Purposeful grocery shopping--Adventure #6
Earl and I made a list and there were a few things needed at our local New Seasons market. It was close, making it a good destination for my daily scoot. I could help, so I took one bag that would fit in my basket, one that I could put between my feet and headed off, Earl taking the bigger shopping and more distant destinations.
I take my customary route, the market doors open automatically (yes! ADA), scoot in, prepared for today’s lesson (by now, I know it’s coming) My first observation was a young mother, two boys and one of the toy car/carts that require as much room as a small car, with less turning radius. Now, there’s a challenge! The most I can handle is one of the shopping baskets that fits between my feet. I brought 2 grocery bags from home, but forgot the see-through plastic bags for fruits and vegetables. New Seasons had some stationed throughout the department, within easy reach and I used them with a guilty conscience (it’s Oregon). The fruits and vegetables were beautiful, washed, and carefully arranged in what I like to call the “Precarious Pyramid”, the top being just beyond my reach. Let me say, there were plenty of people around who would have been happy to help, but I wanted to see what I could do independently as well as what I couldn’t. Not wanting to behave like a hyperactive three year old, I chose fruits that looked OK and removing them wouldn’t cause the whole display to fall.
I had turned off my blinking lights and removed my helmet before entering, but left the safety flag on to insure visibility. When I heard the flag brush (not topple) a display, I decided it was more hazard than benefit and took it down. It’s easier to go very slowly around the end of aisles.
I knew the chocolate bars I wanted were at the top, way out of reach, and I hadn’t written down the brand we liked. I told the man helping me, “uh, free trade with chocolate nibs in it, around 71%.” That only described about 25 of the 50 choices. Since I never met a chocolate bar I didn’t like, that was close enough, I took what he handed me and headed to the checkout. That went OK--not great, but OK.
I go to place the shopping basket on the conveyer belt, but it was too heavy. Before I can place items individually on the belt, a customer ahead of me offers to help, but it was too heavy for her as well. The checker helped, but in spite of their best efforts, this was more attention than I had bargained for. The rest of the checkout went OK--not great, but OK.
With all my safety gear back on, I started back up the mall sidewalk that would take me home. Lo and behold, a long van had backed up to unload something and blocked any through access on the sidewalk. But it was a good opportunity to work on my backing up skills. That wasn’t difficult (slow, but not difficult), but it meant spending some scooting time in the most dangerous parking lot in Lake Oswego. Attracting attention isn’t my thing, so singing at the top of my lungs as I passed through the parking lot was painful, embarrassing, but what are you going to do? This part of the trip was not OK.
Interesting observation on my way home. My scooter will support a person weighing 350 lbs. (flat terrain, modest distance). I weigh around 130 and am used to Skeeter zipping across streets, taking hills, and going some distance (with a full charge). Even with only an additional 10 lbs. of groceries, I could detect a loss of zip crossing Boones Ferry Road. I’ll keep that in mind on the next scoot.
I take my customary route, the market doors open automatically (yes! ADA), scoot in, prepared for today’s lesson (by now, I know it’s coming) My first observation was a young mother, two boys and one of the toy car/carts that require as much room as a small car, with less turning radius. Now, there’s a challenge! The most I can handle is one of the shopping baskets that fits between my feet. I brought 2 grocery bags from home, but forgot the see-through plastic bags for fruits and vegetables. New Seasons had some stationed throughout the department, within easy reach and I used them with a guilty conscience (it’s Oregon). The fruits and vegetables were beautiful, washed, and carefully arranged in what I like to call the “Precarious Pyramid”, the top being just beyond my reach. Let me say, there were plenty of people around who would have been happy to help, but I wanted to see what I could do independently as well as what I couldn’t. Not wanting to behave like a hyperactive three year old, I chose fruits that looked OK and removing them wouldn’t cause the whole display to fall.
I had turned off my blinking lights and removed my helmet before entering, but left the safety flag on to insure visibility. When I heard the flag brush (not topple) a display, I decided it was more hazard than benefit and took it down. It’s easier to go very slowly around the end of aisles.
I knew the chocolate bars I wanted were at the top, way out of reach, and I hadn’t written down the brand we liked. I told the man helping me, “uh, free trade with chocolate nibs in it, around 71%.” That only described about 25 of the 50 choices. Since I never met a chocolate bar I didn’t like, that was close enough, I took what he handed me and headed to the checkout. That went OK--not great, but OK.
I go to place the shopping basket on the conveyer belt, but it was too heavy. Before I can place items individually on the belt, a customer ahead of me offers to help, but it was too heavy for her as well. The checker helped, but in spite of their best efforts, this was more attention than I had bargained for. The rest of the checkout went OK--not great, but OK.
With all my safety gear back on, I started back up the mall sidewalk that would take me home. Lo and behold, a long van had backed up to unload something and blocked any through access on the sidewalk. But it was a good opportunity to work on my backing up skills. That wasn’t difficult (slow, but not difficult), but it meant spending some scooting time in the most dangerous parking lot in Lake Oswego. Attracting attention isn’t my thing, so singing at the top of my lungs as I passed through the parking lot was painful, embarrassing, but what are you going to do? This part of the trip was not OK.
Interesting observation on my way home. My scooter will support a person weighing 350 lbs. (flat terrain, modest distance). I weigh around 130 and am used to Skeeter zipping across streets, taking hills, and going some distance (with a full charge). Even with only an additional 10 lbs. of groceries, I could detect a loss of zip crossing Boones Ferry Road. I’ll keep that in mind on the next scoot.
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