But that’s not the subject of this blog. Grocery store prices are crazy, but what can you do about it? That’s what this blog is about.

Let’s start at Publix– “Where shopping is a pleasure”- but not so much when you feel you’re getting price-gouged. I really feel the prices at Publix have become more inflated than at other grocery stores; even prices between Publix stores can vary. While I expect Whole Foods and Fresh Market to have crazy prices, that didn’t used to be the case at Publix, yet here we are.

Publix

The best deals at Publix are their BOGO’s (buy one get one free). A flyer in the mail will tell you what these are, but if not, the flyers are in the grocery store, when you walk in and BOGO’s are also on the Publix app. I have the Publix app and with it you get perks, like a free bouquet of flowers and dessert from the Bakery on your Birthday.

A look at the BOGOs this week indicates they are celebrating Italian Food so: Sargento Grated Cheese, Fresh Express Salad Kit, Rana Pasta, Progresso Broth, Barilla Pasta and Vandori Prosecco, are all buy one get one free. These are all items I would stock up on. In addition to BOGOs, the flyer also lists items at a “surprisingly low price.” Recent ones included brussels sprouts for $2.99 and yellow onions for $1.69 a pound. It seems most surprisingly low prices at Publix are on basic vegetables.

The other way to save money at Publix is to buy the store brand, instead of name brand items. Sometimes the quality is the same, but not always, so this is a trial and error option, but there is usually a significant difference in price. I usually get the store brand for baking goods and butter.

Trader Joe’s

I am a Trader Joe’s fanatic, but unfortunately, you can’t do ALL your shopping there. What I always get there are: vegetables, wine and cheese, because they have a good variety and low prices for these items. Their bananas, eggs, olive oil, spices, nuts and breads also have great prices. And I rarely leave TJ’s without picking up some kind of frozen item, such as dumplings, tamales, shrimp, Orange Chicken, Hold the Cone mini ice cream cones or frozen fruits and vegetables. Their canned vegetables- like corn, beans and artichoke hearts- are also priced well, although their selection is limited. And, just for fun, they have a great selection of flowers, cute greeting cards and yummy chocolates. Shopping at Trader Joe’s, even if their prices have increased slightly, always makes me happy.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods isn’t a bargain by any means. I once had a tour guide of a winery in Napa say:

It’s called Whole Foods because they take your whole paycheck.

Far Niente Tour Guide

However, I do find items here that I can’t find at other grocery stores. I also think their seafood is very good and have found the prices on bulk items- like nuts and grains- to be better than pre-packaged varieties at other grocery stores. My daughter-in-law Courtney is into everything organic so shops here a lot and says their fruits, vegetables and eggs are cheaper than Publix. Also, organic boxed grains like Rice Pilaf and Couscous are reasonably priced, as are bagged organic snack items, like popcorn.

For savings, try the 365 Brand, which is Whole Foods store brand. Also, if you’re an Amazon Prime member you get 10% off storewide sales, exclusive Prime member deals (on Tuesday and Friday) and free pick-up. Deals on Tuesdays include $2 off Rotisserie Chicken and buy one brick of Whole Foods Lean Ground Beef, get one 50% off. On Fridays, they have a dozen wild caught oysters and any large 1-topping pizza, both for $12. And if you bring your own grocery bag, you’ll saving a whopping 10 cents. Every penny counts these days!

Fresh Market

I don’t shop here often, as there’s not one near me, but Fresh Market does have Saturday and Weekend Deals, as well as a limited amount of BOGO’s. Also, their yogurt-covered pretzels are addictive.

Walmart

I don’t normally shop at Walmart but when I was in Tallahassee recently, I stopped by there to pick up ingredients for a Chicken Cacciatore dinner I made for my son and his wife. I was pleasantly surprised at the prices- $1.97 for a Baguette, $5.58 for Chicken Thighs, $2.38 for Organic Salad and $2.77 for Blackberries. My son Christopher shops there a lot because of the low prices.

B.J.’s or Cotsco

If you have memberships at either of these Warehouse Clubs, the prices on many things are usually pretty good, especially for their brand name items, under the names of Wellsley Farms, Berkley Jensen (BJ’s) and Kirkland (Cotsco). Of course, some of the items at these places are sold in bulk, so you need room to store them and people to consume them in a reasonable amount of time. Since we are only two at home now, I rarely shop at Cotsco and, when I do, I use Instacart– my shopping savior during the Pandemic.

Hopefully, I’ve offered a little ray of sunshine in your grocery shopping days. The days of clipping coupons and traveling to different stores to get the best deal are long gone for this shopper. But with a little useful information and some grocery apps, I feel more in control of getting some good deals. Happy shopping!

