I have solved the Riddle of the Century.
What's that, juvat?
Sarge, I thought you'd never ask.
The Riddle of the Century is "Why is their a panic driven run on Toilet Paper, if the current virus is upper respiratory instead of gastrointestinal?
And the Answer?
"Because Crap comes out of People's mouths nowadays!
We were sitting on the porch of our guesthouse sharing some wine with our guests, talking about the blatant exhibitions of stupidity on display, even in our little slice of heaven. (e.g. Police Officers are stationed in the Grocery Store, IANSY!). The run on TP was cited as an example along with the WHY?
The Husband then uttered those immortal words.
I'm pretty sure I sprayed wine at that moment.
Then, again, it could be like this.
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| Source |
On the Home Front.
It was a very productive week on the "nueva casa de juvat" front.
We left you last week with this, ever critical, inspection by Mrs J. (If she ain't happy, ain't nobody happy, amirite?)
Truckloads of dirt (actually two total, it didn't need much.
Which got pushed around expeditiously.
Rain was forecast that night so preparations were made.
Tuesday. The rain did not appear (probably because they prepared), so more foundation prep was accomplished.
Friday morning dawns with precipitation somewhere between a mist and a light drizzle so I walk up to the feed the horses. I notice a lone truck with a solo occupant. Horses fed, I walk over to it and inquire of the occupant what his role in this process was. He's the inspector waiting for the foreman.
Later that afternoon, I see the foreman out walking around, so I stop by and ask how it went. He said it passed and that the foundation would be poured shortly. I'm thinking Monday.
So, now it's Oh-Dark-30 Saturday morning and I hear trucks. So, I stumble out of bed and look out the window. I see the foreman's pickup heading up to the site. I get up, put on clothes and check the time.
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| Yes, Beans, I realize that Saturday was Pi Day, My backup watch doesn't do Leap Year. |
Take my handkerchief out and wipe the mist and drizzle off my glasses and....
They're ready for the cement trucks to arrive and start pouring.
10 truckloads later.
We've scheduled a brunch with MBD and SIL so as we leave for our trip over to Moscow on the Colorado, we swing by the site, so Mrs J (who's smart enough to remain in bed at 6AM on a rainy Saturday morning) can get a glimpse of the progress.
Meetup was successful (although enroute, we get a call that the Austin HEB is out of eggs and butter and can we stop and pick some up as we pass through Dripping Springs. We do, but they were down to there last couple of crates of eggs, and there was an on-duty Police Officer in the store).
MBD and SIL are big into Board Games and had picked up one called "Pandemic". Objective is to stop the spread of 4 viruses throughout the world. All players are on the same team and play against the game itself. It was intriguing. Due to my personal skills (I was the Quarantine Specialist), we were able to eradicate the little buggers swiftly. Hopefully, that was an omen.
In any case, Mrs J and I RTB'd. Upon arrival we were treated to this sight.
I think I like this Foreman's definition of the word "Soon".
The Other
We had visited our grocery store on Thursday and picked up supplies. I have been slowly stocking up since December. Not going overboard, merely buying one or two extra staples beyond what I needed til the next shopping trip. So, our pantry is comfortably stocked.
However, fresh vegetables and stuff have to be refreshed more often, and I'd forgotten to get eggs on Thursday. Having heard the run on stuff in Austin and noticed it in Dripping Springs, we stopped by ours to pick up eggs.
None to be had, nor any beans, rice, pasta, sanitizer, paper towels, or....TP.
They did, however, have....
I don't know if I'll ever get desperate enough to drink beer flavored coffee or coffee flavored beer.
Made by Pabst.
Questions?
Why did you go to Austin, juvat?
Well. My special order Christmas present from MBD and SIL arrived from China finally! (It had gotten lost twice in the mail.)
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| A woodworking branding Iron |
Can't wait to use it!
Cheers to all, remember to breathe deeply, relax. We'll muddle through.
But don't drink Pabst beer!
