None the less I made it, and as I entered the land of miniature furniture where my kids spend their days I silently cursed myself for having chosen a much too warm coat today. It really is that time of year where I switch from spring to winter coat from one day to the other, yet apparently manage to be totally out of sync with the temperature at hand. The result ultimately being that I either freeze like crazy or am hot like hell!
Anyway, my plan from this morning was to have time to do the weekend grocery shopping BEFORE picking up the kids. In theory an excellent and wise plan, but in reality I am nothing but a fool to imagine that I would have found the time to do so...
The fifteen minute push of the pram to Hemköp (supermarket in Sweden) not only resulted in me perspiring another six liters or so, but also foreshadowed what was to be expected on this shopping excursion. Let's say Ivar and Diana were slightly in excited and hyperactive mode. This in itself is not something I mind as they are quite fun to hang around when they are, but it's not ideal for a crowded supermarket on a friday afternoon.
After having scrambled for a shopping cart in true cage fight fashion we finally entered the gates to the supermarket that very symbolically closed forcefully behind us, letting me know that this was the point of no return. Ivar not only had insisted he would drive the shopping cart even though he had no physical possibility to see where he was going, he also insisted quite loudly that he was going first and that I had to stay behind. As I was attempting to figure out what we actually were in need of and navigating the pram as well as keeping an eye on Diana at the same time, I had no choice but to witness the Mad Max like racing of Ivar down the aisles, hitting whatever and whoever got in his way and laughing hysterically as he was doing so.
Diana on the other hand seemed more focused on picking up ingredients to the most exotic, extensive, experimental and expensive smoothie yet to have been made on the planet to date. With great effort I somehow managed what was a challenge on par with herding cats, to assemble the troops again. Like trench warfare I from that moment on fought with great courage and persistence for every inch that we managed to move forward. The obstacles and challenged that towered up along the way were arguing against at least one unnecessary suggestion of a buy every ten seconds or so, having to be as convincive as a defense lawyer that those suggested buys that were actually relevant for us we already had at home, having to find a bathroom for Ivar who just had to go, put back things that I had not seen had been placed in the cart (which after while I just placed randomly wherever), mediate between two very separate wills which flavour of juice/ice cream/yoghurt/chips/toothpaste/ etc to choose and to deflect Diana from anything branded Hello Kitty (which seems to be just about anything).
All the while I with great patience and perseverance carried out this little family mission, I also made an anthropological observation. As we were moving about making quite some stir I concluded we were surrounded by two types of individuals. There are those who smile at our little traveling circus and even make some encouraging remarks of sympathy to what I am trying to achieve. Then there are those who I should be thankful are not allowed to be armed in public places. Who seem to be so offended by the fact that I bring two kids with me in the vicinity of their personal space that I don't even dare to imagine what evil thoughts I evoke in them. Well I'm sorry if I've disrupted their miserable lives even more, but judging by how bitter they seem in general, my guess is that our happy little troika surely can't be the only reason for their displeasure in life.
Thinking back on this excerpt of our everyday life today, it is with a joyful mind that I nurture the memory of it. As much of an ordeal as it may seem when one reads it, the truth of the matter is that it was actually a whole bit of fun too. Watching Diana unpack the cart, only seeing a pair of hands that reach up on the belt unloading one product after the other and Ivar at the other end closely observing that which comes down his end, calling out each piece loudly before attempting to fill the plastic bags with them, I smile to myself and conclude that we are a pretty good team after all...
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