Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Walking in Circles


Today's grocery shopping expedition presented me some unique challenges.  What does one do when one is in a land that is new and yet familiar?

Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE Aldi.  It's the ultimate in grocery shopping with great quality, not too many choices, and logical, consistent store layouts.  At least the German blood in me truly loves Aldi.  

For the record, the German part of me is also responsible for my love of imported beer and fattening foods... but I digress.

I had no trouble getting all the items on our list quickly, with one exception that Stu added:  "Parmesan Cheese (Jar)".  I knew exactly what he meant - he is my husband of nearly 14 years, after all - but I usually manage to pawn off all the regular grocery shopping on him.  So where in Aldi does one find this item?

After making numerous circles around the busy Bridgeton store, and actually saying to myself out loud at one point, "Dorothy, we're not in Sebring anymore," I was finding myself a bit frustrated.  

Did I ever actually purchase the "jar" of parmesan cheese at Sebring Aldi?  Would it need to be in a refrigerated display or just on a shelf?  Even I was aware it couldn't be in the freezer case, but that didn't stop me from walking past it a few times.

At this point, I was torn between channeling my Inner German (Bob Lucas), praying to St. Anthony (patron saint of lost articles), and trying to find a non-busy store employee on a ridiculously busy shopping day.  

I had almost reached option three above (but not quite) when I found myself passing the young mother carrying on a dialogue with her young son about "helping with the shopping" for the fifth time, and silently sympathizing with her plight.  

(But hey - the dialogue was in English!  Hey, Dorothy, we're not in Sebring anymore!)

At last the Inner German spoke to me and gave me an idea of why the "parmesan cheese (jar)" would not be found anywhere near the other variety of cheeses scattered throughout the store.  "Hey, Em (my father's nickname for me) - what do you use it with?"

Parmesan Cheese (Jar) was then quickly found, right near the pasta where it belonged.

Dear Lord, please help keep my mind flexible in this land of new challenges - and please help me not to lose it in the process.

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