Man, Aldi is on their game -- they had everything, including TP and paper towels. Meijer, on the other hand, STILL has cereal stocked on the TP shelves, so I feel like they're having a supplier problem.

Even so, I got everything we needed and all the shoppers were maintaining good social distance. I saw one woman shopping at Meijer wearing a big top hat with a dramatic curved feather. It made my morning.

I've been thinking about What I Can Do and one thing that occurs is making face masks for Youville (my assisted living residence). I'll need to get my old sewing machine out and find where I put all my Supplies (and get out to a sewing store because I know I don't have any elastic for the loops). It's all straight seams and a couple of tucks.

As usual with anything about the Trump Pandemic (I agree that we should start calling it that -- it will be his biggest legacy in history) I should have started wearing a mask and making them a week ago. At least I was smart enough not to go out driving for Lyft last weekend, which would have been an even greater exposure, so there's that.

I've been thinking about the masks, too. I can't tell if the request from a Rochester hospital is real, or a Hickey Freeman way to get a press release in the paper or a little of both. If it is a genuine need, I want to reach out to my hospital and ask them if that is that they want me to do, because I have a semi industrial machine and I could turn out a lot in a day. But I also don't want to do that if it is not needed or no one can use them. I think Theo, you have a better use case.

Yeah, my understand is those would be masks of last resort, as they're nowhere near as good as real medical masks. But I'll probably try my hand at making a few—I just wish I had better guidance on the ideal fabrics? I mean I don't have a huge stash but the stuff I've seen that's like "pillowcase or cotton tshirt" doesn't even tell me if woven or knit is preferable!

I think cloth masks would be great for individual people to have -- they apparently work pretty well, and then you can leave the good stuff for professionals, right?

I've also seen patterns designed to hold a filter or fancy mask, so they last longer. All sounds good to me!

Based on the properties of fabric, I would think woven would be betterthe more tightly woven but light the better. Frankly, I am imaging a good muslin would be the best since that is what they used to use. Or tightly woven cotton sheeting. Sort of the things that you use to back quilts. If you use new fabric, I would wash on hot water first, as they are probably intending to launder these a lot in hot water if needed, instead of disposing of them. I think they are probably better than a bandana, which is what the nurses are tlking about (jokingly)

I mean I don't have a huge stash but the stuff I've seen that's like "pillowcase or cotton tshirt" doesn't even tell me if woven or knit is preferable!

Sounds like either is fine? I mean, assuming pillowcase is woven and t-shirt is knit.

DH and I went out for supplies yesterday after a solid week at home. I remembered to check in with my neighbor who needed rides to SF for her lung cancer and heart valve replacement. She's been laid off. Thrift stores are nonessential. She didn't want me to bring her anything because she has no cash. I assured her it was no problem, so she asked for wheat bread, milk and eggs. The poor lady was so happy she almost cried, which is remarkable because she's always been stoic.

So I get into the devastated grocery, stripped of all paper products and frozen vegetables. I am delighted to find milk and eggs. Unfortunately in that aisle a woman in a face mask is screaming about a bitch who has disrespected her son. Sadly for me that person walked away and they threatened to beat me up. She dramatically told the son she would take care of me and was willing to go to jail instead of him. He told me he would get his sister to really fuck up my shit. Then he called me a stupid old white lady, kicked my cart really hard, took my picture with his phone. I just stood there waiting for them to get tired of abusing me. They got a good laugh and walked off yelling about how the boy had been disrespected by someone I never saw.

I was thinking, these people need to go three on one for an old lady? The best insults he had was I am old and white? What pitiful knaves. If they had gotten physical I probably would have grabbed the mask and started coughing, but I was so glad it didn't go that far.

Then I got home with my milk and eggs and my neighbor was so happy to see me. It was all worth while but so.much.stress.

AND DH scored toilet paper at Costco, so there is much rejoicing here.

Here's a quick (well 20 minute) tutorial on making masks that you can check out:

[link]

Their suggestion for fabric is quilting quarters, so a good quality muslin would work. They are supposed to be used by cutting a coffee filter to fit, then sticking it inside via the access hole in the middle.

These aren't intended for real medical use, but instead for more casual situations in stores where you're standing in line, et cetera. I'm going out enough to do shopping for work that I really should go masked except AT work or home.

Cereal: Good lord Katerina!