I Have Figured Out The Toilet Paper Hoarding
ReplyDeleteI realized it today. It is the same impulse that drives my friends to hoard ammo or reloading components.
An example. You learn to reload. All is well. You buy a couple of hundred primers in the various types, some powder, and you make some ammo. You observe that there is a price break to buy a thousand primers. Next time you get a thousand. Moving along, you use a couple of hundred and you feel understocked so you buy another thousand. You have established a floor, the minimum number you feel comfortable having. Next time you buy five thousand. Well above your minimum, but wait, it becomes the new floor.
Then there is a shortage. There was panic buying at some point several years ago and the supply and manufacturing did not keep up. There were outages for a while. If you needed large pistol primers and didn't have a supply, you were out of luck. People remember that. They buy ten thousand. That sets a nice base, they don't use them, they are the emergency reserve. They go back to buying a thousand here and there and working from that, maintaining the reserve that has become their minimum.
Ammo the same way, in whatever quantities are the baseline.
Now it's toilet paper and it's everyone. Might be 48 or 96 rolls, but there's now a minimum stock that people want on hand. Store stocks will not recover until people's attics and garages are filled to the new minimums. There's nothing to be done about this except ramp up production for a while.
Humans and human behavior can only be observed. Telling people to be comfortable when they have an open eight pack of toilet paper is now impossible. The stores are empty, rolls are being snatched off the pallets before they can be unloaded, and having eight rolls is like having the fire warning light on in the cockpit. More must be found.
It will sort out. Our grandchildren will wonder why we felt the need to have 96 rolls of TP in the garage at all times, just like we looked back at our grandparents that lived through the Depression and wondered about the things they did.
Pretty good synopsis, ASM826, I think it would make a good post. Oh wait! :-)
DeleteSeriously, good synopsis.
Progress on the foundation........Brilliant! Smashing photos juvat. A minimum amount of essential items is only prudent since there's any number of weather related events that can cause disruption. The herd instinct takes over when people see "things" happen, like others buying TP. My favorite online ammo source has been drained of both 9mm and 223/5.56mm offerings, shipment fulfillment is 2 weeks from date of ordering (used to be one or two days) while most of the cheaper choices are gone. Shades of the 2012/2013 run.
ReplyDeleteThe scary part of that is it's unlikely that the people panic buying ammunition are the people who train often and know how and when to use it. I suspect most of these folks only recently acquired a weapon and haven't practiced much. People who train usually have a decent amount on hand to get them through a crisis. That having been said, and as ASM826 described, their repurchase level may rise a bit afterwards.
DeleteThe run on ammo may be due more to the stupids in the DNC, specifically Dimwit Dementia and Slugger Socialist, and whomever that other person who hasn't quit yet is, all spouting very anti-personal protection device statements.
DeleteSlow Joe's yelling at a union autoworker about AR-14s (yes, an AR-14 is an actual thing. Imagine, if you will, a classic Browning hunting semi-auto rifle. Then slice it down the centerline, from muzzle to buttstock. And amongst the normal fire control group and breech you suddenly find some stupid Armalite recoil buffer tube extending deep into the beautiful piece of walnut in the stock. Yes... That is what an AR-14 is, available in 3 different calibers, only a handful made,) back to what I was saying, Slow Joe's yelling at a union autoworker about gunzzzzz and then further compounding his statement by making even more asinine statements about gunzzzzzz and then Comrade Bernie tossing any weapon on the scrapheap of history and whomever that other person who hasn't dropped out yet also going all anti-Second Amendment, meanwhile you have some mayor of some place up north in stupid-yankee-farming-land deciding that the flu emergency is grounds to stop all sales of personal protection devices not made out of tyvek or nitrile, and thus you get a slow growing anti-anti-gun buying swell. Because of all the dog-faced pony soldiers out there realizing that if enough illegal votes and illegal aliens shift this election to the party of Run DNC, then we who believe in the 2nd Amendment are truly screwed.
That, on top of Wuhan worries? Makes for a bit of a panic run on guns and gun-food.
