By admin@thesilverpetticoatreview.com 
Hey there, long time no see! During this quarantine, I’ve decided to reconnect with the awesome habit of journaling and blogging. It’s a great way to keep us both entertained. You might feel like you’ve missed a lot, but I’ll do my best to catch you up as we go along. In the meantime, stay safe and don’t forget to wash your hands!
So, it’s Day 5 of quarantine here. Today is March 25, though the stay-at-home order in California began on March 20. Personally, I hadn’t been to a store since March 12 by then. After spending 7 years in the jungles of Guatemala, I’ve gotten used to shopping just twice a month, which works out fine. If I didn’t have a thing for veggies, I’d avoid supermarkets even more.
I really dislike shopping—it’s crowded, people can be rude, and the whole experience just stresses me out. But, keeping up with global COVID-19 developments helped me see what’s coming while many around me seemed unaware.
A week before the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, I decided to go shopping. First, I took stock of what I already had. Living in a small RV, my shelves and freezer were pretty full. I dislike supermarkets, so I buy in bulk. Also, I move the RV every couple of weeks, often to areas farther from stores.
Being a Parisian who got her driving license at 29, I can’t understand why people drive for trivial errands. I hit the store once and that’s it. Plus, I love a good bargain. I shop at military commissaries, and recently snagged 15 lbs of assorted meats for under $2/lb.
There’s a USO nearby with a pantry for military families where you can take three items per visit. I’ve scored some great stuff like 40 lbs of dog food, half-gallon bottles of olive oil, and even my favorite perfume!
So my car had bags of kibble, enough for my Great Danes for three months. I had plenty of canned goods—tuna, chicken, veggies—and dry stuff like pasta, lentils, split peas, rice, and beans. My freezer was still stocked with most of that 15 lbs of meat and some bread.
I made a quick trip to Costco for bacon, 60 eggs, and butter, also picking up treats like French cheese and beers. Then, I went to a Mexican supermarket to get fruits, veggies, and a few extras like mayonnaise, in case we go a month or more without shopping.
With all this, I was set for 4 to 6 weeks without needing a grocery run. Yesterday, while on a bike ride, we saw an empty Vons (part of Safeway) and popped in for bananas, pancake mix, and ice cream. That was more of a treat; we didn’t really need it, and if there had been a line, we would have skipped it.
It’s crazy how even in normal times people don’t plan ahead and end up crowding supermarkets on paydays and weekends—even though you can order online and pick up curbside. I’m thankful that my planning skills from living in the jungle have come in handy. Plus, having the resources to buy in bulk means I can avoid these stressful shopping trips for weeks on end.