Quarantine Diary 7: What a lifetime supply means at 70

One of the things I’ve missed most during the quarantine has been the act of shopping. It’s definitely a first-world problem, but still. I don’t necessarily buy anything, but I enjoy simply wandering through a store, imagining how an item might look in my home, or trying on a few things. It gives me pleasure. Online shopping doesn’t quite scratch the same itch. Although I’m definitely giving it a good try.

A month or so ago, while doing some virtual window-shopping, I stumbled upon this and decided to treat myself to a new, well-made “hotel’ swimsuit. The last one I bought from Lands End was over ten years ago, purchased for a Caribbean cruise. It’s still in good shape (like me, ha-ha) because I only take it on vacation and don’t subject it to the punishing amount of chlorine present in a hot tub. That’s what those $20 suits from Costco are for. But this one was so very cute. So, when Lands’ End offered a HUGE discount (60%!) and free shipping, I decided it was time for an update. When I showed my daughter, she assured me with just a hint of eye-roll, “that is so you.” Just who would else would it be?

A few weeks later, with another substantial discount and free shipping, I ordered the sarong-style coverup. I prefer this style because it gracefully covers the little dimples and sags of my thighs.

At seventy, this may be the last hotel swim ensemble I ever buy. Will I ever travel again? Will I need or want a new suit at 80? At 90? It got me thinking about what having a lifetime supply might mean now.

A few weeks ago, Lands’ End (are you sensing a theme here?) once again emailed me

with the promise of 12” shorts—something I haven’t been able to find for at least ten years when I bought my last oxymoronic long shorts. My daughter–again with an eye-roll–reminded me that shorts that long hadn’t been available for a reason. No doubt a crack about my sense of style, or lack thereof. Sorry. At my age, anything shorter reveals too many of the cumulative effects of gravity. True, I usually wear capris in the summer, but sometimes shorts are simply more comfortable. I bought two pairs. Once again, probably a lifetime supply.

Then last week when I made some tasty pumpkin spice muffins, I noticed that I’d used up nearly all of my cupcake papers. There were just a few left and they had jack-o-lantern faces. I only make muffins or cupcakes once or twice a year, but being out of something makes me add it to the weekly shopping list. Two markets—both Walmart and Raley’s– were out. That’s just weird. But the pandemic has made everything a bit weird. So I checked Amazon. Bingo! But they were only $8.00 for a package of 300! 300!

So now I have a lifetime supply of adorable polka dot cupcake papers.

All of this gives me pause. What else do I have a lifetime supply of? As you might imagine, my daughter keeps me well-supplied with snark and eye-rolls. Bless her heart. But to be fair, I inherited a lifetime supply of other intangibles as well. Love. Hope. Optimism. Kindness. And it is for those that I am most heartily grateful.