I have a sister who hates to grocery shop (wink, wink).
I love it.
Lucy does too.
She calls our local grocery store, "the baker's house."
When we get ready to go to "the baker's house," Lucy squeals and sings, "He has a treat for us!" To which I respond, "He might not have a treat today." To which Lucy responds (in a kind, motherly-warning tone of voice), "we'll have to see-ee."
This conversation is ritualistic.
And sometimes the baker, indeed, does not have a treat. "Not treat toda-ay!" Lucy says in that same, pleasant, mothering voice.
But he often does have a treat. Bitesize. Not-to-make-you-feel-very-guilty-size. And when we retrieve our bitesize baked-good from the self-serve tray near the bakery counter, Lucy is always especially polite, "Thank you, baker!" she hollors to the large painted face above the counter. This expression of gratitude is nearly always followed by an intimate, only-for-my-ears observation of some kind, like, "he wears a rilly, rilly tall ha-at!"
And then we make our rounds to visit the fish (painted above the seafood counters) and the rooster (a bright copper weather vein near the dairy and egg products). Our favorite, and usually first stop - even before the bakery - is the produce section. As I gather a new supply of freshness, Lucy carries on detailed conversations with the cheerful looking produce painted on the walls and hanging (in balloon form) from the ceiling. She's especially fond of the potatoes. "They wear shoes!"
Who needs Disneyland when you have the grocery store?
And when Lucy's dad comes, grocery shopping is even better (now that he and I have resolved our conflicting individual need to control the shopping cart: we share. We each hold - two handed- our own half of the handle bar at the same time. This silly sollution was really not a verbalized compromise so much as an occurance evolving naturally after about a five minute period when neither of us could keep our hands off of the bar for more than twenty seconds at a time).
I love it.
Lucy does too.
She calls our local grocery store, "the baker's house."
When we get ready to go to "the baker's house," Lucy squeals and sings, "He has a treat for us!" To which I respond, "He might not have a treat today." To which Lucy responds (in a kind, motherly-warning tone of voice), "we'll have to see-ee."
This conversation is ritualistic.
And sometimes the baker, indeed, does not have a treat. "Not treat toda-ay!" Lucy says in that same, pleasant, mothering voice.
But he often does have a treat. Bitesize. Not-to-make-you-feel-very-guilty-size. And when we retrieve our bitesize baked-good from the self-serve tray near the bakery counter, Lucy is always especially polite, "Thank you, baker!" she hollors to the large painted face above the counter. This expression of gratitude is nearly always followed by an intimate, only-for-my-ears observation of some kind, like, "he wears a rilly, rilly tall ha-at!"And then we make our rounds to visit the fish (painted above the seafood counters) and the rooster (a bright copper weather vein near the dairy and egg products). Our favorite, and usually first stop - even before the bakery - is the produce section. As I gather a new supply of freshness, Lucy carries on detailed conversations with the cheerful looking produce painted on the walls and hanging (in balloon form) from the ceiling. She's especially fond of the potatoes. "They wear shoes!"
Who needs Disneyland when you have the grocery store?
And when Lucy's dad comes, grocery shopping is even better (now that he and I have resolved our conflicting individual need to control the shopping cart: we share. We each hold - two handed- our own half of the handle bar at the same time. This silly sollution was really not a verbalized compromise so much as an occurance evolving naturally after about a five minute period when neither of us could keep our hands off of the bar for more than twenty seconds at a time).
Daddy is great company at "the baker's house" because he always adds a sophisticated, scientific slant to our grocery shopping endeavors. Have you had Razz.berry M&Ms?
"This is not a treat. This is an experiment."
18 comments:
Lucy is pretty much the cutest...that's what i think. And I pretty much really try to avoid the grocery store with everything inside of me. I try to like it but alas I do not. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that cooking is something that is really hard for me to do. Don't really like that either, but I love to eat. It's a love/hate relationship. Although I want to go to the store today to get me some more Dreyer's frozen fruit bars! Yum. Now there's something I don't have to cook!
