Adventures in Grocery Shopping

Amazingly, there were handicap parking spaces available, right in front of Costco and right before Costco opened for senior hour. I probably should have been suspicious, but then, it’s been awhile since I’ve gone shopping. Chris usually does the shopping and he’s more in tune with what we need, rather than what sounds good in the moment. I tend to shop like my dad.. more so after spending a number of years shopping with him. I was good today. I did not buy the extra large two pack of Nutella.

After I parked, I noticed there was a line of people with baskets, standing in socially acceptable blocks of space. Ah. Though I’d gotten up too early and wasn’t 100% at the top of my game, I realized I’d have to get in the line. Fine. The line snaked around the corner of the building. It’s okay, I thought. It’s early. I walk better in the morning. Cruising around the corner, I gasped to see the line all the way down and around the next corner. Okay, I thought, I’m here already. I may as get in line and do this.

I parked the car at 8:10. I got to the end of the line at 8:25. Cruising may have been a bit of an exaggeration. At 8:31, a masked man came down the line, yelling to everyone to make sure they have their Costco cards out to be checked at the door. Not doing so would hold up the line.

At 8:35, I was at the front door, showed my card to the nice young person outside the door, then put it in my purse. Another 5 steps and a young woman asked to see my card. Oops. I guess the other guy was just directing traffic. I fumbled in my purse for the next minute or two and finally pulled out the card again. Everyone was glaring at me. I took my cart and went down the first aisle I could.

From there on out, I lost track of time. It is with great excitement I can announce - they had toilet paper! I got a 30 roll pack of Charmin. Charmin! Not scratchy cheap generic 1 ply, but TP for royalty! I would have jumped for joy, but having used most of my energy reserves waiting in line, I decided to save what remained to (hopefully) keep the brain running on all synapses. It worked for awhile.

I don’t do the shopping anymore because I wimp out before I get to the things we really need. I’d come home with Nutella and chocolate chips, but no fresh fruits and vegetables. Chris kindly decided to take over so we’d live long and prosper.

I did not come home with Nutella today.

So why did I go to Costco by myself today? Because I was awake and up and had my morning energy and the senior hour was from 8:30 to 9:30 and I wanted to do it.

To my credit, I came home with asparagus, oranges, chicken, cheese, strawberries, potatoes… all in large Costco size quantities. I also came home with 4 lbs of powdered sugar, 4 1/2 lbs of chocolate chips, and two large jars of pickles (one dill, one sweet and spicy). Then I wore out. I had a list of everything else we needed, but the legs said no and the brain said huh? and I figured maybe I’d best get home before I passed anything shiny to pick up and bring to our nest. Animal instincts were about all I had left. I also desperately needed to pee.

So, back to the car, took the mask off and took a deep breath of fresh air. Despite having an itch start in my left eye and travel down to my nose, I did not touch my face. By the time I arrived home, the itch had become a twitch and I abandoned the car for Chris and Patrick to unload, taking myself in for cleaning.

Chris said I did well, which I think means he’d let me do it again. Nice. He didn’t even say anything about the chocolate chips or the 4 lbs of powdered sugar. If we run out of meat and there are shortages, we’ll just have to live on chocolate chip cookies. And pickles.

Maybe next time I’ll have enough energy to find the spaghetti noodles and jam and whatever else was on the list. Maybe we’ll just order them from the regular supermarket.

I wonder if they have Nutella?

Off to Boston

I'm off to Boston next week, on the bus, by myself. Partly to check out the dental school clinic and have a free dental exam and partly to reassert my ability to be independent. So, I'm going for the whole day and will be able to do a little sight seeing before my late afternoon appointment. Maybe stop at a couple of the old cemeteries that are close by....? Maybe the Boston Tea Party Museum...?

Reality check - it's supposed to be 20 degrees. I may be hanging out at South Station for awhile.

My journal has been suffering from severe neglect over the last year and, with a few hours to sit, drink tea, and people watch, maybe I can catch up on a little writing. I’ll bring my handy dandy neo writer with me so I won’t get distracted by the internet. The Neo runs on 2 AA batteries which can last a year or more and it’s practically indestructible. South Station looks beautiful - like Union Station in Denver. Good place to people watch.

There’s a lot to write about, even if I don’t count the half dozen articles I’ve started and are now languishing in the drafts folder. We’ve been living in New England for almost an entire year now. There’s got to be a few stories in there. There’s one in particular I want to share which is about a unique exercise program for people with Parkinson’s. I visited once and I actually did some boxing and I actually enjoyed it. Me. I didn’t expect to, but then I didn’t know I’d be boxing to music.

After the visit, I came home with the email address of one participant, who invited me to her house for tea, along with another woman whose husband is in the program. From them, I learned where the best movement disorder specialists are (Boston and Hartford), where there are other exercise programs, how to find scholarship grants to help pay for exercise programs, and I learned that New Englanders aren’t as standoffish as I’d always heard.

I’ve actually met a number of lovely women around my age. Many of them are named Karen. Considering the challenge I have with remembering names, this could be a good thing. I never forget my friends. Who THEY are is so much more than just a name.

I could also follow the lead of my niece who, at the age of 3 didn’t realize her preschool classmates came pre-named. When I asked her what her friends’ names were, she replied, “I don’t know. I haven’t named them yet. I think I’ll call one Cinderella.”

Hey friends, guess what? If I start having a lot of trouble remembering names as I get older, y’all are gonna be Karen.