[Mr Dog]

I dropped a few leeks and beetroots off for our next door neighbour yesterday and got 3 toilet rolls in exchange. I haven't seen toilet rolls in any of the shops I've been in for the last 2 weeks so consider it a bargain!

[John]

I was told some of the supermarkets are back to normal already. I assume panic buyers are realising they have enough loo rolls to cope with a 10 year bout of dysentery 

[Growster...]

As we're housebound, a lovely chum rang to tell us that one of the local hotels - The Queens, was operating a shop and delivery for a day only, to help keep the village afloat!

First, what a great chum she is and second what a good local hotel to do this! We can get a delivery within 24 hours, and most necessities are included, except loo rolls...

I found I was 131,450th in line this morning for a supermarket delivery, which meant that they could eventually drop something off when I'm 122 years of age, plus a few minutes leeway either way, and as long as the van didn't get a puncture...

[New shoot]

I was told some of the supermarkets are back to normal already.

We certainly have lots more stock at job no.2, because the daft panic buying has stopped to a large degree.  On the chilled side, nearly everything is back and where they have gaps, they are sending subs.  Grocery is a bit patchy, but getting back to normal.  I have seen the holy grail of toilet rolls appearing in numbers    Frozen is OK in parts.  Lots of basics like frozen veg, potato products, meat and fish though.

There is a huge operation going on behind the scenes to get the supermarkets ready for many more home deliveries.  Vulnerable groups and self-isolators are top of the list.  You should be asked about this when you register an account or place an order.  It is happening fast, but I don't know any more than that for now.

Smile at a shop worker.  We are going to do our best to feed everyone, so even though we have been told to keep 2 metres away from you, we can smile back   

[Mr Dog]

I was told some of the supermarkets are back to normal already. I assume panic buyers are realising they have enough loo rolls to cope with a 10 year bout of dysentery 

Certainly aren't round here if this morning's trip is anything to go by. We would have liked to have got some 'luxuries' such as eggs, flour and toilet rolls but haven't seen any of those items for almost 3 weeks now! TBH things were starting to look better last weekend but panic seems to have set in again since the stricter restrictions were imposed.

[John]

Sorry to hear that. Mr Dog.

[WeavingGryphon]

We can't get milk at the minute, we have one container left. There's a milkman started up and he's doing a great trade, we may have to fall back to him.

[MrsPea]

We couldn't get any brown bread or white  so we ended up in our little store at the top of road  for a white loaf, I new I shouldn't have got rid of bread maker last year 

[WeavingGryphon]

We couldn't get any brown bread or white  so we ended up in our little store at the top of road  for a white loaf, I new I shouldn't have got rid of bread maker last year 

My friend couldn't get bread at one of the massive shops. Do bread makers work? We had one years ago but ditched it as everything it made was like eating a brick.

[mumofstig]

I use mine only to knead the dough and then tip the dough out so I can control the proving and baking - rather than let the machine decide what to do. Works for me

[Growster...]

Our hotel, The Queens, took our order this morning, and rang back with confirmation within a couple of hours, to arrange a slot - HALF an HOUR LATER!

So thank goodness, we're done now, there was absolutely no profiteering, in fact we thought that all the prices were the same as the supermarkets!

It's amazing how just a little hard work makes us all feel a bit humbled...!

Thank you The Queens! I hope you get a lot of visitors back when you reopen!

[Mr Dog]

Sorry to hear that. Mr Dog.

Hope they get some flour in soon. Once the rhubarb season's in full swing I need my daily fix of crumble!

[John]

My friend couldn't get bread at one of the massive shops. Do bread makers work? We had one years ago but ditched it as everything it made was like eating a brick.

Val makes some pretty good loaves with the machine. Took a bit of trial and error to get the recipes right, I think. Not an expensive machine, either. Morphy Richards, Fastbake (says on the front)

[New shoot]

 I have an ancient bread maker my mum was getting rid of years ago.  I do the same as MoS and just use it to make dough.  It does a good job of that 

[Growster...]

We managed to get a couple of bags of strong flour today and a small pot of live yeast, and I'm now working on an attachment for the Mantis, to knead the dough and save our knuckles and elbows...

'Growsterloaf' - coming to a village near you; sometime in 2022...

;0)