Rule of Three

Ventured out into Tesco during a quiet period on Thursday.

No sale!

It transpired that there was a good reason it was quiet -
no milk,
no meat
no tins...
The signs said there was a "three item limit per product".
What they didn't say was that
breadsticks,
Cathedral City bites,
Ryvita
and DH's 'free from' products
were all classified as 'the same products'...
DH's need was greatest, so the rest went in the 'return trolly' placed beside each till.
We live and learn.

I have worked in retail.
I have worked in retail at Christmas.
I understand the need to limit what we buy.
I just struggled to understand why if these measures were in place,
that stock levels were so low in some sections...
We could have split up,
and taken three lots of products through three separate tills,
but we didn't.
Inconvenient as it was, I agreed with the limit.
DH's items were the priority,
but he wasn't allowed two lots of rice cakes AND two lots of breakfast biscuits.
That would be four items.
He had to put one back...
Decisions, decisions!

On Friday, DH wanted to know if there was any of the gluten-free flour and yeast in Sainsbury's. Having worked in retail in the past I rarely go food shopping these days.
DH has identified a very limited range of products that are compatible with his dairy/gluten/cornflour/carotene/egg/lemon/tomato free diet.
Unfortunately this involve visits to Tesco, Morrisons ANDSainsbury's.
Our Asda is too small to run the specialist lines he requires.
Periodically he goes for a wander along the aisles of Asda,
hoping that their range will have been transformed,
only to be disappointed.
Again.

Into Sainsbury's I went with my weird list.
I was shopping for my family and a friend.
Alien territory - I wandered up and down aisles,
trying to keep six feet away from fellow shoppers.
Stopping to squint at shelf edge tickets as I tried to work out if items I sought were out of stock ,
or if I was looking in the wrong place.
The only assistant I spoke to had been seconded to the shop floor from the cafe,
so gave the best advice she could.
Teabags yes - I got one of the last boxes, so those visiting the shop after me would not have been so fortunate :(
Humbugs - yes
Oat Milk  - last carton
Choc Pots - no, but alfter a phone consultation salted caramel were a satisfactory substitution
Ordinary milk - YES
Meat - YES
Weird Ryvita YES
Butter - YES
Coffee - YES Well stocked so I took two!
Frozen Veg - YES
Yellow Pepper - YES
Cooked Meat - YES
Cress - YES
GF Yeast - YES
GF Bread Flour - No (DH is reacting to all the GF shop bread, so has to make his own)
GF Rice - YES
Moo Free chocolate - yes
All in one bag - I wasn't anticipating so much success so I only took one bag in to the shop.
"Do you need another bag?" asked the concerned assistant.
"It will be fine, " I assured him,
"I only have to get it to the car."
Needless to say that due to the weight I only just managed to lift it out of the trolly and into the car.
If the handle gives way soon, you will all know why!

The only problem I hit in Sainsbury's was that I couldn't buy three x 1 litres of milk,
but I could swop two of the 1 litres for a 2 litre - same amount of milk,
but rules is rules, and I get that.
In this time when just obtaining provisions becomes a major preoccupation,
it gives me some insight into what my parents and grandparents lived through during the war.
Meanwile, do take time to give thanks for all who are working so hard to try and keep up with the extraordinary demand.

Before tea, we caught up with Boris' broadcast.
The news coming out of Italy is heartbreaking
so many lives lost,
so many people dependant on ventilators.
Pubs, clubs, restaurants shut from tonight.
Soon we will be on lockdown.
I am so grateful that we have a garden.
Our oasis.

The enemy is subtle, invisible and thrives on complacency.
May we all be ever watchful.

Lord hear our prayer
and let our cry come unto thee...