A month in lockdown – S is for shopping

The A-Z blogging challenge is quite straightforward, blog everyday in April, except Sundays, with subjects that follow the alphabet. It’s all a bit of fun. My subject is ‘A month in lock down’.

S is for shopping, the greatest leisure activity of modern times. It is amazing how much time we used to spend browsing around the shops, looking at things we didn’t need and couldn’t afford. For the moment though all of that is on hold, some may be in the past forever. Now you can only leave the house to buy essential items, whatever that means, though it certainly includes food and medicine.

Is cooking oil essential? How about truffle oil then? 

In the past five weeks I have been to the local supermarket twice. I will need to go again some time soon as supplies of fresh produce are running low in our house. On both occasions the shop, Morrison’s has been well organised. The queue to get in has been managed well, with people snaking across the car park and out into the side streets, adhering to their safe two metre social distance. 

Customers were let in in fives. Once five had come out then the next batch of us were let in. Markers were laid out on the floor letting us know how far apart we were and everyone was very courteous to each other and, in the main, respected each other’s spaces. 

The first time I went, there were some shortages, noticeably with pasta, fresh vegetables, flour and for some reason, toilet roll. The next time I went, most of the shelves were full with only a few exceptions. Paracetamol still seemed to be a problem. The supermarkets say that they have got stocks more or less back to normal. 

Paying for goods was equally civilised, with the queue marshalled around the back of the store and workers guiding us to a suitable cashier as they became available. Payment by card was encouraged to protect the now behind perspex cashiers.

Food shopping has now become a nicer experience than it was pre-COVID-19 and I wonder whether this will last AC. It is awkward though not being able to buy other things.

Stay safe.