When Josh & I were dating I expressed my dislike for grocery shopping. He told me he didn’t mind grocery shopping and actually kind of enjoyed it. We decided that for the first bit in our marriage we would try to go grocery shopping together since I have a hard time knowing what to buy, or making menu plans, and such. Shopping together seemed like a good idea to help me get accustomed to my new life style as a wife and meal planner. I had this picture perfect image of us walking down the aisle, hand in hand, laughing as we picked out items to put into our cart.
REALITY CHECK!!!
Here’s the scoop. I started doing this thing called the grocery game. Since I am new to it, Christen went shopping with me the first week to show me how everything is done. The next week, I went over to her house again to prepare my list, and then went shopping before work. It has proved easy enough, and all the items I need to buy for the week are on a well organized list by aisle. So I walk in one side of the store, hit all the aisles I need, weaving to the other side of the store. Wallah, I’m done shopping. Then I make meals based off what I have on hand. It is wonderful.
So last week I went to the library to print my list. I got called in to work early so I ended up having to shop after I got off work. I asked Josh if he would like to go with me and see what it was all about and spend some time with me before girls night out. Now, I am still new at the grocery game and sometimes I have to look at the different products to make sure I am getting the one that is actually on sale and also to make sure that I get the best deal on what I need. I also know, that just in general, I am not a grab and go kind of shopper. I linger. And I stare. And it takes me an hour to smell every deodorant and shampoo to make sure I pick the one I like the best. (I am not kidding or exaggerating. It takes me a really long time.) With my list, this takes far less time, however, the core issue is still the same. I am not a quick shopper. And since Josh had no idea what I was doing, except that he saw we needed Ziplocs on the list and then I proceeded to stand there for 2 minutes looking at what appeared to be nothing, he began to become slightly frustrated at the shopping extravaganza. (Just for his credit, he didn’t say anything, he didn’t huff or puff, and he was very patient as I shopped). I only noticed he was frustrated as we walked out of the store because he had that look on his face that said “Phew, glad that’s done. Don’t say anything to her about how frustrating that was.” To which I immediately upon noticing asked “Are you frustrated?” BUSTED! He was very gentle in his approach. “A little.”
“Why?” (I asked with my little grin, like how could anybody possibly ever get frustrated with lil ol me?
“…because….you…stare off sometimes.”
I busted up laughing. I know I suck at shopping fast. And with the groovy list I have printed, that picture perfect image of us strolling down the aisles, randomly picking stuff up and putting it in our cart, is now history. (But so is that $400 grocery bill that could have easily happened doing things that way.)
I guess the moral of the story is: Josh & Rachel don’t shop well together unless they are in a store where she can stare at the different varieties for an hour while he stands in the book, CD, DVD, electronic, or video game section and gets to drool over those aimlessly until he snaps out of it and realizes what time it is and comes to get his wife. :)
P.S. Since writing this a few weeks ago Josh & I have gone grocery shopping twice and done a fine job. Neither of us got frustrated and I have gotten faster. We just had to have a reality check and know what we were release those unrealistic expectations of a starry eyed fun date and accept it for what it is...grocery shopping on a budget. Haha. Good times.
