Cellar Scribblings

[Jeff Wrangler]

New houses now often have more bathrooms than bedrooms, which I find annoying.

Seems kind of strange

Soft water may make better suds but if it's too soft it's hard to wash shampoo out of your hair.

Sure enough!

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends!!!!

It's over.   Thank God, it's over.


I had been watching the numbers closely, and was focusing on Nevada.  Went to bed, and woke to see that Georgia and Pennsylvania had flipped to Biden.  I heaved a sigh of relief when Biden/Harris were called the winners.

It felt like there was a shift in energy.  People were out driving around, beeping, cheering, waving American flags, fireworks going off.

People are all over talking about their speeches tonight, and how inspired they feel.  I hope they have more ups than downs, as they are going to have a huge amount of work to do to repair the damage Trump and his Administration have done.

[serious crayons]

I spent yesterday going to a giant march in downtown Minneapolis and a smaller gathering at the governor's mansion. I'm still exhausted.

The rally attracted probably close to 1,000 people. Certainly many hundreds. It was in the neighborhood destroyed after George Floyd was killed, so there were lots of boarded-up buildings and the like, hosted by a long list of left-leaning social activist organizations. They had planned the rally long before the Biden decision, and most of the people speaking focused on broad social justice issues -- a housing shortage, systemic racism, etc. -- that they would have talked about otherwise, mostly problems that existed when Obama was president. But the Biden news probably gave it a more hopeful vibe. I had to find diverse people to interview. I talked to a Black woman, Somali man and Mexican immigrant man. So mission accomplished. The march was a mile long and after it dispersed I had to walk the mile back to my car.

I got home in late afternoon, already tired, heated up some food and saw an email from my editor saying I had to go back out, this time to St. Paul for a conflict in front of the governor's mansion.

That one involved maybe 100 or so people from both sides mingling in the street yelling at each other in an unorganized way. I didn't have to get quotes at that one; I was just there in case any mayhem broke out. Not much happened aside from hostile taunting. I talked to the couple who live across the street from the governor's mansion and have to put up with this stuff on a regular basis. I talked to one woman who said she was 78 and had scolded a 20-year-old man for using foul language. She kept going on about that. And I talked to a woman who kept saying "How can there be more votes than there are registered voters?? Does that sound right to you?" I said I had no idea, feigning neutrality but secretly thinking, wow, it's going to be a long few next months.

On my way out, a woman said, "How can they possibly believe those things?" Funny, I thought, because I often wonder this myself. Except I wonder it about Trump supporters, and this woman was a Trump supporter thinking it of Biden supporters.

"Or bad parents!" she said, and I didn't respond in any way because I have strong views on the subject of parenting and certainly didn't want to get into all that. "Their parents didn't love them!" she said as she strode away.

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends!!!!

I hope everyone is doing well!

Work has been much better this week than last, so I'm heaving a sigh of relief for that.

Tomorrow is Veterans Day.  National holiday, so I will be off work.   My intent is to have a bit of a sleep in, and then head out to get some shopping done.  With the CV-19 numbers going up, I plan on going out in the middle of the day (stores should be emptier) and stocking up on some necessities that I don't need right now, but will need in the near future.  This way, if we are put under lockdown again, I will have what I need, and not have to go out.

I'm not talking about hoarding toilet paper ( ) I'm talking about stuff like toothpaste, mouthwash, shaving cream, razors, sleep aids, and things like that.

Mom and dad are going to be ordering a meal for Thanksgiving, but I'm going to make the Italian stuff that we have to go along with it, as well as a corn pudding/corn casserole (pick whichever name you prefer), so I'll be getting the stuff I need to make those items.  I intend to seal up and freeze the meat and thaw it out to make it.

[serious crayons]

I accidentally hoarded toilet paper at the beginning of the pandemic. I always order my TP from Amazon (it's more convenient and cheaper) and it was coming in a little more often than needed when COVID hit. So I had, I don't know, maybe 40 rolls. I thought, well, at least that's one thing I won't have to worry about.

[brianr]

I'm talking about stuff like toothpaste, mouthwash, shaving cream, razors, sleep aids, and things like that.

I buy toothpaste on special. I have to buy Sensodyne. I end up with 5 or 6 tubes in the bathroom drawer. For the last few months I have been not checking if it is on special and now only have one spare tube left in the drawer so guess I can start checking as I walk past again. I do not use mouth wash, shaving cream, razors or sleep aids. My Grandfather died when I was 14 or 15 so I inherited his electric shaver and have never used anything else.

[brianr]

I accidentally hoarded toilet paper at the beginning of the pandemic. I always order my TP from Amazon (it's more convenient and cheaper) and it was coming in a little more often than needed when COVID hit. So I had, I don't know, maybe 40 rolls. I thought, well, at least that's one thing I won't have to worry about.

I buy TP in the supermarket. It sounds strange to buy it from Amazon, that would mean importing it from the USA.There is now a branch in Australia but NZ items come from USA. I use to buy books from Amazon but the postage is horrendous. The only things I buy on mail order are the very occasional book (NZ book companies) and Nespresso coffee capsules. 

[serious crayons]

Right, it wouldn't be worth doing if you have to pay for overseas shipping and/or live alone.

I have an Amazon Prime account, which offers free quick shipping along with access to movies, etc. I buy toilet paper and other household items from their Subscribe & Save account, which automatically sends products on a scheduled basis and gives you 15% discount you buy five things at a time. And I don't have to go to the store and wrangle giant packages in and out of my car.

I just looked at my account and saw that I'm scheduled to get 32 rolls of toilet paper on Dec. 7. I currently have 24 in my storage closet.  Guess I'd better postpone that order.

I also am scheduled to receive 16 rolls of paper towels. I currently have 30. Might have to postpone that one, too.

Although at one point during the early pandemic hoarding days, the site ran out of paper towels in my brand. It asked if I would accept a different brand. I said yes. But the "paper towels" that arrived weren't really equivalent  -- they were rolls the texture of newsprint paper. I kept them to use to pack things when I move.

[Front-Ranger]

... most of the people speaking focused on broad social justice issues -- a housing shortage, systemic racism, etc. -- that they would have talked about otherwise, mostly problems that existed when Obama was president.

Heck, those problems existed when Washington was president.

...I talked to one woman who said she was 78 and had scolded a 20-year-old man for using foul language. She kept going on about that. And I talked to a woman who kept saying "How can there be more votes than there are registered voters?? Does that sound right to you?" I said I had no idea, feigning neutrality but secretly thinking, wow, it's going to be a long few next months.

It's odd, when you hear Trump supporters interviewed they always say the same thing, as if they're speaking from a script. When progressives are interviewed, they sound way different from each other. Could it be that Trumpers are actually brainwashed?

Regarding the woman who obsessed on a man's foul language...that reminds me of a community Zoom I was in recently where the facilitator asked what were the things people liked/disliked about our neighborhood. A couple of the respondents said homeless people. They went on and on about people living under a bridge (not in our neighborhood), walking along the street looking unkempt (not in our neighborhood), and camping out in downtown (ditto). There are also people who obsess about looters. Whenever you talk to them, the subject always comes up.

Katherine, what you are going through is horrific and I applaud your professionalism and your perseverance! I'm trying to support journalists with my subscriptions and the occasional email about good articles written. I wish I could do more.

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends!!!!

It was nice to have a bit of a sleep in today. 


I went out and got the supplies I wanted today, including what I need for Thanksgiving.  The only other items I need are fresh garlic and milk, and I can wait for those.

Only two more days of work, and then the weekend is here.