The Art of the Cart

So, even though I have a grocery delivery coming today, I had to run to the grocery store. I told Maddie we'd make cookies when she got home from school and I'm out of eggs.. and didn't order any more. I don't mind the grocery stores when I just have to pick up a couple of things, but I prefer the online ordering when I need a lot because after two-and-a-half years in Europe, I still have not mastered the grocery carts.

In Germany and in England, the carts are four-wheel drive. Meaning that all four wheels turn. So when the cart gets loaded down, it's really hard to turn and when you are going the car, if there is any kind of slope on the pavement, you list to the side. Or at least that what happens to me. As I am wrestling with my cart (and even wrenching my back on one occasion), I see little old ladies maneuvering the same carts with no problem at all. Is there a trick? Can I take a class? I can drive on the left side of the road through the streets of London, but I can't maintain control of a full grocery cart. Weird.

Comic Relief has a nice gig going on at Sainsbury's right now. From now until March 13 (Red Nose Day--you can buy your own clown nose at any participating retailer), you can round up your grocery bill and the extra goes to support Comic Relief (which supports charities for the homeless). So if your bill is 25.55, you can just tell the cashier to round it up and the extra 45 pence goes to the charity. I'll be interested in what the total comes to at the end of the drive. I thought it was a great idea.

Tonight, my new favorite show comes on. Actually, it's in its fifth season here, but it's new to me. Hustle is a BBC show about a group of con artists in London. Brit Adrian Lester is the star, but Robert Vaughn plays kind of the mentor to the group. Of course, they only con people who deserve it. My favorite line from the show is: "the most important characteristic of a good mark (or is it marc?) is not money, but greed." It's like a mini "The Sting" every Thursday night.

My husband is worn out. He has been traveling and working like a mad man. He is trying to keep up his exercise. He bought a fancy running watch that even keeps track of his heart rate. We just have next week to get through and we're off for a week-long vacation. I hope he won't be too tired to snowboard!