Queue

Several pictures I have previously taken mention our weekly shopping routine.

I’m certain my Saturday morning trip to the local supermarket is not unusual in any way. In fact, even before COVID19 it was a routine millions of people around the country had. Just not me.

I live in a London suburb.  On my way home from the office I pass countless places to buy dinner - either the ingredients,  a ready-meal or a takeaway.  There are two convenience versions of major stores and a big supermarket within five minutes of my front door. There’s a corner shop that seems to be always open and it is even closer.

As a result, it’s been many years since we had a shopping routine.  When we sold the car, trips to big edge-of-town stores became impractical, and so we started shopping on demand.  Every couple of days we’d stop, usually on the way home from work, and pick-up ingredients for a meal or two, maybe we’d also need some milk or bread and that was it. One carrier bag and almost no thought beyond a couple of days.

It really amazes me how easily I’ve slipped into a routine that I really associate with my mum. I remember the weekly Tesco shopping run of my teenage decade.  For many years it’s a routine, in my own life, I would not share with previous generations.

And then it all changed. And I join the back of the queue every Saturday morning.  And, interestingly, I look forward to pushing my trolley each week.