To Market, to Market

Marching through the month with the April A-Z Blog Challenge...

Day 6-G is for Grocery Store Grace

Let's talk grocery shopping. Or food shopping. Or marketing depending where you live. A bit random, but in my mind home and food go together so it works. Plus the topic came up in this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge and it was interesting to read how people feel about bagging their own groceries, canvas vs. plastic, baggers using too few bags, and baggers who use too many. I think we're all in agreement putting it away once we're home is our least favorite part of the job.

I do most of the grocery shopping, and I think it's one of the more enjoyable household chores. There's something very satisfying to me about a full cart. When hubs was momentarily retired he occasionally accompanied me to the store. He doesn't mind grocery shopping now and then. Sometimes I'd send him on his own with a list, but not often because as I've thought about my shopping habits, I've come to the conclusion I'm particular.  I did decide if he shopped I would not complain about what he bought so that's something.

We moved to SC from NJ back in August. The store in tinytown NJ did NOT bag your groceries, and I'm okay with that. In fact it's my preference, because I like my groceries bagged a certain way. I mean it only makes sense to put all the cold items together and not to put milk, juice and water into one flimsy plastic bag, yet sometimes that's exactly what you get when someone else loads the bags.

The store here is lovely. Truly, everyone is so nice and you can never really shop in a hurry because you need to allow time to chat with the boy stocking the shelves and the lady running the register and the manager who is always there cheerfully jumping in wherever needed. You will not pass one store employee who doesn't stop what he's doing, look you in the eye and say hello, or ask you how it's going.

This has taken a bit of getting used to. Sometimes I just wanna shop sans conversation, but I feel like Jesus has been using this grocery store to teach me patience. I'm a work in progress. One day I stood at the register for nearly fifteen minutes while the cashier and the lady checking out in front of me searched for a peach that had rolled into oblivion.

I wanted to say, 'listen I will just run right over to produce and grab you another', but they were determined to find the one that got away. They did not, but that's neither here nor there. If I'm truly in a hurry I sometimes go to a different, less-friendly-just okay-store, but the truth of the matter is, I'm rarely in a hurry. So why do I feel impatient when everyone around me is relaxed and being nice?

Like I said, I'm learning a lot as I do my weekly shopping.

Now, the store I like best not only bags my groceries, but quite often they try to actually unload the items in the cart onto the belt. Y'all I still cannot handle this! I've become accustomed to the bagging, but I will wrestle that girl down before I let her unload my cart. I need to unload it the way I want it bagged, with all the cold things on the belt together, all the produce together, etc. Plus I don't like them handling all my groceries. Hubs says I'm nuts because thousands of people have probably touched that bunch of broccoli as they've shopped, and they touch it again when they load it into the bag, but go ahead and call me crazy. Or a Jersey girl.

Once it's all bagged they wheel the cart to my car and unload it into the trunk. Then I rearrange it all, but maybe that's also just me? They never rush me, never make me feel like they're in a hurry, and always wish me a wonderful day. I'm hugely appreciative of the employee returning the cart back to the store and the store has a firm no tipping policy, so no awkward pressure there but I often find myself thinking I could easily do it myself.

When we first started shopping here I did try, but eight months later and I'm all about letting the bagger wheel my buggy right on out to the car. We chat as we walk and I notice the color of the sky. I get in my car feeling grateful for friendly strangers who remind me life is not a race to the next thing on my list. That life is about this thing, and that people who notice people make the world a better place.

You can learn a lot at your friendly neighborhood store.

You want random on Wednesdays? I got Random on Wednesdays...

Normally on Wednesdays I participate in the Weekly Random Dozen but our hostess Linda is taking the month of June off so I'm on my own with random stuff today. Fortunately random is more or less the theme of my blog so I'm not too worried.

Here's my own 'random dozen' thoughts this morning-

1. In a funny coincidence it turns out the restaurant where we had dinner last night is the very same restaurant where Danielle and Dina held their tete-a-tete on Monday night's episode of Real Housewives of NJ. I learned this piece of trivia from a guy my hubs works with which just goes to show you that you never know who is watching Real Housewives.

2. Our dog is a bird dog. We've never hunted with her but the instinct is there and every once in a while we're reminded of that fact. Like Monday night. She was out in the yard when hubs arrived home and he could tell she had something in her mouth so he called her over but naturally she ran the other way. He finally managed to get a look only to discover it was a baby bird. Ewww! We're pretty sure it fell from a nest and was already dead when she got hold of it because she is much more of a super model than a successful hunter. She loves to stalk birds, squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs, and chipmunks but the only animals she has ever actually caught were injured, thus unable to escape.

