Senior Day at Kroger

For nearly two decades, I've been enjoying Senior Citizen Day at Kroger, when those of us over 55 get a 5% discount every Tuesday. However this senior perk ends next week. A lot of us seniors are angry about this.

I'm angry about something else Kroger does—or doesn't do: make the store where I shop handicapped accessible. Those of us with mobility problems have to use the handicapped buggies. To get to a buggy, I've often had to push aside one or two signs that block easy access. Yesterday, after I'd pushed the signs away, and gotten into a buggy, I remembered I had my camera. You can see that the other end of the buggy row is blocked by a box and a sign:

A lot of aisles were blocked, too. I wanted to go down this one to get some organic sweet potato chips, but there was no way—between the pole and the stacks of boxes—that I could do it.

I thought maybe I could get into the other end of the organic section. But when I tried to make the turn, there wasn't quite enough room.

Finally, by taking a long way around, I got to the other end of the organic aisle. Nope, that was also blocked. 

 Later, a sales associate did go down the aisle for me, but there weren't any organic sweet potato chips. Meanwhile, I headed for the produce section. Again, there were places where the handicapped buggy wouldn't fit. I couldn't quite make the turn here, and had to back up and take the long way. . . .

. . . only to find the section where I wanted to get mushrooms was blocked.

I went back several minutes later, but the aisle was still blocked. I asked the guy if I could get through, and he pushed the big black cart to the side so I could squeeze through and get the mushrooms. In another part of produce, I had to ask another employee who'd blocked the aisle if he'd hand me a cauliflower, which he did. There was no way I could maneuver the cart close enough to select one myself. 

In the meat department, I couldn't get close enough to the case where the bacon was on special. I couldn't even get through what is normally a very wide aisle. Totally blocked! (Do you see any sales associates here? Neither do I.)

At that point, about a third of my journey through the store,  I stopped taking pictures, I did encounter several more blocked aisles, though. And there were a few things I didn't buy because I couldn't get to them.

I wonder about all these blocked aisles. Would they be a problem if a fire broke out? Are they just blocked on Senior Citizen Day, or are they blocked at other times? Why is it necessary for so many boxes to be brought out at once? Do all the Kroger stores do this, or is it just the one where I shop?

Anyhow, for those of us who are old and gimpy, these obstacles don't make for a pleasant shopping experience.

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Black Friday & Stuff

Today is "Black Friday," the official $hopping day that begin$ the $eason of Need and Greed. Wednesday's paper was loaded with circulars advertising the sales.


I didn't read any of them. After I took this photo, they went straight to my recycling bag. I also wasn't among the throngs that lined up outside some Roanoke stores yesterday. I didn't go shopping today.

Why not? Because I don't need any more stuff. I already have plenty of stuff. I actually have more stuff than I'll ever use.

I find it hard to believe—although I saw it on TV last night—that folks actually camped outside some stores so they might get a chance to buy certain sales items. Many will buy the stuff with money they don't even have.

My husband and I used to exchange stuff for Christmas. Eventually, when we ran out of ideas for more stuff, we exchanged cash and gift certificates, which pretty much canceled each other out. Then we bought joint presents—stuff for the house. For the last few years, we've stopped buying stuff.

Last year, I fulfilled my need to give stuff by donating to Planned Pethood and the Franklin County Historical Society.

I'm thankful that I don't need—or want—more stuff. I'm satisfied with what I have—a good home, good friends, my animals, a husband who makes the morning coffee and often does the morning feeding, good land, enough income to live on—albeit not extravagantly, vehicles that still run even though they've got some age on them, plenty of books (my favorite stuff!), an Internet connection and a working computer (the 2002 eMac is still going strong), etc.

This morning, instead of shopping for stuff, we put fresh water in all the critters' tubs and buckets. Then we moved a few more loads of hay.

We're still working off yesterday's Thanksgiving Dinner at Claudia's. Despite a walk in the woods between dinner and dessert, we're still stuffed.

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