Excuse me, where's your tofu?

For some obscure reason, Js and I decided to do our shopping at Sobeys this week... and man what an epic fail!

Deli-dude: Can I help you?
Me: Yes, I'm looking for tofu.
Deli-dude: Uh... what?
Me: Tofu. I can't seem to find any...
Deli-dude: Hum... let me get you someone who can help.

Someone-who-can't-help: You're looking for what...? Tofu?
Me: Yes.
Someone-who-can't-help: Wow... hum... hold on.

After a quick inspection of the sausage display, dairy and the cheese section (!!), Someone-who-can't-help decided to go looking for a manager. I hang around and wait while Js goes looking in the produce section.

Someone-who-can't-help: You're looking for tofu, right?
Me: Yes. It's white, normally comes in a brick like cheese.
Someone-who-can't-help: Micheal said to look in produce.

I followed Someone-who-can't-help to the produce section. She stared at the peppers and mushrooms for a solid minute.

Someone-who-can't-help: I don't think we have any...
Me: Well there's ground-round there but I need the plain tofu.
Someone-who-can't-help: Ground what?
Me: Ground round. *picks up package*
Someone-who-can't-help: Oh. Well... I can't see any, but I have seen some at other stores. Have you tried Bulk Barn or Superstore.
Less-and-less-patient-me: It's not rare. I know I can go buy it somewhere else, my goal here is not to.

This would be totally normal if we were at a little mom-and-pop grocery ... but really Sobeys? And not only that, but from the staff reaction (read: repulsion) I'm pretty sure it wasn't just sold out temporarily.

They also didn't have any kind of dairy-free coffee-creamer-type-deal. However, there were three fridges full of flavored creamer. We promptly gave up on finding the rest of our items and headed to the till...

Cashier-n00b: Did you find everything you were looking for?
Js: Nope.
Cashier-n00b: *blank-stare-of-fear-and-confusion*
Js: Never mind. Yes, yes we found everything.

Then we got to the produce on the little scale and all the confusing numbers and codes. I'd like to start by saying that I totally admire cashiers who know every single code. Their minds have clearly evolved to a higher state of knowledge and awareness... Cashier-n00b, however has not.

Cashier-n00b: Do you know what this is?
Js: A red onion.
Cashier-n00b: And this?
Js: Cilantro.
Cashier-n00b: ... hum... and this?
Js: LIMES! They're limes.

At this point, I give up on trying to hide my face and I have to turn around to wipe the laughter tears rolling down my face. Are you serious?! I get you probably don't know the code but have you never seen a lime before?

Cashier-n00b: Will that be debit?
Js: No, credit.
Cashier-n00b: Ok.
Js: It says "card not supported".
Cashier-n00b: Oh, try again.
Js: Still nuthin'.
Cashier-n00b: Is that debit?
Js: No. No. It's credit.
Cashier-n00b: Oh. It's a different button. There try again.
Js: But that's what I... you asked... *facepalm*

My Luck with Lactose

Back home, we have this amazing cheese factory called Fromagerie St-Albert - it's the freshest cheese money can buy in the Ottawa area and it's amazing. Squeeky cheese, fresh cheddar and anything you can think of that has to do with delicious cheese.

When visiting family back home, we like to stock up on it and if we can, bring some back to Saskatchewan for friends to enjoy. It's a real treat we like to offer to who ever is taking care of house and cat during our absence.

After years (totally serious) of begging the Bulk Cheese Warehouse store owner here in town - yes, that's the actual name - to bring in this product, we haven't come to any sort of reasonable understanding. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw St-Albert product sitting on a shelf along with all the lesser cheeses at the mega Walmart store in Regina last weekend. I didn't believe my wee eyes at first. It wasn't until I noticed weird stares from fellow shoppers that I realized I was chanting and dancing, brick of cheddar cheese in hand.

Then, suddenly, like clouds rolling in and raining on my (literal) parade, I could hear my doctor's voice, resounding in my ears: You're lactose intolerant.

That's right, ladies and gents - I've become lactose intolerant over the last little while and not being faced with St-Albert cheese weekly at the grocery store, I had not realized the implication and dramatic impact this would have on my life.

I promise to blog about my progress in therapy.

Tuesday fail.

Today's just been one fail after another. Nonstop fail. Constant fail. I rolled my office chair over my own foot. I broke a nail so bad I yelled "FUCK!" right in front of the Padre. The Padre ordered the last bowl of soup. My necklace got caught in a binder ring and when I got up, the binder dragged every.thing. on my desk to the floor.

I come home, nuke a piece of pizza and as I sit down, I think : Man, I'm glad this shit day is over!

I promptly proceed to cut my finger with the knife. I went upstairs, drowned it in Bactine and applied Polysporin. Then, my internal conversation went something like this :

"Oh crap! I should have taken out the band-aid first."
... ... ...
*band-aid #1 falls in toilet*
"Dammit!"
... ... ... ...
*band-aid #2 falls in toilet*
"DAMMIT!"
...
*close lid*
... ...
*apply band-aid*
"HURRAY!"
*slam drawer on knee*
...
*whimper*

Small break

I'm taking a wee break from the challenge while I'm in Ontario "celebrating" the Holidays with (what's left of) my family.

Not bitter at all.

Anywhos... I'll get right back at 'er soon enough. :)

Update : Unimpressed

So, I freaked out for no reason and everything seems to be back to normal today. I'm slowly getting used to this new layout and starting to like it a lot. Thanks for all the feedback - I was so mad yesterday, I was going to change it back to what it used to be... but I'm willing to give it a shot. :)