Making The Almighty Grocery List

Ah, July! The one month out of the year when I pack up my house and go to the beach for 10 days. It is a mighty journey over the mountains to the beach. My tiny, little Honda barely makes it. 10 days should equal 10 outfits for me and the boys but, of course, that never happens. It's cold some days and hot others. You never know what might happen. Everything was shmushed down and packed up. It only took me 4 hours to pack. That's a record for me. Yay me! I loaded up the boys and the equivalent of a small home and headed over the hill. We finally arrived at the beach around dinner time. Let me add that my 4 sisters and their families also, go with us. 10 kids and 10 adults. Fun times are ready to be had. We pulled up at 4 pm. A perfect time to unload, feed the kids and throw them in bed. Let the wine flow. When my sisters and I get together we are similar to a group of hens clucking away in their pen. It is a great time. It is a time where we can sit back, relax, drink and chat about anything and everything. Husbands, kids, carpool. We also,put together the Almighty Grocery List. A grocery list should be an easy thing, right? It should be a quick 3 step process: plan meals, write them down, go shopping. No! That is not how it goes with this gaggle of geese. Let me relay the step by step process taken to assemble the grocery list: Step 1. Search the universe for a piece of paper. Step 2. locate a pen. Step 3. Laugh at the fact that we can't find a pen and paper Step 4. Pour another glass of wine. Step 5. Write down the essentials needed for a beach vacation, Chips, candy, wine... Step 6. stop writing grocery list, start chatting and at the same time sing old country songs (quietly though) kids are sleeping. Step 7. start talking about everything from allergies to buggers. Step 8. pour another glass of wine. Step 9. find something sweet to eat. Step 10. While singing country songs compare and contrast the hot men of country music. Trace Atkins you have a special place in my heart. Step 11. Surf Internet for recipes that everyone can eat. (some people have allergies, some people can't have dairy, so on and so forth) Step 12. Another glass of wine, please. Step 13. Are we still doing the grocery list. We finished the list but not until the next morning. See, what happens after women and wine mix. The women's natural inclination is to get sidetracked, move on to something else and have another glass of wine. It's a gene I think that all woman are born with. Well, at least, my sisters and I. For now, pour me another glass of wine! -G