(I'm still trying to figure out in my head how I can hire Taylor to cook for me full-time. I don't know if he'll ever go for it, but it's seriously one of my dreams! No really.)
oh Kate, this made me laugh and laugh!
When you finally cajole Taylor into hiring out, we'll be right there with our plates and forks! :)
Wow, you're baker's house sounds much more magical than our baker's house...do tell what the alter-ego of this baker's house is, so we can share a similar experience!!
Wow, Raspberry M&M's? Are they any good? I kind of gather from the quote that they're not great. I've never even seen them.
I have to agree with your friend Kate--I think I really dislike grocery shopping mostly because I really dislike cooking. Is it too much to ask that I really want to marry someone who will cook a lot? Or maybe I just dislike cooking because it's no fun to cook for yourself. Maybe when I'm cooking for someone else I will like it . . . hmmm, interesting idea.
Sounds like an adventure at the grocery store!
Mine is an adventure too...mainly at the checkout counter to see how many 'extra' items seem to appear!
It's so fun to see things through the eyes of a child, everything seem so much more fasinating and dramatic. Oh, that I were a child...
Brenda
I really wish our "bakers house" was that intersting. I must admit though that I love to go to the grocery store. Jared is always saying, didn't you just go...usually the case but we seem to go through milk really fast. You will have to identify this "bakers house" so we can all experience this goodness.
We will have to plan a get together in October. Let me know your off schedule and we can figure something out.
Have a wonderful time in Vegas
I wish I was able to derive such pleasure from the grocery store. Alas, I cannot. Maybe someday I'll have to borrow Lucy. Sounds like she could teach me a thing or two about enjoying the "baker's house."
And raspberry M&Ms? Like chocolate raspberries? Huh. Are they any good? (Because chocolate and raspberries sound divine!)
How were the Rasberry M&M's? Sound good to me!
1. i always wanted to marry someone who could cook
2. i didn't even come close
3. i still detest even the thought of cooking no matter who it's for
4. i hate going to the store for any reason
5. i love to eat
6. i will settle for Ry becoming rich so that I can hire a man to come cook for us
Scientific experiments at the grocery store! Excellent idea. I also like to go the the store. I could just wander the isles forever! We shop at super walmart so we always have to check out the goldfish and occassionaly the toys.
Amy! Ha! I totally agree--I'm totally for hiring a cook!
I like going to the store... by myself! It seems like thats the only way I can be ALONE! I'm dying to know how the razzberry m&ms were.
Lori, don't tell my mom this, but I wish you were my mom when I read the fun you create for Lucy EVERYWHERE you guys go!
I love your grocery store story!! Maybe if I had Lucy with me the grocery store wouldn't be so bad!!
But I HATE it!! ahhh... and I must admit I picked up the lovely bag of raspberry M&M's but somehow my taste buds just couldn't do it and I sat them back on the shelf!! I'm anxious to hear what you think!!!
hmmm....I wonder which sister hates to grocery shop..... why does your shopping seem to be so much more enjoyable than mine? Maybe I need to borrow Lucy or something--maybe borrow your attitude. Love you guys.
I love it. All your posts make me smile so much. And I agree. Who needs the exotic when there are adventures to be had around every corner?
Where do we shop? Reams. I tell you, the magic comes from the two year old - not the venue.
And the M'n'M's? Not my favorite, but a worthy and pleasant experiment. They don't hold a candle to peanut M'm'M's...so don't get your hopes up too much!
I love, love reading your comments! Thanks for filling my life with smiles, everyone!!!
Peanut M&M's have ruined me for life; nothing could ever come close!
We used to love the grocery store, too, (we were Macey's patrons, through and through--still miss it!) but ever since Henry decided he was too independent for the cart, it's been bedlam.
I am amazed by how many grocery-store haters there are! I love it. In fact, we went twice today. Once to Macey's and once to Ream's. I think Peanut Butter M&Ms are the best. In case you were wondering.
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