Up Next: Tiny Sacrifices

After driving home from the Keys in the rain, my bags in the trunk felt a bit damp. As I opened up the trunk to see what was going on, I was greeted with a good inch of water inside. I pulled out tons of ruined Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons, my reusable shopping bags and gym clothes, all soaked. I dried out my trunk with three rounds of towels. Obviously, there was a leak in my convertible roof, but I wasn’t going to take it in anytime soon, so I spent the following morning clearing out our garage to squeeze in my Mini Cooper.

I’ve had to cancel my Book Club Meeting, which I was hosting outside, twice due to the weather. Then, with the incessant rain, our roof started leaking in not one, but three different locations- the dining room, family room and living room. We have pots and pans stationed around the house and are awaiting our contractor to take a look if it ever stops raining.

On top of that Emma’s cat Eloise has started peeing all over the house. She started peeing in litter-box like containers (baskets, boxes) but now she’s just peeing on anything that is rectangular in shape, including my stove top. When I spied the puddle on my stove top one morning, I thought at first it was another place our roof was leaking, but upon further inspection, it was cat pee. Gross!

And Rachel spotted a rat in our hallway. The one job this cat has to do, she’s failing at! I’ve heard rats have become more aggressive during the Pandemic due to lack of food, but I think it was more the rain that drove this one inside. If it knew any better about what’s going on in our house, it would abandon ship!

My favorite outlet during the Pandemic has been writing and posting my Foodie in Miami blog, but my liquid-damaged laptop has grown progressively slower and slower, making it impossible to write. The Computer guy at the store told me it will cost almost as much to service my laptop as a new computer would cost, with no guarantee it would even resolve the issue. Apparently, liquid damage is pretty serious and it tends to keep corroding the insides of the computer. So I need to buy a new laptop. That was an expensive glass of vino.

Financially-wise, I hadn’t felt the pinch of the pandemic much, until this week. I have two real estate investments that weren’t giving distributions, but I figured that wasn’t too problematic. Then our partner on a store on Miracle Mile (that’s been vacant for more than a year) said we needed to kick in money to cover the rent. My other investment is a hotel in Orlando. Of course it occurred to me it wouldn’t be doing well during this time, but I thought the company would be ok, since they have hotels all over the world. Then I got an e-mail with the ominous heading “Capital Call.” I wasn’t quite sure what a Capital Call was, but knew it wasn’t good.

“As usual,” said the e-mail, “it is you, our investors, who will pull us through this crisis.” Great! In the same batch of e-mails, I got notice that our condo in the Keys is socking us with a big assessment to repave the driveways. Assessing us in the middle of a Pandemic with portfolios plunging? Brilliant! Along with the constant plink, plink, plink of rain drops hitting me this week, has been a ka-ching, ka-ching of money flowing out of my wallet, with no end in sight.

To cheer myself up, from the endless rain and deluge of Bad News, I made myself a little sundae, with vanilla ice cream and a fig, caramel topping. I took one bite and promptly pulled the crown off my back tooth. I just had it reattached about three months ago! I really thought things couldn’t get worse, as I headed out for my “free” hot dog at Riviera, when I flushed the toilet and it overflowed, creating my own personal shit show. While mopping up the mess, with Clorox and Fabulouso, I felt a bit like Job. It’s been that kind of week.

On the plus side of this week, I made my first trip to Trader Joe’s since the beginning of the Coronavirus lock-down. I went on a Monday at 11 am, probably not the best time to go, FYI. While the parking lot seem emptier than usual, there was a line out front, under tents outside. There were little circles to indicate where to stand to social distance and a sign that read: 1) Mask Up/Sanitize 2) Leave Your Bags at Home 3) Plan and Stock Up 4) Social Distance. They were limiting the amount of customers, which is good, but when I entered, the produce section had a lot of people clustered together, not moving. I tried to grab what I could, holding my breath, and then tackled the rest of the store.

The shelves in Trader Joe’s were well stocked and there were arrows indicating the direction of traffic flow. Some customers, like the attractive yoga-clad woman cheerfully pushing her cart down the aisle, apparently didn’t know what the arrows were there for.

“Uh, you’re going the wrong way,” I said, as I passed her, definitely not six feet apart and pointed to the arrow on the floor.

She smiled, nodded and kept going the wrong way. I felt like the Coronavirus police, apparently not an effective one. I got food for my Book Club party, as well as items I always get at Trader Joe’s (wine, cheese, nuts) and checked out $250 poorer.

