I visited an old friend this week and got really tickled at all the animals at her house. She has a bird feeder on the porch outside her kitchen window (over the sink) and it is better than watching TV! The birds jockey for position (luckily the hummingbirds have their own feeder) and the squirrels line up on the floor to catch whatever the birds throw down. I saw doves, cardinals, finches and a few others I couldn't identify.
She owns two black labs, named Ellie and Zoey, each of whom weigh about 90 pounds. This week, she is keeping another (smaller) black lab named Gingko, for a neighbor. Gingko is about 12, going grey and not terribly energetic. However, she loves being in the center of things and will lie down on the kitchen floor, in exactly the path that people need to walk through frequently. Luckily, Ellie and Zooey choose to lie in the den, next door to the kitchen. Their girth makes one have to step very high if there's a need to navigate over them. More than one dog in the kitchen would be untenable.
So, we are talking and we hear a noise at the door to the garage, which turns out ot be Daisy, a yellow lab mix who comes to visit Ellie, Zoey and Gingko every day, and get her "treat". That day, Daisy didn't like the proffered treat; turned up her nose and marched back to the garage door to be let out, but not before she "kissed" the other three dogs and said hello. I tell ya', it's like a petting zoo around there! (and it's really fun to be in the middle of it!)
She owns two black labs, named Ellie and Zoey, each of whom weigh about 90 pounds. This week, she is keeping another (smaller) black lab named Gingko, for a neighbor. Gingko is about 12, going grey and not terribly energetic. However, she loves being in the center of things and will lie down on the kitchen floor, in exactly the path that people need to walk through frequently. Luckily, Ellie and Zooey choose to lie in the den, next door to the kitchen. Their girth makes one have to step very high if there's a need to navigate over them. More than one dog in the kitchen would be untenable.
So, we are talking and we hear a noise at the door to the garage, which turns out ot be Daisy, a yellow lab mix who comes to visit Ellie, Zoey and Gingko every day, and get her "treat". That day, Daisy didn't like the proffered treat; turned up her nose and marched back to the garage door to be let out, but not before she "kissed" the other three dogs and said hello. I tell ya', it's like a petting zoo around there! (and it's really fun to be in the middle of it!)
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I went to the grocery today, armed with a fistful of coupons and a desire to get home without spending an arm and a leg. The coupons totaled $16.38, and including that, I still spent $184.99! I think that might be and arm and 2 legs, don't you? Granted, we were out of a lot of things, and granted I bought a host of paper products (the coupons were set to expire on the 31st), but I ask you: How can two people require that much food, etc? Maybe I need to fill my tank every three days, no matter how much gas I need - since that makes the total outlay seem smaller - and do the same with grocery shopping!
What is it with grocery store baggers nowadays? I hate plastic bags with a passion. They bag most of them with only 1-2 items, using many more bags than necessary. If I ask for paper bags, they roll their eyes, sigh deeply, and get them out from under the counter like it's the hardest thing they've ever had to do. Then they proceed to bag them with items so heavy that when you try to pick them up, they burst, or you have to take some out of them before you can pick them up. I have been taking older paper bags (and some purchased bags) to the store for re-use, and they look at me as if I am an alien when I suggest they use the ones I brought.
Once a clerk told me they couldn't allow used bags in the store because of roaches (inferring that my bags, brought from home were full of roaches.) I couldn't believe it. I wanted to hit him in the mouth with my purse! Today's experience was another bagging fiasco. I wish they'd go back to using cardboard boxes. But if you ask for a box at the store, you are told that they have been "knocked down" and baled for recycling. Wouldn't allowing people to use them again be a good way to start the recycling process? Maybe that makes too much sense for them?
What is it with grocery store baggers nowadays? I hate plastic bags with a passion. They bag most of them with only 1-2 items, using many more bags than necessary. If I ask for paper bags, they roll their eyes, sigh deeply, and get them out from under the counter like it's the hardest thing they've ever had to do. Then they proceed to bag them with items so heavy that when you try to pick them up, they burst, or you have to take some out of them before you can pick them up. I have been taking older paper bags (and some purchased bags) to the store for re-use, and they look at me as if I am an alien when I suggest they use the ones I brought.
Once a clerk told me they couldn't allow used bags in the store because of roaches (inferring that my bags, brought from home were full of roaches.) I couldn't believe it. I wanted to hit him in the mouth with my purse! Today's experience was another bagging fiasco. I wish they'd go back to using cardboard boxes. But if you ask for a box at the store, you are told that they have been "knocked down" and baled for recycling. Wouldn't allowing people to use them again be a good way to start the recycling process? Maybe that makes too much sense for them?
25 comments:
There is a real push for us to bring our own cloth bags - got to say, I still like paper bags.
The Shopping For Groeries "experience" sounds really horrendous. There is so much talk about cutting back on Plastic, I'm surprised to read that they use ONLY Plastic unless asked and then....Well, it is shocking that they act like Paper is 'so over'....! Where is this all going to end???
Your friends house sounds like fun with all the Birds....I love that! And the dogs, too....! I'm not sure I would want to step over all these BIG dogs....lol!
Hey Judy! Thanks for your comments. They did not know me before they hired me...funny huh? I am glad you like them...I posted two more that I had forgotten to add.
;)
I'm sorry to have to tell you that new paper bags are worse for the environment than plastic. The reason is that they are so much heavier that they have to use much more fuel to transport them.
However, refusing to use a customer's recyclable bags sounds really odd to me. I thought there was a big movement worldwide towards bringing your own cloth bags. As for boxes - well, it would be OK for them to use a box if you were going to either return it or put it out in the recycling at home. Otherwise, it is probably better for the environment that the store recycle them.
