Thanks, guys, all good ideas but the infrastructures aren't coping with demand and that's the main problem. They are limiting purchases and have been for the last week, but it's still selling faster than they can get it in. They've set up designated times for elderly, disabled, carers, key workers and so on, but that doesn't guarantee there's food there to buy, if I go at those times (which are several hours after earliest opening at our local store) I might not be able to get anything anyway. If I go to different shops I have to take son with me, because of the distance, and that puts him at more risk. The visa system is overwhelmed at the moment so I can't verify my purchases to get the order through. Websites are freezing and crashing because so many are trying to get online at once. The phone network is overwhelmed so I couldn't get through on the phone last night to try to pay over the phone, you get a message saying the network is busy and to try again later. The lines aren't open yet today. My benefit payment is currently frozen because I've not been able to get through to update my earnings this month, for the same reason - they're so swamped that the phone companies just put out busy messages and the online system crashed as well.
I did get most of what we needed this morning but they're out of even baking basics - no butter, no flour, no yeast. I've got enough for now but it's very sobering. The staff are all working so hard, and they're at risk - it's impossible to practise social distancing in shops because the aisles aren't even wide enough for people to pass each other without getting closer. The staff are working in that all day. I thanked one lady personally and after I'd done that one of the staff gave me a plant. I don't know if they were giving them out to everyone or if it was because I thanked that lady but I bought them a tin of biscuits for the staff room as well and gave them to another lady on the way out.
The main difficulty is son; his autism means his diet is very restricted because of oral sensitivities so there are lots of things that he physically can't eat. He can't get them down without gagging and being sick. That's my main worry, is getting in enough for him, keeping in mind he is full grown man size and eats portions accordingly. Neighbours and local volunteer groups are all doing what they can but they can only get in what's available. It's just so shocking to me that they knew about this in January and we're now almost end of March and they still haven't sorted their shit out.
And the DNR orders on people who aren't considered worth saving just rips part of my soul away every time I think about it. In practise, it means they would save a violent, aggressive person who harms those around them over my lovely, sweet boy because the horrible person is fit and healthy and my son isn't. We've already had a decade of savage cuts for sick and disabled people and yesterday they were tabling a bill to relieve local authorities of their duty of care for sick and disabled people - which means support can be withdrawn in all but the most severe cases and there will no longer be any legal duty to make adequate provision in schools or colleges. They're all just disposable and the lack of care about their quality of life just tears me apart.
Anyway - I have got some stuff in which is the main thing for now. I will be spending the day planning, prepping, making lists, trying orders, doing what I can. If I can't get something there is a local group I can post on to see if anyone else can help. I did have enough stuff yesterday to make flapjacks, which I love
And the most bizarre thing, when I walked over to the shop this morning I swear the air feels cleaner. Just when you breathe it in, you can kind of taste that it's fresher? It's making me feel like our next move might be somewhere more rural. Something to think about xx
