Monday, November 26, 2018
A Disproportionately Irritating Thing
We are out of milk. We have been out of milk since we got home from our trip on Saturday night.
Well, that's not strictly true. There was milk in the refrigerator. But it was milk that had been sitting in that refrigerator the entire time we were gone, and so it was no longer fit for consumption. I had meant to stick it in the freezer before we left, but in all the rush to get out the door at 4:30 a.m., I forgot.
This small omission has great consequences out here in Empty America, however.
The tiny general store in the village wasn't open until Sunday morning. And when it did open, the guy was out of milk.
The slightly-less-tiny store twenty miles away isn't open on Sundays.
The next closest grocery store is fifty miles away.
The kids wanted milk to drink. A. and I wanted milk for our coffee. None of us wanted to drive 100 miles round trip to buy milk.
The most annoying part of this is that we stopped no less than seven times on our long and arduous trek home Saturday, and each of those stops was at an establishment that sold milk. I had a cooler in the car. I could have gotten milk at any time we were still in civilization. The last stop was only an hour and a half from home. I could have gotten milk then and not even needed a cooler. But I was so exhausted and mired in my own desperation to just get out of the car that I didn't think of it.
And so, we are out of milk.
A. is going to a city this afternoon to drop off our U-Haul trailer--a story for another time--so he can go to a big* grocery store and get many gallons of milk. And probably a box of dry milk for future milk-less situations.
Until then, it's black coffee with maple syrup for me, and water for the boys.
Amusing update: I'd been telling the boys ever since yesterday that they could have milk at school. Their school provides a free breakfast of cereal and milk every morning. Except this morning? No milk. I had to laugh at that, although it was very disappointing for the children.
* That should probably be in quotes, as it is nowhere near as big as a city supermarket, but it's big to us.
Prediction: you will never again forget to buy milk. Being milkless is truly dire.
ReplyDeleteWe live anywhere from 0 to 35 miles from town, depending on where we're working at the time. As you're well aware, if you're living out of town and run to town every time you need one thing, you're spending all your time and money running to town. This means that if someone makes a grocery run and forgets the milk, we ration the last little bit remaining in the existing gallon and then we're out of milk until the next time someone has additional reason(s) to make a trip to town. It may be later that day, it may be several days. No milk is catastrophic, because scarcity drives demand. It's when there's no milk that EVERYONE needs a glass of milk before bed, EVERYONE wants cold cereal for breakfast, EVERYONE agrees pudding would be nice for dessert -- except oops, out of milk. *dismay*
ReplyDeleteHindsight seems to be always 20/20. Still doesn't provide milk .
ReplyDeleteOur Dollar Tree store has boxed milk that has a very long shelf date on it . You might try that. Shelf stable for months. Canned milk is always a thought as well. The freezer was really good idea. ;)
When we lived in Alaska, I remember us having a gallon in the freezer at all times.
ReplyDeleteObviously you need to get a cow. Mary in MN
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree with getting a cow. You'll have that big pasture once you move.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Does your youngest not "need" milk to drink? Does she drink formula? Maybe I don't know at what age children no longer just drink milk with their meals .... also, did you consider making a nut milk? I've heard it can be pretty easy to make. (Not that I've tried) lol!
ReplyDeleteLoving: She still nurses,so all she needs is me. Lucky girl. I didn't have any nuts to make nut milk, but that is an interesting idea.
ReplyDelete