Onion soup (almost)
To try and make the day as fruitful as possible I usually go and shop daily. If not to Aldi’s Supermarket then to a Food-mall. Today’s visit to Aldi delivered the usual reward which often goes together with being alert. I had filled my bag with some smoked sliced Tuna, two bananas, two boxes of paper tissues and a packet of green snappy beans. Today, I also went to the food hall and treated myself on a take away garlic, soya beef with rice.
But sticking to the Aldi shop and the satisfying experience. As I queued up near the shopping conveyer belt, I noticed a strange event involving a rather forbidden looking male. Most ‘forbidden’ looking people are often males. He was wearing a helmet, a scarf around his neck, sunglasses and a face mask. He was obvious very worried about getting contaminated by other shoppers. One could not see much of his face. He was tall and of normal build and carrying a backpack. If anything he looked almost athletic. So far so good, all is normal and still within the range of acceptance! However his total purchase was a medium bottle of Coke for which he was queuing. To my overt critical mind it looked a bit odd.
Why does a man so cloaked and in obvious deliberate incognito garb go through the trouble just to buy a Coke? He looked fit. Do fit people drink Coke? Anyway, as he reached the end of the queue the cashier asked him to open his backpack. The masked man obliged and there was nothing to worry about. No stolen goods nor a hand grenade. He paid by card! As I finished paying for my goods, I went outside and noticed the incognito male jump on a bicycle. Normal! Still, a bottle of Coke? Fitness. It doesn’t add up.
After that experience I walked to the food court to get a lunch which I often buy from a Chinese take away. His food includes a very generous supply of half raw pan fried vegetables. I chose beef with fried rice with the vegetables. So, really a good deal. I eat half and refrigerate the rest for next day or sometimes have it for dinner. Sadly, as the years go by, I notice the stealthy rise of bigger and large people and alarmingly, including now young overweight people, even children in those food halls. Fat shaming doesn’t do much but neither does ignoring. Many countries more progressive than Australia at least try and tackle the problem by education and taxing sugar, ban TV advertisements promoting unhealthy foods. Those food malls give a good idea of where we are heading when nothing gets done. More and more end up in wheelchairs. Diabetes and amputations. Not a cheerful prospect. Coke has a lot to answer for!
Mussels
Any possible adverse results from my habit of take away Chinese food I alleviate by aiming to walk at least 5 Kms daily. If by about 9 PM I haven’t made the 5 Km I just walk around my generously sized lounge, dining and kitchen areas which gives me 48 meters each round. I keep walking till I have reached a bit over 5 kms recognizing that a step might be somewhat less than a meter.
My Jack Russell, ‘Milo’ looks worried.
May 11, 2021 at 7:09 am |
I presume you don’t have carpeted floors – otherwise, you^d have walked a groove marking that 48 m circuit! One of my habits left over from my childhood is making up back stories for strangers in the queue at the cash desk and giving them interesting adventures.
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May 12, 2021 at 12:27 am |
Yes, you are right. I have a timber floor with rugs. I was curious about this customer all wrapped up with his face hidden with sunglasses and a face mask. It is rare to see people wearing face masks as Covid is on the run and has been for a while.
He did not look like a Coke buyer at all. Whatever Coke buyers look like!
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May 12, 2021 at 5:52 am
“It is rare to see people wearing face masks . . .” This is right,
in Sydney and Wollongong too there was no wearing of masks for quite some time, however right now we are back to wearing masks! These ‘regulations’ about mask wearing can change in an instant. Maybe this guy had come from the Sydney area. He must have been wondering why nobody in your beautiful ALDI store bothered to wear a mask! 🙂
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May 12, 2021 at 11:42 pm
I am all for wearing face masks: Keeps away colds and the flu! 🙂
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May 12, 2021 at 6:41 am
Yes, but adding to the mystery was that he also wore dark sunglasses on an overcast day and inside. It was raining and cold.
What was the urgency to get this Coke?
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May 12, 2021 at 11:31 am
Some people drink Coke instead of coffee when they are in danger of falling asleep while driving! My sunglasses are prescription glasses, this is why I see better with them, then without them. So watch out, I might turn up one day at your ALDI with dark glasses and a mask. However, you wont see me wearing a helmet! A scarf around my neck, yes, but probably no backpack. 🙂
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May 11, 2021 at 12:39 pm |
The answer to obesity isn’t legislation. It takes about 30 seconds’ consideration of Prohibition in the US to figure that out. For that matter, it’s against the law to run a red light when driving, but I see it multiple times each week. Passing a law may make some people feel virtuous — after all, we’ve done something — but law-breaking continues apace.
Beyond all that, who’s to say why the man was having a Coke? I do the same, but I do it only when traveling. I’ve not had one in my refrigerator at home in years, but after being on the road for six hours, it’s a lovely pick-me-up. I do prefer Diet Coke, since the regular is just too sweet for me, but do me a favor — don’t bring up ice cream. That woman standing in line with a half-gallon may be in more trouble than the Coke drinker!
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May 12, 2021 at 12:43 am |
I don’t know. A previous Australian Prime minister was very successful in legislating a ‘gun buy back’ policy. It worked very well and was even promoted in the US to try and lesson the numbers of gun deaths. And Australia also did a good job tackling the tobacco industry, saving many lives. There are now stigmas attached to both having guns and cigarettes.
However, the might of the advertising industry with their billions of dollars promoting sugar foods far outweighs the parents trying to give nutritious food to children.
That’s why I think good Governance ought to include doing something about obesity and make foods that contain sugar less desirable, raise the cost of sugar.
There is already some star system in place on supermarket foods.
Yes, the Coke man is welcome to his Coke. I just felt it was such a startling contrast. He was so rugged up and with face mask and sunglasses looked a bit fearsome. Yet, all he was after was Coke.
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May 12, 2021 at 1:57 am
Well, better a Coke than coke, I suppose!
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May 12, 2021 at 6:43 am
That’s true. I sometimes eat ice cream in the dark.
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May 11, 2021 at 8:59 pm |
“My Jack Russell, ‘Milo’ looks worried.’ Laughing. And well he might, Gerard. But good for you. Milo is probably afraid that you will make him do the rounds. 🙂 –Curt
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May 12, 2021 at 6:45 am |
When I started doing the rounds again last night, Milo accepted it and just looked at me from within his fluffy sleeping quarters.
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May 12, 2021 at 6:40 pm
A wise dog. 🙂
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May 11, 2021 at 11:14 pm |
Ooh, onion soup sounds so delicious right now!
It’s fun to people watch in stores and see who they are and what they buy!
When we buy takeaway/takeout food we always save 1/2 or more for another meal at home in the week ahead.
Ha! Poor Milo! Does he look worried about a lot of things?! 😉 😛
Keep up the walking!
(((HUGS))) 🙂
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May 12, 2021 at 6:48 am |
Yes, a good onion soup is not all that easy. One has to be careful not to add salt because most commercial beef, chicken or vegetable stock have salt to preserve it. When one reduces the liquids it risks making the onion soup too salty.
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