Lost in the Supermarket

Normally I go to the supermarket either right after work or first thing Sunday morning—it's all about avoiding the crowds. Last weekend, though, I ended up going on Saturday night, on the way home from a quick dinner out with the family. Accompanying me were little Juliet, who had just devoured a very large M&M cookie; and John, my husband, who typically I try to keep out of the grocery store.

See, I am very much a plan-of-attack, stick-to-the-list, use-coupons (though not in an "extreme" way) shopper. John tends to wander down random aisles in an untargeted manner and come back with "interesting" things that may or may not get eaten. Why take the chance?

Who would have known that I would be the one making a random impulse buy? Indeed, it was an uneventful trip for John, who quickly went from wonderment ("Why do you suppose they put the beef jerky by the dairy?") to cart rage ("These lanes can't be regulation width! And why do people leave their carts right in the middle?"). As for Juliet, she seemed to think we expected her to eat everything in the cart as soon as we got home. Every addition was met with "NO!" and a face that clearly said "Did you see the cookie I just ate? I'm stuffed."

We were almost finished shopping when I spotted it—an eye-catching plant in the floral department. A quick peek at the tag confirmed my suspicion—'Kent's Beauty' oregano. I've read about this plant many times. I think several years ago we even printed something about it in Hort. I hadn't actually seen one in person, though, and wow, what a pretty plant, even in the fluorescent glow of a Saturday night supermarket.

Much deliberating with myself—to buy or not to buy. Enough silent waffling to prompt a "What are you doing?" from John, who was about 20 feet away with Juliet and the cart, having perked up enough to investigate some sort of pre-made sandwich.

Well, of course I bought the plant. I even thought I had still stuck to the budget despite this purchase, though I soon realized I'd forgotten the bagels, which sit opposite floral of course.

I planted it on top of our rock wall on Sunday. I hope it makes it through the winter; everything I've read says it is just barely hardy here. Although if it dies, I guess that's just a reminder—like an ancient box of "Chicken in a Biskit" in the cupboard—to stick to the list.