Monday, December 20, 2021

Grocery Shopping on Sunday

Christmas Bears Card

I've had these bear stickers for years!  I glued them to a strip of cardstock and made another card with them.  

Today was a sunny day with the daytime highs in the mid-60s.  Tonight's low is supposed to be 39F, though.  

I spent a relaxed morning, answering blog comments, etc.  Thank you all for your kind comments, especially regarding the email to check on my niece. 

In the afternoon, I went to pick up my groceries that we had ordered on Saturday.  When I pulled into one of the designated parking spaces for customers picking up online order, Jenny, the young woman who usually brings the groceries to the car, was helping another customer.  When I parked my car, she came up to my car to ask me if I had already checked in online and I said no (I usually check in when I arrive at the parking lot).  She very apologetically asked me if I could hold off on checking in until she had finished helping that customer because it was taking some time and the store keeps tabs on how long it takes the workers to bring an order out after the customer checks in.  I think they are expected to fill the orders within 10 minutes of arrival, because, when we check in, we are told to call back if we're still waiting after 10 minutes.  I wasn't in a hurry, so I waited.  I suppose there was some issue with that customer's order, because after Jenny loaded the groceries into the truck, the customer went back to the store with her and came back several minutes later with another cart full of groceries.  

I waited until that customer got into the truck before I called to check in and let the store know that I was was waiting.  I had waited for almost 20 minutes before I checked in.  In the meantime, someone else had pulled in to the parking spot next to me and checked in!  Jenny brought out both our orders at the same time, apologized to me, and helped that other customer, first, because she had checked in before I did.  Which was fine with me.  Then, it was my turn and Jenny was very, very apologetic for the delay.  I told her it was OK, I was just grateful to be able to order online and pick up the groceries.  She told me that I was very sweet!  LOL.

Apparently, her co-worker had left work early, when he wasn't supposed to, and she was having to pick up the slack.  She sounded very stressed!  I told her it was OK and to take a deep breath, which she did.  Poor thing; working retail is never easy and dealing with the holiday rush and irate customers, while being timed on each interaction and short staffed is awful.  She thanked me, again, for being so understanding and gave me $15 off my order for having to wait!  I told her it was OK, she didn't have to do that, I didn't mind waiting, but, she had already put in the discount on her handheld device.  I took the store survey when I came home and in the box that asked if I'd like to recognize an employee by name, I said yes and put in Jenny, and when asked if I would explain why, I wrote that she was courteous and had excellent customer service.  I hope she will be notified in some way that a customer appreciated her.  By the way, the groceries were brought out and loaded into my car 5 minutes after I checked in (after that initial wait of 20 minutes, before checking in).  

This was my second grocery pick up for this month.  The first pick up was on December 12 and I spent $61.29 on that order (not including the bottle of ibuprofen, which was $14.99).

Today's order included 5 lbs. of butter on sale for $1.99/lb., two packets of coffee on sale for $5.99 each, and chicken thighs at $.99/lb. 

My December grocery budget is $250.

Spent to date: $61.29 + $23.71 = $85

Neighbor T called in the afternoon, after I had come home from picking up the groceries.  We chatted a bit; she wasn't sure if her daughter would be able to visit her on Christmas Day or not.  I told her I'll call her again, before Christmas.  I do hope her daughter will be able to visit her.  

In the evening, I finished my card making for now and tidied up the house a bit with my daughter's help.  She also did some cooking for the week, making chicken curry, dhal, kale mallung (shedded kale cooked with grated coconut, turmeric, etc.), and sauteed leeks.  I made coconut roti (flat bread) with the rest of the grated coconut (we used a packet of frozen grated coconut).   Later, I chatted with friend R.  Afterwards, daughter and I watched A Charlie Brown Christmas on TV, which has become a tradition with us!   

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being able to order groceries online and curbside pick up
- The discount for the delay at the grocery store!
- A safe drive to the store and back
- My card crafting supplies
- The spare bedroom doubling up as a storage room!  

Today's joyful activity was putting up a few more holiday decorations.

Plans for tomorrow include doing laundry ("Wash on Monday")  and taking the trash cans to the curb.  

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday?

16 comments:

  1. Your cards are quite festive & I like that you are reusing some old card fronts, I do that too. Waste not, want not! That was very kind of you to give Jenny a positive review. When ever we get the after service survey I always say how much I appreciate the service of curbside & the friendly staff. With restrictions being re-introduced I imagine the curbside will once again be the choice of many. I think having an Auntie that cares is a gift & your niece probably is grateful for that.

