Shopping for Summer

Went shopping today. Woo-hoo! I know this doesn’t sound like much to you because you just hop in your car at anytime to take a run to the store, but for me, it is a special trip and a big deal.

It has been on my to-do list but I’ve put it off. The only place I can buy clothing is not too far away, but it is out of my daily routine. So what prompts me to get off my duff and make the move?

In case you’ve missed it, it is now summer. It is a typical hot and sweaty summer. So the big boy pants have been put away with the sweaters and the long sleeved t-shirts and the shorts have come out. Last year I remembered I threw away a few worn out shorts and this year I’ve looked at the first pair and see the holes are starting.

These are not like those blown out knees on the stylist jeans, but little holes that look like moth bites that grow with more wear and tear. The start from my wiping my sweating hands on my shorts and then wipe them again and then get them wet and dirty and then sweat some more and the holes get bigger. If I wear dark underwear they are not too noticeable until they start looking ragged.

Well this part is starting to look ragged. I hadn’t made a detail list but I had checked online but I can never tell what the material feels like or how long they are. My only requirement is to have pockets, since this is all I wear in the summer and need to carry my phone and keys. Last night, instead of sleeping, was tossing and turning and dreaming of next days plan to wake up early and “go shopping”.

The end of the 5 AM nap was too early so watched a blank email screen then too another two-hour nap. From there it is the usual get-up and move-on routine, but after my warm up path, a different turn up a newly paved hill and around the bend to lock up and start the adventure.

Being a Wednesday there wasn’t the weekend stream of shoppers. Moving ahead with a plastic cart, I knew where I wanted to go. The aisles seemed to be tighter than I remembered so tolling around the racks was a struggle. The extra carts leftover by the unenthusiastic red shirts did not help welcome me to a pleasant shopping experience. Found some ankle socks that looked adequate for my summer need and a pack of underwear (yes, they have holes in them too). Next was to pick through the shorts.

Whoever sets up the displays must have been on vacation because stuff was helter skelter and scattered everywhere. I found a couple of pair that had pockets and seemed like they would be my size so they plopped in the cart. I even found some t-shirts that had no advertising or statements on them (another requirement) and picked up a couple of different colors. Since the men’s department was empty I could take my time weaving back and forth but not exciting about anything I saw.

The next journey was the electronics but nothing there was tempting. There were no electronics on my mental list so it was easy to just blindly wander between the toys and CDs and magazines and silly bike helmets. I checked out the remains of the summer grilling and patio furniture that was being transformed to the “back to school” supplies.

Wandering over to the home area of towels and lamps and plastic furniture and sheets, I remembered I was going to get a pad for my bed. As I placed two of the limited options into the cart I listened to another customer in one of those shopping scooters telling her daughter(?) that they could go to “Bed and Bath” instead of buying something here. It made me smile because I saw no visible assistance and felt the same way, but I don’t know where a “Bed and Bath” is or how to get there.

Lastly I wandered over to the kitchen items. Not much there that I don’t have or have had or want so that was a quick trip. It doesn’t take long to shop when you just pick up what you want. I did notice the Paula Deen remainders were all on “special-last-minute-get-this-out-of-our-store-or-we-will-throw-it-away” discount.

Even with four big bags, they strapped down just fine for the hot ride home. Dumping that load on my porch, I turned around, still soaked in sweat and returned to my usual daily path to the grocery store.

As you can tell, I’m not much of a shopper. I don’t need anything and have few options of places that carry anything items that might attract me. Without any incentive I only pick through items when I run out of what I have. The “discount” or “sale” items don’t sway me because I know these are things that could not be sold during the season. I don’t shop at the beginning of the season when the selections are better and sometimes I go home and think about a possible purchase only to return and it is gone.

Maybe the shopping adventure of today got me fired up, but I picked up some different things of the shelves today. Eggs, flaxseed, bread, cheez, and sandwich meat got cozy next to the usual birdseed, blueberries, and peanuts.

As it rains tonight and from what they say it will rain tomorrow, I plan to make eggs in the morning or a grilled cheez sandwich or maybe oatmeal with flaxseed or a salad. In the past couple of years I’ve feasted on prepared foods without having to do any of the work except chew.

Perhaps I’m getting domestic. What will happen next? A haircut?? A shave???