The hubs has gone south this weekend to the Texas Hill Country to see his parents.  The dogs and I stayed at home.  This means I will have three very quiet days.  So this weekend will be some much needed down time for me.  Of course I still need to pick up the house and do laundry, but I am ready for a long, relaxing, no stress weekend.   Guess I should not have gone to Wal-Mart then…..

If you are lucky enough to live in a town with lots of grocery options, good for you.  That is not my experience.  In fact, the hubs does most of our grocery shopping and after today, I am remembering why.  We have a couple of grocery options, Homeland, which is pricier and I can never find anything there.  But when I’m desperate I do go there.  The other two options, you have to bring your own sacks and they don’t take debit cards.  That’s right, they don’t take debit cards.  Well that means, I don’t go there.  So 9 times out of 10, I make the trek into my local Wal-Mart, when I have to.

With the hubs gone, I wanted to make myself something yummy that I can eat on all weekend.  I chose my pasta primavera.  So I spent a nice quiet morning at home.  I did a couple of loads of laundry, watched several episodes of Say Yes to the Dress and then I decided it was time to do it.  It’s time to tackle Wal-Mart.

With my comfiest flip flops on I head out.  The first thing I notice is that the parking lot is pretty full.  Not a good sign.  I mean it’s not payday weekend so why is everyone here.  Instead of trolling up and down the isles in the parking lot looking for a space up close, I decide to park way out by the street and walk.  You know, get a little exercise in, make my Fitbit stand up and notice me.  Well crap, I forgot to put the Fitbit on.  Oh well, I know I’m getting in extra steps.

Two steps out of my car and I see them.  Over the past month or so, every time I go to our mall or grocery store, there are men walking around in the parking lots “giving away” loaves of homemade banana bread, for a donation.  The hubs and I stumbled upon some of them a few weeks ago and before we could escape, we heard the sales pitch.  They are recovering drug addicts trying to make their way in the world and don’t we want to help them out by taking one of their loaves of banana bread?  Um, no I do not.

So I see two of them up ahead of me and they are approaching people with their sales pitch.  Now, these guys frighten me.  I’m sorry, but they do.  And you know, they should never approach a woman in a parking lot.  Right?  One of my pet peeves is going to a store, only to find people set up right outside of the store selling something and asking me to buy it when I go into the store and then again when I come out.  So you can imagine how I feel about being approached by a man who tells me he is a recovering drug addict out in the parking lot without my husband….  I’m not very sympathetic and I am not about to accept a loaf of their banana bread.

Well that pretty much set the tone for the rest of my time in Wal-Mart.  This was one of those days when people went down the isles two buggies side by side blocking everybody’s way.  Or people would be stopped with their buggies talking and getting caught up with each other, again blocking the isle.  Hey, if you really want to talk, go out to the parking lot.  There are some guys out there who can give you some banana bread.

I have made so many detours in the store and waited behind so many buggies, that my stress level is pretty high.  I’m supposed to be having a quiet, low key weekend right?  I have everything I need, now I just need to get to the checkout counter and get out.  But wait, there it was.  Calling my name.  Really it was kind of screaming my name.  I’m shocked that everyone in the store didn’t turn and look.  What was it you asked?  It was an opportunity.  No it wasn’t, it was an indulgence and I needed an indulgence.  It was …… a big beautiful box of brownie mix!!!!  What goes good in brownie mix?  PECAN PIECES!!!!! Yep, got them too.  At this point I am just going to say it.  It’s Wal-Mart’s fault that I am buying brownie mix.  What’s a girl to do when she is all stressed out?  Isn’t chocolate our friend during these times? And who doesn’t love nuts with their brownies.

Now the task of finding the right checkout line.  I’m notorious for getting in the shortest, but slowest line.  But I hate to get in the longest line and hope it is the fastest.  What to do, what to do.  Hey there’s one and I can actually see the conveyor belt.  I’m wondering if it is a trick.  I’m kind of looking around, no one is running towards it.  Do I dare get in this line?  Oh I am just going to go for it.  I put my items on the belt and waited for my turn.  Hell did not freeze over and I zipped right through.  A young man by the name of Chris checked me out and when he handed me my receipt, told me to have a nice day.  Well ok Chris, I think I will.    Brownies anyone?