Grocery Shopping with the Mister

The Mister and I toddled off to the grocery store today. We have to plan ahead now that our closest store, the ex-Albertson's, is closed. Can't just pop over for a quart of milk today and a tomato tomorrow because the minimum round trip is 8 miles. We've been spoiled.


We have three important shopping rules that we follow diligently:
1) forget the grocery list
2) leave the coupons at home
3) don't buy the most important item

Organization is everything.

Mister is one of those people who only wants to park within three parking spaces of the store. He circles around, circles again and then once more. If he would just drop me off at the door while he finds a space I'd be done shopping before he gets out of the car.

But he doesn't. After about 85 minutes he parks any old place.

What the heck.

Next we play the interactive Reusable Grocery Bag Game. It goes like this ( and I fall for it every time)

The Mister: How many bags should I bring into the store.
.
Cynthia: (considers # of items on list plus 2 bags of M&Ms the Mister invariably slides under the celery when she's not looking) Three
.
TM: Three? Do you think we'll need three?
.
C: Yes. Bring three. (holds up three fingers)
.
TM: I think two will work
.
C: If you know how many we'll need why do you ask me? Don't ask me. (left eye starts twitching)
.
TM: Well, I just think two will work
.
C: Two might be okay - it just depends on how you like your potato chips. Whole or smashed to smithereens. You decide.
.
TM: Alright, alright I'll bring three, but I tell ya, we won't need all of them.
.
C: You're such a minimalist. Don't ask me about bags anymore.
.
TM: (Stops walking and starts patting his pockets.)
.
C: What are you doing?
.
TM: Looking for the shopping list. I think I left it on the table. Did you bring the coupons?
.
C: Shit.

At the checkout The Mister encourages the bagger to keep stuffing things into the first two bags until they bulge to overflowing and something purple starts leaking out of the bottom of one of them. Then he folds the third bag with a flourish and announces for all to hear that two bags are plenty.

At home he locates the shopping list and finds that we did in fact forget to buy the most important item on the list; the press and seal plastic wrap. There's about enough left on the current roll to wrap up a gum ball. Got everything else though - plus two bags of M&Ms



pictures complements of Flickr

M&Ms compliments of the Mister

Hey Lady, There's A Snake on Your Lanai

Rain? Yesterday the storm clouds parted like the Red Sea (as often happens) at the edge of Hillsborough County. Torrents to the north of us and torrents to the south of us and a meager little sprinkle in Palm Harbor. We'll try again today. I hear some thunder in the distance. There's hope.

This morning I was greeted by a snake on the lanai. Great. It was a ring neck snake, non-poisonous, non aggressive and small, so I set aside all of my personal creepiness, let the Mr. remain sleeping away the morning, put on my trusty gardening gloves, picked the critter up and set him (her?) outside. About 10 minutes ago I had to save a frog from the swimming pool. She (he?) was tired of swimming around in there, so I just snagged it by hand and set it outside with the snake. Bindy the Jungle Girl has nothing on me, except that she can probably retire whenever she feels like it.

The Mister got an advertisement from Hospice today. They're doing health screenings for major diseases. Stroke, diabetes, heart disease. It seems to me that they are looking for candidates. Don't get me wrong. I admire hospice, but it was like getting a suit altering offer from the local funeral home.

I had a big outing today. We went to Sweetbay to pick up a prescription. 4 bucks! Everything the Mister and I take is available for $4 there. Cool. It costs more to use my insurance. We also took a fish tank water sample over to Pet Supermarket. (there is no end to the excitement of our outings) The guy tested the PH, rolled his eyes and asked if my fish are still alive. I get the message. As soon as I finish this post I am going to clean the tank and fill it with his recommendation of Zephyr Hills spring water. I don't even buy that for myself. It's going to cost about as much as an oil change to make my fish happy.

We also got our daily iced latte's from Dunkin' Donuts. and then stopped for a gourmet meal of Checker Burgers. Don't let Jason or Jennifer know that we still get 1 plain for Layla the dog. They're totally against people food for dogs. I should be too, but this has been going on for several years and she is healthy, happy, at the proper weight and loves Checker Burger day. She's sleeping it off right now.

That was it for my outing. We almost stopped at Publix too, but I'd had enough excitement for one day. Tomorrow I get to see Erica for a haircut, and then stop at my church to help with some administrative stuff for a while. Can't tie me down!

Thursday I'm having lunch with my friend Jill. We spend a good portion of our time together laughing. She's a hoot. Her computer isn't hooked up yet, and she's not reading this, so I'll tell you a funny story. Several years ago she was taking a load of stuff to the laundry. She was in a hurry and just threw it all in the back seat of her car. When she got to the laundry she grabbed the clothes up as best she could and took them in. When she came out she found a bra and pair of panties stuck to the grill of her car. I still laugh about that one! She handled it well. Just kind of snatched it of off the grill on the way by and dumped it on the car floor. During lunch on Thursday I'll tell her that ya'll know about her undies.

Going to take care of my fish. Be back later!