day. Never does a veg' get thrown out in our house!

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  16. Would that it were like that here Cro where the world has gone completely mad. After a week of chaos us locals are all getting fixed up with local suppliers and it is settling down.

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    1. As I said above, it may well come to chaos here too in time, although somehow I think not. I'm hoping that Parisians don't start heading south, as that might make a difference.

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  17. I have yet to go shopping since the brouhaha began.

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    1. As long as you have the essentials to live on, it's the best place to be. I imagine you happily weaving.

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