But having a gun isn't going to keep you safe, any more than it's going to kill someone. If you don't know how to use it, it's not going to be very effective. Which goes back to ASM826's point. This whole BS is perception.
DeleteI blame myself, Sarge😕 I started a rumour, as a joke, that the next major shortage would be Syrup of Figs and Senna Pods - and that’s when it all went wrong 🙄
ReplyDeleteThat was my intent when I mentioned the Pabst. It would create a run, people would drink it and instantaneously give up alcohol. We shall see!
DeleteFunny, looked up senna pods and they look remarkably like castor pods. And both products are used for relief of constipation. Though you can do funnier things with castor pods, like make Ricin. (Yes, because the ancient Beans family is weird, I knew how to make Ricin when I was 11 years old, and how to use it.)
DeleteSo I wonder if there are unscrupulous pod-people out there selling, to unsuspecting senna users, castor pods. Hmmmm.
If I wasn't so deathly allergic to all things castor, I might, nah, bad thoughts....
🤣
DeleteThat'll clean you out quite well.
DeleteGreat post juvat. I'd comment further but I'm in the midst of setting up my office at home. We who have little to do have been "sent off" as non-essential personnel. Feels weird but it beats sitting around the office.
ReplyDeleteLove the branding iron, I have an example of your work (as you well know) and I can vouch for a quality product.
No, I didn't tell everyone it comes with a bottle of Scotch. Or does it?
Keep an eye on Hogday, that chap is up to no good!
😁
Well, MBD is in the same situation. To be honest, I'm a little bit relieved that that's happening. I'd feel even better if she was working from the Guest House, but....
DeleteScotch? There was Scotch in it? Must have been Mrs J. She's nice like that.
Keep a Tally on HogDay, aye! Two's Padlocked!
Who needs nukes when we have a population that fills its pants when someone sneezes😳
DeleteGood point.
DeleteWell they have to fill their pants, don't they? No toilet paper, mate!
DeleteI like the meme that's going around.
Delete"I'm not shaking hands because of the virus, I'm not shaking hands because there's no Toilet Paper!"
Anyone looking smug?? They own a bidet😶
DeleteJust an FYI guys: We have HAD a population that when they sneeze they fill their pants for many, many years now that I can personally attest too. Cause I have been cleaning up those folks for about...oh...40 mumble years now.
DeleteGood. glad to hear that OAFS, Beans, and juvat are all "safely" at home now...that way the chances of interruption to the Chant are much reduced!! Yea!!!! Now we just need to get Tuna to hang out at his house...
Wash your hands folks, wash your hands...scrubby scrub for 20 seconds...
Well, may the Lord bless you, Suz. I hope there's going to be some folks like you down here in, hopefully about 15 years or so.
DeleteWash my Hands, yes, Sister Marie Bernard!
I would've commented earlier...
Delete...but I was washing my hands. 🙄
Nice brand, juvat, and glad to see the progress on the nueva casa front. Glad it's been acceptable to both the inspectors, especially the important one. And thanks for relating your guest's explanation of the TP panic - explains it all. But I thought us Texans were a more sensible lot than to panic over something like TP. I think it must be the influx of Californians and Yankees that are causing the Texas shelves to be bare.
ReplyDeleteWell, I discussed the situation with the Beverage Manager at the grocery store. (I've virtually guaranteed he can retire in comfort.) He said that he thought a lot of the customers were from Austin, San Antonio and even Houston. He'd heard through company channels that the chain's stores there were out of stock and had been for a while. Migration. But yeah, I think the recent influx of out of staters has contributed.
DeleteWell, there you go. Leftist sheeple all congregate in those three cities to an overwhelmingly uncomfortable and unsafe level.
DeleteThe three men who those cities were named after must not be very happy right now.
Probably not. BTW, the San Antonio Diocese cancelled Masses through the end of the month. Any of that down in your area?
