Sainsbury's.

There is a Sainsbury’s superstore very close to my Mum’s flat. I remember when she first moved into it, as I was unfamiliar with how to get there, I typed it into my sat nav, so that I could go in my car, but the only option, it gave me was to walk! But I didn’t want to walk, for I had to buy heavy groceries for Mum. In time I got to know where it is, and the car park itself is huge! I remember when I broke down last year, and I had to stay in the cold and it was lonely as the store was closed, I was there for many hours waiting for the breakdown cover to come and get me, I remember in the distance in the car park, I could see people meeting up, I was nervous, so I kept my eyes on them, hoping they would not come over to where I was, they didn’t, they got on with whatever they were doing, and left.

I don’t go to Sainsbury’s very often, I go about once a year, as I use a different superstore, near where I live, many miles from Mum.

When I was 19, I worked with a lady, her surname was Sainsbury, now and again, I remember her, and wonder how she is. That was many moons ago, I still remember her clearly, she was lovely, I was a trainee, and she oversaw me.

This week, I popped into to Sainsbury’s as I was visiting Mum, but I had forgotten to bring dinner with me from home, so I decided to go in before I arrived at Mums.

I was only going to buy something from the reduced section, for there is always something reduced. When I arrived, I remembered at the fruit section, that I wanted to buy some kiwi’s as I had seen them on a healthy programme the night before, the man said, “It is healthy to eat it with the skin on.” I thought I would give it a go, when I told Meghan she said, “No Mum don’t do it, it will be horrible.” In the cold light of day, it seemed reasonable. I bought a pack of 6. I don’t know where anything is, so I have to walk around the aisles to look for the reduced stickers. I saw bread sauce reduced to 10p from £3 I assume they could not be frozen so I bought one for myself, It would have been ok for the dogs, but it was not meat, so I didn’t think there was any point buying them. I went to the place that was a bit like Greggs, the staff was reducing the pasties, it was very hot there, and it warmed my hands when I picked one up to look at the price, but reduced to £1 was still expensive, so I left them. I then went to the cakes, and bought a pack of reduced apple turnover, one would be for me, the other for Paul. I could only see, in the ‘meat’ section a pack of small chicken breast in batter, that wasn’t ideal, as they remained me of chicken nuggets, that I don’t like. They were reduced to £1.89 they would cook quickly in Mum’s electric oven. I bought a pack of Kitkat. I meant to buy the cheap pack of 6 cat food for our 6 cats but I forgot! They enjoyed the last one that I bought.

With the goodies in my basket, I went to the self-checkout. I like to go there, so I can check each item carefully that the right price is been scanned, for sometimes they don’t cover up the original price, and that is what you get, but once you get home, it is too late to come back just for that, in the past, I would try to go back to the shop, but I don’t bother now, as it is not worth it.

When I had finished at the till, I went to a small bar gate, but it did not open for me, so feeling a bit embarrassed, I went over to the other side, as that too was also self-service, then in front of me I saw a man scan his receipt on the section to the right of the gated metal bar, I said, to him, “Is that how you get out?” He replied, “Yes you need to scan your receipt,” I said, “Thank you.” I took it back out of my purse, and scanned it and the metal gate opened by itself! I thought, technology? Later on, I said to Paul, “If a thief wants to steal something, he or she could easily jump over the metal bar, as it was only waist high, it would have been more of a deterrent if it was as high as me, and glass, then there would be no jumping over!” So, I saw it as a bit pointless, one of the tall lads at work, could step over that metal bar, and be gone in a second!     

I came down the travelator, and there on the left was just what I was looking for, free newspapers and magazines! There were loads of them, they are SO useful for lining the cat litters, before adding the cat litter on top. It saves getting the cat litter dirty. They were for Christmas events and adult education both for 2025, so now no good. I took a lot, and put them in my bag.

At Mums I gave her a Kitkat, I put the chicken in the oven and when it was ready I heated the bread sauce in the microwave. WOW wished I had bought all of them, I smelt it first, I had read the ingredients in the store, and when I tasted it, it was delicious. I had it with the chicken.

I gave Paul his apple turnover that night.

The next morning after I had had my usual orange with my cod liver oil, I opened the packet of kiwi, there was NO way, I was gonna eat that with the skin on! Yuk.

I cut it in half and peeled it, like normal people do.