Grateful

I’m most grateful to Paul Balmer of Waterway Routes who left a comment on the last blog post informing me I should be singing….

God save our gracious CLEAN
Long live our noble CLEAN, etc

Adopting this has had a dramatic effect on my rapid aging over the last few days.

We went to the supermarket yesterday after a long weekend (Bank holiday for British readers).  I was rather surprised to see three ladies of Asian appearance pushing trolleys laden with toilet paper and facial tissues.  The Coronavirus has arrived, but does this result in a demand for toilet paper?  They couldn’t be sending it back to China as nearly all direct forms of transport between Australia and China is suspended.

Jan asked the cashier at the supermarket check out what was going on?  The lady explained it had been happening every day for the previous three.  The shelves of toilet paper would be sold by mid morning and the supermarket would then restock over night, only to be sold out the following day.

On the TV news this morning there was an item on the subject showing the empty shelves across the country.  It appears this is the result of social media where a rumour has spread that the bulk of Australia’s toilet paper comes from China and the combination of factory closures in China and the suspension of transport means there’s going to be a shortage.  Well 60% of the paper is made in Australia and the factory in South Australia has moved to 24/7 production. 

Price is partially dictated by demand.  This morning the local supermarket was selling packs of toilet paper for $7.99 and by the afternoon the price had risen to $9.99.  

We have been to the new local supermarket.  It has an automatic water mister to keep the produce fresh.  Just before it goes on, you hear the sound of distant thunder and the smell of fresh rain.

When you approach the milk and dairy area you hear cows mooing and experience the scent of fresh hay.

On approaching the egg area you hear hens clucking, and the air is filled with the pleasant aroma of bacon and eggs frying.

The vegetable department features the smell of fresh buttered corn.

We don’t buy our toilet paper there!