Petit Joel and I just needed new toothbrushes and almond milk. Just two effing bamboo toothbrushes and almond milk from Whole Foods.That’s it. I am a minimalist. Nothing more, nothing less. The problem is, this store is just awesome since it has it all. Natural alternatives, organic food, a huge variety of cheese and fish (love!) and of course nuts, seeds, fancy chocolate, tons of awesome “free of everything” beauty products and samples.
Another issue is where the almond milk is located. To get there, I have to traverse the entire store which means I usually wear my invisible horse blinders and walk through it quickly like on hot coals (with Chanel flats on). Petit Joel and I hit the Farmers Market and then for whatever reason I thought about these toothbrushes and almond milk and we both ended up in this store where the first part is usually okay, since it is all produce. We actually ran out of carrots though and I forgot to buy them at the Farmers Market, so they wander silently into my shopping cart. Off we go. Destination almond milk. Petit Joel in the cart (plus carrots). I add some arugula just because. We then entered cheese heaven with all the samples. Petit Joel loves cheese as well and tries this one and that one and decides he likes them both. So do I. And the mozzarella. I go back to the produce aisle to get some fresh basil to make a Caprese for supper. I am pushing my cart quickly back to the cheese section and pass this beautiful wooden salad bowl what would look so nice with my wooden salad fork and spoon set. Does this salad bowl have big googly eyes on the side? I have to get out of here.
I get some fresh salmon, too. That will go nicely with my Caprese salad tonight. I also get some frozen salmon for my famous pasta with salmon sauce dish that Petit Joel loves. We also ran out of organic ketchup, mustard for salad dressing, salt, pepper and yes, there is the almond milk section. Everything in the cart. Pushing on to the bread aisle. We actually get our bread every week from either Farm Boy or preferably the Farmers Market on Sunday and purchase enough so it lasts us all week. However, somehow a chocolate croissant made its way into the cart and was halfway eaten when we eventually approached the register. We don’t eat cereal so everything is okay while we walk through this aisle but wow, look at those beautiful journals next to the Yoga mats, Yoga pants and Yoga everything else. I should start practicing Yoga again. Maybe I should get these yoga pants which will make me sign up for a class for sure. Those pants will transform my whole life. Or this journal since I don’t have enough journals already.
I quickly skim through the cleaning supplies aisle and shake my head at all this useless stuff that nobody needs. Like Swiffer with organic cotton pads that smell like lavender and strangely cute looking detergents liquid bubbly things that Petit Joel gave names to because they look like Minions. Some super organic dishwashing detergents and towels stay in the shelves and finally, Jesus Christ, I leave all this behind.
I forget about my salmon/salad supper idea when we pass the buffet section. A little sushi would be awesome, too. The register is visible and my heart is pounding. I wander toward the register, grab some Fiddleheads, some aspartame free gum and load everything on the conveyor belt. I paid my bill (why $210?) and skedaddle out of Whole Foods; three bags of food and other items while I realize that I have never been particularly bad with finances but I have never been great with them either. I usually do pretty well but then I splurge on books or at Whole Foods. Life is a learning process and I am working on being in charge of my expenses all (most of) the time. My former statistic professor would recommend to probably track my expenses in a spreadsheet or something. It reminds me of the time when I used to bring my food to work, all healthy and prepared in mason jars the night before and stored it in the fridge at work. My coworkers always thought I am so healthy and efficient but then I went out for lunch to just get out of the office which gave me a nice opportunity to stretch my legs and see something different than the computer screen.
I sometimes even buy a cookie and an apple juice for Petit Joel at Starbucks before I leave the library and pick him up. Sometimes even a soda because I was swayed by the cool bottle. For lunch, I venture sometimes outside of my routine and enjoy large bowls of phô. Okay, I am officially addicted to it and have been trying to stop but I don’t see that happening anytime soon. It is just so delicious, satisfying and good (for and to me).
Is all this supposed to make me feel bad or ashamed? It might seem a lot for one shopping trip to some but all these things made me (us) really happy, our bellies full and sustained. This is life. It is okay and this salmon tasted pretty awesome with my salad after all since I placed the sushi back in the shelf.
Now, I will just wait for my husband to call since I used his credit card…..
2 thoughts on “Real Money Talk.”