The Costco Trip

Let me say, that I hadn't been to a grocery store since early July and I only bought enough to get me through to the Ironman.  When I left to go up to Canada, my fridge was completely empty.  It had lemonade, coffee cream, and 2 pieces of bread(the ends).  My freezer was completely empty except for 1 package of sausage and a little stir-fry vegetables.

I woke up like it was Christmas morning on Saturday, August 30th in anticipation of my Costco trip.  I first stopped at Ikea since it's right next to Costco to pick up some end tables for my living room.  I decommissioned the 2 large cardboard boxes that were my current end tables.  The end tables were on sale for $7 and they look fine to me.  Sure they're not fancy antiques but I hate spending money on furniture as seen by using cardboard box tables for the last 6 months.  Ikea opened at 9am and Costco 9:30 so it was perfect.

I arrived at Costco and parked as close as I could get since I might have to make two trips to the car.  I got to the entrance and saw the palette cart.

This was going to be big enough to hold all my Costco treasure.  I made my way into the store and proceed right to the snack aisle.

I started loading up the cart with just about everything.  I got a 30 pack of candy bars, cereal bars, CheezIts, Club crackers, slim jims, jerky, M&Ms, peanuts, cashews, dry roasted almonds, and pistachios.  It was heaven.

Finally the time had arrived, the chip aisle.  I started grabbing every type of chip.  I got Kettle lightly salted(not that good), Ruffles, Tostitos, and even a big bag of the Veggie Stix which are sortof healthy. I bought a big thing of Utz pretzel sticks.  As I continued with glee, I started to get a bad feeling I had gone once through the aisle and for the love of god and all things that are holy NO DORITOS.  Again NO DORITOS.  I panicked but then I remember that in a previous visit they had some chips in the back aisles by the bread.  I'll just keep going and I'm sure they're just in a different spot.

I continued going through each aisle and grabbing stuff, peanut butter, soup, salsa, etc when I made it to the cold food section.  This would be last so now was the time to start the Dorito hunt.

I went to the bread aisle where there were some chips in a previous visit nothing.  I wheeled my palette cart through more aisles still nothing.  OH MY GOD!!  This can't be happening...breathe.  Maybe I just missed them in the chip/snack aisles in all my joy at the beginning like when your opening gifts Xmas morning and totally miss the big one tucked way behind the tree.

I went slowly up and down the chip/snack aisles and still nothing.  No way, what the hell!  Slow down, try one more time.  Still nothing and then I almost cursed Costco for not having them but I came to my senses instead I wept a little and my soul died a little inside. I guess I'll be going to the grocery store right after I unload the Escape when I get home.

I made my way back to the cold food section and started rummaging through the coolers grabbing tons of food.  I got chicken, lasagna, tortellinis, ice cream sandwiches, etc.  The cart was almost overloaded and starting to get really hard to push.  At the time, my legs were still sore.

I had made my way through the entire store and here's the final cart pictures:

Phew I didn't need to make two trips, it all fit..barely.  I made my way to a check out aisle.  Usually at Costco you get little help with your food.  They basically just scan it and put it back into the cart.  This time a helper wheeled a new palette cart with boxes on it and actually put all the food into the boxes.  It was nice.  The final tally on check out was $450 spent.

I loaded up the Escape as it barely fit and drove home.  I unloaded all the food which took awhile especially going up the 3 flights of stairs to my condo.  Threw all the cold stuff in the freezer and refrigerator and drove over to my local grocery store for my Doritos.  I got 2 bags of Doritos and also noticed Cheetos Puffs and grabbed 2 of those as well.

In my haste to get back home, I backed into a car pulling out of my parking spot.  The car was totally in my blind spot as I was backing out.  I was going pretty slow but still dented his front fender.  Oh joy!  I have no idea how much my next premiums will go up or not.  I guess we'll see.  No one was hurt and my car didn't have a scratch.

It's been 5 days since the Costco and chip run.  I completed 1 and 3/4 bags of Doritos, 1 bag of Cheetos, 1 bag of beef jerky, 1 Costco Lasagna(w/ some help from Elena) and quite a few ice cream sandwiches.  I still have unopened snacks but that's okay hopefully they'll last me for awhile.