On the bright side of things, I finally got my hair cut and colored this week! Yipee! If a mani-pedi can make you feel like a new woman, a haircut and color can give you a new outlook on life, which is even better. My hairdresser stopped working briefly when shelter-in-place began, but people started calling for appointments, she resumed working and hasn’t stopped since. I didn’t know this information, or I would’ve been there sooner, but it’s great to finally feel like myself again.

Other shafts of light peeking through the grey skies: I got my first gardenia of the Spring last week. Gardenias always remind me of my Elementary School of Epiphany and the month of May, as we had a nun (Sister Grace) who would keep gardenias in a vase on her desk, in front of a statue of Mary. They smell delicious!

Also, my son Christopher and his wife Courtney drove down from Tallahassee to visit. I was supposed to fly to see them last month, but obviously the flight and trip was cancelled. I hadn’t seen them since December and they had some exciting news to share. We stopped by my Mom’s house on the way to the Keys and Christopher showed my Mom the ultrasound of the baby they’re expecting in November. Sex unknown.

My Mom seemed happy to hear the news, if a little non-plussed. “Well, I figured you had baby-fever, with all the photos you’ve been posting of your niece.” It will be her fourth great-grandchild.

We stopped at Robert is Here to pick up some mangos. They are only doing drive-thru, since the fruit stand is too small to social distance. You tell the first person your order and drive to the second person to pay and pick up. Kind of like McDonalds, but healthier.

We ate lunch at Skipper’s in Key Largo. This restaurant, in the Holiday Inn where the famous African Queen is located, is open at 50% capacity. They didn’t have their full menu and there wasn’t live music, but it was a nice change to be able to sit outside, by the water and have lunch. We saw a bunch of nurse sharks swimming in the canal and their conch chowder got two thumbs up from Courtney and I.

Friday night we got take-out at Num Thai restaurant, which is now open for dine-in business in Key Largo. Shrimp Pad Thai, sushi, steamed dumplings, soup and salad were the items we enjoyed for dinner. Saturday, Chris and Courtney went out on the boat to the Sandbar, as I stayed in and read, watched TV and went paddle boarding. Chris cooked rib eye steaks on the grill Saturday night and I made baked potatoes, a salad and garlic bread.

Sunday morning, we made a big breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, English muffins, coffee and fruit salad. It reminded me of how my Mom would make us a big breakfast on the weekends, when we had a condo in Buttonwood Bay. On the way home, we stopped at Hole-in-the-Wall for lunch. Chris ordered at the bar (behind plexiglass) and the server delivered wings, fish dip and fish tacos. I had a Freedom Tower beer; it hit the spot. There were quite a few people inside eating. Diners are required to wear a mask to their table and to the rest rooms, but can take it off while seated at the table.

My son Christopher wore a mask to order at the Hole, but, other than that, he’s an anti-masker. I give up with fighting with him about this, as it is as pointless as our heated political discussions. Meanwhile, I’ve realized that masks, as part of our daily apparel, are here to stay. Since I’m not wild about the blue surgical masks, I ordered a few fabric ones online. I told the Publix cashier yesterday with the cute sunflower mask: “I like your mask.” It’s the new “I like your shoes” compliment. I suppose masks are a way of expressing our individuality, with college logos, sports teams, favorite flowers, animals and activities represented. For us ladies, this is also a good time to perfect that smokey eye, since lips aren’t visible. “My eyes are up here, officer.”

My sister Kelley told me that she heard, if you can blow a match out with a mask on, it’s not doing it’s job.

“So, you mean, I basically have to feel like I’m suffocating for it to be effective?”

“Yes,” she answered. “Or fog up your glasses.”

Lauren has decided on Georgetown to get her Masters of Law, so that’s exciting news. It was her first choice of law schools she applied to; she’s studying for the Florida Bar now. She’s not sure if classes this Fall in D.C. will be online, in person, or a combination of the two. Emma celebrated her 22nd birthday Sunday in Tallahassee, but we’re going out to dinner to celebrate some more. She starts work at My Tribe, a boutique for kids and teens, this week. Little victories, I’ll take them.

As for me and cooking, I’ve kind of gone on strike. I did cook an Asian Chicken soup Monday, adapted from Forks over Knives and I made the dinner I was going to serve my Book Club (roast chicken, smashed potatoes, radicchio salad and French bread) Tuesday night. Someone in my Book Club wanted to know why I insisted on having dinner outside. “Does it have to be outside? Well, I guess y’all are still worried…”

Yes, we all are worried. Maybe, not as much, but still. There was news this week that if we’d shut the country down just a week earlier, we could’ve saved thousands of lives. And the U.S. just passed the grim marker of 100,000 deaths, which some people are saying is an undercount of the real toll. A tennis teammate’s father, who was a well-respected and philanthropic doctor, died last week of Coronavirus, leaving behind his wife, four daughters and nine grandchildren. Tragic, especially if it was preventable.

