The Saturday morning ritual

The Caspi-Man and the Ger-Man have embarked on their Saturday morning provisions run.

This is somewhat of a ritual... with me staying at home and (usually) chatting on the phone to distant lands. I am always still in my pajamas when they return.

The Ger-Man and I have differing approaches to shopping for food. He likes to make a list. I like to be open to opportunity and surprise. He treats shopping as a chore to be swiftly and expidiently dispensed with. I see it as a leisure activity to be strolled through and savoured. Hence the development of the Saturday morning ritual.

We make a list of the boring essentials and bulkier items (bottled water, potatoes, milk-we go through a fair bit of milk - bulk purchase of alcoholic beverages) for the Saturday ritual and I, during the week, wander through the markets and specialist stores for spontaneous purchased delicasies.

In his early days, the Caspi-Man would be strapped to the Ger-Man's chest during the entire shop-fest ... these days the Caspi-Man is fully mobile and uses his opposing thumbs to self-select items for the trolley. Some items slip past the Ger-Man's watchful eye, or provoke such tantrums that the Ger-man relents, and this occassionally makes for interesting unpacking when they return home.

We currently have about 6 different muslies on the shelf. I feel sure today will bring number 7.