Well here we are at the weekend and a steady start to the day fueled by coffee and a good breakfast as we planned what we wanted to do.
So we decided that between our house and Simon's late mum's house we needed to get on top of some gardening and that would involve a trip out to DIY store...which would mean our first proper outing since lockdown began.
Over these last few months we have managed perfectly well with online shopping and click and collect grocery shopping. We have had the odd venture out to the post office or local 'corner shop' but have not really felt the need, or the inclination, to venture much further. But today we decided that in order to get a few outside jobs done we needed to shop in person.
Now I know lots of people have been out and about and have been using shops on a regular basis but for us this was a pretty big step to take so we set off armed with masks and hand gel. The first store we visited was very well organised with a clearly marked queuing system outside and a very friendly store colleague on the door who was letting in small groups at a time and explained what to expect and where to go.
Once inside it was relatively quiet and we had no problem wandering around to get what we wanted and when it came to paying at the tills it was all very straight forward and well organised. But as this first store didn't have everything we wanted we decided to try another well known store a couple of miles away. This second store was much bigger but again had a clearly marked queue system for getting in although we did have to wait around for quite a while before being let in and the staff on duty weren't quite as friendly or informative as the first store. But yet again we got the items we needed and headed out via the tills and again this was very well organised with a member of staff directing you to which till was free; to be honest this was so much better than the usual way of randomly picking a till and hoping you've picked the quickest one!
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| All masked up and ready to shop |
So we survived our first proper shopping trip; we commented that the queuing felt like being at a theme park except the ride was really rubbish!! And I felt very aware that I was 'on a mission' to go in, get what we wanted and get out again...the idea of 'browsing' felt wrong and that we shouldn't be doing that! But we did it and I think now the thought of going out, should we need, to won't be such a strange thing to do.
Interestingly we saw very few people with masks on and with rumours that our government maybe more strongly in favour of masks in shops I think, and hope, it will only be a matter of time before it will be the new normal to wear a mask when out and about. It is something that we will be doing for the foreseeable and I think my challenge will be to have enough masks to match whatever outfit I am wearing.
Once home I was able to jump online with my friend Michelle and record this weeks episode of our Disney Dream Girls podcast before spending a couple of hours in the garden. We had a number of new plants to plant, a tree to chop back and a new patio cleaning solution to try.
It was then time to make another low carb dinner, this time it was chicken korma with keto naan bread. I would never have entertained the idea of making my own naan bread in years gone by (or I should say in the pre-low carb years) but now I am quite happy to spend a little time and make my own naan bread from scratch...and it's very yummy if I do say so myself.
So today we have conquered shopping in real life and it was fine...it was a slower experience to 'normal' and so 'nipping to the shops' is no longer a quick option. But it has also shown us that shopping online and using 'click and collect' options is working really well for us, we have been able to get everything that we want, when we want and for a price that we are happy to pay. We have got out of the habit of shopping; primarily of making multiple grocery shopping trips over the course of the week. We have survived from one week to the next without the need to 'pop to the shops', we have probably spent the same amount of money, we have saved money on petrol and we have saved time spent shopping and instead spent that time with each other.
It felt good to be out, to be doing something 'normal' and to survive the experience but this does not mean I will be rushing out to the pub or cafe or more shops it just means that I can when I am good and ready for it...and with my mask and hand gel in tow at all times.
Whatever you do, wherever you do it just take care and stay safe.
xx
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