……over the edge

Isn’t it amazing how one little change in your weekly routine can cause chaos? I am not allowed to drive (not even a lawn mower), so I have to walk to the supermarket. Yes, I know I am saving the planet and keeping fit, but I do not have a shoulder bag or knapsack as my mom would call it that resembles the size of a RangeRover. I admire the packing skills of monthly shoppers stacking the groceries so tight that the front wheels start to lift off the ground as I walk through the car park. I am lucky because a very large supermarket is less than 15 minutes walk away, but no car means at least two weekly visits most weeks.

But now the store is "being extended, apologies for any inconvenience". No inconvenience to me, I don’t have to worry about parking spaces changing while your car is parked in them or avoiding the diggers and drillers and recently planters, trying to make a car park environmentally acceptable. The only thing inconvenient for me I suppose, is having to walk further to the lettuce.

Structural stuff is now finished and the checkout guys all tell me, they have a week off as now the store will be closed. (Good management, you bring back your checkout staff fresh from a break to open a new supermarket). A Supervisor, Val gives me a little wallet sized leaflet. "Get ready to try something even better, a new deli & bakery, more fresh food, new meat & fish counters, new Starbucks, more homeware, better layout". Of course the bad news is on the back, "closing Wednesday, try a bigger, better store Thursday 9am 28th June YIPPEE".

No, it actually says ‘yippee’, but I have made an effort to check everything and actually write a list and of course I have run out of all the heaviest stuff! I don’t mind a bigger store, they used their car park space to extend, made it easier for the bus to get in and out, and they did pay to totally rebuild the local football ground and a nature walk when they originally built, but now I am having to virtually plan every meal for the next 12 days! So now I get to do what house slaves do I hear you thinking.

What I am really looking forward to is Wednesday, no its not the excitement of  buying a six pint bottle of milk, I am thinking of taking the camera and witnessing the car drivers fighting each other for the last baked bean can, or at least the last of the fresh stuff and the car park is going to be hilarious, especially the disabled car parking spaces (they have very quick clampers), I guarantee it will be like a disaster movie, an asteroid, a hurricane whatever, stashing the last french stick into the boot that will not close or explodes as in the car ad that claims their cars have more space. This happens every Bank Holiday to a degree but this will be great!

I think I need to fill the freezer draw, and where will I get the papers for my neighbour? What if there is nothing left in the freezer cabinets? no milk? I will just have to get an online delivery I suppose, I have been avoiding that because of the classic isolation, it creates. Most people at the store know about the seizures and I like talking and joking with them. I have to say some weeks when my voluntary services are not required these are the only people I see plus passing conversations with neighbours. Its classic apparently, that those with my problem find themselves alone, through a sort of self-withdrawal, out of embarrassment or just plain fear of what might happen in public and the consequences, or not wanting to be a problem for one’s elderly parents? My Professor kindly said last Wednesday, you seem in high spirits despite problems! You have to be! or supermarkets closing might really screw up your…………. blogging for instance,

now lets see, Tuesday I have to stay in because of a delivery……of course, I’ll try something different – takeaways, haven’t had one for ages!