DeleteDon't know. Got tired of listening to the priests spout socialistic garbage instead of inspirational scripture a while Don't know about what the St. Augustine Diocese is doing. Got tired of socialism instead of spiritualism being spouted by the pulpit a while ago. That and being stuck in a room with hundreds of people has always bugged me.
DeleteSo I have followed the 'wherever two or more gather, I am there' thingy.
All that, and wife not being able to sit up for long times and being told years ago by docs to stay away from people due to compromised lungs.
Meh. I am Roman Catholic. The church anymore? Dunno.
There is that last. Whenever they go off track and I start fidgeting, I try and remember it's just He and me.
DeleteThe current trend in the Church about saving the earth, ahead of saving our souls, irks me to no end. My own Bishop is a big driver of that for the Pope, trying to claim it's more important than Pro-Life.
DeleteI thought that might be the case out there, as well as some of the other big blue areas. That's disappointing.
DeleteMy limited experience with construction projects informs me that much of the timeliness is driven by supply and subcontractors.
ReplyDeleteConcrete is a big deal.
Those folks will deliver almost all hours of the day and night, though you probably would want to refrain from pouring a slab midday in July (DAMHIK).
It sounds [sic] like the conditions were almost ideal for a good cure.
MB and I had just purchased a bale of Costco TP about two days before the rush, would’ve bought hand sanitizer, too, had there been an inkling.
I wonder what’s gonna happen when the folks who bought all of the milk realize it has a really short shelf life.
My own plan for this challenge is to hunker down and do puzzles (there are apparent) and read.
We don’t plan on cancelling any planned outings.
That’s kinda out of our hands for the moment.
Refunds are expected.
Yeah, Skip, Mrs J, being a travel agent, has been keeping an eye on cancellation policies. In general, if a cruise is cancelled, the line refunds the cost and gives you a voucher for a future cruise up to December 2021. That's if the line cancels. If you cancel, and do it NLT 48 hours prior to the tour beginning (Land excursion ahead of Cruise), you get a full refund. That can be handled through your travel agent, or if booking yourself, their website should have the appropriate forms to fill out. Different lines may have different specifics, but the above is fairly common. According to Mrs J. I don't know you know what from Shinola.
DeleteI guess I should have been a bit more specific. That cancellation policy is for the current situation. I suspect that when things return to normal and the demand for cruises returns, it will change somewhat.
DeleteMust say you, or Mrs. J, or both have an eye for picking the right people. In this case, your contractor.
ReplyDeleteI've always said, I'd rather be lucky than good. Luck is more reliable.
DeleteJuvat is an excellent Quarantine Specialist. I recommend him highly if the White House is looking for any remote advisors :)
ReplyDelete😂
DeleteThanks, Babe! We try.
DeleteSo juvat floated the concept of you, she who is named MBD, telecommuting from El Rancho de juvat. Any chance you'll take him up on it?
DeleteStay safe, watch for Wuhan zombies, Bernie bros and other socialist nightmares walking around.
As an update, quite a bit of telecommuting has been happening from El Rancho de Juvat during the quarantine. No Wuhan Zombies in sight :)
DeleteMy bandwidth is your bandwidth, love!
DeletePBR me!
ReplyDeleteI remember hoarding quarters as a young E-3 (first time E-3) so that I could do laundry and buy vending machine beer ($0.25.can, Meister Brau or Milwaukee's Best) during that looooong week before payday. I could only dream of being rich enough to spring for PBR.
My pet theory of the moment is that the hoarding is being done in the main by people who don't have anything else to do. They're either on full ride welfare (a minority of the population) or they have a "job" which pays them a great deal for doing nothing. In both cases, most of their time is spent looking to the teevee or the interwebz to find out what they think and what they're supposed to do. People who actually go places and do stuff in reality aren't affected, though they're impacted, irritated, and cranky. The deep state, government "workers," and career politicians may think the time is right to quietly destroy the Constitution and usher in the new utopia. The cranky folks who live in reality will likely disagree.
