There have been several adjustments since moving to London. One in particular has been on my mind...
Grocery shopping is a burdensome job to do by myself in London. With no car, and having to take Maya with me, it poses quite the challenge to "stock up" as we were used to doing in the states. Now, it's more of a daily inventory of what we need, what is going to be cooked for dinner all week, and what I have room to carry home in the back pack and under the stroller.
As if this is not inconvenient enough, the actual shopping experience is madness. I can't push a cart and the stroller around at the same time, so I end up carrying a little hand basket that, by the time I'm ready to check out, is cutting off circulation in my arm. The other fun part comes from dealing with people who are crammed into the tiny aisles with their shopping carts, rolling grocery carriers, and/or strollers (filled with screaming kids...Maya included). It reminds me of a game of Frogger. On top of that, any potential breathing room is occupied by display cases and the checkout lines (ask Brett about Christmas Eve). After the long wait in the checkout line and the stress of bagging my own groceries before the worker starts ringing up the next shopper, we walk home, sometimes in the rain. Finding a place to put all of the groceries is another issue entirely. I never imagined grocery shopping would be such a time-consuming part of my life.
As if this is not inconvenient enough, the actual shopping experience is madness. I can't push a cart and the stroller around at the same time, so I end up carrying a little hand basket that, by the time I'm ready to check out, is cutting off circulation in my arm. The other fun part comes from dealing with people who are crammed into the tiny aisles with their shopping carts, rolling grocery carriers, and/or strollers (filled with screaming kids...Maya included). It reminds me of a game of Frogger. On top of that, any potential breathing room is occupied by display cases and the checkout lines (ask Brett about Christmas Eve). After the long wait in the checkout line and the stress of bagging my own groceries before the worker starts ringing up the next shopper, we walk home, sometimes in the rain. Finding a place to put all of the groceries is another issue entirely. I never imagined grocery shopping would be such a time-consuming part of my life.
We end up going to the store at least 3 times a week (occasionally, dad is nice and stops on his way home for us). I guess the good thing is that it gets us out of the house and we always find creative ways to make it fun!
An adventure-yes...a chore-yes...easy-NO
Good reason for making the trek to the grocery store: a stop off at the park.
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2 comments:
I've never really thought about trying to shop in a different country with different circumstances! That would be so hard!! I'm definitely the kind (especially living in Orderville where the next Walmart is at least an hour and 1/2 away) that instead of buying one can, I buy 4. I try to go shopping once a month. It would TOTALLY throw me off to do it this way! You're awesome! :) Good thing you get to go out and show off how cute that little girlie is all the time though... :)
it's painful in NYC too. I took a cab home Saturday. Luckily I live close to a Market that I like ok but I prefer whole foods which is not close at all. I totally get you. I hated shopping when I lived on the 5th floor walk up. It was horrible. These are things you can only imagine when you live in an urban city. No one else would be able to sympathize but trust me I do.
Love you.
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