Thursday, December 9, 2021

Tommy's Birthday

 He is 68 today, December 9. So, I robbed the cradle. I have things planned to cook for him. I asked him if he wanted cake and what kind, or brownies. He said, "Oh, just brownies." I have vanilla ice cream, which I know he will love on brownies. Or, maybe not. He likes his ice cream "neat," same with brownies.

His canes by the door and his reacher. They always fall down, and he has to get something and scrape it along and finally get it up. I know somewhere in a thrift store or antique store is a reasonably priced umbrella stand. But, I just cannot walk and search. So, I went to the internet and found some cheap umbrella stands. But, the reviews were awful, saying they fall over. We don't need the whole stand falling over. 

So, I came across the blue Tardis umbrella stand and got him that. You could tell he was happy to get it. Thrilled! He loves Dr. Who. Plus, I bought him a box of Russell Stover assorted chocolates. The Tardis is very heavy and does not fall over!  It will probably never hold an umbrella, but that's okay. Reachers and canes need support. 

We have been discussing what he wants for his dinner. Well, we could not find any ground beef in the freezer. It is there, just not discoverable right now. So, he is getting chicken. I am making a new recipe, so he won't just have a chunk of chicken, which I love. I have a pack of chicken breasts I will use. I put in the refrigerator to thaw a pack of Italian Chicken Tenders, a boneless turkey breast, and something else in the poultry family. 

I will mix Italian or Russian Dressing, apricot or some kind of jelly, and onion soup mix, cook it and pour it over the chicken to cook in the oven. I suppose I will cook zucchini in olive oil and garlic, and whatever else he wants. 

He takes the ads each week and looks it over. I tell him to circle things on sale that I buy, that we need, or he wants. He always circles zucchini and squash. However, I am not paying $2.99/lb. I do find them cheaper elsewhere. Wednesday, I found zucchini for $1.99 lb. So, we are both happy. 

Thursday is a day of Tarzan movies from 30s and 40s, so we are going to binge watch these movies. This will be fun. 

One store in Cullman has a buggy or two of deep discount items, some weeks more, some weeks less. forty or four of the same items. I always check this. As I did check it on Wednesday, I thought it was strange. There were Dr. Pepper 8 packs stuck on the sides of the buggy. A mess of greens lay in the bottom of the buggy. There was an odd assortment of other foods, no two alike.  I reached in to pick things up. 

A couple standing and talking, stopped and looked at me. I was horrified when I realized I was looking over their cart of food. They laughed and said they had done the exact thing with a lady's buggy, shopping out of her buggy., so they understood. We had a good laugh and talked a bit. My cheeks burned for an hour!

Okay, change of plans. I awoke after 11 am since I could not sleep last night. He said he wants to go and get his oil changed for his birthday. ??? He watched Tarzan. 

He likes his candy. He has never had a box before, in his hands, all his own to eat whichever piece he likes. I am the candymeister...lol. I sang "Happy Birthday" in a little, squeaky voice because I had just that minute gotten up. He laughed. 

Okay, I have to gather things for this chicken dish. And, cook. 

Have you ever shopped from another customer's buggy/cart? Or have you had someone shop from your cart? I hear people deliberately steal items from a cart if the store has run out.


42 comments:

  1. I have not shopped from someone's cart, but have been known to try and put my groceries in the wrong car! But on a crazy Black Friday 31 years ago, I had a mean lady try to pilfer a couple gifts from my cart, but I nicely said these were already spoken for. She huffed at me like it was my mistake! Your story I'm sure happens all the time and completely innocent. My lady clearly was trying to get by with something and annoyed she was caught.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SAM,
      She saw something she liked and tried to get it. Bad lady. I know! Isn't it amazing how people try to turn themselves into the aggrieved person when they are wrong? I tried to get the person helping me to put my groceries into the wrong car.

      Delete
  2. Gee, if you would post Tommies address, we all could have sent him birthday cards. He would have loved that!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I once started picking through someone's cart in IKEA and they were not amused, even when I explained my mistake. Miserable buggers! And happy birthday Tommy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Treaders,
      Well, I answered this once and now it is not here! He says, "Thanks." Tose person have no sense of humor and have obviously never made a mistake or have been momentarily confused. Too bad!

      Delete
  4. It is also my husbands birthday today and I also made brownies with the intention of having one with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. I made him ham and cheese sliders last night for supper with a broccoli salad on the side. I didn't have Hawaiian Rolls so used potato dinner rolls instead and added a little extra honey to the butter spread for the inside. They are very good and will have the leftovers today. I am accused of robbing the cradle and the age difference is more significant than you and Tommy. Happy Birthday!! Ranee (MN)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rae,
    Thanks for sharing. I think he knew an iced cake would be trouble, but not really, just ice a sheet cake in the pan. We will enjoy the leftovers of this. No one has ever mentioned it except me. I guess he is not too young...lol.

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  6. Happy birthday Tommy!!!!!!!
    Yes I have done that same thing with other carts and have had it done to me. It happens and always makes for a good laugh and some conversation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheryl,
      Tommy says "thanks." As long as they are not really trying to steal, it is okay.

      Delete
  7. Happy birthday wishes to Tommy.
    The blue Tardis umbrella stand sounds good.

    All the best Jan

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  8. Happy Birthday to Tommy. I'm sure he enjoyed the chicken and brownies. I've never shopped from someone else's buggy but have had people shop from mine, lol.

