Pluggers by Rick McKee for October 29, 2022

Been there, forgot that.

so he just winged it if what seemed to be on the list: egg noodles for eggs, Earl Grey tea for chamomile tea, sourdough bread for whole-wheat bread, Swiss cheese for Cheddar cheese, rice for Rice Chex, skim milk for almond milk, Granny Smith apples for Fuji apples, etc.

When I do that, I remember all but the most important thing.

Of course it was, it was on my phone.

I would forget most of the sales items I carefully combed the ads for. And, of course, mislay the coupons until leaving the store, driving back home.

Eh not possible. Plugger would obviously checks pockets first for the list.

Some pluggers long ago pocketed their brain.

Ah, yes, how well I remember those incidences ! ! !

The Pluggers are the ones walking through the supermarket looking at a list on a piece of paper.

A list works as long as you only buy what is on the list ;-)

That happens every time I go to the store. I never remember to look at the list until I get back home.

Comparing what you bought with the list at home can be amusing, if not fun.

You’re a also a Plugger if you had your shopping list in your hand the whole time at the store and still forgot something.

How much of the stuff he bought was on the list?

and you forgot the preparation H………

We use a paper list, so both of us can update it. It’s on the island and handy when making meals and we notice something is getting low.

Yeah I was kinda like that back in the day as well…lol

LOL… Lord knows what he bought, then.

I always treat it like a memory exercise. Luckily, i just always pick up a new 10 pound bag of bachelor chow…

Ah! The fun of dodging people staring at their phones pushing grocery carts.

People still go inside a grocery store and shop? So passé…

I’ve done that; I’ll always forget SOMETHING.

Back long ago, when I had my first job, and obliged to work 2nd and 3rd shifts, about the only good thing about it was being able to shop less-crowded stores during the day. The usual customers during those hours were women with young children, and mainly “older people” (about the age I am NOW!).

There weren’t many of them, but the advantage in their being fewer was diminished by their “pokiness.” I felt like an intruder in their DayWorld. They didn’t seemed focused. They moved in slow motion, and blocked the aisles as they carefully examined the merchandise for comparative prices, brands vs. off-brands. A few pennies saved seemed small triumphs.

I felt like a member of a small human tribe, a hunter temporarily stuck in the village among the stay-at-home food-gatherers. It taught me patience, as I knew my destiny was to join their ranks some day. The existential alarm-clock was even then advancing until [RING!] I would awake into the stage of geriatric Pluggerdom! Here I am, everybody, Brothers and Sisters!

My bride makes out a list every time, and forgets it half the time. We overspend every time.

About face, return, and shop.

Ouch.

I keep my list in my cell phone. Sparate lists for food & for various specific stores. Items added as find out we need them.

Pre-Covid had little food in the house – husband likes to eat out so we had lunch out daily and ate out Friday & Saturday nights – Sunday either ate out or took in Chinese food. (We eat out cheap.) We would shop for meals or basic snacks as needed.

In mid March 2020 we went to a supermarket to stock up and the store was mostly empty – bought what we could. Rest of 2020 and into 2021 we would go food shopping every other month – my system was to buy all the non-cold food, pay, bag and put in car. Then go back in buy the cold items pay, bag, and put in car and go home. Too many bags for one trip.

Gradually we moved back to food shopping about 3 weeks with fill ins when in the regular Walmart store. (BIg shopping done in the Walmart Neighborhood Market supermarket as our WMs only have small food sections – even the NM is not as complete as WMs are elsewhere.

I list items in my phone. Night before (or 2 nights before) we are going to go to the NM I go list everything in phone in spreadsheet in computer. When Covid shopping started I listed where the assortment of items in the NM are located on right side of spreadsheet, I listed items we commonly buy by aisle in middle of same. When we are doing shopping list I list by aisle on left side. I list what is low per list and then go through what is pantry closet shelf and what is on my work table in our studio and fridge and freezers to see what else we need. When husband comes down for pre-bed snack I run through list with him to see what he what he still wants to eat and what he wants to add to the list. Print it out on paper on printer in office and we pick it up when we go to bed.

Having the items listed by aisle (and more or less their location in the aisle) lets us shop quicker as we don’t like to be out around people yet. Of course add things as we shop.