COVID-19 Resurrects the Motto: “Everything Old is New Again”

Got Milk!

When was the last time a bottle of milk was delivered to your home?  Do you even remember that milk was home delivered? Wades Dairy Inc. of Bridgeport, Connecticut, is a family dairy that has been around since 1893. They delivered butter and milk for over a century to more than 3,000 homes.  Their last delivery was back in 1992.

Today with folks self-quarantining they have gone back to home delivery and they even offer over 100 products from dairy and baked goods to meats. Since many individuals are not drinking milk, they have diversified their product line.

Doug Wade Jr., president of Wade’s Dairy told the Wall Street Journal: 

  “I never in a million years would have thought home delivery would come back like this”. Cow’s milk is kind of a blackout here. I’m hopeful the tide will turn one day, and people will say, ‘Why am I spending so much money on oat milk?’”

What Egg Shortage?

A lot of people have decided that they are not going to wait for the food supply chain to reboot in these pandemic times.  They have decided to purchase backyard live chickens and chicken coops. In fact, sales of live chickens, increased a whopping 500% since the pandemic.

Google searches for “egg-laying hens” are also increasing as backyards are filling up with eggs.  Youtube has educational videos on how to build a coop and tutorials on the entire topic of laying hens. 

The website rent the chicken will rent chickens to families. Their mission is “Families helping families to bring one food source to your table”. They have recently launched a crowdfunding campaign named “Give the Chicken”. 

A somewhat humorous footnote in raising chickens at home was recently in the news. While at work in the office, Americans have called numerous customer support numbers and at the other end of the line was an employee working from home. The customer support person was in India or the Philippines working from a rural home.

A frequent sound that Americans kept hearing was the crack of dawn crowing of the backyard rooster, common in those locals. 

Now when answering calls from home, clients across America may be hearing that morning crowing in our own neighborhoods, if the trend continues.

Drive in Movies.

Ever been to a drive-in movie? ABC News reported that the Westbrook, Maine, drive-in reopened last Saturday night and was showing the 1939 classic Wizard of Oz to a sold-out crowd. The attendees stayed in their own cars while enjoying the show on the giant screen. That is social distancing. The Capri Drive-in theater in Michigan, also opened to a sellout crowd, however they violated the state’s stay-at-home order🙂

Sharing a Ride? AKA Ride Sharing

Do you really want to take a taxi or text a ride-share on an app, and share a ride? The Covid-19 pandemic has frightened people away from public trains, buses, and taxis. Many car owners who have parked their automobiles for good have reconsidered their wisdom. 

In China, 60% of new car sales went to first time buyers.  Stephan Wollenstein, chief executive of Volkswagen Group China, said, 

“We have seen interest from a new kind of customer, those keen to own a personal vehicle to escape the risks of infection on public transport.”

The Summer of RV Vagabonds

With so many planes grounded, and hotels closed, what are Americans doing for the summer travel season? 

Sure, we can fly on a plane, wear a face mask, and breathe re-circulated cabin air. Or we can drive our own car and stop at a motel or hotel for the night. Then we need to disinfect the room with wipes and aerosol spray cans. Would anyone really feel safe from the Coronavirus taking a flight or staying in a hotel?

Do you remember the VW camper, favored by the hippies of the 60’s or the aluminum skinned Airstream travel trailers that have roamed the highways since the 1930’s. A lot of folks have decided that campers and trailers are the way to travel in these pandemic times.

These mobile motels are available to rent or purchase, and business is booming.  A compact motor home can be rented for as little as $50.00 a day.  Outdoorsy is a website that allows the consumer to rent from private RV owners. It is like an Airbnb for recreational vehicles. 

Livmobil is an Airstream rental company that rents the classic and nostalgic Airstream trailer, and business is booming.  

Currently, we are all anxiously anticipating escaping from our self-quarantine. My wife wants us to try a small mobile home and drive north to see our grandkids. The virus already ran through all their families and we are thankful that it is over.  The idea of a change and some great hugs is starting to grow on me. My wanderlust must be satisfied in the safest way possible during the pandemic.  Having our own mobile motel seems to be a realistic option.

I think I will make an appointment to see about a test drive. 

Everything old is new again. I can now nostalgically drive my own car to watch a drive-in movie.

I can also rent a disinfected recreational vehicle from my home in Florida and drive to see the kids up north.

I will not need to stay at a hotel. I will not need to travel the old-fashioned way of flying. 

 I will get my eggs from the chickens in the backyard and the milkman will deliver glass milk bottles to my home.  Just like the good old days.

Maybe we should start applying for some travel grants