Surviving A Pandemic

Photo: Airport Technology If you are sick, a mask helps you not spread the illness. If not sick and untrained to put the mask on, it won't keep you from getting sick. Doctors and nurses are short of masks, so don't buy them up.

What makes the Coronavirus spread so quickly includes: 1) it's a new virus to which nobody in the world has immunities against; 2) unlike the flu, a person can walk around feeling well, yet be contagious, for up to 11 days before s/he gets sick; 3) the Cornonavirus lives longer on doorknobs and other surfaces compared to the relatively short period of the flu; and 4) the Coronavirus acts in ways, we don't yet understand.

We must do our part to contain the virus by staying home except to buy food, medicine, walk the dog, or take a walk outside while practicing social distancing. Below is a clever way (circulating on Facebook) of reminding all of us that the actions of one person can effect the health and lives of many:

I also read: (1) Men should shave their beards. (2) Everybody should cut her/his nails short so the virus can't hide under fingernails, and hands can be scrubbed better. (3) I removed the decoration from my key chain, so it doesn't touch the metal as I turn the key to unlock my door. And (4) we are paying attention to the wrong set of numbers. The numbers reported of people diagnosed with Coronavirus are misleading due to the current lack of testing. Knowing how many people have it tells us nothing as the Coronavirus is already everywhere in the population. The pandemic will get worst before it gets better as test kits become available and test data becomes known. It is why social distancing, self-quarantine and the Shelter-In-Place orders are so vital. At an early stage of Coronavirus, such measures help hospitals to cope with fewer critical care patients; and will result in fewer deaths. Furthermore for people who recover, the Coronavirus can cause more lung damage than the flu. (Update: A good piece explaining what researchers know.)

We are in this together, folks! Stay home. Buy a little extra food. But please, no hoarding as there is no shortage of food. Supermarkets are restocking daily. Like doctors and nurses, foodstore and drugstore workers are in overdrive. Be sure to show your appreciation!

Morever I'm so glad Jamie Oliver changed the way I think about food. His influence and my own thrifty nature as a value shopper means I was unwittingly prepared for a pandemic. Although I don't buy more than one or two of an item (depending on how fast it goes), I always buy large sizes of basic groceries and personal care items. I do so out of laziness, so I don't need to run back to the store as often, nor have a job to do (shopping) before doing a job (cooking dinner) if I'm inspired to make a dish. If you can cook and bake, it helps immensely in dealing with a pandemic.

Here are basic groceries and personal care items I buy. (Feel free to add your favorites):

Photo: Wikipedia

all-purpose flour - 5 lb bag
whole wheat flour - 5 lb bag
sugar - 4 lb bag
cans of beans
cans of whole tomatoes
cans of pineapple
cans of condensed milk
cans of tuna
cans of salmon
dried fruit
walnuts - 2 lb bag
dry roasted peanuts
almonds
whole grain saltine crakers (a few boxes)
potatoes - 5 lb bag
carrots - 5 lb bag
onions
celery
dried beans
dried peas
oatmeal
dried whole grains
frozen vegetables (mixed; lima beans; corn; and broccoli)
cheeses (extra sharp cheddar; Swiss; brie; cottage)
dry powder milk
extra large eggs - 2 dozen
 a couple of top round beef steaks
breaded Purdue chicken cutlets (Not great tasting but convenient)
red wine
coffee
tea
aspirin + non-aspirin pain relievers
70% rubbing alcohol
toilet paper (24 triple rolls at a time)
bleach
soap

Well, what do you know? I have Klondike bars too.

shampoo and conditioner
basic toiletries (body lotion and oil, toothpaste, etc.)
dark chocolate candy
ice cream - Yes, trust me: you do need chocolate, ice cream and wine in a pandemic!

Fresh fruit, vegetables and a bit of meat, I'll get from the supermarket as needed and available. I bought Run Raisin ice cream, and perhaps I will add some real rum to it!😳

Stay vigilant and be well, my readers!💋XOXO


You may also enjoy:
My Daily Artisan Bread       
A Party At Ryan's Daughter
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution  
The Today Show's Finds Trench Coats For $100 Or Less

The Magic Of Christmas

Rockefeller Center at Christmas (Getty images via Metro-NY)

Since the beginning of time people of all cultures have had special holy days on their calendars. It's part of the human condition to think about a deeper meaning to existence. We pause to remember what gives life more purpose and to set-aside quality time to spend with our family and friends during such solemn and festive moments. 