Cool report on the new domicile process. It's always fun and enlightening to see concrete work done. Proves that there are still some working brains out there!
Yeah, I had a similar time in my early years. 18 was the age in Texas, it was still 21 in LA and MS. Dad was stationed in MS and Coors wasn't available east of the Mississippi. He'd have me fill up my Vega with cases of Coors and deliver them Christmas and Summer. I think that was actually a way to get me to drive pretty much at the speed limit. That...and the Vega probably couldn't do much over 55.
DeleteYeah, I was fascinated with the whole process.
Hoarding of Toilet Paper is solely the fault of the media, who saw what happened in Australia, with little domestic tp production because most comes/came from the ChiComs, and thus there was a run in Australia on tp, and decided to make the nation that produces huge amounts of tp, look stupid and blame President Trump because of... nothing.
ReplyDeleteAnd they succeeded.
Stupid sheeple. Baaaaahhhh.
I liked the posting on Insty a couple of days ago about this guy who went round buying all the TP, sanitizer and such, then got banned from Amazon for price gouging. Serves him right.
DeleteOh, yeah, slab looks neat. I like the huge ribs they cast into the slab to keep it from flexing and cracking. Smart. Though I didn't see the access hatch to your underground wine cellar/bunker/lair. You must have a very good photo editor program...
ReplyDeleteI don't want to give away ALL my secrets. It wouldn't be a "Secret Lair" if everybody knew about it.
DeleteJuvat, you may already be on top of this but, if not, I recommend you take prodigious numbers of photos from multiple angles of all aspects of the construction every step of the way. Include yardsticks for reference if need be. Several times I went back into my home to upgrade/modify something and knowing the exact location of electrical circuits and water lines was invaluable. I also created CAD files of the house's floor plan and each sheet referenced one electrical circuit (R1-R12 + L1-L10) plus locations of water line valves and septic drain clean outs.
ReplyDeleteDown San Antone way HEB got stupid crazy starting last Friday. Fortunately, "Lipstick 6" and her trusty sidekick (that's me!) have been big into preparing for "unforeseen" events. We took one look at the chaos, shrugged, went home and pulled what we needed out of stock. Regards, Barry
Thanks, Barry. I have been taking a lot more pics than I've posted, but the yardstick thing is a very good idea. Will add that to the photo repertoire.
DeleteConcur on the pics and circuit drawings... You can never have enough of them! Glad you got to see the kids too!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was short but sweet.
DeleteThe other commenters are correct the branding iron is awesome.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing more construction photos.
I know a lot of it is the fluffy coat, but that looks like a sizable dog.
Talullah is a Goldendoodle. A sweetheart but a lot of “All velocity, no vector”.
DeleteJuvat, I probably wouldn't touch that PBR Coffee with a 10 foot straw, but there are some amazing coffee stouts out there that are quite tasty.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are and I've got a few of them in the beverage fridge right now. As to PBR coffee flavor, the Beverage Manager said he hadn't tried it yet. That's good enough for me.
DeleteNo basement? Are basements an Upper Midwest thing?
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. In Kansas a basement was a needful thing. I worried a good bit when my daughter was lofted to Texas and a house sans basement. It's tornado country and while I'm OK with the witch getting blown to Jesus I'm less sanguine about my 4 year old girl finding shelter in a tornado in a house without a basement.
DeleteI don't know, StB. No house I've lived in in Texas has had a basement, but that's a sample size of <10. Our new well hit water at 40 feet, so maybe water table is a factor. None of the builder's designs (Tilson) had an option for a basement, so it never came up.
DeleteCaptain, the first house I lived in in Leavenworth had a basement as did the one I moved into when Mrs J got assigned there. There were some nights when we went down there just because. So...I see your point.
DeleteNo insulating polystyrene blocks on what looks like rib raft concrete slab? Unless the temperature stays well above freezing in winter I thought even the good ol' US of A had discovered ground insulation? Maybe I missed them?
ReplyDeleteOr maybe you have those white bags..are they polystyrene??
ReplyDelete