Grocery shopping, directions, cheesy movies and stunning sunsets

October 2022--It’s been one year since I moved out of state. And it’s been a bigger adjustment than I thought it would be. Not saying that in a bad way—just had to get used to some things.

Even though we moved to an area where we were part-timers for 28 years (now 29), I still felt like I had to adjust. And I had to look at everything from a different perspective.

For example—as crazy as this sounds—shopping for groceries was now different and I had to adjust my thinking.

Same store, sure—but instead of buying enough to get us through a few days--like picking up things to throw on the grill for weekend guests—I had to plan meals for the whole week.

It’s not like I never did that before—but 28-year-old habits are hard to break when you’re living in what had always been a weekend place and shopping at a store reserved for weekend-meal purchases.

I remember the first time I went to the grocery store once I was here full-time—I looked in my cart after making it through half the store and laughed out loud. Seriously, out loud. A bag of pretzels, a box of Cheez-Its, some sausages and ground beef, buns, a container of potato salad, fruit, some chips, and a jar of salsa. Oh yeah—and a bag of pistachio nuts and a gluten-free pizza. Perfect weekend food. Not so perfect for a week’s worth of meals.

I shook my head and made the rounds again to pick up other meats, vegetables, eggs, bacon—you know, the staples all pantries and fridges should house. Things that get you beyond the weekend cookout.

I also had to adjust my television viewing habits.

Back in the old house, we had a satellite service, and I knew how to maneuver that remote. Heck, I had even memorized my favorite channels like Hallmark and Snapped. (Yes, I admit it. I was an avid fan of Snapped.)

After we moved, we dropped cable and satellite. (The prices they were charging could be another whole post.) There are several remotes now—one to control the TV itself, one for the speakers and one for streaming stations. Never could get them straight. Needless to say, it’s been one year without Hallmark movies and Snapped episodes. In all honesty, it’s ok. I’ve probably seen all the above-mentioned movies and episodes at least 10 times each.

I’ve also had to adjust to knowing which way is which—like north, south, east and west.

Living in the Chicago area it was easy to always know which way was which. I just had to pause for a moment and think where Lake Michigan was—and then I knew heading that way was going east. Of course, then I could figure out the other directions perfectly.

I don’t have Lake Michigan here. I take that back. I’m in Michigan—of course I have Lake Michigan here. But now it’s north of me. More like northwest of me. But I don’t rely on where the lake is any more to tell me in which direction I’m heading. Instead, I rely on the compass (and nav system) in my car. Just another adjustment.

Perhaps one of the biggest adjustments was getting used to the sunsets.

All I had at my old house was a view of trees and rooftops. Here, I have a clear shot of some of the most beautiful sunsets ever. Depending on the time of year, the sunsets with slanting rays make the sky look orange—sometimes so much so the sky appears to be on fire. If you give it a minute or two, the colors change and become more vibrant. The reflection off the lake—well, it’s breathtaking.

I’ve gotten used to weekly grocery shopping, not seeing cheesy movies and to following commands on my nav system to get me where I need to go. It’s all routine.

But what I’ll never get used to is seeing the sun set each night—like I’m looking at a painted sky with a changing palette. And that is anything but routine.

Take it one day at a time.

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