There are a few places in the world that now make me feel old, and one of them is the checkout lane at my local grocery store. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first one is the cost of food. Before you sigh in exasperation about another old person grumbling about the price of things, have a little compassion. When I was married 53 years ago, my grocery budget for my husband and myself was ten dollars a week. Ten dollars! The price of a can of tuna fish was 25 cents. I now march into my local Safeway thinking that this time the bill will be under $20.00 as I have many of the ingredients for dinner at home. It never is.
And while I stand in line waiting my turn to check out I look at the magazines that surround me on all sides. Who are these people? I have absolutely no idea. Whoever they are they all seem to be having multiple babies, multiple cosmetic surgeries, or multiple divorces. I used to know the faces on the covers of these magazines, although some of the things discussed now would never have been front page news in my day. So I am left being truly grateful to the British royal family for at least I do recognize them. And I most particularly appreciate Queen Elizabeth for there she is as always ----in a hat that matches her coat, and carrying her pocket book in that particularly royal fashion. However, she is different from the rest of us seniors. For I do know that hatted royal, as unchangingly stalwart as she is, is supremely unaware of the rising cost of a can of tuna fish. That is left for us graying commoners.
