It's getting real...

Yes, I would be inclined to say: this shit's gettin' real.

We had supper with Steph and Dan today.  A considerate and close friend of hers baked her a large pan of lasagna... and, it was tasty.

We visited about store experiences today: no toilet paper, empty shelves where the canned goods were, no bottled water.  School districts in the Phoenix area are announcing closures for at least the next week - they hadn't heard any word on their district.

After supper, Joan helped Steph with some T-shirts she was making for one of the school teams.  Just as they were finishing up, Dan got the word: their schools are closed for the next week.  Employees who have sick days can use those so they will still get paid.  Apparently, there are some teachers who know they are not coming back next year, and they have been using their sick days... that may have been a poor decision.

Joan's concern was the kids: 85% of the kids in Steph's school are on free or reduced cost lunch.  The school also provides a free breakfast for each kid... not sure what the food situation is in those homes.

At one of the stores Dan checked, they are having an employee stationed at each bathroom door - they will give you toilet paper as you go in.  Yes, people are stealing toilet paper from the bathrooms. 

Before heading for home, Joan wanted to stop at Joann's Fabrics.  It's kinda what we do these days.  While she went inside, I took the car to a Sam's Club a mile or so away to gas up.  People in the parking lot were running into the store.  I was 5th in line for a gas pump.  I saw people go by the gas station with shopping carts... there is no parking that far out.

I got back to the Joann's before Joan was done.  The lady checking us out said her other job is selling tickets at one of the baseball stadiums... that job is gone.  She had tickets for a game this weekend - she was excited because it was the first game she was going to get to see.

We decided to stop at the nearby Petsmart to get some food for Rufus.  No, we are not that low, but no sense taking a chance right now.  No crazy-eyed people in there... and no empty shelves.  Joan suggested we stop at the Fry's in that same shopping center: we need Biscoff and bananas, and she said we could check for toilet paper in case Steph and Dan are getting low.  No, no, and no.

Heading for home, Joan suggested a stop at a Target close to our RV park.  They had Biscoff and bananas.  No TP.  She said the shelves in the pharmacy were empty in the cold and flu stuff area.

Crazy times.