An Upper East Side brownstone is having a lovely blue Christmas.

Our cities, towns and neighborhoods have more sparkle. The magic of Christmas appears on city streets gracing businesses and homes, and when walking along the pavement "in the air there's a feeling of Christmas."

Inside ... homes are adorned also. Tradition and glitter get pulled out of boxes. Cookies bake in ovens, sugar and butter boil into candy on stove tops; and visitors arrive to share in the merriment and treats.

May the magic of Christmas shine all over the globe. Regardless of culture or religion, we are one human family here.

Humans are more alike than different; and we can share the best of one another's traditions without compromising our own. In the spirit of the season ...

My apartment corner "Christmas tree"

Peace, joy and love to all my readers. Enjoy a day of happiness. Merry Christmas! 

You may also enjoy:
It's Christmas Once Again
Wishing You A Merry Christmas    
Christmas Greetings From THE SAVVY SHOPPER
Inside A Snow Globe With Santa At Bloomingdale's

The Shoe That Grows

A few days ago, we had fun Oooing and Ahhing over some of Diana, Princess of Wales' stunning sapphire jewelry. Now let's look on the flip side of life. But this too is an uplifting blog, for there exists a shoe company making a difference. If looking for a good cause, you can join them. People get inspired to help others in need around Christmas, during Lent, or anytime simply because they can. 

Do you know that 3 billion people live in poverty -- nearly half the world's population? Moreover, 1/3 of a billion people are extremely poor living on less than $1.25 a day. 

However for the millions of children who can't afford shoes, a non-profit has stepped up to help fill the basic need.

Not having shoes is an enormous hurdle. Not only do shoes save children from cuts and infections from wounds, they stop podoconioisis from getting into their bloodstreams through the soles of their feet, leading to serious health problems. Furthermore, many undeveloped countries do not let children attend school barefoot, so these children never learn to read or write.

And children fortunate enough to acquire a pair of shoes outgrow them leaving them to once again go barefoot, or wear shoes that no longer fit.

On a trip to Kenya, a young American man, named Kenton Lee, noticed this plight and decided to do something about it. He returned home with a vision. Although not an inventor or shoemaker, Lee perfected  a shoe that grows 5 sizes with a child and is made of durable materials -- a sturdy leather upper and compost rubber sole -- to last 5 years. The shoe adjusts and expands in 3 areas to fit a foot as it grows.

For $15 we can buy a pair of shoes for a penniless child. How often do we get to change a life significantly for such a small sum? 

If you wish to learn more, here is The Shoe that Grows' website. 

Have you ever thought about what life would be like without shoes? And what your life would be like without the benefit of going to school? Lastly, did you already know that many children in the world cannot afford something as essential as a pair of shoes?


You may also enjoy:
Time To Tidy Up     
A Shoe Company On A Mission
Walk The Walk With Modern Vice
Should You Give Money As A Gift?

What A Difference 100 Years Make

This week I'm celebrating a birthday.  Well actually, I celebrate birthdays in small ways with treats all month long. Already my Mom sent me a lovely card, a thoughtful gift and a fascinating clip from a neighborhood newspaper about what it was like living many years ago. The caption is, “What a difference a century makes.”  I have to admit it's a fun read, but what exactly is my Mother trying to say by sending it to me on my birthday, hmm?  You can read it for yourself below.

Here are some statistics for the Year 1909:

The average life expectancy was 47 years.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and

only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour.

The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year.

A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year and

a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.

Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and the government as 'substandard. '

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

{People also used lye soap to wash their hair and skin. Homemade lye soap killed poison ivy, poison oak and took tough stains out of laundry!}

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza

2. Tuberculosis

3. Diarrhea

4. Heart disease

5. Stroke

The American flag had 46 stars. {New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii had yet to come into the union.}

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin and morphine were all available over the counter at the corner drugstore. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the Entire U.S.A. {I wonder how many murders were unreported! Or undetected!}

After considering the world 100 years ago, aren't you happy to be celebrating birthdays in the 21st century? So much has improved. People are living to be ripe old ages, and with the touch of a button information, music and video can be sent around the globe in seconds.

The article suggests we, "try to imagine what it will be like living 100 years from now."

Just think: What new technologies and inventions will there be? Which diseases will be cured? How will life be better? What will homes look like? How will people work and play? What will transportation be like? And how will the map of the world change?

And while we're at it, why not imagine how we'd like for the world to be in 100 years and contribute to making it happen for all humanity.