This Girl's Weakness

Speaking purely from the heart today. I need to confess that I have a weakness.

Yes, indeed we all do. But mine is a bit different.

Like most girls, I do love to shop. But not for shoes, purses or new outfits.  I've always found clothes shopping rather daunting and I would much rather shop for those I love, getting gifts and goodies to suit others, not myself.

My shopping weakness?

Groceries.

Nothing pleases me more than preparing for a shopping trek in my local supermarket! It gives me that warm fuzzy feeling that very few acts really give me in life (would rather not mention what those acts are, life is a mystery...right? *wink*).

It's the nature of the beast, tackling the grocery shopping of the week! You never know what you'll find, who you'll run into, and what you'll come home with.  Altogether, it's the thrill of the chase and the conquering the wild animal that is the supermarket:

A lazy afternoon. I sleep in on Saturdays.
I flip the switch on in the kitchen 
Yank the fridge door open.

A gust of cool air reinvigorates me as I scan
Icebox inventory.

Disappointed that I'm missing too much
Too many gaps in my vast array supplies
How can I make anything delicious with this?

As if a light bulb turns on
And my heart becomes light
I bolt of excitement runs through me...

Grocery Shopping!

Oh how my heart skips a beat
My spirit is lifted
I turn around and frantically look for a pen
Paper
Preparing...

My secondary passion is the list
Lines and rows 
A strategy 
You can't go in without a strategy.

Canvas bags in hand
Shopping cart 
List ready...

My list is mastered
Written in the same order as the aisles
Why to waste time?

Skipping toiletries

Fish monger counter
Ruby red tuna
The coral and white zebra strips of salmon

Beady eyed shrimp
With plastic gloves I riffle through
Being picky isn't a bad thing

Butchery and robust slabs of lamb
Minced beef and whole chickens
Sit perched on display...
Hmm which to choose?

Weaving through aisles
A race against the clock
The store begins to flood 
Screaming babies
Stressed out mommies
Clueless daddies

By-pass the junk food aisle
Straight to the dairy - produce is not to far away
Trays of ivory eggs
Musty aroma of cheeses 
Milk, cream, soya milk

Dodging and bobbing passed "The Idlers"
You know the type...
Those standing in the middle of the row
Perplexed expressions
Can of garbanzo beans in one hand
Can of kidney beans in the other

Sunday drivers...

The radiant colours shining under florescent lights

Smelling, touching
Slightly pressing the tops of avocados
Carrots and cucumbers
Lemons and limes

My sight catches rows of peppers and
My heart goes wild again!

Jalepenos, Cubanelles, Serranos
Fresnos and oooh, the Birds Eye
Red AND green!

A pack of each
I'm tripping out!

I round the corner
And the the sharp interjection of the classic
"Beep! Beep!" of the scanner

I check out and I'm thrilled
My kitchen is full
My fridge bulges at the seams

My mind is still on those peppers
Chilli? Veggie or Beef?
Pulled Pork?
Pulled CHICKEN?!

Oh my day in a grocery store
My list complete
My heart still on fire

This girl's got a weakness
And now you know it...

xo,

The Girl Who Likes to Cook