I had two really good days this week. Nothing spectacular or unusual happened. I just got to experience a little bit of what life was like BC (before COVID) and it was marvelous.
What Used To Be A Typical Day
First, my husband and I joined two friends for lunch at a nice restaurant. It was so pleasant. We enjoyed the company. I enjoyed eating off of a real china plate using real cutlery, not my usual sandwich wrapped in a paper towel.
The next day, I met one of my best friends for lunch. This is something I probably would have done once a week or at least every other week but, since mid-March, when COVID shut everything down, I have only joined a friend for lunch maybe five or six times. It was so nice chatting about our families and upcoming trips to the beach.
After lunch, I walked to a couple of shops in our charming downtown. I purchased a gift in one and browsed through another, just because it’s my favorite shop. Click here if you want to check it out.
My last errand of the day was to the grocery store. I know, it doesn’t sound like a very big deal but, can I just say, I enjoyed it immensely.
What’s So Special About The Grocery Store?
When my kids were still at home, my typical routine was to drop them off at school, head to the nearby grocery store then go home and put the groceries away. Sometimes I would do the reverse, go to the store, swing by school to pick them up and then head home. I never really minded the task.
Once my kids left home and went out on their own, grocery shopping became more of a chore. I avoid it as long as possible. One of the main reasons is that it’s so different to shop and cook for two people. Instead of buying ingredients for a casserole, a pan of lasagna or a pot of spaghetti, I buy things in twos; two pieces of chicken, two sweet potatoes, two rolls from the bakery. It’s just not quite as exciting.
I don’t have to go to the grocery store as often as I used to. And, during this COVID season, my husband has been picking up the few things we needed. But, over the past couple of weeks, I started a list of things I needed that were not the usual things on my list — things like orange marmalade, soy sauce and cleaner for my sink. I honestly enjoyed walking up and down the aisles of the grocery store (with my mask on) finding the items on my list plus a few things more.
It was the most normal day I’ve experienced in a very long time and I truly enjoyed it.
Pandemic Changes Perspective
Last year, at this time, I was in the midst of wedding planning for my son’s December wedding. It was a flurry of activity. The year before, my husband and I had just returned from visiting our daughter and son-in-law in Scotland. Once we arrived home, we turned our attention to our upcoming trip to Israel. That was a big year for international travel for us. About this time four years ago, I was visiting the Amish country in Ohio with two friends.
It’s amazing how a pandemic changes your perspective. Rather than planning big trips around the country or the world or big celebrations like a wedding, a simple lunch with a friend and trip to the grocery store becomes a really big thing. Here’s to the little things that have become big things! When all of this is over, may we remember how special they were.
Just for fun, here’s some of my grocery store purchases:
- Orange Marmalade to go with my sweet potato fries. If you haven’t tried it, you should. Delicious!
- Bar Keepers Friend because it’s the best thing I’ve found to clean my porcelain kitchen sink.
- Spices were buy one get one free. This purchase led to me reorganizing my spice cabinet. That’s another story.
- Blueberry Syrup recommended by a friend to go with our pancakes on pancake Saturday.
- Soy Sauce so the next time I need it, I’ll have it.
- Mayonnaise which hopefully we will use before it goes bad.
- Vegetarian Baked Beans that don’t have pork in them. In addition to carrots (see last week’s post) I’m allergic to pork.
- Diced tomatoes and onions because you always need those.
- Chocolate pudding – get the kind you cook, with whole milk. It makes the best pies. We’ve made a few since March.
- Mini cherry pie with ice cream (I failed to notice it was no sugar added).
- Cookie dough because it was buy one, get one free.
How about you? Have you had any little things become big things these past few months? I’d love to hear.
Kim Wilbanks 