Our neighborhood is home to about a dozen mom n' pop restaurants. As we walked the mile to the pizza joint, I noticed that most of them are doing take-out business to keep the money flowing. This is great! It's terrible that waiters and bartenders have all lost their jobs but if the establishments themselves can stay afloat, those jobs will all still be there when the danger has passed.
I'm still not convinced this economic devastation is worth it but again; what do I know?
The Picket Fence has figured out a way to keep alive; no walk ins, appointment only and lots of telephone and online orders. Curb side service for things like threads, canvas pick up and finished piece delivery. As of today, I have more than enough orders to keep me busy. I can keep working until I run out of raw materials.
Yesterday I called my canvas supplier, thinking that if they were still open, I'd order a little more of all three sizes I use. I was not optimistic. They are based out of LA. And they get the canvas from Italy. I wasn't surprised that no one answered the phone. I did leave a message and if I'm really lucky, someone will call me back in the next week or so. But I'm not holding my breath. I do have tons of French canvas, which I don't use commercially because it has no sizing and doesn't look good up on a wall but it's actually lovely to use, as it is soft and pliable. Years ago, I used that canvas for a customer who had trouble holding her canvas. It made it possibly for her to continue stitching. I use it for all my own designs and the ones I do for my Mom. If I can't get the normal stuff, I don't think my customers would quibble, as long as they get their canvases.
And anyway, as Jay said to me years ago; if needlepoint dries up, think of all the watercolors I can paint! And oils! Until I run out of materials there, as well.
There are some upsides to this. All those youngsters who thought Socialism sounded great? Now they know what it's like to live under those circumstances. I don't think they really like this.
This hunkering down has the same effect as Socialism but we got here by a different route. I just hope we don't have to shoot our way out of it.
The sun is back this morning! And I got a call from my Mom. Dad had a long, restful nights's sleep. She was so excited she needed to tell everyone. That is terrific news.
I'm planning on painting several canvases today and getting a walk in around the lake.
Lake Harriet has closed the parkway so that there's much more room for bikers and pedestrians so we don't need to be packed onto the walks together. Josie told me Calhoun has been packed with people dying to get outside (no pun intended. Statistically very few people are dying may it remain so) but the roads around Calhoun are too big to close.
This can't go on. Very soon, too many people are going to decided that they'd rather take their chances with the virus than remain prisoners in their own homes, going broke and starving.
Yesterday, the City of Minneapolis announced that parks, pools and golf courses would not be opening this summer. It's April 4th. If they don't rescind that order by mid May, there will be riots in the streets. Minneapolis without summer is pointless. My theory is that the politicians are giving us worst case scenarios so that they'll look like heroes when they lift these stupid, draconian measures.
Give me liberty or give me death (or at least lose my sense of taste and smell for like, a week).