I was talking with an American lady and her British friend soon after moving here and asking about the situation with the chocolate chips. Immediately the American lady gave me an understanding look while the British lady looked perplexed and said, "yes, we have chocolate chips. In the baking area." I said I'd seen those, but wondered where the real chocolate chips were. You know, the regular size chips in the bigger packages. The American laughed and told me what was there was it. Seriously, a dollar plus for a itty bitty pack of mini chocolate chips. If you sneak one nugget out of the container, everyone will feel the loss in the cookies or muffins or whatever. I still can't believe that's all they've got! Literally. I've used a big candy bar chopped up into chunks several times, but I've also resigned myself to having these on hand. It'll never feel normal to me, though.
For sure, the best thing about the real life, every day living in London (so far at least) is grocery delivery. For the first several weeks, while figuring everything out, I was dragging the children to the grocery store every other day at least. This involved a mile walk round trip. Searching for familiar foods my family would eat while transitioning to what is available. Mentally calculating the exchange rate, how many pounds were worth what food items all the time. Paying with a credit car that did not have the chip and having my signature--therefore my identity and credibility--questioned. Holding up the line while the cashier searched high and low for a pen that I could use to sign the slip (with a chip you only ever do a pin and cashiers are not prepared to offer a pen. And of course I never remembered to carry one on my own person.). Loading up the stroller as creatively and as fully as possible. Dragging a roller bag behind me while pushing loaded stroller. Tears. Sweat. Possibly some swear words. Every time.
Grocery shopping with three children at any time, in any circumstance is never a vacation-event. With all of that extra stress I knew it would be the end of me if continued. Thankfully, city living means that others have figured out solutions to this problem. Grocery delivery is the norm. It's extremely affordable and so convenient. 99% of the time.
I've loved:
Making orders to be delivered early morning, before breakfast, when we're out of milk and cereal and fruit
Making orders to be delivered the morning after coming home from a weekend out and about
Getting delieveries twice a week--a big one with all the big stuff and a second one later in the week for all those random things I forgot the first time
The kids get so excited about the knock at the door and help unpack the crates
I keep track of the food bill better because it keeps a running total
I use those little email coupon things because I just copy and paste a code rather than deal with remembering to bring a paper to the store or bring it out again at the register
Avoiding all those hard moments of grocery shopping in person with three little kids
I'm adjusting to:
Thinking a day or two in advance to put in the order, rather than looking at how low we are and running to the store when I can't wait any longer
Keeping track of every every little thing on a list. I'd done lists before, of course, but for the basics I depended on my usual route along the aisles to remind me that we needed eggs every week. I'd just pick them up as I swung by. But I won't remember that when sitting in front of the computer unless it's written down.
The sizes of things. I have a hard time understanding grams, apparently. So I think I'm looking online at a package of pasta but instead I'm delivered a PACKAGE of pasta. Luckily we'll use it. (The sugar PACKAGE is more of a problem. I could have just returned the whole thing to the delivery guy then and there, but I needed sugar that day so I accepted the two years worth of sugar anyway).
PS Just this morning (several days after drafting the above) I received three packages of flour. Like, fairy sized. Adorable, but who buys only two cups of flour at a time? Of course I'd meant to get just regular packages. Ah, well. Living and learning!
