"Where do you buy groceries?"

     When we relocated to downtown Minneapolis we were frequently asked, "Where do you buy groceries?" Tempted as I was to say "In a grocery store" I resisted and explained the situation. Since we moved here nine years ago there are several new options. Downtown Market, accessible by Skyway, two blocks away was here when we arrived.  About ten blocks away is a new Lunds/Byerlys, Whole Foods is three blocks and Trader Joe's is five blocks.  (Food is easy to find, but gasoline....)
    When I mentioned to friends that I was going to Trader Joe's the response was "It's all prepared food." To which I said "That's why I'm going." Cooking isn't really my thing...grazing is closer to an accurate description. In our house in Golden Valley the grill on the deck, just outside the sliding glass doors from the kitchen, was convenient for much food preparation. Now condo rules restrict grills to small, camping style and the deck is not near the kitchen, so now I don't grill.
     Grocery shopping has been my responsibility for twenty years or more. Between Lund's/Byerly's and Costco I've done most buying. Tonight Lisa introduced me to Trader Joe's which takes a bit of orientation after the more traditional stores to which I'm accustomed. This may be the correct store for my current lifestyle. The first time I visited Joe's on my own I felt lost. With some adult supervision in the introduction tonight I should now be able to navigate it on my own. You all know that learning a new store takes a bit of time and also Joe's is different from old norm.
   Ah, yes, so much to learn!

Takk for alt,

Al

Poster for the Communist Party, Portugal: They lost 5 seats, going from 12 to 7, of 230 total, in the recent election.