Costco Run

I just got back from a Costco run. I wanted a few things which I like to get there, things like Parmesan Cheese Petals, kitchen garbage bags, and some Baby Belle Cheeses. I can get some of these things at Safeway, but the price and size is better at Costco. I seem to go through a lot of Parmesan Cheese. I like to take advantage of a Costco run to look for a few special things too, things I rwally enjoy but are far to pricey in other stores. For example, I love lamb, either rack of lamb or roast lamb. Costco consistently has lamb at excellent prices. Were I to have to purchase it at Safeway or Coop, the price would be almost 50%, and it would be right off of my shopping list.

Doing a Costco run is not all that hard these days, even without my truck. In fact in some ways it is much easier than with the truck. I make the trip by bus, in my power wheelchair. For some reason the bus drivers consistently wave me off when I try to pay my bus fare. I don't know why, but they do. Staging in the chair and going by bus means I have no transfers to make, and I don't have to wheel myself about the store. Given that I have decided to stay in my PWC as my primary chair, I am ready to go without a lot of thought.

The bus leaves from the front of my condo, either directly out my front door or from the stop directly across the street. So I can time my departure to allow for minimum wait. The bus ride requires one transfer at the Dalhousie C-Train station. What's really nice is that in the warm weather it's close enough I can skip that bus and just take my PWC all the way to the station, a ride that take about a half hour. Most nice days it is one of the best ways to get myself outside.

Comimg home is almost the same story. If I manage to keep my shopping to what is on my list, it's usually not a lot. However, like my rides there and back, that bus has already left the station. I almost always end up with more than planned. It's the same with virtually all my grocery shopping. Today the extras include Olives for Greek Salads, a tub of Potato Salad, and some Chocolate Covered Almonds. Still, it's a small amount which can easily fit on a box on my lap, so I just take the bus home, the reverse of my trip there.

On the other hand there are days when I just need stuff that comes in large packages, paper products for example. I don't like to run out of paper towels or toilet paper. Yes, I know. If I run out, Safeway is just across the street. I just like having lots on hand, and Costco is the place when you feel like that. So when size happens, that's when I take full advantage of the Access Calgary Extra service, where I can call a cab but pay the prices of bus fair. Usually, after tip, my part of the fair comes to about $6.00. Yet I make few runs like that. Mostly it's smaller stuff.

There are times when a friend will take me. That means making the transfers into the truck if I want to use it, or a transfer into someone else's car. It means wheeling myself around. But it also means I can make those larger purchases without even needing a cab. Sometimes its worth it.

My reward for all this work? I Costco HotDog and an Iced Tea. That's probably the most important reason for me to do a Costco run, the real payoff.