Ladies who shop

Hi. An early post this morning as there is a lot I want to get on with today. I had a lot of fun last night at Tesco, giving away bags. I took four with me, and came home with one. The reaction on people's faces was a source of great amusement. I kept a look out within the store, for likely candidates. Someone with not too much shopping. If they were carrying a basket then they could fit all their items in my one bag, so they were the best people to approach. I tried to be discreet thinking the cameras might spot me, didn't want to get thrown out, ha ha. 

The ladies I chose were lovely, all smiley, and not quite believing that I wanted to give them something and not expect anything in return. Two of them apologised for not having any money, they were paying for their shopping with plastic. One young lady with dreadlocks said she didn't like to take one because of the work that I had put into making them. I explained that they take less than an hour to make, and I got the fabric free, and it's my hobby. She took one and said it would also come in useful for carrying books around. 

The three people I asked all took one. I explained my reason for giving a bag to a complete stranger was to reduce the amount of plastic carrier bag pollution, and talked about random acts of kindness, and that they might pass on the kindness in their own way in the future. 

Someone asked in a comment yesterday if it is worth a few people bothering to try and save the planet with these small gestures. I would say it is, if that is what you believe in. Lots of small droplets of water make a great ocean. The fact that you do something for a person you have never met before, and will probably never meet again, has a greater impact than if you do something for a friend. I like the idea of surprise, to make people smile, and without expecting anything back. The fact that giving a bag has a serious message behind it, is a bonus. I don't give Christmas presents willy nilly, and rarely give birthday presents, not because I don't value the person, because I don't want anything back in return. That might make me sound ungrateful, but the feeling that you ought to give a present takes the meaning out of it. I like to give when the recipient is not expecting it, it makes me, and them, happy.   

Patricia and Melinda asked if I make long handled bags. Yes I do. These are lined and not really shopping bags, more a general purpose work/going out bag. They take longer to make. The idea of running up some shopping bags is to do them quickly, and to use up the fabric. They are simple to make, without lining, and are used mainly for shop to car shopping.  

Here are a few of the bags I have made in the past. The top two started as plain canvas bags which I redesigned for an exhibition at the arts centre. They are lined. Below them are shopping bags made from fused plastic. The white one is made from the inner bags from cereal boxes.

Not many yellow stickers last night, they had been snapped up before I arrived. I got a few items, sprouts, bread, bean salad, tea cakes, casserole veg, and broccoli. I picked out my usual Value items, Tesco's own cheap range. Some of them are very good. Tinned rice pudding, Bran Flakes (see they have gone back down to 88p) tomato ketchup (I use this in soups and stews), soft garlic cheese, potatoes and carrots, long life soya milk 59p, and plain yogurt 45p. I had a treat of four cans of cider, £2.25. The total shop came to £40.26, I had a £4 off voucher. £14.72 was spent on cats, two bags of Whiskas dry for £6, cooked and uncooked Value chicken pieces, some posh tinned food for Bugsy's delicate tummy, and Value tuna fish as a treat for all of them. My food should last a couple of weeks, just need to get some eggs.

Right, I'm off for a walk in the park, before the rain comes. I'll say catch you tomorrow, but I will be popping in throughout the day to see what you are up to. Toodle pip.