“Remoted – Hybrid” – Day 974 (Wednesday) – butter and beer chips

The snow came on Tuesday night as predicted. It fell as I went to bed and during the night when Win needed to go out, the grass was covered with a fluffy white coat. Hours later, there were plentiful puddles but no snow, and rain was falling. It fell throughout the morning, light but steady, and the new rain boots have proven their worth. It’s nice to be able to stride down a street without avoiding puddles or worried about ruining shoes. Who knew a pair of wet weather boots could be so liberating?

Today was a half-workday to accommodate a health maintenance visit. Just once, I wish my time off was for a secret rendezvous or to win an award or meet a celebrity or to play video games. Maybe in books or movies or for other people, but not for me. It was for another dental appointment in the saga of latest broken tooth from the trail mix episode of September.

After a 45-minute drive to the appointment, there was practically no wait before I was in the dental chair for the first step in a crown fitting. The dentist blew cold air on my tooth to check the nerve, which is good. And that was it. The visit was not for the crown preparation at all. It was to check the tooth to make sure it is suitable for the next two visits required for a crown. And five minutes later I was being escorted out of the office, with an appointment to come back at the next available appointment in the last week of December. Oh goody.

There was no post-dentist entertainment plan, because it was expected to be more than a five minute event, but while in the area, it made sense to visit the nearby Aldi. The first aisle beyond the produce section holds salty snacks and a plentiful array of potato chips including BBQ, cheddar, sour cream and onion, and the biggest temptation of all, kettle chips. I felt strong. The potato chips were admired and then resisted. 

This would be a quick, low budget trip. I wasn’t even sure why I was there, other than having time available. There had already been trips to Hannaford and Market Basket within the past week (which included buying potato chips). 

Ha! It was a quick trip, but it was a haul that included four boxes of butter (on sale for $2.49!), tortellini, cheese curds, fresh cranberries, corn chips (the kind like Fritos, for $1.49), breakfast bars, coffee, ice cream, crackers, baking supplies, and more. Pretty much everything bought was less than at Market Basket, or something never found there (cheese curds). 

Despite the strength shown in that first aisle, the end of another aisle near the checkout held the quirky item that could not be passed up – beer flavored potato chips. Never have I ever seen such a thing in all my many accumulated hours spent staring at potato chips. The pantry is now overflowing. The backup cabinet is full. The counter is full.

For a second or two, the beer flavored chips were a serious contender for supper, but better nutrition won the day. The just-acquired mushroom tortellini and jar of Alfredo Sauce were paired with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and broccoli for a fast supper. The beer flavored chips are being “saved,” intended as a weekend treat. Or maybe Friday Eve. Tonight’s treat is ginger and turmeric tea, also from Aldi.

Aldi made the weird five-minute dental appointment at least worth the gas usage. And I swear I’m not setting foot into another grocery store for a few weeks. Really. Unless those beer chips are amazing.