We’ve finished doing all the puzzles my friend’s mother lent me and I’ve finished all the episodes of Dead to Me, so can the Pandemic be over now? We are now watching what seems to be the new must-see Netflix show, Schitt’s Creek. I watched an episode of Marie Kwondo while down in the Keys, so got inspired to organize my t-shirt drawer on one of our many rainy days. The concept of items that “spark joy” really does makes sense, the more you try it. So, farewell, old non-joyful t-shirts, hello, clean and organized drawers.

The U.M. Hurricane Football Season is likely to be on for this Fall, but without fans and I just found out my favorite neighbor is moving. Her 90-year old husband Bernie, the love of her life, died last month (not of Corona) in their cute, little house next to ours. She says the house was so much about the two of them, it makes her sad to be there alone. I will miss her.

Travel this summer is apparently going to feature R.V.’s and Road Trips. I don’t have an R.V., but have always thought it would be neat to be able to take one across the United States. The advantage to an R.V. is that everything is self-contained (bathroom, kitchen), with minimum contact with the outside word. Which is probably a good thing, since it’s been reported to avoid Public Restrooms, as flushing the toilet aerosols droplets, possibly spreading the dreaded CV into the air as you breathe.

I do have my Mini Cooper, however, so I’m able to take Road Trips. Just as soon as I get that top fixed-

“Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in.”

Leonard Cohen

Up Next: Spring Meals to Savor.

I think this is the most important bit of advice, should you choose to grocery shop and not Instacart. I’ve been venturing out more lately and some people (like my friend Sherida) like to shop themselves. So “my” Publix on Monza is super-small and the aisles are tiny, so I do not feel safe shopping there. But “my” Winn Dixie in South Miami (although I hesitate to claim it) feels much safer. It’s emptier and more spread apart.

#2 Know the time to go.

My aforementioned friend Sherida has determined “Trader Joe’s is the best” for shopping. They clean the carts, limit people (which I’ve yet to encounter) and have only one checkout line. She says 6 p.m. (when many people are home eating dinner) is the perfect time to go. There is a line, but it goes fast.

#3 Know the lay out of your store.

This is not the time to dilly-dally and debate the virtues of which sea salt is better, or which Chex Mix has lower calories (guilty). Get in, get out. Don’t squeeze the Charmin, or any of the produce. If you know where what you’re looking for is, you’re much better off.

#4 Make a List

The old fashioned kind, on a piece of paper. Try to put like items together (milk, cheese, yogurt) on the list to avoid missing something and having to revisit areas you forgot.

#5 Go Alone and Infrequently

Try to shop once a week. This is not the time for a family field trip. If you can avoid it (and I realize not everyone can), go solo. Three people in the grocery store triples your chance of exposure to the new (but not improved) coronavirus.

#6 When you arrive at your carefully selected Grocery Store…

Put on your mask, grab your list and make sure you have your hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes within easy reach. I have hand sanitizer attached to the outside of my purse for easy access and the Clorox wipes on top. Put your phone away (it is a germ collector), leave your reusable bags in the car, take a deep breath and prepare to enter the battlefield of grocery shopping in 2020. Almost all the articles I read said not to wear gloves shopping, as it creates a false sense of security. Unless you use them properly (and remove them properly), it’s better to go bare-handed and sanitize frequently.

#7 As you enter the Grocery Store…

Some grocery stores now have a designated in and out door, so pay attention to the signs. Most importantly, stay 6 feet apart from fellow shoppers. Your biggest risk of catching the coronavirus in the grocery store is from exposure to other people. If the carts/baskets haven’t been sanitized, grab your wipes and clean the handle and inside of the cart/basket. Throw away the wipe. Sanitize your hands.

#8 Get in and Out of the Store as quickly as possible

With your list, broken down into different departments of the grocery store, start shopping. Many grocery stores now have directional arrows indicating which way to proceed, so pay attention. If there’s someone stuck in an aisle you need to go down, and not moving, go to the next aisle and come back later.

#9 Can’t Touch This

This one is really hard, but try to be conscious of not touching your face. Don’t read the labels of items, just grab and go and sanitize frequently. Same with produce, don’t smell the bottom of a pineapple, or squeeze an avocado for ripeness. Just grab and go.

