I’m stunned at how you could right such a beautiful story, stemming from a strangers grocery list. Then to discover the person who wrote the list is a fb follower, well wow how serendipitous 🩷
Love this for everything about the main topic, but I think the highlight for me was your reference to the “wayback” of your Jeep! It’s a term I’ve always used, but never seem to hear anyone else refer to it in that way.
Hi Connie—that was my grocery list you found! I love your musings on who I might be but here it is. II am an empty nester and my adult kids and daughter in law were coming in town for a few days so I am a bit out of practice at big grocery shopping outings! And trying to think of what they all like. The repeats were, as you surmised, because I was trying to organize it by section of the story. In any case, loved your memories and always feel touched and uplifted by your writings. We have met a few times.
"We made our share of grocery lists. I wrote the first draft, and she would often add her requests, sometimes with illustrations. Why didn’t I save any of those?" So true. Another beauty of an essay, Connie. This one reminds me of the years my daughter was small enough to sit in the cart during grocery shopping (the big part, not the seat), and how I'd stop first at the deli counter to get a couple of slices of havarti cheese for her to eat as we shopped. Her favorite.
Thank you for bringing me happy memories. I was a family physician in a small town 30 years ago, and the local grocery store was second home - everyone knew me, my family, and wanted to take care of ME. In this world of the "big box stores, the loss of small stores is the loss of community.
As someone else said - I found you through Rachel Maddow's interview - what a joy to read optimism in this world!
I love reading other people’s grocery lists... I seek out carts that have bits of trash in the basket, hardly ever disappointed. Then I realize other people might also be reading mine, so I’ve been writing them in Danish for years, like a secret code. I surmise very few people in Dayton, Ohio can read Danish and even if they could, they would have to get beyond my handwriting. It also helps me keep up my vocabulary.
When my Mom and Dad went grocery shopping (oce a week, due to his job), I often tagged along. My mother had the list and did the prowl up and down the aisles. Dad, on the other hand, spent his time jawing with the manager, or the butcher. Dad did have a good eye for meat shopping. When checking out, Dad never wanted bags--boxes were his prefernce (specifically, butter boxes--sturdy, right size). I knew how to pack them, so I had that as my duty.
I love this but I can’t decide why. Is it because I have a curious mind (my husband calls me nosy!) & read other people’s grocery lists left in carts or on the floor? Or is it because it recalls the time I was a young mother with grocery lists, a Jean jacket & white Keds?!
This is lovely! Reminds me of grocery store trips with my son many years back. He once did not approve of how far away I ventured to pick up an item while he was strapped in the cart. His plaintive "Mom: you're not supposed to leave your child unattended!" sparked smiles in the aisle that still crack me up. I probably dropped lists back then and love thinking they might have found their way to thoughtful, clever people like Connie
Doesn’t this take me back! Back to whenJimand I were newly married and opening our own store. That was such a brief moment in time; ill-considered, perhaps, but precious nonetheless. We were dirt poor, and we religiously kept our grocery list so we could have food on the smallest possible but get. (Pro tip: never allow your frugal husband to grocery shop along. Jim once committed half of our bi-weekly budget off-brand chicken how mean. Only a few of the cans actually exploded, but still…)
And thank you for the “hence.” It’s such a lovely, and quite underused word.
Oh, Connie Schultz, you always make me smile. Now, at 84,I still make grocery lists and usually leave them in the cart where, hopefully, someone like you, get's a smile while reading. My 60 yr. old daughter has to still remind me when we go our, "Don't wear your small over-the-shoulder bag "and in the winter, " Please don't wear your purple hat" , because as you probably already know, we have duplicates in our wardrobes. I love this reminder and I usually win by saying, "I'm already dressed and wearing it"! I love your musings in this new Hopefully Yours! You're the best!
Constantly amazed at Connie’s knack for anticipating the stress her little girl might have and coming up with ways to ease the journey.
I’m stunned at how you could right such a beautiful story, stemming from a strangers grocery list. Then to discover the person who wrote the list is a fb follower, well wow how serendipitous 🩷
Love this for everything about the main topic, but I think the highlight for me was your reference to the “wayback” of your Jeep! It’s a term I’ve always used, but never seem to hear anyone else refer to it in that way.
