Yes, it's that time of year again. Time for baking and cooking and umpteen trips to the grocery store. Just when you get home from getting all those extra specialty things for those one of a kind recipes, you find out you forgot the eggs and milk. Sigh....
So in the spirit of Thanksgiving cooking, here's my list of things that annoy me at the grocery store. Enjoy!
1. Invariably, I always get the shopping cart with the bum wheel that teeters or squeaks and squawls the entire time. Even though I do a “test” push, sometimes these things like to manifest themselves AFTER I put in some groceries. Sigh…
2. Sub-arctic temperatures that make me not even want to finish my grocery shopping because I need to thaw out. Sadly enough, even in the 110+ Texas summer temperatures, I am still forced to take in a velour hoodie inside with me.
3. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go. With a cart halfway full of groceries and lines out the wazoo at the registers, sometimes you are forced to run to the potty only to find it smeared, unflushed, and stinkeroozy in there. You’d think with all this access to cleaning supplies and such and being close to the food, people would figure out that it would be nice to have clean restrooms in the grocery store.
4. Produce that stinks, or better yet produce that is wet from those little misters! What is up with that?
5. Long check-out lines while you see other store employees goofing off.
6. Why must I always buy the ONE product in the store that wasn’t put into the computer’s inventory and needs a price check? Sheesh!
7. There is nothing grosser than going to the grocery store and having your feet stick to the floor! Umm, what is that all about?
8. The person in front of me in line that wants to price check everything and have the cashier call back somewhere in the depths of the store to confirm prices are accurate and THEN has about 50 coupons.
9. People (checkers) that start asking you about your grocery items. I’m just here to buy them, not have you ask me all my recipes and life history!
10. The disappearance of your favorite items so that you have to wander the entire store and map everything to find what you’re looking for.
We must live in the same 'Hood. My list and yours{rotflol!}match! Our stores around here constantly change... just to confuse and bewilder; as I freeze my butt off with 2 boys in tow. Perhaps "they" change, to keep you in there longer so you will impulse buy? ~bummer~ NOT!
Thanks for brightening my otherwise "soggy" Monday!
Posted by: Sallie | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 06:55 AM
Yeah, our local Kroger recently 'moved the furniture around.' It takes me 30 minutes to go in and get bread and milk now because they've moved everything around. I bet it's some sort of marketing scheme. Get the customer to go to the old 'Hamburger Helper' section, but there are potato chips there now. Customer thinks, "hmm, gotta have chips too."
Posted by: Got Twins? | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 07:59 AM
One of the many reasons I don't bake LOL
Posted by: | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 10:37 AM
Okay that was weird - it didn't post my name or anything, just my comment (see above)
Posted by: Kim | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 10:38 AM
What is a grocery store?
Teasing. Actually I shop at a very small market near my home, so I do not have these problems, because I would hate to have those problems.
Posted by: michele | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 11:34 AM
Okay, your comments aren't asking for my name, but I'm Beth (http://supermom3604.diaryland.com) and you made me giggle with your list. I have to add one thing: When you KNOW you bought something, and you get home and it's nowhere to be found. This happens to me all the time.
Posted by: | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 12:39 PM
Yep, they save the same shopping buggies for me. It's all part of the cosmic conspiracy against me.
Posted by: TW | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 04:16 PM
Sallie, I am the queen of impulse purchases! Yes, you must live in my 'hood'.
Got Twins, I gotta have chips no matter what! ;)
Kim, This is quickly becoming a deterrent to me as well.
Michele, I am beginning to wonder what the true definition of grocery store is my self. I very much have small market envy right now.
Beth, I find these things (almost always seasonal) several months later rolling around in the trunk.
TW, I am so glad you confirmed that it wasn't just me! I was beginning to get very paranoid!
Posted by: Chana | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 04:39 PM
Love this post! I can soooo relate! Stinkeroozy bathrooms that you don't want to use and sticky floors, bratty undiscipline children whining at the checkout...sheesh!
Posted by: | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 06:16 PM
Uggh I have always hated grocery shopping. I always come home with about $300 dollars worth of crap.
