Virus or viral?

I’m home for less than 24 hours before heading out tomorrow, this time for a week. My handbag is stuffed with boarding passes.  I haven’t even had time to clear my purse.

With little time in Perth and several tradies lined up for Saturday morning, my household shopping needed priority.  I checked what time shops open and headed out ten minutes before expecting to sit in my car listening to music but parking was a problem.  I could not believe the number of cars in the usually empty car park.  That should have alerted me but I’ve been away so much I have no idea what’s happening in the city.   I walked in.  From my vantage point in the car I could not see the several hundred people queued up with the line looped outside the shopping centre and around the building.  As people tried to join the queue that slowly grew to four abreast, there was shoving and shouting.  This in my neighbourhood!  The folks were lined up for toilet paper.  They marched out triumphantly with the one packet each allowed.

I have never experienced ‘pack mentality’.  I did today.  It is not something I’d like to experience again.  It felt like I was in a badly made movie.

As I’m going further north and will be working with toddlers, all I needed was sanitizer.  I ended up going to several chemists with one telling me he’s making his own batch of sanitizer because they have run out.  I got the second last packet of toilet paper on the shelf, sent my family a text if they needed some, check out the laundry.  Their priorities have been different as they fret over their pets and if they will have enough pet food.

I have to admit it is difficult to stay calm especially when I’m in a plane so often and in close proximity to others.  Never has a sneeze or cough created such unease.

Today I did fret about losing two hours of my life, chasing sanitizer all because of panic buying.  I’m looking forward to moments of normalcy again.
Singing honeyeater, Geraldton Western Australia

I’m off north tomorrow to red dust country.  My heart and pulse quickens at the thought.

Until next time

As always, stay safe, healthy and happy

a dawn bird

In response to RDP – Saturday – Calm