"I loved that woman long after her son had decided that death was too long to wait for us to part." What a line!
Hi Connie—that was my grocery list you found! I love your musings on who I might be but here it is. II am an empty nester and my adult kids and daughter in law were coming in town for a few days so I am a bit out of practice at big grocery shopping outings! And trying to think of what they all like. The repeats were, as you surmised, because I was trying to organize it by section of the story. In any case, loved your memories and always feel touched and uplifted by your writings. We have met a few times.
Ann! I am overjoyed to hear from you. Thank you for filling in the blanks and setting me straight. Your lucky family!
My daughter said your handwriting resembles mine. That never occurred to me until she said it.
P.S. Do you need your list?
"We made our share of grocery lists. I wrote the first draft, and she would often add her requests, sometimes with illustrations. Why didn’t I save any of those?" So true. Another beauty of an essay, Connie. This one reminds me of the years my daughter was small enough to sit in the cart during grocery shopping (the big part, not the seat), and how I'd stop first at the deli counter to get a couple of slices of havarti cheese for her to eat as we shopped. Her favorite.
Thank you for bringing me happy memories. I was a family physician in a small town 30 years ago, and the local grocery store was second home - everyone knew me, my family, and wanted to take care of ME. In this world of the "big box stores, the loss of small stores is the loss of community.
As someone else said - I found you through Rachel Maddow's interview - what a joy to read optimism in this world!
A beautiful story. Reminds me of the days before nursing school when I shopped from a grocery list with a calculator. Single mother days.
I love reading other people’s grocery lists... I seek out carts that have bits of trash in the basket, hardly ever disappointed. Then I realize other people might also be reading mine, so I’ve been writing them in Danish for years, like a secret code. I surmise very few people in Dayton, Ohio can read Danish and even if they could, they would have to get beyond my handwriting. It also helps me keep up my vocabulary.
Freesias... so fetch! 😁😉
When my Mom and Dad went grocery shopping (oce a week, due to his job), I often tagged along. My mother had the list and did the prowl up and down the aisles. Dad, on the other hand, spent his time jawing with the manager, or the butcher. Dad did have a good eye for meat shopping. When checking out, Dad never wanted bags--boxes were his prefernce (specifically, butter boxes--sturdy, right size). I knew how to pack them, so I had that as my duty.
I love this but I can’t decide why. Is it because I have a curious mind (my husband calls me nosy!) & read other people’s grocery lists left in carts or on the floor? Or is it because it recalls the time I was a young mother with grocery lists, a Jean jacket & white Keds?!
This is lovely! Reminds me of grocery store trips with my son many years back. He once did not approve of how far away I ventured to pick up an item while he was strapped in the cart. His plaintive "Mom: you're not supposed to leave your child unattended!" sparked smiles in the aisle that still crack me up. I probably dropped lists back then and love thinking they might have found their way to thoughtful, clever people like Connie
Doesn’t this take me back! Back to whenJimand I were newly married and opening our own store. That was such a brief moment in time; ill-considered, perhaps, but precious nonetheless. We were dirt poor, and we religiously kept our grocery list so we could have food on the smallest possible but get. (Pro tip: never allow your frugal husband to grocery shop along. Jim once committed half of our bi-weekly budget off-brand chicken how mean. Only a few of the cans actually exploded, but still…)
And thank you for the “hence.” It’s such a lovely, and quite underused word.
OK, so I am not passing up those forlorn lists ever again. This made my day, thank you wonderful lady.
Oh, Connie Schultz, you always make me smile. Now, at 84,I still make grocery lists and usually leave them in the cart where, hopefully, someone like you, get's a smile while reading. My 60 yr. old daughter has to still remind me when we go our, "Don't wear your small over-the-shoulder bag "and in the winter, " Please don't wear your purple hat" , because as you probably already know, we have duplicates in our wardrobes. I love this reminder and I usually win by saying, "I'm already dressed and wearing it"! I love your musings in this new Hopefully Yours! You're the best!
"I may be projecting." 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