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    Replies
    1. Joyful,
      He says, "Thanks." I have had people put groceries in my cart and drive it off!

      Delete
    2. LOL, amazing what people do. Whenever I see someone eyeing my cart intently I grab it and tell them "it's taken". They usually have a little titter, lol.

      Delete
  9. I can't recall if I shopped another person's car ( I probably have just don't remember lol). But on several occasions I have tried to unlock and get in another person's car after a shopping trip.

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    Replies
    1. Lisa,
      I always get the wrong car and wonder how it got locked!

      Delete
  10. I have thought the wrong cart was mine and put groceries in it, and walked off with it before being stopped by the owner. This happened several times to my late husband's acute embarrassment.

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    Replies
    1. Carole,
      Oh no! I had someone do the same thing to me. They were indeed embarrassed to take my cart. I hope your husband got over his embarrassment quickly.

      Delete
  11. Happy Birthday to Tommy! You have really done a great job making a delicious birthday for him and good gifts,too!

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    Replies
    1. susie,
      He said, Thank you! I try! He seems happy with it all.

      Delete
  12. Happy Birthday to Tommy!! How many years are you apart? My hubby is 16 years my senior so I love to tease him about robbing the cradle. I really love that YOU are robbing the cradle instead - you go girl!! ;)
    I haven't shopped out of someone else's cart but I have put things in the wrong cart & then tried to walk away with it before the lady stopped me. She wasn't very happy with me since she'd left her purse in her cart too, which I didn't notice. It was an honest mistake but she acted like I was trying to rob her or something even though I apologized profusely, so instead of being embarrassed, I was mad!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bri,
      I thought I answered. I am 75 and Tommy is 68, so 7 years,
      I can imagine she was annoyed about her purse. I hope she realized you were not a thief.

      Delete
    2. 7 years isn't bad at all, I love it!!
      And no that lady really thought I was a thief which made me mad at the time but now just makes me laugh.

      Delete
    3. Bri,
      Seven years difference seems to work for us. I can imagine it was embarrassing for you, too.

      Delete
  13. Happy belated birthday to Tommy! I hope he celebrated in style. I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only cradle robber. My late husband was 7 years younger than me. We were married 27 years when he died of a heart attack at 52. I did remarry but let my current husband do the robbing, he is 10 years older than me.
    I once took someone's grocery cart and thought my husband put all that junk food in it. Indignantly, I marched the cart to the cookie isle and started putting them back on the shelf when what to my wondering eyes should appear, my husband pushing MY cart. I rushed back to the produce section where the rightful owner and husband stood, laughing!
    They said they were going to see how far I was going to go. They thought if I made it through checkout, they would then claim them. We had a good laugh!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan,
      That was so funny--the part about your indignation and the junk food, taking it out of "your" cart, and the people waiting for you to buy it...lol. Tommy laughed, too.

      Delete
  14. Happy belated birthday to Tommy. I chuckled at your 'robbing the cradle' comment...lol All I could think was 'Linda is a cougar'...lol Hope he enjoyed his chicken and brownies.

    I've never shopped from anyone else's cart before.

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    Replies
    1. Ms Goose,
      I have mostly dated younger guys, but not by choice. Definitely not a cougar! But, thanks.

      Delete
  15. Hey are you guys ok? Hoping those terrible tornadoes missed you!! Not sure where you are in proximity but pray you're safe!

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    Replies
    1. Bri,
      We are well below Nashville in Alabama. We just had a bit of wind and rain, less than was predicted. Thanks.

      Delete
    2. So glad you guys are OK! What a terrible tragedy, I've been so sad for everyone affected. I plan to go donate blood later this week to help. Stay safe!

      Delete
    3. Bri,
      I cry when I hear the stories. Good for you!

      Delete
  16. I wasn't aware Tommy was that old; for some reason I thought he was in his 50s. What do I know. Happy birthday to him, regardless.

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    Replies
    1. Urspo,
      He was when I met him. Not now. He says, "Thank you."

      Delete
  17. Your Tardis umbrella stand was genius! What an imaginative gift. I mean, who wouldn't love one? Please tell "Tommy Happy Belated Birthday!" from Sue. He will get good and tired of random strangers wishing him well, I bet. ;^) "Linda, tell your readers to shut up already!" Hahaha! :^D

    I have not shopped from someone's cart, but I do crash into them. I have a friend who, whenever she sees me in our local grocery, will smash her cart into mine to get my attention. So one day I saw her at the deli counter (with her back to me) and crept up on her and crashed into her cart super hard, laughing like a loon.

    She turned around and shouted, "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!?!?" Oopsie! It was NOT my friend but a woman who looked just like her from behind! Yeah, I had a tough time apologizing my way out of that one. I guess I'm lucky she didn't press assault charges! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  18. PS Hmm, have I told that story already? Regardless, it's a good one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He really likes the Tardis and Dr. Who. So, it suited him well.

      It is a miracle you were not forbidden to shop there again. That must have been horrifying for you. It is funny, though. No, you haven't told me that story. It would be funny the second time, too.

      Delete
  19. On Saturday, I turned and started talking to my husband in the store . . .and then I realized I was talking to some other man. Instead of shopping from his cart, I was putting things into this stranger's cart.

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    Replies
    1. Lisa,
      How funny. I wonder how long it was going to take him to react. Maybe he would like having someone else do the choosing and would have just bought what you loaded into his cart.

      Delete

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