Posted by: Shasta | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 07:09 PM
Is it just me or is every shopping cart broken? I used to think it was just me... but now I'm wondering if every single one of those stupid things is broken!
Posted by: heather | Monday, November 22, 2004 at 11:32 PM
I just posted about people who park right smack in your lap in the parking lot at the grocery store. But how about those shopping trips where you spend 89.67 and come home with plenty of paper towels and toilet paper and napkins and shampoo and bandaids and absolutely nothing to eat? I hate when that happens.
Posted by: | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 12:05 AM
Hey there. I found your blog through blog explosion and loved this entry so I thought I'd write a comment.
May I make a suggestion about the green font you're using? I'm personally finding it a bit hard to read, but maybe that's just me. Otherwise, great job!!
My personal favorites: 1, 2, 6 and 10. I can completely relate. And I also agree with Beth's comment.
Thanks again for the morning laugh!!
http://medmilestones.blogspot.com/
Posted by: | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 08:51 AM
Is it just me or should supermarket aisles have arrows indicating which way you can go up and down them? I hate it when you get in an aisle and two carts block the way so you can't get by while they stand there and ponder which kind of green beans they're gonna get!
Posted by: Michael | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 09:07 AM
That sticky floor thing? Happens EVERY DAMN TIME I mop my floors. The only way I know my floor is clean is if its sticky. How sucky is that? LOL
Posted by: Meg | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 09:29 AM
I'm SOOO glad that you took care of this so that I don't have to. When the mood strikes over on my blog, I'll just refer them here....
Posted by: | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 10:21 AM
Hey! I just realized when my post posted without my info that you've got the same issue as Michele. Hmm...Let's see if the preview let's me claim my post. Otherwise, I'll just be VERY mysterious.... Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by: Pink Poppy | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 10:23 AM
Albertsons.com- can't live without it!!
Bring it to my door while I'm still in PJ pants, baby!
Posted by: | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 10:52 AM
Hilarious list! My best friend and I love to do our shopping together and she has shopping cart issues like no other. She doesn't just take it for a test spin, she has to completely push it down one aisle before she is convinced that she has the Mercedes of shopping carts. I just laugh and roll my eyes.
Posted by: Jenn | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 11:08 AM
I can't believe no one mentioned the inevitable pay-by-check dimwits who take the maximum amount of time possible to write out their checks. Hands down the most annoying aspect of grocery shopping, especially in this age of credit/debit cards.
Posted by: CT | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 12:48 PM
I saw a mouse in the grocery store this weekend. Never going back there.
Posted by: Beth | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 01:59 PM
#4 is right on. Those misters are a little too much at the Kroger where I usually shop. Even the sealed bags of baby carrots have standing water inside of them, thus contributing to the rapid funkification of the food in there.
Posted by: Scooterdeb | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 03:48 PM
Oooooh. If you've read any of my archives, you know I loathe going to the grocery store. Those misters - it never fails, when I'm reaching for the green onions, the misters ALWAYS come on. My 6 year old daughter has even noticed it. And I get panic attacks in the cleaning product aisle. And I hate it when senior citizen couples shop together and one spouse blocks half the aisle contemplating items on the shelf while the other spouse blocks the other half of the aisle with the cart parked diagonally.
I'd use Simon Delivers if I could justify the extra cost and delivery fees (I'm a coupon clipper.)
Posted by: | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 05:19 PM
Shasta, So do I and then I want to go out to eat when I get home
Heather, They are all that way -- it is a big conspiracy I tell you!
Michael, I have thought the same thing. I also hate it when I pass someone going the opposite way and I pass them on EVERY aisle! :(
Meg, It's gross, ain't it?
Pink Poppy, Your welcome! ;)
Jenn, I'm right there w/ your friend! ;)
CT, I can't believe I forgot that -- that will have to be #11!
Scooterdeb, I agree
Posted by: Chana | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 10:14 PM
Here's what I hate (in addition to everything that you've already mentioned) - the grocery stores where the restroom is locked.
You have to find someone to page the security guard with a 'code five' to open the restroom door.
Try doing that in a hurry with a small child who 'forgot' to go before you left the house, now - will you?
Grrrr...
Posted by: Betsy | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at 11:30 PM