Society's Regression

 I am NOT a fan of online shopping.  The people of my son's generation and younger have no idea that for we older folk who grew up in the 1950's and '60's, particularly those in rural areas, we did all our shopping for clothing, housewares and appliances through SEARS and other catalogues. There were no big stores in the vicinity of most farms and teeny towns carrying the products we wanted and it wasn't always possible to go to the city to view the products we needed in a retail store or warehouse facility.  For me, online shopping is just a more tech savvy way of returning to the dreaded catalogue shopping.  I can only see photos and read partial descriptions of the items I need to purchase.  I cannot go into a store to see the products for myself, to check the quality of the manufacturing, to make sure the appliances and computer parts and whathaveyou actually do all the things I need them to do, to try on the clothes to be certain they fit properly and are well made and the exact right colour, length and width and actually are styles that suit me.  I spent my early childhood gazing at pictures in the SEARS catalogue and having my mother order things sight unseen. Sometimes the magic worked and sometimes it didn't. When it didn't there was the laborious process of trying to return the item and waiting for a refund....it was actually far less laborious than attempting to return an item purchased online, believe me, it was!!  The pandemic has forced a return to "catalogue" shopping....trust me, apart from online shopping being more difficult to deal with when there is an issue with the product received, online shopping is simply another sign of the devolution of our western society!

Online shopping....blecch, pooey!!!  BLAH!!!!  💩

 

It rained quite a bit overnight last night and drizzled most of the day. The moisture is very welcome!  I love the cool temperatures the rain has ushered in and looking at the long term forecast it may be safe to return my floor fan to the basement and cover it up with a plastic bag until next summer.....ooh, that would be so lovely!!  There is more rain forecast for next week and the temperatures are not going to warm up much between now and then.  YAY!!

A crash inside the next door neighbours' suite awakened me at 4:15am and I didn't go back to sleep, so at 6:15am I got up and dressed, ate a bit of breakfast and headed off for a 7am grocery shopping extravaganza.  Even though it was Friday morning, a notoriously busy day no matter how early the time, today wasn't too bad for crowding.  I hit two stores and was home before 8:15am to unpack and relax for the rest of the day.  My husband was feeling terrible all day, due to starting to take caprylic acid again to rid his gut tract of yeast issues. (and yes dear friend who will just have to let me know how much you know about such things, teehee, he IS also taking acidophilus as well...so there!) Once he adjusts to it, he will feel better in another day or two.  Caprylic acid, if it is working, seems to be that way...two days or so of misery as it starts to do its work and then he feels ever so much better.

I received a confirmation this morning from the furniture store that my order has gone through and I SHOULD have my new couch in less than 3 weeks....it would be lovely if it actually arrives prior to having to leave for the funeral in September. So that is my prayer for the Lord today. YAY!

This evening we watched Nomadland with Frances McDormand.  We so enjoyed it!  There was hardly a scene or a character or a lifestyle portrayal in the entire movie we couldn't relate to....amazing!!  Although it hit far too close to home for us in some ways, we loved the movie and will probably watch it again sometime.  One of our retirement options has always been fitting out a van of some kind and going on the road until we are too old and ill and incapacitated and requiring Long Term Care.  It is a rough lifestyle, but we have had more than one time of rough lifestyle since we got married, so what the heck!!  It wouldn't be our first choice, but we surely could manage to do it for a few years if we had to, particularly now that cell phones exist.  Yup, could be done in a pinch....the movie has us thinking and talking about the future again.

The number of COVID19 cases, mostly Delta variant, have risen dramatically in our city and province over the past ten days.  In about three weeks' time our number of new provincial cases has gone from 17 per day to today's current  high of 244.  Over 80% of those cases are among the unvaccinated folk, but 15% of the remaining cases are among the fully vaccinated.  Although extreme illness/hospitalization/death are not associated with those vaccinated folk who get Delta, I prefer not to get COVID19 at all, so am making some difficult decisions about the next few weeks while we wait for the funeral trip.  Sadly we will not be going to church in person at my church now that they have dropped most of the masking and distancing rules. People are singing in each others' faces again and my husband and I don't feel safe.  Before he returns to work, depending on the pandemic numbers here, my husband has to meet with the wardens of HIS church and decide what to do about their own in person services.  If they want to continue that, HE will be masked and staying up around the altar for the entire service, as far away from everyone as he can get other than when he is serving the elements at the Eucharist.  I can't help hoping they decide to close the churches again until this latest variant is more under control. It is more work for the priests as they end up spending an extra day every week putting their sermons, or whole service liturgy, online, but for safety's sake I would really like it if my husband had to return to that for awhile longer.

Oooh, I cannot wait for my husband to retire!  I am so grateful he took his entire month of holidays at once this summer.  He has had time to completely veg out, has kept commitments to a bare minimum, apart from medical appointments, has had the opportunity to sleep in every morning, to do household "chores" he has been wanting to do for a long time, to read books and newfeeds and even just sit and stare at the walls if he so desires.  Unfortunately, I suspect his energy level will come up again just as he needs to go back to work in September.  I am praying for a miracle that will allow him to retire at the end of this year, but we shall see what God does.  If not to provide for an early retirement, perhaps a good dose of energy so he can work another year would be just as good.