Blog day 23 – shopping day
Dear fellow captives,
Having wallowed disappointingly, and as a result consumed too much wine last night, after Jacinda announced that Alert level 3 will be pretty much the same captivity but with KFC, I have moved on in the desperate hunt for something that may lift my spirits.
Grocery shopping. Its all I’ve got. I live in the hope, vain hope, that said husband will bring back something interesting and uplifting in the shopping that will give us all a boost. Stomach fulfilment is the new life fulfilment in our house.
But I know there really is not much hope of that the new and exciting, uplifting treat coming home in the shopping. You see I married a “list shopper”. It’s an affliction. In fairness I am not sure I knew that at the time I married him the extent of his “list shopping” commitment. But it gets worse, he is not only a “list shopper” he will not tolerate having items added to the list unless they are added in the pre-designated sections that mark the order in which they will be found on the shelves in the supermarket with a different section of his notes for each section of the supermarket. Sigh. Large sigh.
His adherence to the carefully placed and sectioned list has, of course, brought out the childish worst in me. I deliberately place items in the wrong section of the list and see if he notices. I then sit back at home and wait for the inevitable flurry of phonecalls from the supermarket when he can’t find said item in said section. You see that is a marker of our relationship. Childish competitive games at each other’s expense.
Back on topic – the much yearned for treats…
He will also not go off the list. Ever. I know deep in my heart (stomach) that there will be no special treats or nice surprises. Shopping is functional. You get what you need and get out. That policy is also in line with the new household budget that only permits me one light over my workspace not two as that would be an unnecessary waste of power, despite it permitting me to see better and therefore work better. So, we have also engaged in the battle of the light switch. I put my two lights on, he walks past as I work and switches one off. And repeat. All day long. And we haven’t even got cold enough yet to battle over heaters!
And so I wait as he bravely battles the aisles and comes back with the same horror each occasion at the size of our weekly grocery bills – teenage boys clean out the pantry and fridge like locusts although with the cleanliness of a pack of hyenas who have been disturbed towards the end of their vicious feasting leaving the scraps roughly strewn over the feeding station (entire kitchen).
I will look longingly into the bags of groceries and then glance back despondently as I am proved right. The list shopper does not deviate even under the greatest temptation. It’s a mark of his mental strength and stubbornness. He will not budge from the said list and I will not get (many) treats.
However, we have food, we are warm and safe and I will get over my little grumpf. The reality is that we are okay and we will okay. That’s good enough.
Kia kaha, my lovelies, and adieu. Stay safe and remember we are lucky little campers even without treats!
Silky Otter
Post-note: Said husband read column “all damn lies and fake news”.
The Silky Otter – day 22