Today in “Things that could have been a lot more stressful:” minimal-contact online order pickup from Menards.

This all started with it being laundry day, and also being the first day I had new cloth masks, and being the third day in a row that started with moping about all the things I need to do in the new yard but don't have the supplies to start doing.

Over cup of tea number 2, I thought, "Time & past time to get it done. Bonus. If I go today, i can throw my clothes straight into the wash when I get back instead of them lying around. "

The first load of wash (with masks) went in, & I hopped online to check Menards website for options & a continuation of the list making Ive been doing for days now

Once upon a time I hated Menards' website because it was useless for checking stock in stores. NO MORE. I heart it now. Right in the front page they had banner for a super clear shop-your-local-store-online process. So I shopped. And shopped. AND SHOPPED. All safe at home.

I've done this kind of pre-shopping through several retailers now, and I gotta say I never expected Menards' to be the easiest of them...but it was. The site matched what I knew of the store, the pickup-at-store checkout was easy to navigate, and the confirmations came fast, with clear instructions on exactly where to go AT the store to retrieve things.

Very exciting. I swapped out laundry loads, grabbed my mask, & headed out.

Oh--another thing about today. It was also the first day of relaxed Safer-At-Home restrictions in IL. I remembered that as I was driving. Would it make that much of a difference?

YUP.

Menards parking lot was as full as a mall on the last Saturday before Christmas, with cars circling, searching in vain for open spaces. Made of Nope. I am so very, very glad I bypassed all that and went straight to the yard gate.

Everything there was wide open, plenty of room for everyone. Everyone there, staff & patrons alike, had on their masks & also kept physical distance, and that mindfulness...matters.

So, I got out and back with much LESS stress than I was braced to face, and I got all the laundry done too, and now I have hoses & planters & fertilizers & weed control stuff & So Much Mulch, plus sundry other home necessities that were low since I hadn’t done a Menards run since mid March.

Not bad. Which is really...good.

That's all until later!