#10 As you Check Out…

Give the cashier and bag person some space. Many stores are now equipping plexiglass in front of the cashiers. I had a great experience at Winn Dixie (not crowded, quick), until I reached check-out. The cashier was behind plexiglass-glass, but I was inches from the Bag Boy. Let them bag your groceries. Reusable bags are not advised (and in some stores not permitted).

#11 Use a Credit Card, Apple or Google Pay to pay

If possible, use contactless payment such as Apple or Google Pay (on your phone). If not, use a Credit Card, making sure you sanitize your hands after touching the pay pad. Avoid using cash.

#12 Exit the Store

Breathe a huge sigh of relief (through your mask), but you’re not done yet! Unpack groceries (I’ve been putting them in the trunk). Sanitize your hands before touching the steering wheel and head for home sweet home.

#13 When home…

Unload groceries from car, putting bags on kitchen floor. Remove mask. Wash hands for 20 seconds.

#14 In the Kitchen…

Unpack the groceries, wash the produce in cold water and put away. Experts do not think it necessary to wipe down items from the grocery store, especially if you’re not using them right away. From the Department of Agriculture FAQ “We are not aware of any reports at this time of human illnesses that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging.”

#15 Crack Open a Bottle of Wine

Pour a big glass and toast yourself! You’ve survived Grocery Shopping in this crazy-ass, totally bananas time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Up Next: Spring Meals to Savor and What to do with 10 pounds of Stone Crabs.

I asked my friend Martha, who is a social Cuban butterfly, how she was holding up in the pandemic.

“Oh, I change from one mumu to another every day,” she said.

She really misses having dinner parties, socializing, going shopping and out to lunch.

Martha is kind of famous for her mumus, which are not actually mumus, but Mexican embroidered, cotton dresses. If she invites us to dinner and says “I’m in my mumu,” we know she’ll greet us barefoot and dinner will be a casual affair, around the kitchen table.

When I mentioned getting a mumu like Martha’s to Zeke a while ago, he was firmly against it. He thought it would be an indication I’d given up on life. Now, however, I asked how he would feel if I ordered a Mexican mumu and he said “At least I’ll know you’ve changed out of your pajamas.”

Because, even though last week I actually changed out of yoga clothes into dresses a couple times, this week I regressed, staying in my pajamas for more than the morning. It’s interesting to see how people are dressing during the stay-at-home coronavirus scare.

Chrissy Teigen said on Ellen, she’s in her element because she likes to lounge around in robes during normal circumstances. She has a wide variety of robes, acquired from all over, from vintage, to sexy and flirty; Stay at Home orders are the perfect opportunity to showcase them. The Pioneer Woman, who I watched yesterday, wore a kimono over a black top. I like kimonos, but certainly don’t think they’re the most practical thing to cook in, given the drapey sleeves. I can just see one landing in my pancake batter or being set aflame from the stove.

And some women are apparently going braless during this time of social isolation. This was actually an article in The Miami Herald last week. That is how desperate the situation is getting. The only news in the paper is coronavirus-related, even fashion wise (or lack thereof).

There was a segment on CBS Sunday Morning about a woman who went through her closet, trying on clothes that reminded her of happy occasions. She then took selfies and posted them to Instagram. She said it made her feel so much better about life. This sounds like the worst kind of torture to me. I HATE trying on clothes, even ones that remind me of happy occasions. And I’m sure a lot of them wouldn’t even fit me right now.

And there’s also the pillowcase challenge, where people are strapping a pillow to themselves with a belt, and taking selfies. Halle Berry rocked this look, looking like an Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffanys diva, but she could look good wearing a paper bag. I’m not jumping on this craze anytime soon; Lately, I just need a small pillow to scream into on occasion.

Every Day is a Bad hair Day

Everyone seems concerned with their hair these days, and what to do about it. I have a friend who had her hairstylist come to her house and color and cut her hair and also, the rest of the family. My friend Ellen attempting to cut what she calls her “tri-color” hair. She confessed it turned out lopsided. Our friend Sherida said she cut her own bangs and her boyfriend’s hair, but this is something she did before the pandemic. So, if you have those skills, go for it but I will not attempt to cut my own hair, nor any of my loved ones. For this, they should be thankful.

My hair is getting darker by the day, so I broke down and ordered a tip kit on Amazon, although It hasn’t come yet. I haven’t been a natural blonde since I was about 15, but when my hair gets dark I just don’t feel like myself. Luckily (I think) some of my hair is growing in grey so it doesn’t look as dark as usual. Come to think of it, my hair is tri-colored too with: my natural (dark) roots, highlighted ends and encroaching grey strands at the temples.

