Shopping.

Shopping has become a big thing during the past few months.  I say that as though it wasn't big before but its become more of an issue lets say!  Lockdown is showing up our needs and wants more clearly.  What we think is important compared to other people.
Perhaps its being more polarised for me as I'm now shopping for my mum.  Also, my daughter works in Tesco and my brother constantly phones to ask her to bring stuff for him that's not available from his online shop.  My own shopping is now strictly once a week which is only totally possible with the delivery of milk and odd online farm deliveries of meat not to mention baking my bread/rolls every few days.
 I've discovered, for example, that my mum uses an inordinate amount of shower gel and laundry conditioner!  Every single week she orders both!  She must be either very clean or very dirty!  She also struggles with lunches.  Every week we have the same conversation.  'you've no lunch stuff in this shop' 'oh, haven't I' 'no' 'I don't like lunch shopping, I never know what to have for lunches' 'cold meat, eggs, cheese, soups, pies, quiche - any of these?' 'no, I don't fancy them'  'so what will you fancy for lunch then?'  and so it goes. every. single. week.  I know it must be hard for her to shop without seeing anything but she really has no imagination for this stuff and its getting harder as the weeks go on.  I'm desperate for her to be able to shop herself again, however I'm also desperate for her not to go out as she has no idea how to behave outside now, social distancing?  No idea!
Today I asked my brother if he'd add slug pellets to his click and collect shop for mum as her Tesco online shop showed they had none.  His face was all screwed up and when I asked why, he said, 'my wife won't let me get that kind of stuff with the food shop'.  Seriously?  'How do you get stuff like that then?'  'We don't'.  Okay!   Now, I'm not one for buying any chemicals for my garden generally speaking, however slug pellets I do use, if I didn't I'd never be able to grow most of our veg, we have millions of snails and slugs in our garden and using pellets is the only way I can keep them off my veg.   I only use them sparingly round the most vulnerable plants and not in the main garden in case the dog touches them but I don't understand what the problem is with ordering them and bringing them home with the shopping.

For myself I've discovered the thing I would miss most in a shortage situation is fresh fruit and veg.  Thankfully now the summer is here I've tons of salad stuff growing in the garden.   Before this was ready though I was struggling towards the end of the week when we resorted to tinned and frozen but its never as good as fresh, its always a bit overcooked, excluding peas - I love frozen peas!
My daughter has missed Ikea!  She loves their meatballs and their little bags for lunches and is desperate to go again now that it's opened.  However, they went yesterday and the queue ran right round the car park so they didn't wait.  They went back this morning and it was the same so they came home yet again!  Just as well they don't live very far from Ikea!  They are looking for a worktop to finish off a unit they fitted in the kitchen during lockdown - I say they, my daughter did it herself as hubby was in Dubai till two weeks ago!  Now he's home he's desperate to get it finished and he wants to wait in the big queue, daughter knows better!
I'm not missing shopping much but I am missing just 'nipping out' to the shop for say milk if I need it.  Tomorrow I'm going to Sainsbury for a change, the last time I went it was fine.  Very civilised and I didn't have to wait in much of a queue so wish me luck for tomorrow! x