Lucky Me

What is it about bad weather that causes the planets to align and make people crazy?

On the way home from work tonight I decided to stop at my favorite grocery store, Kroger.

We have our "favorite" parking spot, which, when the weather is bad makes the trek into the store long and wet/snowy/slippery. But as we are creatures of habit about certain things (maybe it is superstition??) I parked way the hell out in Iowa...............(as my daughter dubbed my parking habits many years ago................) Now today in Raleigh it was in the 30's and rainy. Did I say rainy?? Wet, soaking borderline freezing rain. We are coming out of a nasty snowstorm from last weekend and a very rainy day on Tuesday. So needless to say there is alot of water no matter where you go.

Ok, back to my story

So I grab the one lone shopping cart sitting forlornly at the entrance and proceed to the entrance, waiting for the automatic door to slide open. Open it did, but it was activated by a man who, for reasons unknown decided to stop midway through the entrance to check his email..........it's cold, windy and rainy............dude, MOVE. Ok so now I am in...........I maneuver around the canteloupes, sideswipe the onions and BAM. Run right into a very tired young mom with two dripping wet children in one of those shopping carts that are 8 feet long...........all I need is a head of lettuce......ok, whew...........managed to get past that obstacle...................why do stores put a department requires one to linger over the perfectly ripe tomatoes at the entrance of the store?? Don't they know that the minute you hit the produce department time enters into a different dimension? Decide on hamburgers for dinner, so I require a nice package of ground beef. But alas my phone rings, it is Jim, so I answer and proceed to stop smack dab in the middle of the flower department. I look up above my head and realize that I am in the mecca of Valentine's Day. Balloons!! Flowers!! Stuffed animals, roses, cupids...............
ok, focus on the conversation. Ok, sounds good, be home soon, I love you too...................

The rest of the shopping expedition goes off smoothly..............Black Opal wine half price.............hhhmmm, ok, I'll get three bottles.....................now onto the checkout.

I have maybe 12 items. I go to our favorite checker, a wonderful man we call Mr Thurman. As I sidle up to the checkout he says that he has to change the tape. Ok, no problem. I turn and see how long the lines are getting and right behind me is a young woman holding one college ruled notebook. Is that all you have?? I say. "Yes." Go ahead of me. " Really?" Sure.
(I am feeling like I need to be nice)..........so she squeezes in between the candy rack and my cart. That will be $2.43 Mr Thurman says.............so my new BFF proceeds to dig through her purse for what felt like 5 minutes looking for enough change to pay..........Just as I was reaching into my purse for my wallet to see if I can help, she finds the last few cents needed to make her purchase.....Cool!! Now it's my turn...........

Checking out went quickly, although I had a new bagger who felt it necessary to use 8 plastic bags to wrap my wine bottles in. We're out of the wine bottle bags he says. Ok, just bag the damn things....lol

So I venture out the front door only to have to stop just past the roof that covers the entrance.

There are about a dozen cars whose owners have decided that they are more important than us mere mortals and they have parked in the NO PARKING ZONE so that they don't get drenched while maneuvering into the store to pick up a twelve pack of beer.....................

There is one spot open, thankfully where the apron slants onto the parking lot............there is a Kroger employee guarding a very full cart with his right hand in the air as if to flag down a taxi in New York. As I go down the incline a woman tries to fit her car into the open spot, apparently the recipient of the full cart being guarded by said employee. I swing wide out of turn one only to have to make a quick right, submerging my feet in what feels like a two foot deep puddle (ok, it was about 3 inches deep, but to me it was really deep) Thank goodness I had on my waterproof Columbia hiking shoes. Rather an odd feeling, though, dry feet, wet ankles and calves...............

Anyway I am now almost to Iowa feeling like I am on the home stretch of the last lap of the Daytona 500..............Yes!! Unload the now soaking wet groceries into the truck, turn and push the buggy into the cart return.....................one more 20 foot stretch...............shit.........here comes little miss thing, slowly coming through the parking lot, talking on her cell phone. Completely oblivious that I am trying to cross in front of her. My hair is dripping. I am wet, I am tired and hungry. I have three bottles of wine in the truck....don't do this!! But slowly she passes me. I am invisible.....................

The rest of the ride home was thankfully uneventful except for the puddle that was hidden on a turn. I felt like I was parting the Red Sea...........

As I pull into my driveway I am thankful to see the Jim has parked outside the carport. As I pull in away from the rain the door opens and out comes Earl and Sadie, our beloved dogs, and the man who makes all of this worthwhile, my love Jim.

I am home.......................................

It is still raining, I am sure that there are still people trekking across the Kroger parking lot. But I am in my living room, hamburgers cooked and eaten. Two glasses of wine under my belt.

I am home with the ones I love. Lucky me.