Yes , I'm the handicapped grocery shopper. How handicapped.? The first time I shopped for groceries was well after my eightieth birthday. How did that happen? You had to get something to eat.
I've been aware of my grocery shopping handicap for quite some time. It all happened very innocently.
As you know I was raised on a farm in the late 40's early 50's. We bought very few groceries from a store: flour, coffee, tea, sugar, salt and a few other things from time to time. Now at that time no farm mother would ever send her son for groceries.
When I left home I boarded . This meant that I didn't have to buy groceries.
When I went to the Arctic I had to do my own cooking. When I moved into an apartment they brought two huge boxes of groceries that were supposed to last a year. Some things lasted a year. Some lasted forever and some like my case of tomato soup were gone by Sept. 30. Cooking with powdered eggs and powdered potatoes was interesting. Powdered milk at that time was more interesting. I never got powdered milk made so that it didn't have lumps.
Then the big event of my life occurred and I got married. Lucky me. I get a good cook and somebody who will buy groceries.
When I retired I received a promotion in the ranks of grocery shopping. I got to be the cart pusher, bag opener and the bad guy! I went along week after week attending shopping but not participating in the activity. The micro Manager makes a grocery list that makes little sense and leads to all kinds of errors.
Well recently due to some severe foot problems the Micro Manager is unable to shop. I take her list and redo it so that it makes sense. I need to know , brands, sizes, prices and any other info about the product. With my list and notes I happily go off to get groceries. It works well. I get what we need.
Now this big change has happened since I turned 80. I'm proud of myself. I'm not going to give up my grocery shopping duties.
Good for you to find a way to make your grocery shopping a success. I think most women find most men to be hopeless grocery shoppers. They always come back and say something wasn't there or you didn't write that down even though it's clearly written down. If you make your own list, that is much better.
ReplyDeleteI not only make a list but make notes.
DeleteCongratulations on your new grocery shopping talent! My husband sometimes likes to buy groceries but he will usually spend more money than I do. I'm sure the Micro Manager appreciates all your help. Now, how is your cooking?
ReplyDeleteMy cooking is better than my shopping. I like cooking.
DeleteYes, my experience is that my husband always sees things he likes and buy. But I don't like them and don't eat them, men and woman have a different look in shops...
ReplyDeleteYou're correct. We have different tastes.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI hope Micro Manager is ok. I do not mind grocery shopping, hubby and I usually go together. It is always good to go with a list. Take care, enjoy your day! Have a great new week!
GRocery shopping together must have both actively involved in the choices.
DeleteSue doesn't like grocery shopping, but I don't mind, so I do it in these retirement years.
ReplyDeleteThings have to change in retirement years. I fully support those changes.
DeleteI am sorry to learn that The Micro Manager has had severe foot problems recently. I guess that that is what comes of having had to kick her husband's ass so often.
ReplyDeleteAt your marriage ceremony, did The Micro Manager have to promise to love, honour, obey, shop and cook as long as you both shall live? "I will".
I hope your wife will soon be back on her feet, but it's sure nice to have someone who will take over the duties until then. I forgot about powdered milk and eggs, but long ago my mother used them. I thought they were awful. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem like they can do much about the foot problem. We're off to some body who makes orthotics.
DeleteRed you are a lucky man. Eighty years without worrying about the grocery list. :-) Congrats on accepting your new duties in a positive way. And even though you’re on the job, I hope the Micro Manager’s foot problems improve soon. Well, today is Thanksgiving in Canada. Will you be shopping for a big Thanksgiving meal? Happy Thanksgiving to you and the Micro Manager!
ReplyDeleteWe make a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. We don't cook a whole turkey.
DeleteHope your Micro Manager feels better soon so she can rejoin you on the shopping trip! Good for you that you have found a way to take care of the task!
ReplyDeleteI kind of like grocery shopping so I will continue doing it.
DeleteWe learn something new all the time no matter how old we are! Your household sounds similar to ours. I make the list and do the shopping, and my husband comes along, pushes the shopping cart and bags our items. But back in the spring when COVID was on the rise, I made two lists (one for me and one for my husband) and we split the shopping to be able to get in and out of the grocery store as quickly as possible. So he had intense training in grocery shopping! He's now back to being the cart pusher and bagger...and very happy about it. :)
ReplyDeleteMaking two lists was a very smart idea.
