Gasoline and Hummingbirds

I have a friend who is a germaphobe, which I kind of got and I kind of didn't.

Until I went to pump gas today.

Holy cow. That was scary.

Seriously.

In this COVID-season, I've been to the grocery store twice and I go to Pike Place Market to once or twice a week to buy vegetables, bread, butter and meat.* Pike Place Market is not crowded (I've heard horror stories about Costco) and it is open air so it doesn't feel like it is teeming with germs. I walk the dog regularly and every few days I go out to get coffee. And there are a significant number of days where I only leave my apartment to go to the lobby of the building. I cut through the courtyard and down the exterior steps and enter the front lobby from the street, not the elevator. I don't touch the hand rails.

I haven't gotten gasoline since February. I had a full tank coming into COVID, so I had enough gas to make short trips. Today, the "low fuel" light went on so I went to get gas.

I had to touch the pin pad to enter my QFC card to use my points to get a fuel discount. I didn't have any disinfectant wipes with me, so I tried to use one of their paper towels to put between my had and whatever I touched. The scanner didn't work so I had to punch in my number. Then I had to select my fuel grade. Then oh my god I had to touch the fuel line handle to put the nozzle in the tank. I tried the paper towel between my hand and the handle, but the paper didn't behave so my hand touched the metal, where COVID can live for three days.

I will probably be dead in two weeks. Maybe not. Most people haven't been driving so there are fewer people getting gas so therefore fewer people touching the nozzle handle.

On a happier note: birds. I saw three hummingbirds together n the courtyard today. I saw a yellow bird and a red bird, too. The red bird I think lives in my rosemary, which will make him quite delicious when I need to start scavenging for food.

Just kidding. 

This bird is way too small to eat.

The New York Times Puzzle Mania came to distract us from the inequities of death caused by Covid-19.
Yes, I am writing about things I see in the NYT because I don't get out ever.

Yeah.

Cute picture of Fox. Because we all could use a little cute, right?

* Mussels. I am really missing mussels. (And pho.) I would love a big bowl of mussels with broth, garlic, tomatoes, butter and wine with a side of toasted sourdough bread.