It’s spring, and the ditches have begun running. The apricots and peaches started blooming early, and so far no frost has killed the potential harvest.
The heat began early, and the rain has been sparse. Plants that respond to temperature have begun to leaf, even though the water is disappearing from the soil.
This week I began watering some fruit trees. And, as happens every year, I discovered hoses that had failed during the winter, or been attacked by ground squirrels.
However, the greatest problem every year with hoses is that the local stores get their stock in late winter, and it isn’t replenished. When problems arise in the heat of summer, nothing is available.
As you can guess from earlier posts, my response was to find on-line sources. Even they go dry in summer. Last year I ordered enough to get me though until this spring. I’ve used half my reserve already.
Today I was able to order more, with reasonable delivery times.
In the scheme of things, these are not essential items. If Amazon has them in stock, it’s because they received their inventory before they shut their doors to non-critical items. I suspect it wants nothing more than to ship them out, and free more space for diapers.
However, when I was on line today I saw a new story telling me it was immoral to order now. Even though the employer might want to sell, the employees are endangered by being at work, and the post office employees by having to make deliveries.
I understand the problems with going out of the house, and hope the package will fit into one of the post office’s lockers. I don’t want to go into the counter area anymore than they want me there. However, the alternative for the Amazon employees is unemployment.
These are hard decisions that are exploited by the Puritans among us who want us to feel guilty about any pleasure. They would like to extend their warning to don’t buy non-essential items ever.
I first noticed it when the advice that one not touch one’s face was turned into don’t touch yourself. The first was a recognition that people could pick up the virus from some surface, and then infect themselves when they put their uncleaned hands near their mouths or noses. The other sounded like a continuation of adolescent sex education.
Sources:
Monica Torres. "Why You Shouldn’t Order Nonessential Packages During The Coronavirus Pandemic." Huffington Post website. 31 March 2020.
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