DeleteIt's so interesting reading your history of shopping. I don't think I've ever had powdered eggs or powdered potatoes. Reading this post reminds me that my parents went shopping together every Friday for the first 15 years of my life. Then things changed. Different jobs and schedules. Roger and I go shopping together. We run around the store like we're on a race. He always pays the cashier. It's interesting to think about our shopping routines.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention powdered eggs! Care for a mess of scrambled eggs? That's what it was ...a mess.
DeleteSo you CAN teach an old dog new tricks ... good for you!
ReplyDeleteYou bet! I invented lifelong learning!!!
DeleteYou CAN do it! My husband would need the same kind of list name brands and sizes:) Hope the Micro Manager is on her feet soon in the meantime take good care of her:)
ReplyDeleteI am also a good caregiver. Her foot problems are chronic.
DeleteGlad you did a great job shopping and enjoyed it. I'm not a fan of shopping but when I do go, I have my wife's list and it takes me awhile to find certain items. Anyway, we go shopping once a week and are done pretty quick, it takes around 20 minutes. Small store, limited choices makes it easy.
ReplyDeleteSome people also have simpler diets so it makes things easier.
DeleteTom had to shop a couple of times right after my last surgery. He often strayed off the list. "You bought that?"
ReplyDeleteNow. because of Covid, we shop together, and while I make the list and sometimes show him which brand to buy, he is learning. It's funny, though how I can spot what I want on the shelf immediately, point to it, and he can't find it. I guess my eyes are well trained after all these years of shopping.
Funny you mention this. sometimes I look for a long time to find something. What's really bad is the pricing gimmicks they use.
DeleteThat is good. Grocery shopping is something everyone should be able to do since we all eat.
ReplyDeletePeople these days eat too much fast food and prepared food. So there should be more grocery shopping.
DeleteI'm proud of you, too. I would not let anyone else pick out my groceries without training like yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I guess I would have grocery shopped before if this situation had occurred.
DeleteI get to do our shopping as my wife is high risk to the covid. We have a large store and I have finally got the store figurd out. If I forget something from the one end I have to hike to the other end to get it. I am not rich but I have reached a point that I am not watching prices. A two for one buy I can buy.
ReplyDeleteYes, I keep checking my list to make sure I haven't missed anything.
DeleteWe’ve always shopped together because I don’t drive. And because Art has real opinions on what to buy which don’t always coincide with what I think. I’ll bet your micro manager will love having you do all the shopping from now on. Good for you. I wish you could do ours.
ReplyDeleteI'm the one who wants to continue to buy groceries. Foot problems are chronic.
ReplyDeletei always see men are less fond of shopping but grocery is something related to man of the house here in my house
ReplyDeletethough trend has changed and women do most of grocery here either
i am sorry about foot problem of your dear wife ,hope she recovers soon and you get back to your comfort zone :)
Good for you!
ReplyDeleteJB retired before I did, and took up house cleaning and groceries. He lived alone for many years between wives, so he does well.
I loathe grocery shopping at the best of times. Actually, my first husband did groceries, too. When I was pregnant the smell of coffee made me sick. I never took the chore back.
Grocery shopping is one of my least favorite tasks -- so bravo for making it work! Can you order groceries for delivery where you are? We do that sometimes and it's nice for stocking up on staples like paper products, cereal and rice.
ReplyDeleteI think that is one of the most amazing stories I have ever read. Good for you.
ReplyDeleteNever too late to learn a new skill! I’m pretty sure my dad never set foot in a grocery store by himself, and only on the rarest occasion, with my mother. Now most of us have had to learn a new skill in times of COVID — ordering on line, a ‘professional shopper’ doing the actual shopping, and picking the order up in the parking lot. I will be very glad to have my job back when it becomes safe again!
ReplyDeleteAs I'm alone, I shop. I don't cook much, so buying more than a couple of bags worth of groceries is a rarity.
ReplyDeleteThis will be my third comment here, I'm not sure if you're not receiving them or if I don't actually post them!
ReplyDeleteI hope the orthotics help the micromanager. They can be really good but also really expensive and unsuitable for many shoes which leads to fashion problems.....
Grocery shopping is easy when one does it for themselves but a minefield when doing it for another. I'm sure your stepping up is appreciated
I remember seeing a comment from you with the same message. It could be that this old boy clicked on delete rather than post. Anyway here's your comment, I enjoy comments from down under.
DeleteGood for you Red! My husband also needs to know brands prices number of items that sort of thing.
ReplyDelete