defeated but unbowed

pressing on

If you’re seeking controversies similar to those I covered this past week on USAID, the embargo against Cuba or instruments in general, this is not your column today so move along. Because I stayed in bed until 0552 this morning (yes, you read that correctly), I knew I had to make a change (for today at a minimum. I literally cannot remember sleeping past 0500 for decades). It was time to get really brave.

I went on a life and death mission today, all in the name of love.

My husband casually mentioned yesterday that his supply of jumbo raisins was dwindling. As you’ll know if you have been reading for a while, I have an aversion to any raisins but he loves them in steel cut oatmeal. I actually transported several baggies of them on our recent travels, remnants prior journeys when Starbucks foisted them on me with instant oatmeal (since I read they are diminishing their breakfast offerings, I wonder whether jumbo raisins will go the way of rule of law or bipartisan conversations? I have no idea whether oatmeal will even be part of Starbucks in the future but it’s saved us more than once when no other vegan options were apparent). By taking them along, I could toss them into one of our servings of instant oatmeal we were schlepping hither and yon (slow learner here but I do eventually remember what to pack so we don’t have to eat out all the time).

Insufficient jumbos, he says? Easy peasy: Safeway or Giant will surely have them.

Giant disappointed me yesterday as they barely had any raisins but they were Left Coast (California) raisins which are not the right answer in this house. Never mind. I will find them tomorrow.

No, biggie as I can depend on the really nice Safeway “all the way across town”. This is an on-going joke for several reasons. First, it takes about as long to go “all the way across town”, meaning on the north side of Route 50 which bisects Annapolis, wending towards the Bay Bridge to the east or the dreaded Beltway towards the setting sun. We joke because it takes less time to get north of Route 50 from our place (6.8 miles) as it took in Alexandria to go a single mile on Interstate 395 on the average D.C. commute. We laugh about it because driving here in so much less stressful that it’s worth the humor. Plus, that store always has full shelves, ample parking, and is the most wonderful selection of fresh veg in any store on the East Coast (except Wegman’s where the variety wins but Safeway’s quality is truly farm to table). Of course I will happily go to Safeway “on the other side of town” for the jumbos.

Except they had no jumbos. I stood immobilized as I scanned the shelves, thinking my eyesight failing. Hmm. I forget: does he like dried cranberries in oatmeal? Prunes? (probably not) Pineapple? Some other mixture?

My husband texted me about that time to say he would appreciate some orange juice if I were still in the grocery store. OJ, yes, dear. Is there any other kind of dried fruit that would appeal?

Text silence. Expletive—he must be back on his revisions of the manuscript. So, by the time I got to the car, I sent a follow on to say I was headed to port, trying to be au courant with my navy talk.

Text silence.

As I turned back south towards Route 50 on West Street, I decided on the spur of the moment to satisfy his craving with what I have known to be his favorite jumbo raisins ever so I crossed two lanes to turn left on Jennifer Road. It crossed my mind this might not work but I was pretty confident it would. I drove about a quarter of a mile before one further left into the parking lot.

What I did not count on was taking my life into my hands.

I was voluntarily going into a Trader Joe’s at 1000 on a Saturday. Oh, my.

For those four of you who don’t know Trader Joe’s, the term “cult favorite” inadequately describes the place. It’s not the biggest or most lavish stock of products but the people who shop at Trader Joe’s are maniacs. They go for the prices (probably 30% lower on average than other groceries; 50% lower than Whole Foods). They are enamored with the TJ brand products, many of which are at least as good as the same thing elsewhere. They desperately track products, ask for them to be recreated when they have left the shelves, but never waiver in their singular dedication to shopping at this establishment. They are loyal to a fault.

And they every single one shop on Saturday morning with a look of death-defying determination. Imagine being at a Carolina basketball game in the Dean Dome against Duke but with each player girded by a huge red grocery cart as an offensive weapon.

Couple that with the Super Bowl tomorrow night and not one but two snowstorms predicted in the next four days. This is not a safe world, people, but one where all things converge in a dangerous configuration. Yet here I am.

Since I had not been to TJ’s since before the pandemic (jumbo raisins had been available other places—why endanger myself???), I had no idea where the raisins or even dried fruit and nuts were so I had to venture down every single aisle more than once.

It was terrifying. The number of women determined to get their frozen desserts orTrader Joe’s brand cereals was plentiful. Husbands dutifully grabbing the four types of pasta sauce or soap so someone wouldn’t take it out of their grasp plagued me every time I went down an aisle. Then the flower brigades, people climbing over one another to get the lovingly created bouquets with Valentine’s Day colors at reasonable prices, presented a physical hazard for an aging woman unfamiliar with the store layout.

And, after twenty minutes of this terror, multiple moves down each of the aisles and back, dodging the ever growing check out queues, I found the dried fruit and nuts. That section had been hidden by the shoppers consulting their lists or talking with family members on the phone midway through their campaigns.

But Trader Joe’s did not carry jumbo raisins. No, actually it was worse: Trader Joe’s carried nary a raisin in the Annapolis store. I could not find any at all.

I stood for a minute, pulling myself together as I had to run the gauntlet to exit the store. It was nearly 1040 by that point so the queues were all the way to the back of the store. I couldn’t get out that way as no room exists between the checkout lines so I had to go back to the front door. It was harrowing.

Now, all actions have consequences so I was spared waiting through the lines since I assiduously avoided finding anything else I would buy (that took some effort as their dark chocolate peanut butter cups are truly divine). As daunting as they are in length, my experience over the years when we did shop the stores in the DC region, lines move remarkably quickly but this is the sole local store so this check out would have taken a while. I did recoup probably fifteen minutes of my life which was a joy.

But, I got home only shrouded in failure as I never found jumbo raisins.

My dear husband was somewhat bemused by my efforts. “Cynthia, we have known they stopped carrying jumbo raisins years ago”.

Well, yes, but I know they resurrect products some times, I sheepishly responded.

Uh, not so much.

In truth, the entire exercise was exhilarating because it wasn’t about politix. Genuinely massive changes are afoot in the world, with major implications, but today wasn’t about DOGE, Trump, Biden, or anything else that has swept over us recently. It was about my campaign, a conquest, an effort.

It was also one of those many unachievables in life I could not control, despite good strategy; the desired endstate of bringing home jumbo raisins did not happen nor could it under the assumptions (products stocked by any of the stores) I found. What a magnificent reminder that we are not always going to succeed, no matter the need, desire, or methods.

I hope I provided you some giggles this afternoon. I wish you a splendid remainder of the weekend. Remember the Chiefs are the red guys tomorrow night but wish mostly for a game without massive injuries.

Thank you for your interest in Actions create consequences, especially those of you who subscribe. A brand new annual subscriber received his calendar of my best 2024 photography shots this afternoon so I offer in thanks to any of you who pledge support to this effort. But I am delighted you are here no matter how often you read Actions.

Be well and be safe. FIN