Covid-19: It Continues

[cwcdesign]

Our county schools closed today - back to remote learning.

[Mike Nolan]

Lancaster County Nebraska is back to requiring masks for most indoor activities as of Thursday.

[kimbob]

BakerAunt, thanks for the laugh. That was hilarious! Lol

[Italiancook]

I've read a couple of articles that said there's a shortage of bread again. I wonder if this means we're going to have the same problem we had last year -- a shortage of bread-baking ingredients.

[Mike Nolan]

There was plenty of flour at the grocery stores when I made my weekly shopping trip, and Costco had a large supply of 12 pound bags of KAF AP flour, though the price has increased from $5.99 to $6.99, over a 16% increase.

[BakerAunt]

So far, I'm not noticing any shortages. I placed a regular stock-up order to Bob's Red Mill, and it arrived within a week--more like five days. Orders over $59 ship for free by UPS, which is a great deal for me. I buy cases (usually 4 bags to a case), which brings down the price below the grocery store price, even though BRM prices, like all grocery products, have increased.

[chocomouse]

I've just returned from grocery shopping. I bought KAF white whole wheat as I used up my supply last week. The flours were well-stocked, although prices are up -- 4.89 for a 5 pound bag. My husband will be picking up a 50 pound bag of AP and the KABC store next week; I usually resupply about this time of year anyway, fall and spring.

I paid attention to cwcdesign's (I think that's accurate) comment about low supplies of pasta. The shelves were pretty empty of pasta, but I did find, down low in the back, a few boxes of cavatappi and gemelli. Interesting that the macaroni and the penne sections were empty. I surmise that the more common shapes are being bought up, whereas the "weird" looking shapes that many folks are not familiar with, are more available.

Overall, I'd say the shelves were much emptier than I've seen them since last spring.

[BakerAunt]

Chocomouse--it was Italian Cook who commented on a pasta shortage. I do not buy pasta at our town supermarket because it is not quality pasta. I was happy to find a single bag of spinach pasta (wide noodles) at T.J. Maxx today and snapped it up. I have bought a good quality of orzo at Kroger this summer, and looking at my stash, found some casarecce and rignatoni that I bought from Aldi's, possibly this summer. All of these are made in Italy.

If you have an Aldi's or a T.J. Maxx, give them a try, Italian Cook. I sometimes have had good luck with pasta at Tuesday Morning as well.

[Italiancook]

I have T.J. Maxx & Aldi's, BakerAunt. I've never been inside Aldi's. I'll have to look better at T.J. Maxx, because I've never seen food there. I haven't had The Vaccine yet, but it's scheduled. After the 2 week kick-in period, I'm going to roam around the area. I want to find out who's still in business.

[Mike Nolan]

I see a lot of vacant spaces in the malls near us, most of them were probably young women's clothing stores. We've lost a lot of restaurants here, not all of them directly to COVID. The Red Lobster in Lincoln closed last month, because they couldn't reach an agreement on a new lease.

Fast food restaurants come and go all the time, so it is hard to say which ones wouldn't have made it anyway. Zoup closed during the first few months of the pandemic, which is too bad because they had several soups we liked, though most of them use a soup base with garlic in it.

The Valentinos Grand Buffet, which had been closed for the last year due to COVID, will not reopen. Vals is down to just two dine-in locations in Lincoln, (from at least 5) but they must have a half dozen take-out-or-delivery locations.

[cwcdesign]

I was in Harris Teeter after work today. I checked the pasta shelves and they’re better than they were 6 months ago and that’s at the end of a Saturday when it’s a holiday weekend AND fall break for the Atlanta schools so there are plenty of visitors. We’ve discovered a new store brand (HT is owned by Kroger) it’s called Private Selection and most of its shapes are imported. We usually stock up when it’s on sale.

I had my flu shot yesterday and my booster shot is scheduled in 2 weeks (that’s the spacing my doctor recommends). CVS makes it easy. I had my shots at the health department, but CVS can still give me my booster - it’s 5 minutes from the house.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook: T.J. Maxx has specialty food over near the cooking and baking items. I am a fan of their 4 oz. Nieman-Massey vanilla for about $11.95. It's also a good place to pick up maple syrup (if not ordering from Scruggs) and other specialty ingredients. Of course, the selection always varries.

I got my flu shot on September 28, in preparation for my husband's cousins' reunion. My husband got his at the same time. I hope to be able to schedule my Pfizer Covid-19 booster next week. My husband got Moderna, so he has to wait for its booster to be approved. Even after I get it, I will continue to mask, given the dismal rates in Indiana, and especially in our county.

[Italiancook]

Len, I'm glad you're finding good uses for your new dutch oven.

I'm just amazed, BakerAunt, that I've never seen specialty food at my T.J. Maxx. I usually go to the cooking and baking item area first! I'll let you know what I find after my "kick-in" period after my vaccine. I buy almost all my picture frames at T.J. Maxx.

[Mike Nolan]

I've only been to our TJ Maxx a few times, we have a Marshalls and a Home Goods store a lot closer now, similar concept (and same ownership). I did get a nice santoku knife at TJ Maxx once, but the foodstuffs are kind of tucked into a quiet corner of that store. I've not been all that impressed with the food items at the Marshalls.

[cwcdesign]

If you have a Home Goods nearby, they usually have quite a large food section, especially around the holidays - I always did a lot of Christmas stocking shopping there, but I haven't been inside in two years.

Our COVID infection rate is slowly going down - I think our county average is up to 52% of at least the first shot - still not enough - and then of course we keep getting the influx of tourists.

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