More Presents
Oct. 29th, 2020 02:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tealinIt's been ages since I got a gift from the house. I thought that 'welcome home!' honeymoon was well and truly over, and all that remained was to catalogue them and write an interesting story someday. Yesterday I did a load of laundry, and noticed the bottle of soap – an heirloom which I'd been using all summer – was starting to run low, so I made a mental note to pick some up when I do the Sainsbury's shop. This morning the plumber came to fit the new tap so I cleared out the cupboard under the sink. Aside from the bottles of insecticide which I had found when doing a stock-take on moving in, and the cleaning supplies I'd picked up myself, there were two surprises: a mostly-empty box of 'washing soda crystals' which I assume is just branded baking soda, and ... a nearly-full box of laundry soap.
So that was nice.
I am, fortuitously, involved in a Covid survey with the Office of National Statistics, charting the spread of infections across the country through random sample providers. I got the letter and had to call to express interest, but the lines were full so I registered for a callback. There was no call, no call, until about a week later an unknown number rang – I don't usually answer those, but for some reason I did, and I think the lady on the other end was taken aback at how excited I was to get a cotton bud regularly shoved up my nose. In fact I was so excited about HELPING SCIENCE that I had completely forgotten each test came with a voucher. They can be used at a number of places but the most useful one to me is Sainsbury's; unfortunately (and somewhat counterintuitively for an epidemiology study) they are not redeemable online but only in the physical shop. That means cycling in to Cambridge and only buying as much as I can cycle back with. If I load up on meat and dairy I can probably meet the voucher value without acquiring too much in volume.
East Anglia is having an easier time than the North, but our numbers are starting to accelerate and it looks like a nationwide lockdown is inevitable at some point soon. I should head into town sooner than later, and Saturday looks the most promising weather-wise, but the last time I was in Cambridge on a Saturday it was terrifyingly crowded. If I go early enough, will I beat the rush? Or is the survey cunningly luring me into situations where I might get exposed? Am I that much like a dog who will be coaxed into anything for the promise of sausages?
Last Halloween I was flying into LA to catch my flight to New Zealand and the Antarctic. This Halloween I'm strategising protein acquisition for minimum risk of infection. What a fascinating modern world we live in.
So that was nice.
I am, fortuitously, involved in a Covid survey with the Office of National Statistics, charting the spread of infections across the country through random sample providers. I got the letter and had to call to express interest, but the lines were full so I registered for a callback. There was no call, no call, until about a week later an unknown number rang – I don't usually answer those, but for some reason I did, and I think the lady on the other end was taken aback at how excited I was to get a cotton bud regularly shoved up my nose. In fact I was so excited about HELPING SCIENCE that I had completely forgotten each test came with a voucher. They can be used at a number of places but the most useful one to me is Sainsbury's; unfortunately (and somewhat counterintuitively for an epidemiology study) they are not redeemable online but only in the physical shop. That means cycling in to Cambridge and only buying as much as I can cycle back with. If I load up on meat and dairy I can probably meet the voucher value without acquiring too much in volume.
East Anglia is having an easier time than the North, but our numbers are starting to accelerate and it looks like a nationwide lockdown is inevitable at some point soon. I should head into town sooner than later, and Saturday looks the most promising weather-wise, but the last time I was in Cambridge on a Saturday it was terrifyingly crowded. If I go early enough, will I beat the rush? Or is the survey cunningly luring me into situations where I might get exposed? Am I that much like a dog who will be coaxed into anything for the promise of sausages?
Last Halloween I was flying into LA to catch my flight to New Zealand and the Antarctic. This Halloween I'm strategising protein acquisition for minimum risk of infection. What a fascinating modern world we live in.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-29 11:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-10-30 03:19 pm (UTC)I don't know what it's like elsewhere, but in Cambridge, Saturday morning is MUCH quieter than Sunday afternoon. People are sleeping off Friday night before 10 on Saturday, whereas the shops are only open till 5 on Sunday so the afternoon is usually rammed with people doing the shopping they've been putting off all weekend before everything closes. It might be less bad now that everyone's working from home and can do the weekly shop whenever they feel like it, but it'll still be busier than Hangover Hour.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-31 10:56 pm (UTC)A few Fridays ago I was going to go to a couple of shops mid-afternoon since I was in town anyway. I scuttled that plan when I saw the line-up at the Goodwill store and the full parking lot at the grocers. Sunday, after I got off work, the grocer was near empty. My guess is that people were stocking up for the weekend, not for the week. Wednesday is good too, probably because the week's announced specials start on Thursday here and people are waiting for Thursday to go in and pounce. Well, second-guessing the herd is fun. Good luck!