In the last six weeks, I’ve given myself two mani-pedis and endless facial masks. My nails never turn out as good when I do it myself (they always get messed up) and of course, I don’t have a massage chair, which is the best part of getting a mani-pedi. I have a friend who has her Nail Lady come to her house and I’m thinking that my friends who have Hairstylist/Nail Techs/Masseuses come to their house are on to something. Import your staff and be an island unto yourself.

I’m hoping my housekeeper will consider coming back soon. While the girls originally, in optimistic first days of the outbreak, were pretty good about picking up after themselves in the kitchen, these days there are countless cookie sheets, dishes, glasses and silverware collecting on the counter and in the sink. I finally left a note informing them to clean after themselves and that “Isa is not here.”

It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to…

Emma was supposed to graduate from F.S.U. last Saturday. They did a Virtual Graduation at 2 p.m., but did not call individual names, as there were too many students. What normally stretches over two days, with two ceremonies a day, was condensed into one ceremony. I’m not sure who would want to watch a Virtual Graduation, especially without hearing the student’s name being called. The commencement addresses are usually something you suffer through to see your child cross the stage and grab their hard-earned (and expensive) diploma. Watching the ceremony, without that payoff in the end, seems pointless.

We did have a graduation dinner for Emma on Wednesday. She wanted stone crabs and, as luck would have it, my brother-in-law called to see if we wanted some Sunday. The only catch was, they were selling them in 10 pound portions, so we took 10 pounds and made three meals and a dip with them. Commercial fisherman who used to sell their stone crabs to hotels and restaurants have been left with a lot of inventory and no one to buy it. Stone Crab season ends May 15th.

The graduation dinner consisted of: cracked stone crabs with mustard sauce and butter, Joe’s tomatoes, Cole slaw, hash browns and pecan pie for dessert (Emma’s request). Zeke also made his famous tuna nachos as an appetizer to go with the celebratory champagne.

Since I had so many stone crabs, I made Crab Toast on Tuesday, a NYT recipe from Gabrielle Hamilton, chef and owner of Prune. It was delicious (even though I messed up the recipe). I served it with asparagus soup, topped with crispy prosciutto, making a perfect Spring meal. My favorite meal all week was a Stone Crab Roll I came up with, since I had leftover stone crab meat and a mayo, butter sauce. I served it on a butter-toasted hamburger bun (I had no hot dog buns) with shredded lettuce and a thin slice of beefsteak tomato. It was heavenly. The buttery crunch of the bread with the creamy, succulent crab meat, fresh snap of the lettuce and sweetness of the tomato, made it a memorable sandwich.

Zeke cooked on Sunday. I made a super easy 2-ingredient dip with chipotle in adobo and cashews; I served it with pita chips, cooked in the oven, for an appetizer. We sipped wine as Zeke grilled steaks on his charcoal grill. He made a delicious, perfectly cooked steak, with Gorgonzola cheese, a shallot, balsamic vinegar sauce, baked potatoes, salad and a baguette. Dessert was ice cream with a caramel fig sauce and a pita chip garnish.

Since I ordered seven heads of garlic on mistake, I made Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic for Monday’s meal, a delicious James Beard recipe. I served it with mashed potatoes, Brussel Sprouts and, of course, hot crusty bread to dip into the jus and spread the roasted garlic on. A tip: Farm Stores sells delicious freshly baked bread and it will save you a trip to the germy grocery store.

Start me Up…

I was very excited when I picked up some sourdough starter from a friend’s house, but when I asked for instructions on what to do with it, she told me to “Feed it three days every 12 hours, then once a week. Feed it an hour before you use it.” I wasn’t sure if I had sourdough starter on my hands or a demanding tamagotchi. I haven’t made any bread with it yet, but it’s on my list of future projects.

Probably the most exciting news this week is our tenants in our Key Largo condo finally left Friday, clearing the decks for us to reclaim “our little slice of Paradise”. Joy turned to dismay when we discovered several treasured items that their dog destroyed. There was also dog hair all over the couch and easy chair, which sent Zeke into a sneezing fit. I don’t think we’ll ever rent again. Lesson learned.

People in the Keys (and only Key’s residents can be down here now) don’t seem as vigilant about following rules for the coronavirus as in Miami. Publix on Saturday was packed with people, many without masks and not following the arrows indicating direction down the aisles. The cashiers and bag boys, did have masks, however. People walking down the street, for the most part, aren’t wearing masks.

