The third circle of hell (a trip to the grocery store)

 I don't know what I was thinking.  

First I guess I had better start with Houston's football team, the Texans.  They have been pretty awful.  The Houston Dynamo (soccer) team has done very well but pretty much all our professional sports teams suck badly.  Exception being the Astros, and Dynamo, so I don't really follow them.  

Anyway they must have better players and coaching because we could make it to the playoffs this year and the city is going crazy; a big game is tonight.  Everyone's getting their snack foods let me tell you; the aisles I zone at work in grocery from 2-3 have been trashed.  I didn't think about it this morning.  

I woke up around 8.  I have the right amount of bedding on the bed and the cats like the fleece blanket I put at the foot of the bed.  I believe it was a gift from my aunt, to Ron, some years ago.  It is a cheetah print.  I wasn't too hot and I should be nice and warm if the power goes out.  

I got ready and left around 10, after doing my prep work for the storm.  

I brought in the paint from the garage, covered my plants, wrapped my hose spigots.  I got my cart and left.  

The traffic was very heavy around the grocery store but I didn't think much of it.  It was busy in the store at that point but not unusual for a weekend.  I got my groceries.  I wanted those little cheese snack crackers, some drink mix, etc.  I also got a nice beef shank for $3 it has a huge amount of meat and some nice bone to give the broth flavor.  

I was in for a very rude shock when I went to check out.  The checkout is in the front of the store, the lines went 3/4 to the back of the store.  

Then when I got up to the register I couldn't get my box out of my hand cart.  I was fighting with it and very embarrassed.  A nice Spanish man behind me got it.  I told him Gracias and then said "You are Senor Fuerte!"  I flexed a bicep "Very strong!"  He blushed and his wife laughed.  I paid and the man helped me get the box BACK in the cart.  Then I got out of his way and left.  On my way out I realized the line went halfway around the strip mall now, to get into the store.  

I heard a frantic announcement on the PA that the store was out of propane and my cashier had told me they were about out of bottled water as well.  And they are very well equipped for that sort of thing!  

I went to a takeout place.  They do a couple different cuisines.  I wanted samosa so I got a couple of them, they were delicious.  I felt like I brought down the tone of the restaurant with my hand cart so I took it to-go and ate at the bus stop.  

I got home fine.  I put everything away and took a nap.  Biscuit knows bad weather is coming, he's using his box.  Normally he only goes in the backyard.  

And I saw a nice fat kitty on my way to the bus stop this morning.  I couldn't help but wonder if it is getting in my house and eating the cat food.  

I got the beef shank going in the crock pot, a couple of handfuls of chopped frozen onions, a couple peeled garlic cloves (intact), 1/2 t each salt and pepper, a bay leaf, 2 T apple cider vinegar to help break down the bone.  I put the onions, etc. in the bottom, put the shank in and then filled it with water.  The broth will be ready tomorrow and then I can cook the veggies in it tomorrow.  I like pretty much every vegetable in the world in my veggie soup, everything from lima beans and okra to cabbage and carrots.  

That's it for now.