Wednesday, March 10, 2010

On things Unfamiliar and Familiar


A decade or so ago, I use to watch Supermarket Sweep on the tele and think to myself, "This game would be fun to play." I am most especially talking about the part where the contestants have to run around the store, looking for particular items, like Crisco, or Cascade dish washing detergent. I use to think I might be kind of good at that. Well, in this last decade or so, reality has hit and one of my very least favorite, most annoying things ever, is grocery shopping in an unfamiliar store. I don't know the layout; everything takes forever to find; I have to go back and forth, one side of the store to the other. It's one aspect of moving that I really dread: finding and familiarizing myself with a new grocery store.

I don't really have a point with this musing, just strong feelings about it, so I wrote it down. You're welcome.

Speaking of things unfamiliar to me, several weekends ago I made my way up to Pittsburgh, with kids in tow. Now it has only been (or already been, depending on how you look at it) nine months since we moved, so Pittsburgh is actually very familiar to me, but it looked a little unfamiliar, being that it was all covered in 3+ feet of snow. I would come to intersections that I knew so well, but I would have a bit of confusion remember which road was what, due partly to the snow making everything look a bit, well, white, and due partly to my nine months absence. And the feeling I got was haunting nostalgia for a place that I love and a place that I may never have the chance to visit again. It's a tough feeling for me. The homes, the intersections, the buildings, the trees, the HILLS. They all brought memories of good times and good people tumbling back to me. Well, except for the hills. I honestly forgot about how any turn you take in Pittsburgh will lead you to a steep hill and that brings a whole flood of bad driving-on-steep-hills memories. Though the hills are lovely.

We had a good visit with our friends and it was very much worth the long drive, the napless days, the late nights to spend some time with friends. Claire and Morgan had such a good time playing with 'Pixburgh' friends , Luke was an angel the entire trip, and I enjoyed my visit (and the food) immensely.

As we were driving out of the 'burgh, I decided to make a little visit on the street where we once lived to see if Claire could still pick out the little brick house we called home for four years. As we drove down the street, she kept saying, "is that one it? is that one it?" But then as we passed our house, she said with confidence and delight, "oh, there it is!" Seeing the street where we lived, the center of our Pittsburgh life, was the hardest part of the trip for me (well, I guess not as hard as the part where I was seriously convinced and panicked that I was going to run out of gas in the toll booth on the freeway). It made me happy to see the little house, exactly as we left it. And then we drove by a little side road to which Claire said, "Hey, that's the way to Keegan's house." Cue tears. My tears. I cried, not Claire. She remembers, I remember our life there. For those memories, I am thankful.

And something I wasn't quite expecting was that as we pulled into our town in Virginia, it looked familiar, it had the feeling of coming home, which was such a stark difference from the feeling of foreignness it held nine months ago as we pulled in to our new town. This time, it's familiarity was as comfortable as putting on a favorite baggy hoody.

Of course, now that I have found that comfort, we will be moving again in three months and we'll start this whole familiar, unfamiliar story again. And I will have to find a new grocery store.

Shoot.

12 comments:

Laurie said...

Oh! I loved Supermarket Sweep! Whatever happened to quality television? I agree 100% about shopping in unfamiliar stores. There is a brand spanking new Wal-Mart about 3 minutes from my house. But the layout is so different from the old Wal-Mart and I can never find things there, so usually, I drive 10 minutes to the old Wal-Mart because I could shop there with my eyes closed. Where is your next move?

Jessica said...

Moving again? You guys live the life of rockstars. Minus the booze and drugs, of course. (unless you're into that...)

Carrie said...

Apparently I'm an emotional mess lately, because I'm feeling all sad that you're moving, and I was almost crying...then I realized that we haven't lived near each other for years, and I have no idea where you're moving to, and there is absolutely no reason for me to be sad, except for maybe that wherever you go, you'll be in unfamiliar shopping center territory. Miss you, Brooke.

So where are you going to? Wherever it is, I'm sure it's exciting!

Linda said...

That's great that you got to visit the Burgh. I always wondered if I would still be comfortable driving on some of the narrow two lane roads.

Heather said...

I was a lover of Supermarket Sweep, also.

Funny how quickly new places become "home" and how quickly old places are replaced. I can't believe you are moving again! Enjoy the ride.

tharker said...

I love your writing. (and i loved supermarket sweep!)

Debi said...

YOU ARE SO CLEVER- WHEN IS THE BOOK COMING OUT?!

Pitcherpost said...

I totally agree, shopping in an unfamiliar grocery store is so frustrating! So i just try and avoid grocery stores in general.

I'm glad you had a good trip to pittsburgh. I really enjoyed living there, but I'm still surprised by how MUCH I miss it there!

Elise said...

I think you'll have to make another trip to Pittsburgh, its only fair. I mean after the super fun time we had you can't just never come back. Good luck with the next move! I hate moving and grocery stores. But I actually really like new grocery stores for some reason. Its like a little adventure!

Shells said...

Supermarket Sweep! I loved that show too. I just hate grocery shopping all together, but especially when I can't find something. Walmart is the worst because it is so big and hard to find things. And then there is never anybody around to help, or if there is, they are clueless and send you to the wrong part of the store.

Jana said...

Oh, you have no idea how much I miss you. No idea!!! My eyes are full. Love you!!!

tiraje said...

Supermarket sweep was the BEST! I love reading your blog--you have always been a gifted writer. Moving is always hard, but good at the same time. Where are you headed in three months?