“Maybe because there are so few cases?” I speculated to my sister Kelley, who’s been stuck at home by herself since this whole thing started.

“Or maybe because it’s the Keys, and people in the Keys don’t like to follow rules,” she said.

Zeke ordered me a cute face covering from the Florida Keys Brewing Company, one of our favored establishments. You wear it around your neck when not in use, then pull it up over mouth and nose when needed. It’s pretty neat. I have to admit, I’ve had a hard time with this mask thing. My sister Kelley gave me a mask she made, but it was a little large and gaped at my chin. I made my own mask with a bandana, but it’s so thick it practically suffocates me when I use it. My latest option, seems the best, although I discovered it doesn’t work with ponytails.

After unpacking stuff we brought down, having to call a locksmith to get into our owner’s closet (I packed the key IN the owner’s closet) and unpacking the boxes from the owner’s closet, we were too tired to cook so ordered Thai food from The Key Thai and Sushi. We got Spring Rolls, a Spicy Tuna Roll, Drunken Noodles and Red Curry with Pork and Rice. With a nice glass of Josh Sauvignon Blanc, it really hit the spot. I love The Key Thai and Sushi restaurant, located in a strip mall near a Dollar Store, and it’s a stone’s throw from our condo, making it super convenient.

Saturday night was Surf ‘N Turf, with grilled shrimp, coffee-rubbed filet mignons, a delicious Caesar salad, baked potatoes and mushrooms cooked with red wine. We used bamboo skewers, soaked in water, to grill the shrimp and we used two, so the shrimp didn’t curl up. Quite yummy and then we went down to the Chickee Hut (which Wyatt used to call the chicken hut) to have a glass of wine and watch the sunset with fellow condo owners. Again, no one had masks on.

Zeke’s returned to Miami, since the girls accused us of bailing on them and he has work. He will now be the chief cook and bottle washer at home, while I relax in my little slice of paradise. “Alone, alone, alone!” as Dorothy told Jerry McGuire. And some restaurants in the Keys are opening for business, starting today. So that first restaurant meal I dreamed of, on the water, with a seafood dinner and the perfect margarita, may be eaten by myself.

Up Next: Easy Cinco de Mayo Meal with the Perfect Margarita, How to Grocery Shop Safely and What to do with Ten Pounds of Stone Crabs.

“Well, I’m still alive,” my mother said. “I haven’t got it yet.”

She said she was finding plenty of things to keep her occupied, painting a wall workers had recently fixed, which led her to painting her lanterns “while the paint was out”. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie scenario, and working in the yard and taking walks. Bob, on the other hand, is “like a caged lion”, according to her, since he’s not going to work.

“Are you going to the grocery store?” I asked.

“No!” she said.

She’s using Instacart for Publix deliveries.

“I’ve had some strange experiences,” she said. “The first person who shopped for me seemed like someone who had never been to a grocery store before. I don’t even know what some of things they got for me are or how to cook them.”

It sounded similar to my first experience, where they crammed five bags of food into two paper bags and put the rolls on the bottom of the bag. Who does that?

The second time she ordered Instacart she requested a turkey breast to cook and instead they brought her something that looked like it came from the deli. It would be good for sandwich meat, she agreed, but she wanted to roast the turkey herself. She said one store she ordered from was going to take days to deliver, but another only hours, so she cancelled the first one.

My second Instacart experience was better, but they replaced a Buy One Get One free (BOGO) can of 15 ounce refried beans for one huge 32 ounce can. I also asked for whole mushrooms, but got sliced. Not the same, the sliced mushrooms go bad much quicker. Anything pre-sliced, like lettuce in a bag, is more perishable.

My third Instacart experience was last week. I ordered it Tuesday and was told it would be filled between Tuesday and Saturday- kind of a long range of time, but I guess a lot of people aren’t going into grocery stores and needed supplies for Easter and Passover. They also charged our credit card for the items before they were delivered, which I found strange, especially since they were apt to be out of items.

This experience was better. My paper bags of groceries were left on the bench by the front door, as requested. My Instacart shopper must have been new, because she took a photo of the bags on the bench. They keep you informed when they are shopping via text and let you know if they replace items or if they are out. So, no Easter jellybeans, Cadbury chocolate eggs or marshmallow Peeps (my favorite), but they did have Lindt Easter Chocolate Bunnies, although I found out later they replaced 2 milk chocolate for white chocolate. Also, I got a spiral ham, seeded rye bread (they were out before), asparagus and a fresh pineapple. Who knew I would appreciate simple, basic food so much?

