Groceries Shopping
It's a Sunday morning, I get up a little late than usual, finish my ablutions and go to the refrigerator with the sole desire for a hot cup of coffee, only to find that the milk is over! Well, when I was in Bangalore, this scenario was just a situation. All I had to do is to walk up to the bakery, which just around the corner of our road, get the milk and that's it!
The very same scenario (described above) seems like a problem now (here in the US). To explain a little more about the things that I need to do now to solve the above problem is:
1. Get dressed with 2-3 layers of warm clothes (it's freaking cold at this time of the year)
2. Walk up to the car in the parking lot (believe me, it is an activity in itself when it's snowing heavily)
3. Start up the car so that it warms up
4. Clear off the snow from all of the windows and the windscreens.
5. Drive up to the nearest grocery store
6. Find parking space for the car
7. Take the huge shopping cart (even if you need just a couple of items)
8. Pickup the can of milk etc from the shelves
9. Get into the queue for paying for the stuff
10. Drive back home
After all this struggle, I feel I really deserve a cup of coffee. I realize what a privilege it was in India to have those bakeries and groceries stores just around the corner, at walkable distances. And not to forget, the enviable weather!
Now when the weekend comes, I am happy to find some time for myself. However towards the end of the Sunday, it's time for us to replenish our supply of groceries. Now there two kinds of groceries that we Indians end up getting here in the US. The regular groceries (from the American super stores) and the Indian groceries (all our Indian stuff for cooking, from the Indian store). This is the most dreaded time of the whole week, I hate to spend 2 hours for the activity of buying groceries.But I am helpless! There is no way out for this. I guess one stop shops have this painful tradeoff.
The reason for blogging this thought was to reaffirm to myself that there are a lot of things around us which are really good and convenient, but we won't realize it until we have to deal with more difficult alternatives for the same things. When I am back in India, I will definitely make sure to enjoy the very convenience of simple grocery shopping.
The very same scenario (described above) seems like a problem now (here in the US). To explain a little more about the things that I need to do now to solve the above problem is:
1. Get dressed with 2-3 layers of warm clothes (it's freaking cold at this time of the year)
2. Walk up to the car in the parking lot (believe me, it is an activity in itself when it's snowing heavily)
3. Start up the car so that it warms up
4. Clear off the snow from all of the windows and the windscreens.
5. Drive up to the nearest grocery store
6. Find parking space for the car
7. Take the huge shopping cart (even if you need just a couple of items)
8. Pickup the can of milk etc from the shelves
9. Get into the queue for paying for the stuff
10. Drive back home
After all this struggle, I feel I really deserve a cup of coffee. I realize what a privilege it was in India to have those bakeries and groceries stores just around the corner, at walkable distances. And not to forget, the enviable weather!
Now when the weekend comes, I am happy to find some time for myself. However towards the end of the Sunday, it's time for us to replenish our supply of groceries. Now there two kinds of groceries that we Indians end up getting here in the US. The regular groceries (from the American super stores) and the Indian groceries (all our Indian stuff for cooking, from the Indian store). This is the most dreaded time of the whole week, I hate to spend 2 hours for the activity of buying groceries.But I am helpless! There is no way out for this. I guess one stop shops have this painful tradeoff.
The reason for blogging this thought was to reaffirm to myself that there are a lot of things around us which are really good and convenient, but we won't realize it until we have to deal with more difficult alternatives for the same things. When I am back in India, I will definitely make sure to enjoy the very convenience of simple grocery shopping.
posted by Rajit at
12:29 PM
8 Comments:
That's very interesting indeed! Will not crib the next time I need to go to the corner shop :O
By
Shruthi, at March 13, 2006 8:37 AM
Enviable weather? I mean...i can undestand your problem and the situtaion that the heavy snows have created. But, the boiling summer in India, is by no means enviable!! :O
By
Rita, at March 13, 2006 9:02 AM
Shruthi,
I appreciate that.
Rita,
If you are in Chennai when you wrote this, I understand your plight(having lived in Chennai for a while)! But broadly speaking, India indubitably has enviable climates compared to a lot other countries. Just another reason for us to be glad :)
By
Rajit, at March 13, 2006 12:25 PM
Yup. In Chennai and dreading the approaching summer! :)
By
Rita, at March 13, 2006 9:02 PM
Theres one solution to this!
Start storing half n half milk in your refrigerator! They have longer expiry dates than regular milk:) it always works well for me. I get damn irritated if I see an expired milk can in my fridge:D
By
Rays Of Sun, at March 15, 2006 8:09 PM
Hey ROS, thanks for another valuable suggestion! I don't have to think twice in following this one though... :D
(I'd really like to try this one..)
By
Rajit, at March 15, 2006 8:15 PM
And also..if u are looking fwd to that "chai taste" from back home..Half n half it is! Tried n tested!
By
Rays Of Sun, at March 16, 2006 9:32 AM
Wonderful picturization. The way you have put it made me feel a lot better on having left that place.....
Vijay
http://India-IT-Pulse.blogspot.com
By
Vijay, at March 16, 2006 11:21 AM
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