So for those of you who don't know the "lingo" in the military... the "commissary" is our grocery store... it's pretty awesome... you still get the sample ladies (which is ONE of my jobs that I'm going to have when I "retire"- the other is working at Hallmark- I could/do spend HOURS in there... I might as well get paid!), there are still coupons (MILITARY coupons even!), still u-scans, carts, etc... basically, a G-R-O-C-E-R-Y store... but it can be cool just because it's a "commissary"... but I do have a "love/hate relationship" with it... here goes:
LOVE:
- we don't get "taxed" on anything ***see "Hate" below***
- Military coupons... great deals!
- Did I say that the commissary has great deals and is SUPER CHEAP?! Yeah... talk about getting a FAMILY SIZE of cereal for 1.99... it's absolutely NUTS how much money you CAN save there... it's fabulous... really.
- there are "coupon" people... their sole job is to walk around promoting items and passing out coupons... I don't know how many times I've picked up something and some woman run up to me saying that she has a coupon for THAT item! (LOVE IT!!)
- not really sure if this is a love or hate but there are SO MANY old(er) people there... the reason I absolutely LOVE this is because many of them are retired military couples that are still so in love after all the years and all the wars/years of service... and here they are walking hand in hand... (or sometimes yelling at their spouse that they need more calcium/fiber... or to PUT DOWN the donuts)... it's just great seeing how Caleb and I will be someday :)
HATE:
- you HAVE to show military id... heaven help me if I EVER lose my id... and even worse... it be on payday... (see below)
- we don't get "taxed"... but there's a "surcharge" fee (to keep the u-scans working properly... even though they ALWAYS break down!!!)- I'm afraid that if the money is truly going to the scanners then this "surcharge" fee is going to increase...
- the parking lot... not quite as bad as Walmart but you can only go up/down/one way... starting from one entrance... so it's like a maze that you HAVE to do... it's confusing to explain, but just know it's a hassle...
- the parking lot... spaces... you know when you're looking for a spot and suddenly see one? Your heart begins to beat a bit faster, you tighten your grip on the steering wheel, and my gosh if someone steals that spot they are DEAD!- that, or you hope the worst on them... or, just that their u-scan stops working or that their coupons have expired... ;) ok... so parking lot spaces... at the commissary there are plenty of "open spots"... that are yes, RIGHT NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THE COMMISSARY... it's like you get so excited to see so many open spaces... right by the store... however, these spaces are for "higher ranking" people... aghhh... I hope they enjoy their spots that NO ONE is allowed to use... and how come I never see these spots ever being used?! Are these higher officials too good for our commissary? (JK!!) Anyways... awhile back Mekala and I were grocery shopping and we were commenting about how awesome it was going to be someday to have a "designated spot/sign"... one day we thought... when our husbands were "higher" ranking... HOWEVER I am SO incredibly PROUD of my dear friend... her husband, Chris is deployed... there are so many reasons why I'm so amazed by her and admire her, but one is the dedication she has to her FRG (lingo: family readiness group)... well, her volunteering/time/dedication has paid off as she got the Volunteer of the Month for her FRG(or as Mekala says- they didn't have anyone left to give the honor to by this time in deployment... he's been gone for several months)... either way- no matter if there is no one left in her FRG to get the award she is the lovely holder of a "designated spot!" at the commissary... YEAH!!! (I am going shopping with her for this month!!!) We are... STOLKED... PUMPED... ESTATIC... and yes, a bit embarrassed that we are so excited about... a parking spot. (and I thought I got excited about coupons?!?! A spot is a 1000x better than ANY coupon!) ;)
- pay day: which occurs on the 15th and 30/31... or whenever the bank decides to "deposit" the money... either way, one must avoid the commissary on/near payday... if you forget that it's payday you suddenly realize it by the amount of people at the store with their carts... yes CARTS... PLURAL... overflowing... or, you can just freak out and think that it's the end of the world or preparing for a huge storm of some sort... that's what it looks like: 100s of people with kids hanging off the cart(S), going up/down the aisles that are unorganized (there isn't really an "order" to the aisles in the commissary)... and that's not even the CHECKOUT LINE YET!! Oh... it's like the day after Thanksgiving... at Kohls... and everything in the store... EVERYTHING is marked down at 75% off... yes.. that's what it's like on PAYDAY. (I had to go on Tuesday this week to get a MIX for a meeting on Wed... guess what day payday was on? MONDAY... and since the commissary isn't open on Mondays... everyone and their brother (basically, all of KY because everyone's related down here ;) jk jk jk) was there... and here I am... standing in line with a MIX... ONE ITEM... boy, did I practice patience :)
- the commissary is NOT Meijer... or Walmart... and is NOT open 24hrs... or Mondays.. what? NOT OPEN ON MONDAYS?! PSH.. whatever.
- retired service members crowd the commissary... and there is a backup near the medicines... as well as a constant fear of being run over by the scooters... I was hit by one... I swear!
Ok... so I know this is a REALLY, REALLY long post but PLEASE HANG IN THERE... I HAVE TO ADD THIS ONE LAST PIECE!!! At the commissary Caleb went with me (which again could be love/hate... love spending the time together- grocery shopping!, but somehow my bill always seems higher...hmmm ;)) Most of you know that Caleb and I are active people... we actually like to workout/run... he has been complaining about shin splints and his hips hurting so I said we'd get some medicine for him... he said that he needed to get some "glucosamine medicine"... picture this: my husband waiting behind (SEVERAL)OLD people... like, OLD... just to get to the glucosamine... that THEY were getting... if he weren't a guy I'm sure he should've/would've asked which one they recommended... I kept smiling and snickering... but just said "Caleb... remember this day... and ask me in 50plus years to get some more glucosamine medicine"... :) life is... GOOD...
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