I’d ordered three dozen eggs, one to hard boil, one for Lauren, but only got one as I think they’re limiting them to one per family. My whole mushrooms were substituted for sliced again, despite my note that I didn’t want sliced if they didn’t have whole. She replaced my Reese’s Eggs with Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. The Sargento pepper jack cheese slices were replaced with pepper jack sticks (not the same!) and since they were out of Cascade dishwashing detergent, I got the pods. I also had to substitute Tide liquid for pods. I never buy pods because I think they’re wasteful and lazy. But desperate times-

Instacart shops at these stores:

Publix, Aldi, Total Wine, Cotsco, CVS, Petco, Milams, BJ’s, ABC Wine, Fresh Market.

Prices tend to be more than if you shopped yourself and there is a delivery fee and service fee. I was happy to see, however, that Publix was offering BOGOs and honored coupons, but these items seem to sell out quickly. There’s also an option to join Express that gives you free delivery for $99 a year or $9 a month.

Some tips for InstaCart:

• Busy days are Sundays and Monday, so try to order on days other than that.
• Keep a list and order all your items at once.
• Order bigger packs (like family packs of chicken) and break it down to save on frequency of ordering.
• Choose your preferred replacements. If you don’t want a replacement, note it on your order.
• Choose Leave at my Door delivery. You can also tell them where to leave it.
• You can also send groceries for friends and family in a lot of different cities.
• Thank your shopper with a tip, especially in these times.

I talked to my friend Tami, who’s been using Instacart for two years (on the advice of her hairdresser) with much success.

“You’ve got to take Instacart these days with a grain of salt,” she said. “They’re not doing so well in the Pandemic.”

She sent me an email from Publix basically apologizing to Instacart customers for the difference in their shopping experience these days. Tami told me: “There’s a bit of a learning curve, but after you master Instacart, it’s great.”

The first time I ordered on Instacart, I went through the departments one by one and ordered. I found it time consuming. I did better with a list, but pay attention to the packaging. I ordered my Siggi’s yogurt, but got 9% fat instead of 2%! I didn’t even know there was a 9% fat yogurt. And my sister Kelley recently ordered all-purpose flour from Cotsco, only to have a 10 lb. bag delivered. That’s a lot of banana bread being made.

According to Tami, shopping during the Pandemic is “a whole different ballgame” and stores are out of many items they would normally have. And even though she’s requested a specific place to drop the groceries, saving her from lugging heavy items like dog food, the Instacart shopper doesn’t always follow these instructions. This could be due to a language barrier, or the influx of new, inexperienced shoppers hired by Instacart during COVID-19.

Another thing Tami loves about Instacart, is that they can deliver to different cities. This came in handy when her son, who goes to college in Boston, got sick. She was able to send him chicken soup, medicine and snacks, via Instacart.

Another friend uses Instacart to Host a Hero. With this non-profit charity, donors with a second home offer their places for an active duty military person and their family to vacation. Since my friend likes to have the fridge stocked for the family, she lets Instacart know when the family arrives and they deliver groceries to the door. For more information on this worthy charity, check out their website hostahero.org.

The last time I checked Publix via Instacart , they were out of Clorox Wipes, 409 and rubbing alcohol, but they did have toilet paper, including my family’s preferred brand, Charmin.

Her three important tips on Instacart shopping are:

1) When you’re ordering you can choose a replacement (like Publix butter for Land ‘O Lakes) or you can put “Do not replace.”

2) Once your Instacart shopper starts shopping, pay close attention. They will text you, let you know if they are out of items at the store and if they are replacing them with something else. There’s a window to chat with your shopper while they’re shopping. This is the time to tell them if you’re ok with the replacements they’re making.

3) Tip well. Instacart automatically adds a tip, but that can be adjusted and she believes it is reflected in the shopping experience you receive.

I wanted to report a problem with my purchases, but when they sent me an e-mail saying “How was your Instacart experience?”, it had a photo of my shopper, with a star rating. I didn’t want to get my shopper in trouble, so didn’t bother with that, but when they forgot my cauliflower, they did refund me right away. Tami told me there is another area on the website where you can report a problem, other than the star rating.

She also said if they give you the wrong item, they will refund it for you.

“I know they’ll refund me, but I’d rather have the item I wanted and that they read my notes.” There is a section to leave your shopper a note (like don’t substitute my whole mushrooms for sliced) but obviously, they don’t always read them. Despite that-

“Overall,” said Tami, “I love having Instacart.”

Instacart can be a lifesaver, literally, in these uncertain times.

Up next: Week in Review and Foods to fight Viruses