A lush new shopping experience


This morning I took Alice out with my new wheelchair to go shopping! I had to go to the ABC store and to the grocery store.

I managed not to scrape up my wheelchair more getting it into the van, and off we headed. The ABC store (that’s what liquor stores are called in the South, it seems to stand for Alcoholic Beverage Control, because that’s what they do) and the grocery store are right next to each other, so even though I didn’t need my chair to walk around in the tiny ABC store, I didn’t want to go back to my car just to get it. So we went in.

Alice has never been to a liquor store before, and she was perfect. Just chilled out and observed from her perch in her pouch. This store was one of the most empty ABC stores I’ve ever been in! I had been worried I might have a hard time maneuvering in my wheelchair around narrow aisles filled with alcohol, as that’s what all the other ABC stores I’ve been in are like. But this store had stuff only along the walls with one small display in the center of the store. You could fit probably 5 wheelchairs in the store with no one running into each other! I got my amaretto, and we headed next door to the grocery store.

I got a hand basket to put on my lap, and around the store we went. Alice has been in Publix a few times before, so this was easy peasy for her. She enjoyed the ride!

People were very happy to see us, and we got lots of smiles 🙂 In the freezer section, we got open mouthed stares LOL! I was trying to get out frozen mango and frozen dragonfruit for Brad’s favorite smoothie. It was really hard getting it from my wheelchair with a big basket on my lap! The packages were just high enough that I had to put one foot on the floor and my butt on the edge of the seat and stretch! (I put my basket in the freezer.)

After I got my items, I looked around as I was getting settled back in my chair and saw a couple waiting down the aisle at the pharmacy counter. They were staring at me with their mouths agape! Then they started talking to each other and pointing at me! I think they must’ve thought I was also blind, because they did this even with me looking at them. So I smiled and waved at them, and they closed their mouths and turned around like they were never looking at me in the first place. It was so funny!

Soon after I did ask a store employee to take a picture of me in my new chair with Alice and my basket of groceries so you could see what they were staring at!

I wanted to get two boxes of Bubly water since it was on sale BOGO, but I couldn’t fit it on my lap with Alice pouched and the full basket. So I found a different employee and asked her if she could bring them up to the cashier for me. She was super nice and happy to help. The cashier was also very happy to talk with me and hear about how my new chair was working out. Alice got duly admired by the other people in line, my cashier, the next cashier over, and the bagger. We had a fun little talk about Alice and my new wheelchair, and they were all very happy for me.

One thing I really love about Publix is that they always ask you (even if you appear abled) if you want help to your car with your groceries and they don’t accept tips for it. This time I gladly accepted help, and the bagger was super sweet and talked with me about service dogs as she brought my groceries out to the van and loaded them up for me.

It was a great trip! And now I have all the ingredients I need to make food today! And I didn’t scratch my chair up any more getting into the van on the way home, either, so yay!

Below is the picture I got of us in the store. I am wearing a purple dress and mask. My hair is super short because I told Brad to cut it to my chin and he cut it to 2 inches above my chin!!! Brad says he is an enthusiastic helper LOL! I have a green basket full of food on my lap. Alice is a tiny sable and white Japanese Chin in a rainbow pouch on my chest.

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