One of the simple thing I take pleasure in is grocery shopping with Sharl. NOt counting the times he buys food from Grocery Gatewayor egrocer I have gone with Sharl to buy food pretty much every time he's needed to shop.
From the early days of our relationship, Sharl would take me to the ghetto No Frills at Parliament and Gerard, where we would run into toothless bag women, whiskey and urine-doused men, and crazy mothers who rudely ram their shopping carts full of grocery to cut in line in front of you though you are only buying chips and Tropicana. Sharl and I would buy tortellini and Classico at No Frills, then hop across the street to buy ground beef from the butcher, then to the LCBO to pick up a bottle of wine. When we got back to his place, he'd end up cooking me dinner. I guess I've always had positive romantic associations with grocery shopping and Sharl.
Well, we moved up from the beginning days, and now do our shopping at the Dominion at Dundas and Erindale Station.
Sharl likes to hit the bulk candy aisle first, where he spends time looking at all the goods, and (as always!) resorts to his fave, Reese's Pieces. He then buys bread, packaged desserts, BYPASSES the fruits and vegetable aisle, and heads straight for the meat section. First, he'll buy frozen fish sticks... they're staple foods. Then he'll pick up ground beef, and a roast or a couple steaks.
He'll then see the cleaning aisle, and ponder whether or not he needs detergent or aluminum foil... or SWIFFERS. Sharl really wants a swiffer wet jet, but hasn't been suckered yet.
Sharl browses leisurely down EVERY SINGLE aisle. Making sure to pick up Clamato, and a bag of doritos, or if I'm there, Lays potato chips in salt and vinegar or dill pickle.
We'll definately spend a while in the pasta aisle, reading all the different types of Classico sauces.. usually we decide on protabello mushroom or italian sausage. We'll make fun of the chinese products, and pronounce them really fobby. Then we'll pick up some Hamburger Helper... (cheesy shells are my fav)

In the cereal aisle, Sharl now chooses Pillsbury toaster strudels in strawberry cream cheese (my clever input) over PopTarts. Then we'll head to the dairy aisle to buy chocolate milk or Tropicana. Across to the frozen prepared foods, Sharl will pick up jamaican beef patties, perogies, pizza pockets (video game friendly) and maybe a burrito or two. If on sale, or we're really craving, he'll get ice cream.. usually to pacify my longing gazes.
Next, it's checkout time. After surveying the food products lying on the conveyor belt, I am surprised to see how Sharl manages to live. His purchases do not amount to anything registered on the Canada food guide.
Poor thing has "no time" to cook real food. (I say "no time" to connote other more reasonable possibilities)

Grocery shopping is definately one of the most underrated activities that when spent together can be one of the most fun activities. Especially when your relationship is as rooted in food as ours is. I hope this is a tradition that he and I will always manage to carry out together...saturday morning errands are looking to be a fun and romantic time.