3. I had a birthday cake delivered to daughter1 on Monday and I had to smile a little. When I placed the order the lady asked what I wanted on the cake and I said 'Happy Birthday Daughter1' (except I inserted her name). She then asked me if I wanted an enclosure card delivered with the cake and if so what should it say. I told her the card should say, " Happy Birthday Daughter1 (insert name of course). Love, Mom and Dad". So daughter1 sent me a pic of the cake and right there on the top it says 'Happy Birthday Daughter1's name, Love Mom and Dad'.

Ha-have you been to the website Cake Wrecks?

4. One year ago this month we moved back to the US from across the pond. I have a few thoughts about this (shocking I know!) which I think I'll save for another post.

5. Twenty six years ago this month I married my honey. Go us!

6. Tomorrow night we're going to a concert and I'm super excited. We'll see Keith Urban, The Dixie Chicks and my favorite band ever, The Eagles. Kind of an interesting combo of musicians but whatever. It will be at the brand new Giants stadium and yay! for corporate boxes.

7. I'm rooting for the Flyers in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I know they're the underdog but don't count them out yet. There's a reason their nickname is The Broad Street Bullies. And in keeping with my random theme, here's a piece of useless information for you...I spent four years of high school sitting beside the son of the Flyer's then coach, Fred Shero. The Flyers won two Stanley Cups when he was boss. It ain't over til its over!

8. I had a pedicure yesterday. I heart pedicures. To the nth degree. One of my favorite ways to spend an hour. When I eventually get to China with my hubs I will be having a foot massage for sure. They come highly recommended.

9. Speaking of China...here is a picture of a squirrel fish prepared for my hubs on his recent trip to Shanghai-

It looks a little bit like a blooming onion but tastes nothing like a blooming onion. Because its a fish. According to my hubs, it is also delicious. The part sticking up is actually pieces of the fish that have been breaded and deep fried. And hey, this post may be random but you can't say it isn't educational too.

10. I am in love with a plant called trailing verbena...

It is beautiful in a pot or basket and comes in many gorgeous colors. My mom had some purple and white trailing verbena in pots at her house and they were just jammed with blossoms. Of course my mom can look at a plant and it will grow. I have two hanging baskets filled with shades of pink and so far so good.

11. I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow and that makes me happy. As long as my hairdresser doesn't do anything crazy I mean.

12. We also have house guests arriving tomorrow and then more arriving on Friday and as a result I have a zillion things to do today errand -wise. Which means I best get off the computer and on to my to do list. Ciao!

A Real Housewife from NJ

Yesterday I was cleaning out my refrigerator because that is what real housewives from NJ do and as I was cleaning I saw a couple of episodes of the show by the same name and it got me to thinking about something. Do people who read my blog watch that program? Do people who read my blog think all NJ housewives are like the women on that show? Does anybody think I sit around with my friends every day and every night and talk about other 'friends' who aren't there? Excessively. To the point that you want to cover your ears and sing lalalalala when they start talking? Does anybody think I would spend over $1900 in one fell swoop in a children's boutique? Does anybody think my hubs would be okay with it if I did? Uh...he wouldn't, just so we're clear.

Speaking of reality programming (and I think 'reality' is now a misnomer because seriously, editing is not part of 'reality'), are you watching The Bachelorette this season? Last night was something. Not sure what word to use but let's just say the new bachelorette is definitely the touchy feely type. Can we say awkward? I can't help myself...I always think of their mamas watching and cringe. Alot.

And my poor hubs.

I saw the first two episodes when he was out of town but when we were channel surfing over the weekend (yeah, the life of a NJ housewife really is pretty exciting) I told him that they were replaying last week's episode if he wanted to catch up and he said, "I am NOT watching that!" Last night he had a business dinner and I was secretly happy because it meant I could watch the new episode and text my daughter back and forth with commentary throughout the show because that's what we like to do.

Except hub's dinner ended early and he came in while the show was still on.

Oh dear.

So he sat down on the couch and began telling me about some stuff at work and before you know it he is commenting on the wrestler's hair and all the tears and whoa, she's friendly isn't she? Again, it's like a train wreck... you just can't help but get sucked into the drama that is reality television. And fyi, boy drama on The Bachelorette is different than girl drama on The Bachelor. And I know it sounds sexist but it feels different watching a Bachelorette audition potential husbands than it does watching a Bachelor audition potential wives. Different in a sleazy icky sort of way.

Okay, back to the real housewife from NJ...today I'm headed to the gym and then will finish up some cleaning in preparation for house guests arriving Thursday, plan menus, indulge in a pedicure, vote in the primary (yes, real housewives from NJ vote), and meet hubs and some friends for dinner later. There will be no swearing, no table turning, and no excessive bling in case you are wondering. Just another glamorous day in paradise NJ.

I really don't understand why I don't have my own show?