Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Oh, Deer and Costco CULTure









We had a lot of rain yesterday, so when my sister sent me a text in the morning asking if I wanted to go to Costco, I immediately texted back with "Perfect Timing!" adding that my Folgers coffee can was down to about two pots left.  

And, since it would be raining on and off all day, what better thing to do!

During one of the occasional dry spells and while I was waiting for Barbara and Laurie, I saw some action over by the apple tree.  Those critters involved in the apple eating activity saw me but chose to simply stand there and stare back.

So, I went inside and grabbed my camera.  They were still there when I came back outside, locked in place and still staring.  They gave me time to move a little closer and then began their exit into the Meserve Preserve.

I don't know how many apples they stole in yesterday's session, but I know they'll be back. 

I also know that I'm jealous of my neighbor Janice up the road, who later posted Facebook photos  of a herd of elk near her home. 

Spotting elk on our property still remains on my bucket list as an item needing to be checked off.  We've had them all around us at different times this year but still no shows on this place. 

Some day it will happen. 

After the deer photo shoot, Barbara and Laurie pulled into the driveway, and off we went. 

In my case, the shopping list had about six items: coffee, chunk of cheese, salad makings, tri-tip steaks, mini watermelons and some granola cereal. 

Barbara and Laurie planned to initiate their meat-buying schedule, which seems to be a standard routine among seasoned Costco shoppers.  

Get the steaks one trip, chicken breasts the next.

In this lead up to the first major Costco experience, my sisters have heard plenty of advice and oodles of Costco tales.  So, they had a plan and wasted no time pushing their cart up an aisle as I headed mine another direction.

We agreed that whoever finished first would grab a table in the food court and save spaces for the others. 

It was samples day at Costco.  Maybe it is every day.  I'm not really sure about that because Bill usually does the Costco runs.

Plus, I'm still stinging from the rebuke I got a few years back when I reached for a cracker topped with some kind of cheese.

"Don't touch that!" the sample server barked, explaining that she was to hand out the samples and that we were to receive them from her glove-covered hands. 

I've never reached for a Costco sample since, until yesterday at the Mac 'n Cheese cart where the sample server was talking to basically nobody when I walked up.  

She sorta acknowledged that I was there but seemed more intent on announcing that the mini container of Mac n'Cheese was the last one left until she got those shells cooked.

When I noticed that the variety pack, which included white cheese and cheddar and some other flavors had the brand name "Annie's," I knew I had to buy.  

The sample lady also let me reach for and take her last container of Mac n' Cheese and then resumed her spiel, pretty much addressing the open air. 

So, I drove my cart off in mid-sentence in search of the cereal aisle. Barbara told me later that she saw a sample server talking to nobody also, and I don't think it was the Mac n' Cheese lady.  Could be they're programmed.

By the time, I reached the check stand, my cart had at least four more items than what was written on my list.  Oh well, I thought, this stuff usually lasts a long time, and that big box of orange chicken looked mighty good.  

While passing by my sisters at the meat department, they reminded me just how good the pork chops are.  So, I weakened and actually came home with TWO kinds of meat. 

At the check stand, I kinda felt like I was at the airport, going through security. Since the last time I shopped at Costco, they have added a "pre-scan" feature where certain customers in line have an employee come and scan all their groceries. 

That allows them to go through the line without having to take their items out of the cart, a lot like not having to take shoes, belts, jewelry off at the airport.  

I didn't see anyone frisking or fondling anyone's body in the check-out lines, so there ARE still some significant differences between airport security and Costco. 

Could be they only do that to people who grab the samples and run. 

Unlike most of my trips through airport security of late----'cept for the nightmare security check in Dublin----I did not get chosen for Costco pre-scanning yesterday.  

That was okay, though, cuz the trip through the check stand was pretty uneventful, and I was the first sister to arrive at the food court. 

I ordered my iced mocha latte and surveyed the area for a table with room for three. No luck.  

So, I asked a lady on an aisle table if I could park my cart and sit down.  She had people coming, so she directed me to another table nearby. 

I told her that would probably be fine because the guy sitting there was so immersed in his cell phone he'd probably never come up for air. 

Silly me!

The moment I sat down he started in, telling me he was showing his girl friend some pictures from around the area. Soon, he informed me he was from Southern California and up in Coeur d'Alene to do some stuff at a house he'd purchased.  

Said he couldn't get out of California fast enough cuz he likes trees and mountains and all the people up here don't speak Asian.  Nothing wrong with that, he said, along with a few other insensitive comments, adding that he'll sure be happy to be living where they speak English.

As he continued on, I heard "in English," from behind me that a table was now available. The lady from the first table had been watching out for me.  So, I picked up my latte to move, and my new friend from Southern California said he was leaving.  

I sat back down and stayed at my aisle table and decided to get immersed in my cell phone. 

Forget that!  A second later, Bernie McGovern walked by and told me Patti would be coming by soon. 

Patti came.   Then, Barbara and Laurie came with their cart, fairly loaded.  Patti continued visiting and then left.  Barbara and Laurie purchased their lunches and returned. 

I walked to the bathroom, where on the way back, I saw Pat and Monica Gunter.  They came to the table with their cart. Then, came Arlene Clyde (who grew up in the neighborhood and graduated with Laurie) and her hubby, so Pat went over to talk with them, while Monica visited with Barbara and Laurie.

Shopping carts in and around our table were beginning to cause a little congestion.  And, then Judy Moon came with hers. I think Judy thought it wise to simply say hello and get a move on, lest we all start a case of Costco Cart Rage. 

Terry and Sandy Merwin didn't really care.  When they rolled by with their cart, Terry unfairly accused me of sitting at that Costco table for two hours.  

He was quite proud of his large package of toilet paper or paper towels (not quite sure which)-----same brand as Barbara and Laurie had selected. 

After Terry's accusation, I promised the former owner of Merwin's Hardware in Sandpoint that I wouldn't tell anyone that Terry wasn't "shopping local." For some reason, he didn't seem to care about that either.

Finally, when our Costco coffee klatch broke up, we sisters figured we'd better get out of there before the rest of Sandpoint locals showed up. 

So, we loaded our stuff in the back of their jeep and drove home, quite satisfied that we had definitely experienced the COSTco culture, had spent more than intended and had a lot of fun doing it. 

I don't know what this rainy day will bring.  Maybe Janice will see those elk again and tell them to get down to the Lovestead so Marianne can take pictures. 

Happy Wednesday. 








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