Don’t Forget the Cheese!!!

As of the last few months, I have been shopping at stores other than Walmart, as the pocketbook allows. Also, there are items and/or brands that Sprouts and Trader Joe’s do not have, so I can’t rely on them 100%. Sprouts gets about 35% of our money, Trader Joe’s about 15%. The rest is divided between Walmart, Smith’s, and Albertson’s. Usually Albertson’s only gets less than 5% of our grocery funds. Personally, I think they are on the way out of business. The stores are mostly empty no matter what time of day or day we go in.

Anyway ...

Today, I had to do what I call a “supplemental grocery run” … meaning “get items we forgot”; “get more of the items we tried and liked”;  and “if there is extra money … get something we haven’t tried”.  The “we” is my mom and I.

This is how the grocery shopping is usually done during the payday weekend, the week following payday, and sometimes … the week leading up to the next payday.

Today’s “fun” was forgetting an item I kept reminding myself to get.

I’m not old! I resist the idea that I’m old, because … I am not old!! For the record: I am under the age of 40, but over the age of 30. 

Now, that we’ve established that …

Today I had some simple tasks:

** From Trader Joe’s – pick up some Shrimp Nuggets (basically huge pieces of shrimp in a bread coating)

** Return some Sprouts Pumpkin Barbeque Sauce (had items that were too spicy and I am allergic to – BUMMER, sounded good) – pick up some Sabrett Hot Dogs (the only ones we can eat) and pick up some ground cumin (cheaper buying it from the “bulk bottles”)

** At Walmart, pick up some Heinz Cocktail sauce (for the shrimp nuggets), some Ball Park Hot Dog buns for the Sabrett dogs, and … GET SHREDDED MOZARELLA CHEESE for the Trader Joe’s Ziti purchased on Friday (FYI: I LOVE cheese … and stuff like that NEVER has enough)

[The TJ Ziti I was reminding myself to buy cheese for]

Simple enough:

Trader Joe’s: Shrimp Nuggets (x2)

Sprouts: Return Pumpkin Barbeque Sauce; get Sabrett dogs and a few ounces of Ground Cumin

Walmart: Ballpark Hot Dog buns, Heinz Cocktail Sauce, and shredded mozzarella cheese

[not the actual product I was going to get, but a "visual" aid of what I needed to buy]

I even wrote out a small list and put it in my wallet. I took my mom to work and we even went over the list … simple enough.

After dropping her off (and before leaving the parking lot), I attached the cable from my car stereo to my iPod, selected my play list, and … I was off to run my errands. I specifically designed my route to take me where I needed to go so nothing was out of the way. I’m blessed in that the way I travel, I pass by SO many grocery stores, so shopping at all of them at once really isn’t a chore at all. And, we do save money.

I took a specific side street that would get me in and out of TJ’s pretty darn easy. I parked out of the way, giving me a better way to exit the parking lot and went in the store.

Got my Shrimp Nuggets (x2) and looked for cheese. Sorry, a bit too pricey for me, and I did need to go to another store. I found something for lunch though. Got in line. Wrong line, the checker and the customer were taking their time with a full basket. Finally, a kind older gentleman (praise be for them) offered to let me go ahead. I hated to cut in front of older folks, I refuse to do it. He said “you’ve been waiting there forever, go on” (and he sipped his sample of coffee).

I was checked out before most everyone as I used my AMEX pre-paid “Serve” card. In/out … out to the parking lot. That chore was done. Bag in the basket in the trunk, me in the car … glasses off, sunglasses on, put cable in iPod, turn iPod on, get settled, start the car … and … we’re off to Sprouts!!

Got to Sprouts. I returned the Pumpkin Barbeque Sauce and got a few ounces of Ground Cumin that cost me … 13¢. Yup, big spender I am. I would have gotten more, but their jar was empty after that. Back to my car I go … 

Put the cumin bag in the TJ’s bag in the trunk. Me, back in the car … glasses off, sunglasses on, put cable in iPod, turn iPod on, get settled, start the car … and … we’re off to Walmart (well, the neighborhood market one)!

Got to Walmart, got a good space to park too! Got out … go to head in.

FORGOT THE SABRETT HOT DOGS AT SPROUTS!!

$%#&!!

Okay, I can handle this … go into the neighborhood market get the CHEESE. Do not forget the cheese!! I text my mom to let her know I will be late getting home, have to go back to Sprouts. 

“OKIES”

I go into Walmart … got the Heinz Cocktail Sauce and Ballpark Hot Dog buns, do self checkout. Whew!! I need refreshment … I stick the items in the TJ’s bag in the trunk. Me, back in the car … glasses off, sunglasses on, put cable in iPod, turn iPod on, get settled, start the car … and … we’re off to Wendy’s. I need a large Frosty (plus I have my free Jr. Frosty key-taggy-dealy-thingy).

Get to Wendy’s, ordered at the drive-thru (maybe the last time too). Go to pay. Problem with card. He says it was entirely declined. I show my phone to show it is “pending”. He says it only paid $0.01. 

That is one penny, one cent, 1¢. 

But, after looking at my phone to clearly see the transaction is pending … “oops, we don’t know what happened. It wouldn’t take off the last cent”. After handing me the receipt, it only processed $2.36 NOT the $0.01 he said. Had I just handed over $2.37, I would have ended up paying $4.73 for a large frosty! Yikes!!

They covered the last PENNY because after all, they had no clue what was going on and almost had me pay twice. I don’t know what was going on either. I had to ask twice for a straw. 

Okay, got a few sips of the Frosty in, throat is happy … back to Sprouts.

I find a better parking space, run in, get the hot dogs … toss them in the TJ’s bag in the trunk. Me, back in the car … glasses off, sunglasses on, put cable in iPod, turn iPod on, get settled, start the car … and … we’re heading home!!

Thank goodness.

Mom texts to ask if everything is okay, I tell her I’m checking the mail (she sometimes has good timing). No mail yet. Pull into garage, get everything out, lower the door, lock garage (by turning off the circuit switch at the breaker), and put groceries away.

Proudly text her that I got everything. She acknowledges … just as I put everything away … and read her text; I came to a frightening revelation:

I FORGOT THE DAMN CHEESE!!!

[No, no cheese here ... EXPLETIVES ABOUND!]

How is that for a laugh? Don’t forget the cheese, I need to get cheese, look for cheese … DAMN IT!!  I FORGOT THE $%#&#!^ CHEESE!!!

Well … guess what I will have to stop and get after I pick mom up from work? You guessed it …

THE DAMN CHEESE!!

At least I can laugh … it’s not like I needed it right now. Oh, and the thingy I got from Trader Joe’s for lunch? Pretty good, and the Frostys were great!!

So … how’s your Monday been? 

Legal Stuff:

I don’t own the Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, or Sargento logos, so if you need them ... look on Google like I did. I do own the picture of my groceries though so please do not share them.

And, FYI ... although my mom may text while I am driving ... she knows that I might be a few minutes in replying. I will either pull into a parking lot or wait until I get home. 


UPDATE:

As of 7:27pm 10/20/2014 (Pacific/West Coast/California time) ... I got my cheese!! Praise be. Of course, after all that trouble, I decided to cherish it and use it another night!

[Photographic evidence that I got the cheese. Better late than never, right?]