SHOPPING FOR THE HOLIDAY BIRD

We are having Thanksgiving, just the four of us here. I went to the store at about 7:30 on Saturday morning and filled the cart with feasting foods for us. I was in line behind another woman doing the same thing. The clerk was chatting with her as I unloaded my cart. I heard her say "I love you people who shop early. I don't understand those people who wait until Wednesday night to shop."

Just after I emptied my cart, a man came up behind me with just a couple of items. He said to me "Is that already a turkey and Thanksgiving stuff?" I said I have a busy week and wanted to get the shopping done early. He said "Oh, I never even think about it until Wednesday night."

The clerk and I exchanged meaningful looks.

CHANGE IS MOSTLY JUST CHANGE

I have been avoiding my favorite Raleys grocery store because they have been undergoing an obnoxious remodel. I can cope with things being in a different place each time I go and I enjoy taking to the staff about what's happening, but everything is so dirty and somehow I find that a negative when I am purchasing groceries.

Anyway, they are almost done and I am not happy. Please understand that I drive some distance to shop at this store. I like that it was clean and bright and had wide aisles that management didn't feel the need to block with little displays which I hate because I knocked one over once.

Again, anyway, they are almost done and it is dark and moody and the selection is smaller and the aisles are narrower in order to make room for things someone must have on a weekly basis like olive tasting bars and little tables scattered about so they can kick back and savor the grocery store ambiance. It's outfitted like a singles bar or something. I asked the checker if a man did the new design and she said yes and that he was pretty strange, and didn't appear to have ever shopped for a family.

The wine and liquor area is huge, spacious, the deli is twice the size and there is now a full on Peet's coffee. Lucky for us grocery shoppers, the bank they wanted to build in was canceled or we'd have to shop elsewhere for cereal.

Maybe I am cranky about it because I am getting older and broker and now I can not only not afford the new stuff at the store, I can't find it because it is so dark in there.