A shopping trip for a grad party Sunday, well my wife shopped I roamed aimlessly setting up photos.

tr/trp

I worked for Roche Bros. Supermarket for about 6 years in my teens. One of the best jobs I ever had, I met the owners Pat and Bud Roche on a few occasions and they treated me with respect and as if I were an adult, and I remember them that way to this day. So watching the Demoulas story unfold brings a lot of those memories back, especially the idea of standing behind someone who has treated you right. Now in full disclosure, I kick and scream if my wife tries to drag me to Market Basket.  I can’t stand the place, purely on the amount of people there at any given time. The impatient, introvert in me can barely deal with the parking lot, forget about navigating the masses in the aisles. Though, today was a great day to visit, I had the place to myself… it was just me and one other customer. I am not taking sides here, I just like to shoot abandoned properties, and that is what this is. A business abandoned by both parties, the owners who have walked away from listening to the voice of their workers and workers who have abandoned their posts in the name of Arthur T Demoulas.  For the sake of all involved I hope that this is rectified soon.

tr/trp

I took the family to Ikea today, I have never been to Ikea, I do not like to shop, I do not like big box stores (for the record I have not been in a Wal-Mart for over 3 years).  This was my idea… I know it does not make sense. The girl needed a dresser for her room, I saw one she would like on Ikea.com, to ship it to my house nearly doubled the price so it turned into a family trip. I will never go to Ikea again, I will add it to the list of stores (see the Wal-Mart avoidance above). I never ate the food, the aisles are all one way, I asked people wearing shirts that said “ask me for help” – they could not live up to the shirt. The carriages have 4 wheels, they all move, carriages need to have 2 stationary wheels, like a car, the 4 wheels being able to turn are dangerous. Look at the photo, look at the middle of the photo, there is a man, his reaction is accurate to how I felt after only 60 minutes in this store.  I am sure it serves a purpose, it is just not for me.  The only positive part of this experiment is the dresser we purchased. My daughter is happy and ambitious.  She has used the directions and my tools to assemble it completely on her own.  She also enjoyed the store, so I might just not be the demographic. This store apparently is for 15 year old girls…

tr/trp

One day to get all the presents. Thank God I have her to carry everything.  For years my wife and I take one day off and hang out, eat, shop, judge shoppers, wait in line all to complete our Christmas shopping in one outing.

tr/trp