The Grocery Store

I made my first venture out into the world yesterday....not because I was ready but because I had to. I had not a lick of food for me and the cat, so to the car and grocery store I headed.


Driving is wierd. You have to pay attention to so many more things than just walking! In Venice, my biggest concern was who was coming up in front of me and should I play the game of chicken with them to see if they will move out of my way. And listening to the radio instead of Italian conversations is almost somehow more distracting. However, just like riding a bicycle, I made it to the store.


The grocery store was an event in itself. While I was gone, they remodeled and made it bigger and better (go America!). I can now not only buy my food there but also most of my household supplies and my furniture! The grocery cart was 'molto grande' compared to the little toy models I was used to. And the room...oh my gosh....so much room to walk around.


I noticed immediately that the price of fruits, vegetables and cheese was much more expensive than I had left it and much more expensive than Venice. But, as part of the remodel, they did add several international sections so I can actually get a few of the things that I didnt used to be able to buy here.


I ended up staying in the store for almost 2 hours! And I think the people around me thought I had tourettes syndrome. I couldnt seem to focus and had sensory overload, so the only way I could get my brain in gear was to read everything outloud...so, here I am walking up and down the aisles saying oranges, beans, cookies, tea, ice cream, etc. What a hoot!


After a year of living out of a dorm sized fridge with no freezer, I felt like the world was my oyster. I could buy anything and lots of it (at least as much as an unemployed person can buy!). I purchased a 15 pound watermelon because I could put it in the cart, have someone bag it for me, wheel it out to my car and drive it home to the safety and convenience of my garage instead of the manual labor involved in lugging it over 6 or 7 bridges. Well that, and the fact that it didnt have seeds.

I didnt buy anything in the freezer section (except for that new flavor of Ben and Jerrys!) because I dont think I want anything frozen anymore. I really enjoyed fresh food and not sure I can go back to cans and frozen items...guess that makes me a snob now, but I think it might be worth it. Maybe I should get rid of my fridge and put a dorm one in its place? :-)


However, after that outing, I was ready for home and havent left again since....I hope I dont develop some fear about going out......guess all the more reason to keep up on the blog for a bit more---it will be therapy for me!