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    1. Thank you, Mary-Lou. I've been looking at a few of your own cards to get some inspiration (and, of course, you provided the inspiration for one of the gifts I made; photo will be posted, soon!) I am very grateful for the curbside pick up service (and the fact that it is free with a minimum purchase amount!) I think my niece appreciated the concern - if nothing else, it showed that I really read her card! :D

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  2. You and Jenny both demonstrated what kind people you are. I'm sure you made her day. I've never made cards before. It looks like fun.

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    1. Thank you, June; I've been at the receiving end of irate customers who complain about services and I try hard not to be one of them, myself. I like making cards although I don't always consider the end results a success! I think it'll be something you'll enjoy doing - maybe add it to your list of fun projects to do, next year?

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  3. From my own experience I can honestly say that workers in retail do work very hard and it can be stressful for them. It's nice to have a sweet, appreciative customer like you, sadly not all customers are like that and some can be impatient and rude. Like you I have left feedback for good customer service and the assistant told me she had won the store's employee of the month award on the strength of my feedback, I was so happy for her.

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    1. They do work hard, don't they? I'm glad I was able to accommodate her request to hold off on checking in as I didn't have another errand to run or an appointment, afterwards. Oh, I hope this store has an employee of the month award, too. :)

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  4. It sounds like it was a bit of a nightmare shift for Jenny and the fact that it's so close to Christmas probably adds to shoppers' stress and demands. I'm glad you were able to support her by waiting patiently and the $15 discount was an added bonus for you.

    Glad you've managed to finish your card making and how lovely that your daughter did some cooking for the week ... it all sounds lovely and you can send her over to do the same for me if you like 😊

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    1. I don't think she was having a good work day, poor thing. I'm glad, too, that I had the time to wait, since I didn't have anywhere else to go afterwards. I'd have waited even without the $15 discount, but, it did make it worth my wait! :)

      Yes, cardmaking is done for right now (might make a couple of New Years cards for my Buddhist family members to send after Christmas). Ha, ha, my daughter says she'd love to fly over and do some cooking for you, post-Covid! :D

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    1. Thank you, Regine. :) Hope all is well with you.

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  6. It's so nice that you were patient with the worker. I know how difficult it can be working in retail especially at this time of year. Some customers can be very short-tempered and rude and sometimes that upsets the whole day!

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    1. It was the least I could do, Sharon. This one store worker had been very accommodating on a previous occasion and I was happy to return the favor. I didn't have to be anywhere else after I picked up the groceries, so I could wait, although, if it had been any longer, then, I'd have had to check in before time ran out on my time slot to pick up the groceries!

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  7. Those bears are fun! It was good that you were the patient customer that waited while the store employee was having such a difficult day, and how lovely that you were able to identify her as a specially courteous employee (as well as getting that discount). Thank goodness she didn't have someone snarky waiting, while she was pressured handling things on her own!
    I've made the shortbread cookies and some crispy date bars and we got the tree installed in its holder and I even put the star and lights on already. We're getting there. But I am trying to include spiritual preparation into my days, too.

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    1. The bears are cute, aren't they? :)
      I was happy to wait to help her out. On an earlier grocery pick up, there was an issue with the store computer being down and she accommodated me by letting me pick up the groceries even though I didn't have the credit card I had used with me. I had offered to go home and get the card, but, she called her manager and explained the situation to him/her and said that I was a regular customer (she recognized me from previous visits). I gave her a good review, that time, too. :)
      Yum, your shortbread cookies are making me want some, too! Sounds like you are making good progress. The spiritual preparations are important and should not be overlooked in the bustle of getting the decorations put up. I've got into the habit of starting and ending the day with prayers. Morning prayers and meditation takes about one hour. Nightly prayers, which include blessing the house, takes maybe 15 minutes or so. In between, I've been known to take prayer breaks - usually when I'm driving, or watering the garden, or just walking up and down the drive way for 10 minutes. :)

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  8. Jenny sounds like a great employee - I hope the store recognizes what an asset she is. It is nice that you were so kind and understanding and I'm sure she appreciated it. I'm sure some people are not as patient.
    And, yeah! for the $15 off coupon :)

    All of the food your daughter made sounds very good. You have a nice assortment of foods to chose from when deciding what to eat.

    I like your idea of using the old bear stickers when making a card.

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    1. I was happy I could wait to help Jenny out a bit. I usually pick up my groceries on weekdays, when the store is not quite as busy. But, my daughter needed the chicken to cook that night - she is planning to host a small gathering (3 friends) tonight and wanted to prepare the meal ahead of time. The stickers were so old that I had to use a glue stick to stick them down, but, it worked! :D

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