I last posted a blog August 16, which I expected would be the end of a series begun in March about life during a pandemic.
Since then, I’ve been working on my novel, the latest version of which went this week to a freelance editor. I’ve returned to blogging to find almost nothing has changed, except the ferocity of the virus.
In March, I started to note items missing from store shelves. The first clues were the signs on the entrances to grocery stores and Costco. “No toilet paper in stock” and “Limit one package per person.” Following that I took photos of missing cans of beans on supermarket shelves. I didn’t make the connection at the time, but I should have. Hoarding TP while also hoarding beans? Makes sense.
For a time, stores allotted flour in small quantities. Now flour and beans are abundant. It may be that the bean hoarders of the past, like me, still have a few dozen cans on reserve.
But what is now missing, and I’m not telling you this so you can hoard, because you can’t; it’s too late. Try explaining to a large, orange cat named Gordon that his favoritepates in the Fancy Feast brand are sold out. Not in just one store. In three. The teensy shelf signs, appropriate for the three ounce cans, read, “Sorry for the inconvenience. We’ll restock this item as soon as it’s available.” Believe me, for a beast who eats ten ounces of cat food a day, a promise to deliver his breakfast, lunch and dinner only after it becomes available will not satisfy. His favorite food, which we discourage, is fresh bunny from the backyard, but those aren’t as plentiful this time of year. He must rely on canned food for most meals.
On our most recent visit to the grocery store, I noted there were no gaps on the dog food shelves, which suggest there’s more going on than simple supply problems. A canine conspiracy perhaps?
We are slowly introducing Gordon to new flavors still available on supermarket shelves. For him, quantity, not quality is what counts.
Still Life 
Loved your insights into beans and TP,, plus Gordon’s unwilling accomodations to the pandemic. I,too, have begun to add leftover veggies to the puppy food I set out every night in response to the pleas of four baby raccoons and their mother.
So glad to see your blog again. Poor Gordon–so deprived. And you are absolutely correct, nothing has changed. Or at least the conditions have not improved. We will get through this.
As always I love your insight and humor—quite a year indeed. I’m about done with 2020–
We are literally about done with 2020, but the year will live on.
We’re switching our kitty from Fancy Feast to Healthy Gourmet. Although that’s not primarily due to shortages. Several months ago we switched to Fancy Feast because Oreo liked it better. On the advice of the veterinarian’s scale, we are now switching her back to something she doesn’t like quite so much.
LOL.
Glad I stopped by here and found you to be writing again. Yes, there is a shortage of cat food, or there are hoarders. Hubby does the pet food shopping at one of the giant pet stores and he has found, almost every time he is there, a few little old ladies making off with cans of cat food like crazy. He has had to wait, at the end of the aisle (you know, social distancing) while these little old ladies fill their baskets to the top with cases of cat food. He often finds that there are few varieties left to choose from.