Skip to main content

True Confessions

I have an issue which has been weighing heavily on my conscience for quite some time now. I strive to be honest and forthright on is blog and I take pride in not misleading my readers. So I owe you an explanation, and perhaps an apology.

At some point in the last year (I am even having trouble finding my own link) I wrote a piece declaring that I was finally calling it quits with the Oakland Mills Food Lion. I had plenty of good reasons. I had been impressed by amazing displays of produce in other area stores. I was tired of lackluster checkout experiences, or the many occasions when the store seemed to look like an unmade bed.

I had spent a long time advocating for our neighborhood store, but I was tired of making excuses. I was done. I was breaking up and I was ready to see other grocery stores.

All this I said in good faith. But the truth? Well, the truth ends up being a different story.

I lasted all of three days without the Food Lion. Sure, I tried other stores. But what brought me back to the Food Lion was its convenience. You just can't beat having a neighborhood store where it is so easy to run in and pick up a few things. And I am a creature of habit.

Over the past year I have noticed steady improvement. They are doing a better job for the most part in keeping grocery carts at the ready by the door. Security staff have improved. Check out clerks are more helpful and responsive. They have gotten better at adding more staff at the front when crowds pick up. The store is generally better stocked and you don't bump into piles of stuff as much as you used to.

I will occasionally make a special trip to Wegman's. I will pop in the Giant in Owen Brown if I happen to be over there. I think Whole Foods is a great place to meet friends and have lunch or coffee. But the truth is that the Food Lion is my day-in and day-out store. And it has done a lot in the last year to pay me back for my loyalty.

Having a village center with a fully functioning grocery store is a blessing. I won't take you for granted anymore, Food Lion.

*****

Today is the sixth anniversary of the Second Chance Saloon. They have festivities planned for the evening, but if you can't make it then, pop in earlier. Today they will be opening at three. We are going to a play tonight, so we are going to stop by for an early dinner beforehand.

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more