Another Shopping Trip

Well, it had been nearly 3 weeks since I'd done a grocery shop and the freezer and fridge were starting to look very empty, so on Thursday last, it was time to do another food shop. I always feel a bit anxious these days going out to the supermarket and don't really relish it, but it had to be done.

I did as last time and got up early at 7am. This is early during lockdown, as I don't normally surface until 9-9.30am after having read for an hour, but today I had to skip reading in bed, floor exercises and dog walking and head off to avoid any queues.

I went to the same huge out of town supermarket. The traffic didn't seem as busy this time, which is always good, especially when you haven't been driving around for a couple of weeks.  The last thing you want is white van man on your tail hassling you.

The store didn't look too busy when I got there, as there wasn't really a queue.  Why is it though, that people who have completed their shop and are waiting for someone to bring the car round stand, bags and all right near the entrance and hinder people coming into the store, especially when social distancing is required?

Gloved and masked up, I cleaned my trolley handle and went in. It didn't get much better. Inside, it was busier than the last time I'd visited and although I was now fully familiar with the one way system and adhered to it carefully, many other people still didn't. I wanted to tell them, but didn't. It's not my job and I didn't want to get into any arguments, but members of staff possibly could, if only to keep things running smoothly and safely. Some shoppers and others came scarily close at times. I'm still reeling from the horror of it all. (OK, I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but when you've been safely tucked up at home for a few weeks, it does feel very scary to venture out to busy places).

Eventually, I got all the way around and managed to get most of what we needed, save for just nuts and dates, which I find to be super expensive in supermarkets. I'll have to try to go to Lidl or Home Bargains for those at some point. I did manage to buy something I've wanted for ages though today, namely some thin elastic for making face masks.  I've got lots of thick elastic, but it makes your ears stick out, so this will be ideal and I'll be making lots before I venture back to work, as they'll be needed for public transport for the foreseeable. This 4 meter pack should make at least 8 or 10.

I also realised this time around, that I'd jumped the social distancing queue last time I'd come to the store and gone straight to a till. I'd wondered why so many people were queueing up when tills were empty. Durrgh! Luckily, no-one seemed to complain. By the time I'd finished this time, the queue had gone right down and I got straight on a till anyway, which was good.

On the way home, I decided to check out what stores were open in the same or nearby locations. Poundland, Card Factory and Boots were the only stores open on this particular huge retail park site. Nearby on a different big retail park Sainsburys, Halfords, Pets At Home and B&Q were all open.  I headed over to Pets at Home to see if they still did dog grooming, as our dog desperately needs stripping now the weather is getting hot, but alas they weren't doing it during lockdown.

B&Q is useful though, as we'd like to do a bit of decorating at some point and need a few garden things.  I saw someone coming out with plants and was very tempted to go in and try to buy some chalk paint for my sewing room projects, until I saw the queue of 6 or 7 people waiting.  Not a long queue I admit, but longer than I wanted to stand in.  I may go back another day, as it's probably the closest one to us that has now re-opened.

It was good to get home and put all the shopping away, knowing I don't need to do that again for 3 weeks at least. It was probably the most expensive shop I've ever done in one go, but I did buy two of quite a few things, to last us a couple of weeks.

How are you finding Lockdown shopping excursions? I get the impression that most people go shopping every week or more than once a week, just by the small amounts that they buy, but I like to minimize trips and only go out once every few weeks to do a big shop, then top up occasionally buying fresh essentials locally. How do you do it?