I remember when the grocer used to deliver the groceries to our house, in a box which he unpacked on to the kitchen table and took the box away for reuse. That was a few years ago now!
Michele sent me.
I have never seen paper bags being used in Europe, it's all plastic but some stores now charge for them in order to save money but also to make people re-use bags, particularly here in Spain where plastic becomes litter instantly!
Watching animals is so much fun!! your friend's house sounds like a wonderful place.
In England we are encouraged to re-use bags. The store i go to gives you points for re-using bags. The points are saved up and then get turned into money off and coupons off the grocery's.
Susan
Catherine: I always recycle boxes! Either I use them for flower deliveries or I take them to the landfill recycling area.
I usually bag for myself when I can, and bring my own canvas ones. If I happen to forget, I insist on paper, because I then recycle my scrap paper in one of the paper bags. Just insist no matter how they roll their eyes. What do you care what they think?
I love to visit houses full of animals. They have to be good people.
I always bring my own bags- it's the rule here in Europe, where bags aren't provided. In the States, I always bag myself, even when they don't want me to, because they never bag the way I want. I now carry my own bags there as well, but befor I woould put paper in plastic when I was loading a bag with cans and then use the plastic for diaper disposal. I also moved to Costco and Sams. At both I use the boxes that regathered to allow me to pack in recyclable cardboard. Much cheaper for paper and canned goods, as well.If someone gave me the eye when I bring in my own bags, I would tell them off: many municipalities are making it the law and I'm very happy with that. Plastic t-shirt bags are unbelievably destructive to the environment and we don't need them. It's an easy gimme on being green.
Here in California they are really encouraging people to buy and use "reusable" cloth bags at the grocery store. San Francisco is even going to add a "surcharge" for each plastic bag that gets used.
Michele sent me.
Your friends house sounds like Dr Dolittle should reside there! LOL!
The grocery bags thing is a subject close to my heart. I hate plastic bags too adn often get strange looks when I say I don't want a bag as I already ahve them. However, recently we have become much more aware of this as an issue in the UK and you actually get bonus clubcard points at some stores for bringing your own bags! I agree that the cardboard box idea is good. I cna remember going shopping with my mum and they always had the boxes at the front of the shop for re-use. It would be so efficient as the boxes would get used twice and then in the UK they would easily go into the recycle bin or composting.
The big name grocery I frequent has started selling the cloth bags right near the checkout. I've brought in my own, those huge, old canvas LL Bean things, and get evil looks, but it is just a larger (dingier, un-advertising) version of what they sell! What's the problem?
Ripe Avocados in with the baking potatoes...that's what I found the last time I unpacked. Grrrrrr.
We are asked to take our own bags when we going shopping, we are always given a loud thank you for bring your bags, so everyone can hear.
Animal House sounds wonderful!
I bring my own cloth bags and for some reason some of the checkers hesitate to pack them! - is there a different style of packing necessary for cloth bags?
One checker - a young woman - rolled her eyes at the bags and I asked her if she wanted to have a family one day. She said she did. I told her to thank me then because there might be air to breathe thanks to people like me.
MTL mourns the passing of cardboard boxes. Here we are expected to take our bags to the super market.
Your friend's kitchen sounds a joy to visit.
Guess what! I have just got an Australian non blogger and she reads you among others:Marisa. Isn't that super?
By the time you buy paper products and cleaning products, etc. that's not much for groceries. Everything is so ridiculously expensive now.
I despise plastic bags. I bought some of the canvas bags for groceries, but then I forget to take them in with me.
Kenju, I agree with absolutely EVERYTHING you said in your post. Love watching the animals. Hate the plastic bags. Hate myself when I forget to bring the canvas bags I purchased at LL Bean outlet store for just that thing. If someone made that comment about roaches I just might make a scene!!
The roach comment wasn't meant as a slight to you, personally. Roaches DO like to lay eggs on those brown paper bags (that's why she said that about roaches).
I took a reusable bag to WalMart the other day and the clerk was very helpful. First she asked if I wanted anything in particular in it, then she filled it perfectly (and she was new!).
speaking to the bagging issue, the grocery store that employs me, rewards customers who bring their own bags by taking a few cents off their orders for each bag. We are also on a campaign to retrain our cashiers to put more itmes in each bag. They do tend to use too many. Much of that is habit, and it comes in part from trying to avoid customer complaints about heavy bags, or not liking having certain items packaged together. I kno that when customers are clear up front about their bagging preferences we are happy to accomodate them. Often customers wait until an order is bagged to tell you they wanted paper , or certain items bagged together.
I want you to come to my house one day, its a regular Animal Farm.
I love Dianne's comment to the young female bagger. I also take my own cloth bags wherever I shop and have found most stores to be encouraging. If you do that at "Trader Joe's" they actually congratulate you by entering you into a weekly drawing for a free bag of groceries.
Is her name Deana? I'm kidding of course but the woman with all the animals reminded me of Friday Night Fish Fry Deana.
I love eating food from my garden and saving so much money.
Plastic is turning out to be a nasty invention all the way around.
A bag full of roaches. Priceless. Like you'd be carrying them around, not knowing... or that they could somehow infect the store. Roach germs. What silliness.
I bought canvas bags recently. And I'm endeavoring to use them as often as I can.
~S
I am so tired of the high price of groceries. I can't seem to get out of the store without a bill close to 200.00 and very little, in my opinion to show for it.
Big dogs and small houses. . . I love it and it reminds me of the time when my boys were young and we had two large dobermans.
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