Bright Ideas

My husband does the grocery shopping, but for decades I’ve provided him with a typed or computer generated grocery list. I may allow him to add to the list, but I always hope the store can provide all the other essentials I list.

We went to Miles City and Baker last week, with lists for each town. I had an appointment with my neurologist to have Botox shots in my right hand, arm, and neck. The eye doctor was also in the building, and she had warned me macular degeneration was a problem with MS patients, so I needed to see her.

We entered her office to make a June appointment and they asked if we could wait five minutes I could see her then. We went right in. The only problem was I hadn’t brought my wrap around sunglasses. She always needs my eyes dilated, so I leave her office with those disposable lenses that fit behind your glasses. You can’t look down with those or they fall off. And when I’m tired I look down a lot.

The next afternoon we went to the dentist in Baker. Both of us were cavity free. And in the waiting room we met a number of Ekalaka people. Then it was to the grocery store, where more Ekalaka and Carter County folk were seen.

Ekalaka people always show up at Walmart or any place you’re shopping. In Baker we had a list, but I failed to list a concentrated cleaning product we can get there. If it had been on the list, we’d have it.

I used to make detailed lists for my home care aides; I don’t do that for my soon-to-be-high-school-graduate aide. I should, but I don’t have that much to do it. When Brice makes sausage, or I buy thin-sliced pastrami, she loves to package meats, but we don’t do that very often.

When children left home, 16 and 12 years ago, the majority of cleaning tasks left home with them. Brice and I don’t make much mess.