SHOPPING EARLY BEFORE the WEDNESDAY RUSH

I drove to CVS to pick up a prescription this afternoon, Tuesday, and trekked on to Bi-Lo on Wade Hampton Blvd. in Taylors, SC.

I hit Bi-Lo a day early this week to avoid the Wednesday pre-Thanksgiving grocery-getters. I get a five percent Bi-Lo discount on Wednesdays (Bi-Lo seniors day), and I hated to give up my discount, but I anticipate a flood of Wednesday shoppers.

The Bi-Lo parking lot was full. Some store items — like cheese and lettuce — seemed already depleted, and people gave off vibes of being a little more erratic and edgy than usual; they appeared sort of geared up, like snow was coming or something. The bread shelf seemed well-stocked, though.

Stacked near the Bi-Lo entrance lay pecan pies for $9.00 each. Nuts are high. A small bag of no more than 25 pecans costs $4.99. Good Grannies! I used to knock pecans out of trees at Ma Crain’s house like they were nothing. We took ’em for granted. I now, since Jan. 2018, live in Taylors on a small lot with one tree, a Bradford Pear tree, a somewhat despised thing with bad genetics — and no fruit or nuts on it. Sweet potato pies were $3.99. That’s more realistic than the pecan pies, I guess.

At check-out I mentioned to the cashier that I usually shop on Wednesdays to get the five percent discount but wanted to avoid the crowd tomorrow.

“Oh, I wish I could avoid it tomorrow,” she said.

On Thursday, I plan to eat Thanksgiving Dinner at Golden Corral with Terry Smith and his wife, Janelle, my older daughter. Our younger daughter, Suzanne, and her husband Chad Miller, plan to do something such as hiking around their home in Carrboro, NC, on Thanksgiving Day. She's a vegan, so turkeys have no appeal to her.

This is my first Thanksgiving without Carol. Last year, she and I spent Thanksgiving Day at North Greenville Hospital; Carol was in intensive care; she passed on Jan. 11, 2019.

Carol’s cousin’s son, Tim Deems, and his wife, Robin, are supposed to be at my house on Sat., noon, to watch the Clemson versus Univ. of South Carolina game. So, I bought a few packs of crackers and a carton of Prestige vanilla ice cream. I might get some nuts and soft drinks after Thanksgiving and have them on hand for the big game.

I spent less than 75 dollars today. I don’t eat right and don’t cook. I warmed soup one night and felt as if I was cooking a meal. Right now I need to go and boil some eggs. I buy them in six-to-a-carton containers and boil them to mix with tuna fish, pickles, and Duke’s mayonnaise. I boil eggs so seldom that I have to copy off my internet directions on how to do it.

I don’t have to go out tomorrow and brave the traffic. I’ll hole up at home, eat a tuna sandwich, and be thankful I bought groceries on Tuesday. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!