Grocery shopping by the numbers, for Lamont and me

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Photo #4

Lamont's had the flu since Wednesday. I knew it would not rain on Saturday, so I offered to pick up a few items for him while doing my weekly shopping at Fred Meyer, this week by bus--no need for a Zipcar on that particular day. He gave me a short list of three things and asked if I could also pick up his pay check and deposit it for him. Since the Fred Meyer, 3 Doors Down Cafe, and his bank are within two blocks of each other, I immediately agreed. Realizing I would need two rolling black bags, I looked over my selection, thinking how nice it would be only roll one on the way there. So I shoved one into another, zipped it almost all of the way, satisfied that it would work just fine. You can tell from Photo #1 which one fit inside the other one, right?

I left the apartment at 10:25 a.m. Saturday, 2/26/2011, and walked to TriMet Bus Stop where I waited to catch the #12 bus, heading east on Sandy Boulevard. By 10:31 a.m., I sat comfortably, having stayed warm while on the sidewalk in my three layers of jackets, earmuffs, gloves, long pants, socks and shoes. Before long the #12 was at SE 47nd and Sandy where I got off to catch the #75 so that I could head south to the Fred Meyer on the corner of SE 39th (known officially now as Cesar Chavez) and SE Hawthorne.

A couple of blocks from that particular corner, I decided to get off at the stop before it and walk the few blocks to the restaurant on a partially different route. In no time at all, I had the check from Dave and headed for the bank. Making the deposit didn't take much time, either.

By 11:17 a.m., I was inside the Fred Meyer, texting Lamont to let him know to call if he could think of anything else he wanted; he added a box of crackers, saltines. The remodeled store still confuses me, so I had to back-track some, plus I kept looking at my coupons and my Fred Meyer Rewards Card coupon list. Before I knew it, a couple of hours or more had passed. At the check out, I ran my FMRC through the card reader, then my debit card, as the cashier rang up the 37 items and my nine coupons. The machine spit out my receipt which also showed the four coupons which were loaded on the FMRC, for a total coupon savings of $9.05. Some of the items that I bought were also on sale, so I saved more than that--hooray!

Now for the fun, fitting a 12-pack of Diet Mt. Dew and a 12-roll of Quilted Northern Double Rolls, plus two four-pack boxes of Nabisco Saltines and the 33 other items inside the two rolling black bags. It took less than 20 minutes, and I couldn't quite make it all fit, so I got the Fred Meyer paper bag with handles and put all but one of Lamont's items--Nancy's Vanilla Yogurt, two cans of Muir Glen chicken noodle soup, and a container of powered lemon-lime Gatorade--and two of mine into it.

Outside on SE 39th, I sat down to wait for the #75 bus for the ride south to SE Division where I would transfer to the #4. That's when I took Photo #1. The two reasons I had not taken any photos earlier were the cold, cold temperature and not enough time to get the camera out before the buses came. This time, to make room in the rolling black bags, I had the camera hanging around my neck! I waited six minutes on the bench, laboriously made my way onto the bus and to a seat, rode the nine blocks to my next stop. I got off without dropping the paper bag or letting either of the rolling black bags fall over, crossed SE 39th to the bus stop for the #4, due in 3 minutes. I rode the #4 the 17 blocks to the stop closest to where Lamont lives, then walked the two blocks to his house.

Not wanting to catch the flu, I set the paper bag on the porch and called Lamont on the phone to let him know I was outside. He came out and got his groceries and the deposit receipt, thanking me over and over. I gave him a smile, told him I hoped the food would help, said "No, I won't let you give me a ride you've been and still are too sick," and took off back up the street towards the bus stop. Imagine my joy when the #4 appeared just after I had crossed the street!

Even more joy came over me when I got off at the corner of SE Madison and SE Grand and walked half a block to wait for the #6 which came in four minutes, then total joy as I crossed SE Grand at East Burnside and the #12 bus arrived in four minutes! By the time I got off it at the very stop where I had caught the #12 that morning, I was a happy, tired shopper, very pleased with the speed of my homeward bound bus rides.

Not wanting to lug the two rolling black bags down two taller-than-usual steps into the basement, then up nine steps to the level of the front door, I decided to walk up to the corner, pull the bags up the four steps from the sidewalk to our building's entry sidewalk, through the front door which was opened and held open by a gracious neighbor lady on her way out to walk her cutie-pie pug, through the door off the entry and into the wing where my apartment is located. As I pulled the bags slowly up the four carpeted steps, my left foot somehow got caught up in the crowded area, my shoe slipped off, plus I dropped the handle of the smaller rolling black bag which slid to a stop on the floor. My first thought as I stood at the top of the steps, "Oh, I hope the package of flour tortillas protected the egg cartons!" My second thought, "Take a picture for the blog." See Photo #2.

No eggs were broken!

I was too tired to remember what time I got home, but I do know that I saw the start of the Nationwide race at Phoenix--the show came on at 2:30 p.m. All of the groceries, Photos #3 and #4, had been put away, leftover baked chicken had been warmed and Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamer Shoe Peg Corn had been steamed. I think it was 3 p.m. or thereabouts. I enjoyed my meal, washed the dishes, and headed for Mama's recliner with my giant heating pad on medium, lying between my back and the chair back. Nap time.

All totaled up, it was a good effort.