May Grocery Shopping Part 2

May Grocery Shopping Part 2

Today, I went grocery shopping in person at one of my favorite ethnic grocery stores, for the first time since the first Covid lockdown!  

Receipt: $25.91

In the morning, I tended to the garden with M.  We planted some of the pole beans and the blue flowered plant that M brought me a week or so ago (a type of gentian, maybe?) and a blue agapanthus "Elaine" to replace the ones I had which died.  He also finished weeding the planting bed out of which I had pulled the osteospermum and watered the garden.  

In the afternoon, around 3:00 p.m., I took the packages over to friend R.  She wanted some curry leaves, lemon leaves, and some lemons, too, so I took her a bag of those, too.  

Friend R lives just a few blocks from the large Armenian grocery store; the one that has really good produce prices.  They were selling red cherries for $0.99/lb. this week and I decided that I will go there and buy some cherries and a few other things that were on sale this week.

The store was not too crowded and I wore a mask, of course (I think I was the only one there with a mask).  I took the opportunity to do a quick walk around the store to check out the prices.  Certain things have gone up in price since the last time I was there, over 4 years ago, which is to be expected, of course.  But, I was able to get an idea of what the current prices are and, as usual, the majority of the fresh produce was cheaper than at the supermarket.  

I bought:

Beef (boneless chuck roll) @ $4.99/lb. = $4.59

2 canned sardines, 5.5 oz @ $0.89 =  $1.78

2 mangos, $0.69@ = $1.38

2 bananas, @$0.59/lb. = $0.48

2+lb. cherries @ $0.99/lb. = $2.12

1 package digestive cookies, 400g = $1.99

1 package sesame crackers = $3.67

1 package, 8 oz. paprika = $4.49

4 cans coconut milk @ $1.19 = $4.76

Green beans @ $0.99/lb. = $0.48

2 Persian cucumbers @ 2lb/$0.99 = $0.17

Total = $25.91

May grocery budget = $100

Spent to date = $15.39 (over spent in April) + $29.47 + $25.91 = $70.77

Balance remaining in the May grocery budget = $100 - $70.77 = $29.23

I felt comfortable shopping there, today. I will continue to pick up certain things from the supermarket, but, maybe I might start going to the ethnic store in person, again, for the fresh produce and specialty items. 

I had forgotten to eat brunch, but, when I came home from the store, I had a banana, some of the sesame crackers, and later, I had two of the digestive cookies with a cup of tea.  Dinner will be freshly cooked rice (it just finished cooking) and some of the leftover stirfry (I kept a portion or two back when I made it to take to my cousin's house on Monday).

Today, I am grateful for:

- M's help with the garden and the plants he brings me
- Being able to help friend R by taking her the packages 

- A safe drive to R's and the grocery store and back
- Feeling ready to shop in person at the grocery store, again
- Daughter had an uneventful day at the conference

Today's joyful activity was gardening, although grocery shopping felt very joyful, too!

Plans for Thursday include another blood test at noon.

How was your day?  What are your plans for Thursday?